RIDE THE CYCLONE Comes to Farmers Alley Theatre

Coming off the heels of the enormously popular, sold out and extended production of A Jukebox for the Algonquin, Farmers Alley Theatre presents the Kalamazoo premiere of Ride the Cyclone,  a 90-minute thrill ride of a musical, running May 29th through June 15th.

In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived. The show has also become a cultural phenomenon, with millions of videos created across TikTok and Instagram. Featuring a vast array of musical styles from Glam Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop and Cabaret, this bizarre and unique tale has a surprisingly affecting message about what it means to live a life well-lived.

Directed and choreographed by Leonard E. Sullivan with music direction by Brendan Hollins. Ride the Cyclone stars Jason Mulay Koch (Rent, Bright Star) as Mischa, Braeden Davis (Sutton Foster award winner) as Noel, Emery Henderson (Penny in Hairspray Nat'l Tour) as Ocean, Alex Daspit (Dear Evan Hansen at Muny this summer) as Ricky, Niki Metcalf (Tracy in Hairspray Nat'l Tour) as Constance, Faith Northcutt (Mamma Mia! Nat'l tour) as Jane Doe and Steve Brubaker (Jersey Boys, School of Rock) as the Amazing Karnak.

Farmers Alley is ecstatic to welcome in Director and Choreographer Leonard E. Sullivan to town to helm this exciting production. A gifted actor and director, Leonard has been seen all over the country in national tours of The Book of Mormon and Hairspray.  A graduate of Western Michigan University, Leonard is thrilled to be leading Farmers Alley Theatre's production of Ride the Cyclone.

“When I was first introduced to this piece, I'm not sure I fully understood it,” states Sullivan. “At first glance, it can seem outlandish—even silly. But at its core, it explores something deeply moving: young people grappling with their own mortality, and how, when faced with death, they bring their final thoughts and dreams to life. That idea was both new and intriguing to me.”

Sullivan adds, “In today's world—marked by school shootings and the lasting impact of COVID—young adults have had death forced into their daily consciousness. During the pandemic, this piece saw a surge in popularity, becoming a much-needed escape for many young people from a harsh and uncertain reality.”

“Ride The Cyclone is a little bit Forever Plaid, with a slice of Glee and a dash of Spring Awakening. And the story of how Ride The Cyclone came into our universe is very surprising.” said Managing Artistic Director, Jeremy Koch. “Our Production Manager, Kathy Mulay, saw the U.S. premiere of this show at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and loved it and sent the script and soundtrack to the rest of our Artistic Committee. Once we all heard the exciting and enthralling music to go along with a very original story filled with unique characters, we knew we had to produce it for our audiences. You will laugh, you will get wrapped up in the eccentricity of the show, your head will bounce to the catchy music and ultimately, you will find yourself shockingly moved by the content of the show. It is quite a ride filled with shocking stories, emotional moments and an eclectic assortment of characters trying to answer questions about acceptance, embracing individuality and just being who you are.”