An all-student spectacle in "Pal Joey"

Sequence costumes, energetic dance numbers and amazing singing are just a few ways to describe "Pal Joey," the last musical of the season. \nThe first scene of "Pal Joey," which takes place in a night club, is surprisingly bare to anyone expecting a razzle-dazzle musical, but that atmosphere quickly changes during the song "You Mustn't Kick It Round." Sophomore Rebecca Faulkenberry, who plays Gladys Bumps, a dancer and singer at the night club, introduces the audience to her robust voice and ignites the action. From there, the excitement and energy gets better and better. \nThe musical flows from song to song, as we see Joe Evans, played by senior Colin Donnell, pass up Linda English, played by graduate student Vanessa Ballam Brenchley -- who very well could be the love his life -- for "Ms. Money Bags" Vera Simpson, played by graduate student Allison Batty. \nThe musical takes place in late-1930s Chicago, and the cast did a wonderful job of recreating the setting with accents, tough attitudes and Donnell's playboy-slick look. The costumes made the musical even more believable, especially the wardrobe of the chorus and Vera Simpson. Simpson was decked out in satin dresses with fur trim, a green frock with a feathered hat to match and a white satin gown with feather trim. Batty portrayed the part of the lonely rich wife looking for attention very well. Although her character is supposed to lack any real depth or feeling, her vulnerability surfaces in Act 1 when she performs "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." The moment is short-lived, however, and soon the empty rich wife returns and becomes Joe's sugar mama. \nThe play lends itself to audience participation, especially during scenes when Joe practices his night club act -- the audience of the Ruth N. Halls Theatre laughed at his jokes and encouraged his performances. Joe, whose dream is to become a hot night club emcee, uses Vera's money to buy new clothes, a new apartment and ultimately a new life. His new life finally comes together at the end of Act 1 during the performance of "Pal Joey (What Do I Care for a Dame?)." \nIn this performance, the costume design and technical crew come together to create a spectacle rare among students. The female chorus members come out in feathered headdresses and sparkling costumes that look like something out of a Las Vegas revue, and lights and costumes make it more like a Broadway show than a student play. The dancing was high energy, and Donnell showed the audience his star power when he and the male chorus performed a number that made the audience clap before it was finished. Although the script did not call for a male chorus, after seeing the musical, you can't imagine it without one. The scene was performed with female chorus members as well, but it was the tap dancing by the male chorus members that blew the audience away. Their high kicks brought the house down. \nThe second half of the musical quickly wrapped things up, but not before another lively performance by the chorus of "The Flower Garden of My Heart." It seemed to pick up where Act 1 left off with dancing, brightly colored costumes and chorus girls wearing hats shaped liked flowers. The scene served more as comic relief than anything else, as female chorus members were pushed around by male chorus members on flower pots while they held on for dear life. After the dancing, things go downhill for Joe, whose so-called friends plan to blackmail him while Vera Simpson begins to lose interest. The audience is left to wonder if Joe will ever find love or if he will be forever haunted by his small taste of the sweet life.