Courtney Symes

What the story delivers is spectacle. Dazzling choreography, intense numbers, and seamless set moves contribute to a slick showcase of unforgettable MJ. When Jordan Markus as MJ first steps out onto the stage to deliver “Beat It,” the audience begins a nostalgic journey that reminds us why Jackson is forever the King of Pop. Witnessing Markus is like seeing a ghost -- looks, mannerisms, dance moves. He has it all. His reminiscences into the Jackson 5 era are covered by Eric Wiltz as Little Michael, who is perhaps the cutest and most talented nine-year-old I’ve witnessed. Thriller-era Michael is played by Brandon Lee Harris, also a vocal doppelganger of the late Jackson and an inimitable talent.

Ryan Stajmiger is a treasure. Loud, brash, and utterly captivating, he commands attention and even elicits sympathy. It’s got to be tough growing up with a mom who catalogs the newly dead. Stajmiger shows off his considerable stage presence in numbers like “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” and “That Beautiful Sound.” His energy is infectious, exhausting, and exhilarating. Beetlejuice is frightfully addicting. You’ll want to go again. Again. Again.

This touring cast is just as good as the group I saw on Broadway. Crystal Kellogg’s Anne is utterly charming. She’s got a natural, quick wit and engaging persona, like she’s letting us all in on a fun secret at the expense of Shakespeare. CJ Eldred is her husband, who is lovingly knocked down a peg but takes it with grace. What can a man expect when he only leaves his wife his second-best bed? Kathryn Allison plays Juliet’s nurse, Angelique, and is a perfect complement in voice, attitude, and motherly concern to Fabiola Caraballo Quijada’s Juliet. Quijada is astonishing. Her performance belies her age; it’s hard to reconcile that level of talent with being a recent high school graduate. Her Best Friend, May, is sweetly portrayed by Nico Ochoa, delightfully contrasting with Joseph Torres’ hilariously narcissistic Romeo. Paul-Jordan Jansen and Noah Marlowe are father/son duo Lance and Francois -- polar opposites and perfectly cast. The entire company is full of energy, and numbers like “Larger Than Life,” “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” and the crowd-pleasing closer, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” make this show an entire experience. Once won’t be enough. You’ll want to see it “Baby One More Time.”

There was nothing I didn’t love about this production. The rousing tap numbers, the clever lyrics integrating comedic moments, stunning scenic design by Scott Pask, and top-notch performers. Some of the principals are familiar faces in Sacramento. Both Loehr and Conner Jones are Broadway at Music Circus veterans; Loehr was last seen in Something Rotten, and Conner Jones in The Music Man. Conner Jones is absolutely flawless as Sweet Sue. Her physical comedy, impeccable timing, and sheer power as a performer are spectacular to witness. It’s also her last run before leaving the show, and you do not want to miss her. This woman is a star.”

Expect to feel a roller coaster of emotions as we’re led through a journey of shock, hope, redemption, and tragedy. Chernin poignantly conveys the feelings of utter helplessness and despair that Leo Frank must have experienced, while Suskauer embodies a woman pulling from reserves she doesn’t know she has. Parade is a spectacle of class and grace, and its themes of anti-Semitism, racism, politics, and injustice are incredibly relevant today.

Central to the show’s success is the incredible range of Carmello. It hinges on her ability to be a believable teenager which, somehow, she excels at. Her performance of “Make a Wish” makes one think. If you knew you had limited time left, what would you wish for? Two hours of Carmello is never a bad choice.

The energetic overture sets the tone for the rest of the show. There is truly not a dull moment. In the first act alone we get the glitzy fun of “Make Me a Woman,” the hilariously relatable kitchen disaster “Easy Peasy,” and the catchy rap “It’s About Time.” The second act gives us screamingly funny numbers like “Big Fat No” and “He Lied to Me.” While the lyrics are easy to follow and the music is catchy, the performers bring the show to life with verve, zest, and inarguable talent.

The show retains some of the 1970s feel, with minimalist set design by Bunny Christie and Stanley Kubrick-esque numbers like “Poor Baby” and “Side by Side by Side.” It’s Sondheim at his best, and the talent in this show is a fitting tribute to a man whose unique sound changed the American musical. Company is the gift that keeps on giving…the more you listen to it, the more you take from it. At its surface, it’s about a woman who just wants to live life to the fullest. Probing deeper, its themes resonate with anyone who has felt alone, who feels adrift, and who craves human connection. After all, we all want “someone to crowd us with love.”