"Ride the Cyclone" at Lyric Arts

Everything is so awful right now, with ICE terrorizing our neighborhoods, schools, and business, that I don't know if I should keep doing this, or why it matters. But then I see something like Lyric Arts' production of the rarely done cult hit musical Ride the Cyclone, and am reminded that joy still matters, community still matters, gratitude for life still matters. This bizarro story of a group of teenagers killed in a freak roller coaster accident, and given one chance to return to life, ends on a note that brought tears to my eyes, as it reminds us to look around and appreciate what we have. Even if, especially if, everything is awful. I mostly feel helpless* and hopeless these days, and honestly it's hard to shut out the constant feeling of anxiety and worry even when sitting in the theater, but through all the noise, Ride the Cyclone reminded me that there's something bigger than this awful moment we're currently in. And it's also just super funny and wild and entertaining, and wholly unique and original, with a fantastically talented young cast (many of whom you may never have heard of). See it at Lyric Arts in Anoka through February 8.

It's no spoiler to tell you that a group of kids from a choir in the small town of Uranium City, Saskatchewan die when the roller coaster car they're riding in goes off the rails at the highest point, hurtling them towards their death; it happens in the first five minutes of the show. But it's what happens after that, in the space between life and death, that's the bizarre and brilliant thing about this musical. The six teenagers are told by Cassandra (changed from Karnak in the original), one of those creepy carnival fortune teller machine thingies, that she can bring one, and only one, of them back to life. So begins the competition, with each of them pleading their case in song. Which is another great feature of the musical - there is no star, each member of the cast gets their moment at center stage. And each person's song is so weirdly specific that we know exactly who they are, and love them for it. I know, I know, this sounds like a weird premise for a musical, but trust me, it works.**

photo by Dan Norman

Marci Lucht returns to Lyric Arts to direct this musical, after her TCTB Award nominated work directing Georgianna and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley in 2024. Although a very different kind of show, this one also has a fun and playful tone, with great physical comedy, if a bit more surreal than Pemberley. The stage has been transformed into a nightmare of a carnival, the kind you're scared to enter but can't look away from. The stage is dominated by a raised platform and proscenium framed by tall wooden scaffolding, with a scrim curtain hiding the awesome four-piece band (so great to have the band in the room, a rarity on Lyric Arts' small stage). Projections of recorded video and childhood photos of the cast play on the scrim, and the proscenium provides a natural performance space for each kid's number. Several crates hiding clever props are moved around as needed, and the lighting effects add to the carnival feel. Characters are dressed in variations of a Catholic school uniform, with some fun and fantastical additions for each student's signature number. The entire effect of the design and direction is to make us feel like we're inside this carnival purgatory with these kids. (Scenic design by Cory Skold, props design by Ren Edson, costume design by Sarah Christenson, lighting design by Shannon Elliot, sound design by Paul Estby.)

Misha (Jonah Smith), Constance (Cassie Edlund), Noel (Benni Siglin),
Ocean (Lexi Johnson), and Ricky (Erik Haering, photo by Dan Norman)

The show is perfectly cast, with breakout performances by many of these lesser known actors. DeZhané Antoinette as Cassandra is unwavering in her complete physical transformation into a robot in a box, with jerky movements and hilariously droll line delivery. There's so much happening at all times that I often forgot to look at her during the scenes, but every time I caught a glance she was fully in it. The six actors playing the kids are all so unique and specific creating these endearingly odd characters: Lexi Johnson as the overachiever Ocean, Cassie Edlund as her sweetly nerdy BFF Constance, Erik Haering as the mute Ricky who finds his voice only in death, Benni Siglin as the too cool for school Noel hiding an inner Marlene Dietrich, Jonah Smith as the rageful and passionate Ukranian adoptee Misha, and Kaoru Shoji singing in gorgeous soprano whilst performing a very specific physicality as the loose-limbed headless doll-like Jane Doe. The whole cast looks like they're having so much fun, and have obviously worked so hard to just effortlessly be these characters in connection with each other. They perform some really fun and inventive choreography (by Madi Nelson), in addition to character-defining movement and physicality.

Judging by the audience reaction, Ride the Cyclone seems to have a cult following. I saw a couple of young people who anticipated every song, and reacted like they were at a Beatles concert in 1964, and I overheard another young person talking about how they couldn't believe this was happening live in front of them, and they loved it even more than the original which they could never watch again. It makes sense that this show appeals to young people; with so many different types of kids in the show, there's something everyone can relate to (I'm a Constance if you're wondering, with even the same astrological sign and almost the same birth date). Behind all the wild fantastical elements, it's a very sweet story of teenagers who learn about themselves, each other, and the power of community.

Only the second #TCTheater production (that I know of) since its 2015 US premiere, Lyric Arts' Ride the Cyclone is not to be missed for fans of unique and original musical theater.

*If you're looking for ways to help, check out Stand With Minnesota.

**Plot summary borrowed from my review of Jungle Theater's 2019 production, which won several TCTB Awards.