A Very Potter Musical

Impressively cheesy, overwhelmingly campy, entirely ridiculous, and it's spectacular. Anyone who is familiar with the original "Starkid" production is aware of the fun and unique humour. The Heritage Woods cast had big shoes to fill, and they did that and extra. The cast's enthusiasm was palpable, and their energy radiated into the audience. This can be attributed to the student director, Kate Wilson. Having someone as passionate about the show as the actors brings the show to life. The show is based and parodied off the Harry Potter series. These stories are near and dear to our hearts and are not disgraced in the show. It is clear the creators have a strong love for the source material. Inside jokes are sprinkled throughout the show, enhancing the experience of the audience. But this show is still entertaining to those who haven't seen the movies or read the books. The show does not rely solely on the source material for its comedy. It also pulls from musical theatre clichés and schticks. This comedic experience is expressed perfectly in the song "Granger Danger" a classic love triangle is sung to the beautiful backdrop of Hermione Granger's (Keely Callander-McLennan) ridiculous dancing. This number perfectly represents the hilarious and silly soul of the show.

Despite the hilarious songs and script, it is the cast that really makes this show what it is. We are accustomed to the annual production of the school musical which is a yearlong process. Acting class productions are only prepared for a semester, so taking on a longer musical project is a testament to the actors' commitment. Every actor added and enhance the show with their energy and talent. Even actors with smaller roles such as Cody Kanun who was committed to his portrayal of Neville Longbottom and drew eyes whenever he was on stage. Characterization was astounding in this show, this was especially true for Rachel Springle. Her Cedric Diggory was a complete character from the walk, to the most comedic death of the show (which in this case is a high bar). More comedic genius came from Laine Taylor's Severus Snape. She was unrecognizable as the eccentric potions teacher, and her character flowed through every movement. Another standout of the night was Isabella Hewitt as Ron Weasley. Her performance can best be described as a drag impression of John Belushi. She was hilarious and completely believable as the ridiculous caricature of the beloved character. The biggest scene stealer was by far Mikayla Susin's brilliant interpretation of Lord Voldemort. She took from the original show and truly made this character her own. It is quite a challenge to portray a character who is so iconic, in both the source material and parody. She rose above this challenge. Morphing herself into the role and holding strong despite her fake scalp slapping against the stage. It takes a hugely talented actor to not only survive a mistake but to adlib it to a moment of theatrical perfection.

This show cannot be described in any way but comedic brilliance. It was thoroughly enjoyable. The audience was pained by the actor's ability to not let them take in a breath. They brought not only their own energy but also found it in the audience. "The Very Potter Musical" was an experience. The actors and audience seemed to be united with the perfect show for the actors to sink their teeth into, and they were chewing the scenery to bits.