The Benedum Center opens its doors and invites audiences to take a step back into a not-so-distant past with Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.
Reviewed by Jade Goodes
This show marks the first stop in the 2021-2022 national tour, and I was lucky enough to catch the opening night performance. While the show suffers from an underwhelming script, it makes up for it with far-out performances by its leading ladies and upbeat musical numbers.
The Donna Summer Musical follows Donna Summer’s legendary career from a young dreamer to herdays as the “Queen of Disco.” This jukebox musical is brimming with Summer’s smash hits, ultimately celebrating the life and career of the iconic musician and the road that led her to the woman and artist she is today. The show shares the highlights, low points, and trials and tribulations Summer faced over her 50+ year-long career.
It was great being back at the Benedum Center after such a long hiatus. While Summer is not their first show back, it was wonderful seeing the marquee lit up again and audiences filling the theater once more. I am very fond of this theater and think it is a great venue for touring productions, especially a musical such as this one.
Brittny Smith, Charis Gullage, and Amahri-Edwards-Jones star as Donna Summer – Photo by Nick Gould Photography
While Summer has a strong ensemble, the show’s stars are the three women who play Donna Summer herself. The three actors portray different stages of Donna’s life, from her beginnings all the way through to her chart-topping musical days. The women are exceptionally vocally talented and continued to amaze me with their performances throughout the production.
Amahri Edwards-Jones portrays Duckling Donna and proves she can be playful and fun in numbers like “I Remember Yesterday” while also tackling more dramatic numbers such as “On My Honor ” and “Pandora’s Box.”
Charis Gullage plays Disco Donna and has the advantage of performing more of Summer’s well-known songs that made the Disco Queen a household name. Her performance of “Hot Stuff” quite literally brought audience members to their feet. In songs like “MacArthur Park” and “Dim All The Lights,” you can truly witness her talent.
Brittny Smith is a powerhouse as Diva Donna. One of my favorite moments of the show was her performance of “She Works Hard For The Money.” Smith’s voice fits the style of Summer’s songs well, and I felt she did these iconic songs justice. While these women have great solo performances, they shine brightest in their performances together. Some of the more remarkable and memorable moments of the show are when all three actors share the stage. “No More Tears (Enough is Enough)” is a highlight, as well as “MacArthur Park” and “Last Dance.” If you see this show for no other reason, see it to witness these women nail these songs and bring a new contemporary life to them.
While the show has some fun choreography, flashy costumes, and big Broadway dance numbers, the show falls short when it comes to the script. The show strings together random highlights of Summer’s life while inserting as many of her hits in between as possible. What I found jarring about this show was the quick nature and pace of the plot and storyline. Significant events are brought up only to be quickly rushed through to bring up another event and yet another song. The show explores abuse, inequality, and sexism. Still, it’s never lingered on for more than a moment or two before you are rushed along to the next life event. I feel this does not allow the audience to connect with the characters or the story itself. Since there is not a cohesive storyline, it runs more like a highlight reel. It is hard to actually digest what’s happening. Donna Summer has a fascinating life and career. If you are not already familiar with her going into this show, I fear some audience members may be a tad lost.
Brittny Smith, Charis Gullage, and Amahri-Edwards Jones and company in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical – Photo by Denise Trupe
This show encourages audience members to dance, clap, and sing along whenever they feel it, which was definitely taken advantage of on opening night. It was touching to see audience members enjoying themselves and getting to relive good memories through Summer’s music. I think this show is great for people who are big fans of Summer’s and/or have a lot of nostalgia for the disco age. The show provides a fun environment where people can enjoy themselves and reminisce about old times and good music.
So go out and dance the last dance with Summer: The Donna Summer Musical at The Benedum Center.
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical runs at the Benedum Center through Nov. 21. Tickets can be purchased at: https://trustarts.org/production/69945/list_performances
Categories: Reviews
good to see these reviews. I agree with the poorly written script comments. also minor character costumes and hair–yikes! sub par to other broadway series shows I have seen.