Review: RANKED, A MUSICAL at Live Theatre Workshop

Ranked, A Musical is a unique piece of theatre. With a book by Kyle Holmes and music/lyrics by David Taylor Gomes, Ranked is lightning in a bottle. Tucson theatre veteran Richard Gremel directs an outstanding cast of young performers. When I say Ranked is unique I truly mean it. This is a professional-quality show being presented on Live Theatre Workshop's mainstage as a children's theatre offering, and every single kid was on that stage for a reason. Holmes and Gomes (a fun pairing of names) have crafted a delicious and biting look under the microscope at teenage school life. The premise is in the title; high schoolers fight tooth and nail to become the top academically-ranked students. The twists this story takes will indeed surprise you.

Gremel is at the top of his game as a director here. I have always had an admiration for Gremel's work. To see him work wonders with twenty exceptional youth and present that work in such a polished and professional manner is nothing short of inspiring. All twenty of the young actors most definitely have a bright future in theatre. Jadyn Gillette, Nathaniel Wiley, Chloe Harris, Kellen Tanner, Mary Elda Olmsted, Ivy Buffalo, Kennedy George, Sydney Johnson, Eli Sallard, Ray Jones, Rowan Sandeen, Braeley McIntire, Kai Piers, Ila Olmsted, Natasha Mascarenas, Harmony Garner, Salem Hernandez, Ashlynn Gillis, Ash Castro-Merriam, and Greyson Pfannenstiel all light up the stage.

Music direction by Jonathan Heras was first-rate. I am familiar with his work as an actor, but I was also impressed with the strong vocals and diction. This was by no means an easy score, and I'm sure it was unfamiliar to the young actors at first glance. It should also be noted that LTW did not use mics for this show, so the projection of each young artist was outstanding. There were no weak links. The tracks were on the soft side so voices could be heard, so it was doubly impressive that all actors were able to stay perfectly synced with the music. Going without mics worked and the sound was excellent.

Samantha Cormier is a seasoned theatre professional, and her choreography here was on point. This production was staged in the round, so actors moved around the stage quite a bit. The energy never really left the room, and it helped that the audience in the space provided so much support. Group movement during ensemble pieces moved at a breakneck pace, with each actor given something to do. I would enjoy seeing Ranked again from the other side of the house to see what I missed upon my first viewing.

Jadyn Gillette, as the lead role of Lily Larsen, is magnificent. Her belt is perfectly calibrated while also sounding natural and free. She was a force of nature on that stage. Nathaniel Wiley had exceptional stage presence and control onstage as co-lead John Carter. There were several times with Wiley and others where I had to remind myself I was seeing a show with high schoolers and not professionals. That's how good Ranked is. Chloe Harris exudes MEAN GIRLS energy as Sydney Summers, and utilizes chiaroscuro technique not found in most singers her age. I would love to see her play Regina George. 

Rounding out the principal cast are Kellen Tanner as Ryan Summers, Mary Elda Olmsted as Alexis Larsen, and Ivy Buffalo as Jordan Carter. All three were phenomenal and blew the roof off the theatre technically and theatrically. The future of Tucson theatre is indeed very bright with these young artists carrying the torch. My only small observation was that the ending of the play was a bit ambiguous, which you will understand when you see it. But it is a good thing to be left wanting more. And you will want to see more of these young artists after watching Ranked, A Musical. Tickets may be purchased at livetheatreworkshop.org. The project runs through July 27.

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