BWW Reviews: FLASHDANCE: THE MUSICAL Splashes into San Antonio

If you remember when MTV was all videos and you wore legwarmers, then chances are that you remember when the movie FLASHDANCE was released. The year was 1983 and the setting was Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A young girl named Alex was trying to live her dream of being a dancer even though she came from a rough background. Alex works in a steel mill by day and dances at a club at night. She works hard and never gives up. In FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL, the plot is similar yet the story is rewritten and the characters were never fully developed. There was no developing a strong storyline and it was at times difficult to follow because of that flaw.

The actors in the show gave great performances overall. Jillian Mueller, who recently joined the cast, does a great job at portraying Alex. Still in her teens, Jillian's youth makes her a great choice for the role. She flawlessly sings such numbers as "Just out of Reach" and "Let Go" that really showcase her vocal range. She dances with ease and comfort, showing that her years of practice and training are paying off.

Matthew Hydzik (Nick Hurley) had the strongest voice of the men in the show and belts out "Enough" with real feeling. And when Matthew and the male ensemble sang "Justice," he blended perfectly with the rest of the cast. Matthew plays the part of Nick well and the conviction of the character comes through as he sings.

Other strong actors included Dequina Moore who played Kiki, Jo Ann Cunningham as Hannah and Christian Whelan as CC. Each one delivered strong portrayals of their characters despite the weak storyline.

But the standout in the entire evening had to be the ensemble dancers. Talk about excellence. The dancers were phenomenal, especially Ryan Carlson who was a break dancer in certain numbers. He had the audience applauding and cheering as he danced across the stage. The ballet dancers were perfection as well.

Catch FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL at the Majestic Theatre from June 18-23. Tickets can be purchased by going to their website www.majesticempire.com

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Daniel

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