BWW Reviews: GIRLS NIGHT THE MUSICAL at the Kimmel Center

Girls Night the Musical is the story of five friends in their forties celebrating a girls night out. The story begins with narrator Sharon, who died at age 22, leaving behind a daughter, Candy Rose. She observes her four best friends as they get together to celebrate Candy Rose's engagement. These friends include Carol the party girl, Kate the designated driver, Liza the one with marital issues, and Anita who tells the truth, even at inappropriate moments. Sharon, the not so angelic angel, takes us through their pasts, explaining each woman's problems while the friends perform karaoke. The girls night that follows is full of secrets, confessions, drama, fun dancing, and great music.

 

First things first, these women can sing! Jenna Paige Garliardo plays Lisa and rocks out with solos in songs like "I Will Survive" and "It's Raining Men." Wilma Cespedes-Rivera as the deceased Sharon keeps the show moving with her narration. She's fun to watch as she observes the four living characters and joins them in the musical numbers. Alexandra Rush plays party girl Carol. Her powerhouse voice is wonderfully featured in "Holding out for a Hero" and "Don't Cry Out Loud." Last minute substitution, Deborah Radloff is absolutely hilarious as her sister, the straight-laced Kate, who for the first time in her life lets loose. Both her "At Seventeen" and "Cry Me a River," are beautiful. Finally, Maya Tepler is a delight to watch as the manic-depressive Anita. She fully commits to her character, bringing it into every aspect of her performance-even when she's listening to her friends' conversations or dancing with the girls. On top of this, she has a magnificent voice and adds great riffs to her numbers, "The Love of My Man" and "I Am What I Am."  The audience erupted in cheers several times through both songs.

 

The familiar songs are a good blend of party starting dance songs and moving ballads. The song list includes: "I'm Every Woman," "Man I Feel Like a Woman," "We Are Family," "Lady Marmalade," and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." The actresses and male preshow host help get the audience into it singing, dancing and clapping along-though they need little encouragement. Girls Night is definitely about the experience more than anything else. The choreography is perfectly fitting and entertaining. The major flaw is the book by Louise Roche, which spends most of the time telling us what is happening through Sharon's narration. At times the story seemed unnecessarily dark and out of place with the music. Finally, the plot is full of stereotypes of women and their experiences from puberty to affairs and everything in between.

 

In sum, the music is wonderful, the book is not so wonderful, but Girls Night the Musical is a true crowd pleaser. The audience was full of women; drink in hand, many celebrating fiftieth birthdays and divorces while wearing feather boas and tiaras. If you're looking for a fun experience where you can dance and sing at the theater, then go visit the women of Girls Night and enjoy their amazing voices-just leave the men at home!

 

Girls Night the Musical plays at the Kimmel Center's Innovation Studio through May 23. For more information please see the official press release.