Concert Report: The Mopera
A Musical Theater Showcase
A musical. A bearing of a story full of emotions. Do not wake me for it, I will be in a better place. Today I am already awake, so I will hear what they have to say.
After choir last Tuesday the 13th of May, I hung around in the recital hall to watch something and I wasn’t sure what it was gonna be. I wasn’t sure what was in store, but was ready for a mind blowing experience. This is exactly what happened. I watched the students and staff set the room up for a performance of dreams. A musical theater workshop showcase. To demonstrate the versatility and breadth of the theater department, they showed us 21 different scenes from 21 different musical plays. Choreographed with props and talented acting with vocal weight of Disney shorts to last for days. This was like a sample of future or possible future musicals. The different personalities and humour portrayed in such a short moment of time struck me. The teamwork choreographed was exquisite. This showcase gave me glimpses into the dreams and mares of the musical story. An effulgent display of emotional angst and glitter. The profound moment of high vocal power and diffusing body language tells me something is there, within a life. Life that breathes, when expression is received. Life dancing when nothing else makes sense. Life that notices, because beauty and dreams give us purpose. You can’t do anything without the other’s love, so to put to rest our worries. The undertone of comedy drives the theme crying for helpless ingenuity. I give way to an enjoyment of what I behold that sent me back to my life knowing we can find our expression and peace even when it drives us mad. This performance delivers confidence in our theater faculty.
I’ve chosen two acts to describe and summarize for you. The first was a song from the play, Waitress, called “Opening Up”. In this scene a chef comes bubbling out with his waiters and customers sit down at the tables with cups and glasses. The chef is giving orders to his cooks and a waitress is asked about the special pie of the day. “Deep shit blueberry bacon”, she replies and gets a strange look from her friend who probably knew she ment ‘dish’. You can feel its hidden meaning. The story goes on to describe the work life of a waitress in a regular old diner and the monotony of the every day. Things don’t change much when you have to open every morning and serve the customers the same things. You could say customer service is the true front line in life. This next one I’m describing for you sticks to the food service business. A play, Les Miserables, during a song called “Master Of The House”. We become sick to our stomachs when we hear what an owner of an inn feeds his patrons. This man basically is singing about how all of his pleasantries and services are the best in town, but then complains about having to take care of so many foolish people like bums and crooks. Being a best friend to the ritch as well, how bad could it be? Well, don’t be mad if you find a rat pellet in your pastry, you deserved it.
I did choose the most dreary and offensive acts of the night, but do not feel that the night was about horrors, while there may have been plenty. There were also lots of love stories brought to life at the climaxes, funny conversations to stir up laughter, and beautiful singing that took us through the whole experience. It may have invited me to go watch theater the way I never had before. I wish I had the space and time to describe the best parts of The Mopera, a musical theater showcase at the Pima Center for the Arts Recital Hall.
Dakota Butcher
May 15th, 2025
MUS136 Voice Class 1