Review: RIDE THE CYCLONE at The Laboratory Theater Of Florida

The Laboratory Theater of Florida's production of RIDE THE CYCLONE is a loopy tale of six teenagers from a Canadian choir who get into a fatal rollercoaster accident, and all have to compete for who will get to come back to life. 

The show stars Nick Beyor as Noel, Jania Boucher as Ocean, Jonatton Declet as Ricky, Gabrielle Lansden as Jane Doe, Brittany Ringsdore as Constance, Jane Seth as Mischa, Trace Meier as the voice of The Amazing Karnak, and Mark King as the puppeteer of The Amazing Karnak. This cast does an excellent job bringing their characters to life. Their backstories are told through zany and theatrical musical numbers, which is a really fun but effective way of telling you who they are. The photos and videos that played on a screen on the right side of the stage also assisted in showing the audience who each character was. I especially enjoyed Ringsdore's Constance - she was very funny, often in subtle ways, which was fun to watch. Lansden also did a fantastic job embodying Jane Doe, who is very doll-like. The pupeteering was executed very well also, and I liked how The Amazing Karnak moved the story along. 

This production was directed by Annette Trossbach, with assistant direction by Kaci Davis, technical direction by Jonathan Johnson, production management by Gabrielle Lansden, music direction by Earl Sparrow, choreography by Erica Fiore, scenic design by Gabrielle Lansden, sound design by Jane Seth, props by Gabrielle Lansden and Jonathan Johnson, costumes by Annette Trossbach, Trace Meier, and Gabrielle Lansden, set construction by Jonathan Johnson, Art Keen, Mark King, Gabrielle Lansden, Earl Sparrow, Michael Abbitt, Nick McCumber, and Artsemble Underground, and the mural backdrop by Artsemble Underground. 

This show is, in a word, campy. I loved that about it, and thought it was so fun to watch because of how unexpected it was. The effects in this were done extremely well. The lighting was amazing, and I really enjoyed Jane Doe "flying" during her musical number. The set is fairly simply, which I thought worked well for the show. 

I really appreciate The Lab for bringing a show like this to this area, in a regional premiere. It's a unique, fun experience, and highlights what it is like for a teenager who likes theatre and lives in a small town. The songs were really fun, and the characters were each very distinct. 

I highly recommend checking out RIDE THE CYCLONE at The Lab while it's running, now through March 23. It's a rollercoaster of a musical, and it's incredibly entertaining. For more information and tickets, follow the link below.

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