Review Roundup: What Did Critics Think of HEAD OVER HEELS at The Ringwald?

The regional premiere of Head Over Heels rocked The Ringwald from May 13 through June 10.

Head Over Heels is the bold and fierce new musical comedy from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening. Set to the iconic music of the 1980's all-female rock band The Go-Go's, it includes the hit songs "We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Vacation," Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth," and many more!

It's a hilarious and sexy celebration of love in all its infinite varieties, told through the story of a royal family that must embark on an extravagant journey to save their beloved kingdom and find love and acceptance.

"Head Over Heels is simply an outrageously over-the-top good time. It may be the most fun you will ever have in a theater!" (Bay Area Theatre Critics Association)

The musical's cast featured: John DeMerell as "Bausilius," Suzan M. Jacokes as "Gynecia," Ashlee Spry as "Pamela," Katy MacCutcheon as "Philoclea," Jordan Gagnon as "Mopsa," Matt Wallace as "Musidorus," Christopher Ross-Dybash as "Dametas," Kaela Green as "Pythio," and Phoenix Eldridge, Tyler Goethe, Shelley Fager-Bajorek and Tess Hannah as "Ensemble."

The creative team included: Joe Bailey (Director), Jeremy St. Martin (Music Director), Holly Garverick (Stage Manager), Dan Koch (Set Design), Cal Schwartz (Costume Design), Brandy Joe Plambeck (Lighting Design), Katy Schoetzow (Props Design), Molly Zaleski (Choreographer) and Steven Ross-Dybash (Assistant Choreographer).

Let's hear what the critics thought of Head Over Heels' run...

Katie Laban, BroadwayWorld: Joe Bailey for the entire production. This is a wonderful production that is well thought out from beginning to the very end. The cast is well put together and each pairing complement each other perfectly. He did a fantastic job with Head Over Heels. Bravo!

Tanya Gazdik, Encore Michigan: Suzan M. Jacokes stands out as Gynecia, the mischievous wife of King Basilius, played by John DeMerell. Both actors are appropriately authoritative, setting the tone and giving context to the other characters. The two sisters, Pamela (Ashlee Spry) and Philoclea (Katy MacCutcheon) contrast each other nicely both physically and in personality. Like real sibs, they exhibit playful rivalry, but ultimately support each other when times are tough.

Emily Slomovits, Current: Head Over Heels isn't a subtle show in any way, but it doesn't hit us over the head with the way it takes gender and sexuality norms and turns them upside down. It simply presents relationships and people as fact, whether anyone wants to believe they exist or not. And that is one of the things that makes the show such fun to watch; we're seeing Elizabethan lesbians, non-binary people, cross-dressers, and they're able to be authentic while also being larger than life.

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