RE: #KD40 - On Stage
This show struck me too as the London Rocks of KD. But, as a park not currently known for their entertainment offerings, I would say that is a good thing. I would be lying if I said London Rocks was not a big or flashy production, and I think a big and flashy production like this is exactly what KD needs to help kick-start their progression into a stronger focus on entertainment.
See, London Rocks taken on its own terms is a strong production, although it is very strange. It just doesn't have any place at Busch Gardens, nor do its flashy elements. KD40 On Stage is actually a big and flashy production. But right now, Kings Dominion needs that. Entertainment has taken a backseat to rides for decades, with nothing more than your average lackluster theme park music revue show in the Kings Dominion Theatre. On Broadway sort of broke that trend, but I do see this show as showing effort for the park taking a big leap with entertainment. Back in the Golden Years, lots of flashy shows like this were played in what was then the Mason-Dixon Music Hall. I mean, considering the fact KD's entertainment offering don't have a very high standing currently, isn't it a good thing that their shows are comparable to one of Busch Gardens' shows?
Now, would I gripe if a show like this were played at Busch Gardens? Possibly, because a show like this has no place at Busch Gardens, which is part of my issue with London Rocks. Do I have a problem with it here? No, I actually don't. As I said, the park needs a show like this to really get it out there that the park is serious about the entertainment offerings. Plus, the flashiness of this show really fits the park better than it does Busch Gardens. Quite honestly, the feel for the show actually fits the type of park that Kings Dominion currently is. To be honest, I think Kings Dominion could use some of Scott's glitter.
Also, London Rocks has lots parts that are just plain weird, if not creepy. There was no part in this show that physically creeped me out.
As far as the show goes, here are some of my thoughts:
The show is very well-produced, much more so than I have ever personally seen any show at Kings Dominion produced. It is a very full-fledged, all-out show that for once doesn't feel like they took the "minimalist" approach. The combination of sets, scrims, and an actually decent backdrop mixed with high-quality vocals, numbers, and choreography is a great change to see. The show certainly has some strength to it.
The cast is very strong, and I would venture to say it's stronger than On Broadway's cast. Last year, there were some really strong singers, but there still were some bad seeds in the mix. Everyone here sounds really strong and high-quality with a good voice, and some are exceptionally good.
As far as music choices go, it ranges from modern music to older music to music mainly meant as inspiring pieces. The show is indeed a "journey through the decades" type show (as explained by the mushrooms), so that theme ties the music in. I do think there is too much modern music in there, though ("Best Day of My Life" and "Happy" are both extremely annoying popular songs), and assuming this show returns for the second year of the celebration, those songs will have fallen out of popularity and the show will have to be rewritten in some way with new songs, or it will play outdated songs that nobody really wants to hear anymore. Also, I was hoping there would be some Journey in there. The theme of the show is how far you can get with an idea and a dream, so I was really yearning for a "Don't Stop Believin'" number. But oh well. I will say, the ways they incorporated different elements and areas of the park is pretty clever.
The mushrooms are a really clever transition from scene to scene. The explain what the audience is going to see next, with some humorous dialogue in between. (This is done because the performers wear different outfits from each scene, and all of the performers participate in each scene, so it is a good way to fill the time.) Also, while their dialogue is cheesy, the mushrooms were somewhat hilarious. I literally laughed out loud when the girl said to them, "Alright, be on your best behavior, or we'll banish you back to the storage yard!" which was followed by gasps from the mushrooms. There were a few other references to being "locked away in the storage yard" in there, and such references are really satisfying for some reason. The biggest thing about the mushrooms is that they're really just used as a time-killer, instead of actually being a key point of the show. Also, the mushrooms interact with their puppeteers. LR does the opposite of both of these, which is why the puppets aren't a failure here. The LR puppets are a big part of the show, and are almost scary.
The lighting system, the scrim, and the projections are pretty neat. They enhance the show, but they aren't the focus of the show like at a certain show elsewhere. It's nice to see such touches and care being put into the show here.
I love shows with audience participation, and this show does that pretty well. There is the scene where the mushrooms test the knowledge of audience by giving various TV themes from the 90's, and later the audience is invited to "dance" in their seats (more like swaying side to side, clapping, etc.) with the cast while a cast member teaches one of the dances other performers roam the aisles.
Still, other than the annoying overdose of modern music, I hope there are some changes made to the show for next year. The segment with the mushrooms where the audience has to guess what TV theme they are dancing to drones on for far too long. I mean, I'm all for audience participation, but it really kills the continuity of the show and seems kind of unnecessary. It sort of feels like they just tried to jam that piece of the show in there when it doesn't really fit, so when they transition from the "Baywatch" to the WaterWorks scene it's kind of like "Huh? Oh yeah... we're watching a show." There is reason the mushrooms need to take that long. Maybe a few theme songs could be cut or something to shorten this segment. If this, and the overabundance of modern music, are somehow rewritten for next year, then the show will be much better.
Anywho, that is my little review of the show. It's not 100% perfect, but as I said, it's a strong production with a great cast, and a big production like this is just what the park needs. I certainly hope this is a sign to expect big things from the park's entertainment department in the future. It's about time entertainment starts to be like what it was back in the Golden Years!
