RSTC’s ’13’ brings laughter and nostalgia

By Libby D’Orvilliers

Not too many people can say that they want to go back to middle school. Yet, when I heard that one of Rider Student Theatre Company’s productions this semester would be “13” my ears perked up. I wondered how the group was going to pull off this quirky musical that follows soon to be 13-year-old Evan Goldman, played by freshman acting for film, television and theatre major Max Ryon. The musical follows Evan as he is faced with not only moving away from his hometown of New York City to “The Lamest Place in the World,” as it is reffered to in a song in the musical, otherwise known as Appleton, Indiana, but also grappling with making new friends and preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.

From the very second I stepped through the doors to the dimly lit Spitz Theater on Saturday night, I was abruptly met with honking horns and police sirens and I practically did a double take to ensure that I had not just stepped out into the middle of a busy New York City crosswalk. Once I selected my seat in the small theater and got comfortable, I took note of the posters adorning the walls and pillars of the stage telling me to vote Kendra for president and to try out for drama club. A shiver trickled down my spine as I immediately understood that I was being transported back into the terrifying setting of a middle school hallway. I knew I was in for a major nostalgia trip and a good laugh at the self-awareness of it all. 

And laugh, I did. I am not normally one to laugh out loud at tongue-in-cheek jokes, but the entire cast’s delivery was consistently excellent. The third song of the show, “Hey Kendra” was a particularly strong number that truly highlighted the cast’s comedic timing. In this number, the characters of Bret, played by freshman musical theatre major Jake Ryan Flynn; and his henchmen Malcolm and Eddie, played by freshmen musical theatre majors Landon DeGroote and Sawyer Lilley respectively, sang and danced in an attempt to woo the school’s “popular girl,” Kendra, played by sophomore musical theatre major Chloe Kelly. The physicality of the actors was incredible as their characters could be seen physically tripping over each other in attempts to look smooth and cool. The audience was in stitches laughing so loud that some people, myself included, could be seen nearly doubling over in their seats.

The cast’s energy was palpable throughout the entire production and the audience definitely caught that energy. For example, right from the preshow cast interaction with the audience, the actors were so animated that a fellow audience member seated directly next to me was motivated by the characters to get “the perfect angle” of them in a photo and even stood up on her chair to please them. It is elements like these that truly remind me of the joy and fun of going to experience live theater.

I can go on and on praising the cast for their wonderful performances, but I must take a moment to commend sophomore musical theatre major Trevor Mccutchen for the excellent choreography of this production. The musical numbers would not have been the same without the tightly synchronized and fun dance moves all complete with “High School Musical”-esque jumps.

Finally, I absolutely must commend the talented cast and director Jaide Fisher, a sophomore musical theatre major, for their ability to create a performance that can have silly moments and also have plotlines that will make you tear up a little bit, all while managing to not give you emotional whiplash, but rather showcase the dynamic and genuine existence of being human and 13 years old. 

Freshman musical theatre major Jolie Lubar, who played Patrice, and freshman acting for film television and theatre major Jonathan Voinski, who played Archie, were excellent together; their connection felt so close and real that it lent itself very well to the overall feel of truly watching middle schoolers trying to navigate life together. Between Lubar’s absolutely stunning and powerful vocals and Voinski’s genuine facial expressions and soft smiles, I was almost moved to tears by the end of the song “If That’s What It Is” in which the characters managed to cheer up and reconnect with their friend Evan.

I definitely did not expect to feel such tender emotions from watching a musical that I thought was just about angsty middle schoolers. Overall, the musical was rather heartwarming and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I connected with the characters and story.

As my 23rd birthday approaches in less than a week, I certainly am grateful that I do not have to ever be 13 again, but I definitely wish I could watch RSTC’s “13” all over again.

Libby D’Orvilliers is a senior psychology major