Both a modern retelling of a Shakespearean comedy and a musical revue paying homage to contemporary greats take the stage to deliver a show-stopping weekend at Belmont.
Believed to be written in the mid-1590s, “Love's Labor's Lost,” one of Shakespeare's earliest comedies, has entertained audiences for over four centuries. Following the story of a king, his friends and their pursuit and denial of love, this show will not only make audiences laugh, but also teach valuable lessons about romance.
"I think this show teaches you that love is so unexpected; you always need to be open to it, especially in the modern age when the world feels like there isn't enough," said Lauren Tayhon, junior theatre performance major and princess in “Love's Labor’s Lost.”
While the show's original setting takes place in the royal courts of European aristocracy, Belmont Theatre breaks the mold and opts to place it during the modern day, in a world full of flashing lights and electronic dance music.
"I am so excited for audiences to have a laugh and let go and have an immersive theatre experience," says Tayhon, "We have a DJ; I think that one cool thing is that the DJ will actually play different songs every night. It makes the show really present and makes us actors more involved with the show itself."
Filled with color, comedy, and tons of fun, Belmont Theatre's “Love's Labor's Lost” will run from Thursday, Feb. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 26 in the Troutt Theatre.
While “Love's Labor's Lost” opens in Troutt theatre, down the street in Massey Concert Hall, Belmont's College of Music and Performing Arts will debut their musical revue, “The World Goes Round” in celebration of the contemporary musical theatre writing duo Kander and Ebb.
With shows such as “Chicago”, “Cabaret”, and “Fosse” under their belt, composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb are responsible for countless musical theatre hits that people know and love today.
"I am excited for audiences to see Belmont's take on contemporary musical theatre because those who have seen our recently may have noticed that we stick with more golden age classics, " Said Catie Whitet, junior musical theatre major and opening soloist for “The World Goes Round.”
“The World Goes Round” is a musical revue, meaning it is a collection of works pieced together by themes rather than a plot.
"It's not a normal show with a normal plot; however, that doesn't mean you will leave without changing. It is the beauty of art to speak for itself,” said Abby Murphy, sophomore musical theatre major and associate choreographer.
"It's about humanity, and it's about letting people see the realness behind the show; Kander and Ebb did a great job of letting people see behind the curtain to see what the actors were doing, so in a way, we are expressing the characters behind the characters,” Murphy continued.
"Expect the unexpected and take every number and be ready to compare it to your life so you can see yourself in it," said Whitet alluding to many fun surprises and powerhouse dance numbers. "It's been exhausting but in a fun way. The choreography is stuff we haven't done much of, and because of that, we are so excited."
From Friday, Feb. 17 to Sunday, Feb. 19, Belmont's College of Music and Performing Arts unleashes their talent in the musical revue: “The World Goes Round.”
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