A Unique Opportunity... The Pre-premiere of College:The Musical

Last night I was given the great chance to see a pre-premiere of the world's first complete production of College: The Musical in Gainesville's very own Hippodrome Theater. The play is set to open Friday, June 6th, and will run throughout the summer. Anyone in town should go see it.

The play opens with a hilarious song and a great first line, and the laughs keep going from there. Featuring such hysterical songs as "Alcohollelujah" and "Good Enough for Now," College: The Musical is entertaining enough for any college student or recent grad, and true enough for the more seasoned crowd. The actor/singers are amazing, and I was particularly impressed by the voice of the actress playing Agnes (such high notes!). There are plenty of the expected jokes revolving around dorm life and the party lifestyle, but a good amount of revealing moments and realizations surface throughout. The second half runs the risk of becoming a bit too preachy and obvious about the downfalls of the alcohol-fueled 18-21 year old, but with a little tweaking, the audience will get the point without it being beat into them. Beside this, the directing was great and the way actors moved and danced around the stage and props was exciting and flawless.

Oh, and remember "that guy" in college? You know, that guy? Well, every single actor in this play portrays the definitive that guy or that girl. There's the party master, the studious one, the FRESHMAN, that annoying couple, the promiscuous girl, and a few more that will seem all to familiar. Audience interaction has it's place here, too. Jello shots are passed out at one point, and plenty of people in the front row will get a nice creepy stare from the actors near the end. Make sure you grab a drink at the bar before the show, for solidarity's sake!

Special thanks to my friend Kate for the recommendation and company. College: The Musical is written by Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen. The Hippodrome production is directed by Lauren Caldwell.