By Gabby Dacosta
Feet tapped, fingers snapped, tears fell and stomachs hurt from laughing as music bounced off the walls and moved around the room, filling it with musical and theatrical delight.
The joys of musical theater came alive at The Edge on April 11 when seven USF Tampa students performed in the Musical Theatre Cabaret. It was one of the many events organized by USF St. Petersburg for Short & Sweet Theatre Week, a weeklong event that featured poetry, modern dance, improvised comedy and more.
Many audience members sang along and tapped their feet as they recognized the songs from “Mack and Mabel,” “Wicked,” “Guys and Dolls” and other well-known musicals.
The bright spotlight shined on each of the performer’s faces as they delivered strong vocals through powerful solos and melodic harmonies. Their voices filled the room and moved the audience in several ways, as the songs had different themes and expressed different emotions.
Many struggled to hold back tears as Rosemary Luycx, senior theater major, sang “For Good” from the musical “Wicked.”
“So much of me is made of what I learned from you,” Luycx sang. “You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart.”
“Every time I see her perform, I want to cry,” said Amy, Luycx’s mother.. “I’m so proud of her.”
Along with emotional songs of sisterhood were serious performances about heartbreak and hilarious songs that caused the entire audience to erupt in laughter. Each of the performers allowed their characters to shine through their singing and body language, conveying the appropriate emotions with the songs.
Nicolas Gatti, a junior history major, explained how refreshing it was to be able to enjoy a live performance.
“Seeing a performance of pure human voice added a form of realism that is sadly lost in 21stcentury society,” Gatti said.
He said being close to the live performers allowed the experience to feel more intimate, and that he really enjoyed seeing people live out their passion.
Sydney Reddish, a sophomore theater major, was one of the singers in the show. She expressed her passion for musical theater by describing the rush she feels while performing.
“It’s fun and exhilarating; I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” she said.
Many of the other singers also expressed their passion and joy, not only through their singing and acting but also with their smiles as they walked out of the spotlight after finishing a song.
Audience members enjoyed the show, and some expressed their desire for more musical and theater events at USF St. Petersburg.
“I’ve done a lot of work with musicals and I really miss this,” said Melanie Dayan, a freshman criminology major. “I wish we had more opportunities.”
