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Back when they were students at the University of Michigan, and way before they accepted the Oscar for Best Original Song for "City of Stars," the "La La Land" lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul collaborated together to create the coming-of-age song cycle, "Edges." A collection of 16 songs, "Edges" explores the anxieties, hopes, failures, and triumphs that come along with growing up.
Musical Theatre Repertory (MTR), under the co-direction of Taubert Nadalini and Annika Ellwanger-Chavez, and the co-music direction of Sasha Bartol and Harrison Poe, will be wrapping up this semester's theatre season with this production of "Edges." The song cycle will perform for one weekend only this April in Cammilleri Hall.
A song cycle — which diverges from the traditional form of a musical theatre production —is a collection of songs that are all related through a central theme. There is no plot that carries throughout the entire show. Instead, each song centers on a theme of maturation and growing up. The songs will be performed as solos, duets, and a few as an ensemble.
Co-music directors Sasha Bartol and Harrison Poe agree that this song cycle will touch its USC audience because it is "a show written by college students for college students." Songs such as "Along the Way" humorously forgive human follies, reminding us that "Everyone makes a couple mistakes/ Somewhere along the way." Poe marks this song as his favorite, observing that it "communicates what the show is about in a nutshell."
"Edges" will be playing April 21st and 22nd in Cammilleri Hall. There is a recommended $5 donation at the door. For updates on tickets and shows, visit http://www.uscmtr.com/
Contact Staff Reporter Julia Stier here
Annenberg Media
