Review: GROUNDHOG DAY at Encore Performing Arts

Hollywood's movie-to-musical phenomenon has taken over the theater world. In the last twenty years, musicals like Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, and Beetlejuice have found considerable success on the Great White Way, while others have struggled to find the same audience. Shows like Pretty Woman, Mrs. Doubtfire and unfortunately, Groundhog Day are among those who have not.  

Groundhog Day was the latest production from Encore Performing Arts.  While a traitor to my generation, I have to admit that I had never seen the movie Groundhog Day until after I saw Encore’s production.  I knew the concept and understood the references, but had never seen it in its entirety and felt I needed to in order to have the best understanding of the story as a whole.  

If you’re not familiar with the story, a weatherman (Phil Connors) relives February 2 (Groundhog Day) because he is stuck in a time loop.  The 1993 movie is iconic.  It was directed by Harold Ramis, with the screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis.  It starred Bill Murray as Phil Connors and also featured Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott.  While not the first time-loop story ever told, Groundhog Day popularized the concept for modern audiences and remains the archetype for this form of storytelling.

 Don't get me wrong. The cast did a great job. They were talented, and they told the story well. My issue lies with the material itself. Not everything needs to be a musical, and Groundhog Day did little to change my mind. Despite music and lyrics by Tim Minchin (Matilda), I left the theater unable to recall a single song that felt memorable enough to revisit. One of my students came with me to see it, and while she also enjoyed the production as a whole, she shared the same sentiment.  

The musical follows the exact same premise as the movie with very few changes. One notable addition is Rita Hanson's character arc. She's given a more substantial character arc, and the audience gets to see more of her perspective rather than simply serving as Phil Connors' love interest. Some supporting characters, including Ned Ryerson, Nancy Taylor, and Mrs. Lancaster, are also given more development.

The two leads were great.  Andrew Sickles played Phil Connors and Sarah Bulger played Rita Hanson.  They harmonized well together and had good chemistry.  The supporting cast and ensemble were equally strong.  Since the heart of Groundhog Day is the time loop itself, the production had to find creative ways to convey repetition on stage, and it did so effectively. Continuity is one of those things that I think would make this show a challenge and there wasn’t anything that stood out to me as a continuity error.  

After doing some reading on the original Broadway production, I guess it used a revolving stage which caused some technical issues early on.  The set for Encore's production didn't have one, but I did not miss it. Their stage had a raised platform at the back of the stage that stood roughly four feet high and housed the orchestra, affectionately dubbed the "Punxsutawney Pit." Along the front of the platform were four doors. Three functioned as standard entrances and exits, while the fourth had a bed attached to it (why do so many shows feature beds?!). This functional set can be attributed to scenic designer Alex Sansolo.

There were some other really smart choices from a director’s standpoint.  Phil Connors was a weatherman covering Groundhog Day from another city.  Since the news van features prominently in the film, this production used a miniature remote-controlled version onstage.  It was a cute little addition and I am not sure if it was in the script, but it really helped establish the tone.  Another significant scene was a car chase.  In a Hollywood film, this is something pretty basic, but on stage this is yet another challenge.  The way they handled this scene in the Encore production was through puppetry.  The chase was through a neighborhood and they had cast members serve as puppeteers and their puppets represented houses, scenery, and of course, the car itself. My favorite bit though, was the use of a book in the show.  The book was a Frozen book and they opened to a page with a pop-up Olaf.  This was an homage to Encore’s last production this summer, which was Frozen.  I love little Easter eggs like this when theaters pay homage to their own work. It's something I do as well.  I have a sparkly microphone that I have somehow managed to work into every production I have directed since 2019.  All of these choices can be attributed to director Nicholas Sampson-Wainwright.  

I remember seeing shows from Encore when it was a group of predominantly Walt Disney World cast members.  I remember seeing a concert sometime in the early 2000s featuring Stephen Schwartz music at a theater somewhere backstage of the then Disney MGM Studios.  As someone who started their theater program from nothing, I appreciate how far they have come.  While Groundhog Day isn't a musical I would rush to revisit, Encore Performing Arts made a compelling case for it through strong performances, creative staging, and thoughtful direction. Having watched the organization grow over the years, it's exciting to see how far they have come, and I'm already looking forward to seeing what they do with Seussical this spring.

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