After their successful run of Men on Boats, the Sarofim School of Fine Arts theater department set straight to work on preparing for their upcoming musical, BKLYN. The show debuted their first performance on February 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the Jones Theater.

Written and scored by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson, BKLYN: the Musical is a story within a story. Set in the city of Brooklyn, New York, a troupe of street performers act out a story about a young Parisian girl named Brooklyn who comes to the U.S. to find the father she never knew. Accompanied by an impactful but beautiful pop score, BKLYN brings forward a story both touching and inspiring that will leave you with tears.

As soon as I entered the theater, I felt like I was in New York due to the set being almost life-like. From the rails and props, to the graffitied lights, you can really tell the crew put a lot of thought and effort onto the stage. Additionally while watching the show, I was captivated by not just the scenery, but also how they incorporated lighting into certain scenes, making them more impactful. I absolutely give a big round of applause to the production and technical crew for giving it their all and bringing the show together. For more background information about the musical, check out our recent behind the scenes article with more insight from the cast!

Along with feeling like I’m in Brooklyn, the ensemble actors also interacted with the audience before the show. I always enjoy cast interactions with the audience and their conversations immersed us into the story while staying in character, which I appreciated. Onto the actual performance, I won’t spoil anything, but I greatly enjoyed seeing everyone perform and I found I couldn’t take my eyes away for a moment. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed the songs and how they ranged from being a banger one minute to heartbreaking right after. As someone who’s a theater kid with musical theater experience, I didn’t even know that BKLYN existed! The theater department put on a great production for everyone to enjoy and I am glad I got to know about this musical. 

Junior Olivia Hynes delivered an astonishing performance as Brooklyn, delivering a raw and captivating show through her voice and acting. Additionally, the department brought in two guest actors, JP Lopez and Yassie Bonner, who play the Street Singer and Paradice respectively. The theater department strives to bring in professional actors to provide a learning experience for the students who work beside them. I spoke to sophomore Ansh Tripathi, who’s part of the ensemble, about his experience and he explained that “near the start of rehearsals we saw them as mentors, but suffice to say, they are considered dear friends of all of us, and I hope to work with them in the future too!”

Throughout the show, I can truly see the strong bond between everyone and the friendship between them. Everyone, from the cast, to the crew, to the directors, gave it their all to show off their performance, and that bond is, in my opinion, what makes a good show a great one.

There’s still one more weekend to watch this amazing musical on February 27th and 28th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 1st at 2 p.m. so make sure to buy your tickets now before they sell out! Additionally, Southwestern students can receive a free ticket for performances so make sure to call the box office or come to the box office window before the show to receive your free ticket!