Review by Sydney Gregson, Front Row Reviewers
Walking into South Salt Lake’s Courage Theater, I was transported into the groovy, 60s era of SCRAM. This parody musical follows the lives of four very familiar looking “meddling kids” and their anthropomorphic dog, as they solve one of their biggest mysteries yet. Audience members watch, laugh, and scream as the gang tries to capture and stop a masked killer who resembles Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” and a 90s cult-classic horror franchise.
Playwright Rio LeFevre (Daphne) describes SCRAM as her “passion project of over a year. Beginning as a capstone project for her senior year at SUU, she was given the opportunity to make this show happen for the first time this year. The intimate venue, combined with nostalgic characters and occasional jabs at Utah as a whole, keeps the audience engaged from the opening number.
Being familiar with the inspiration materials for this show, I was impressed with the way the cast actually feels like a close group of high school friends. LeFevre gives an excellent performance as Daphne, embodying the crucial role as “the girl all the bad guys want”, without lessening any of her female empowerment. She is foiled nicely by Frankie (Marc Reading) who gives off the perfect mix of worried pining and loveable goofball that holds the gang together. Velma (Emily Jameson) is a consistent voice of reason throughout the show, although not without her own troubles as she gets waitlisted from almost every college she applies to.
One of the most moving performances comes from Shaggy (Caden Terry), who graces us with a ballad about struggling to feel valued in a friendship, to the tune of a popular 2000s pop punk song. There are many moments the audience finds themselves unsure of Shaggy’s true character and intentions, and Terry shines through them, pulling off a character arc that felt believable and real. Of course, the gang wouldn’t be complete without Rooby (Brady Nielson), a talking dog/stage manager who finds his passion for acting in a series of fourth wall breaking monologues to the audience.
Ghostface (Kyle Larsen) himself appears on and off throughout Acts I and II in a variety of different ways. Whether through murdering, belting a power ballad, or sitting in the audience handing out snacks, Larsen provides comedic timing and impressive range. And perhaps one of the most recognizable characters in the show is that of Vic Tim (Jenn George) who plays an incredible first kill, resembling closely Drew Barrymore.
One of the most admirable things about Courage Theater and SCRAM is the close involvement of everyone who participated in bringing the show to life. On the way into the venue, I got a little lost and was immediately helped by the stage manager Celeste Reese who was incredibly kind. Producer Josh Adams sits front row laughing and encouraging the actors the entire performance. Director Beth Bruner, and the respect the cast and crew have for her is palpable. Choreographer Gweny Adams’ wide, creative use of such a small stage is impressive. Tech Director Blake Morgan really tells a story with the lighting, often cutting very quickly between lights and actors. Lastly, music director Amy Gerrard does an excellent job spoofing classic punk songs that move the story along quickly.
At 90 minutes, SCRAM is a fast-paced, laugh out loud musical that is good for the whole family. As far as how scary it is, there are a couple characters in masks and a few times characters scream, but the language and gore level is zero making it clean and family friendly. I left the show feeling happy and with more than one song stuck in my head.
Courage Theater presents SCRAM by Rio LeFevre.
Parker Theater Studio, 3605 State St. South Salt Lake, UT 84115
August 15-23, 6 PM and 8:30 PM
Tickets: Free
Contact: info@couragetheatre.org
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