Review: Life is just a ride

“Ride the Cyclone,” written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, a dark comedic musical that takes audiences on a surreal journey through the afterlife with its unique blend of humor, depth and exceptional vocal performances by UTRGV students, left the audience wanting more. 

The UTRGV community was treated to a dress rehearsal on Nov. 21 to get a first look of the production in the Albert L. Jeffers Theatre in Liberal Arts Building South on the Edinburg campus, and the official performances took place over the weekend. 

Guest director and alumnus Kent Smither said the play follows a group of six teenage choir students who tragically perish in a freak amusement park accident and find themselves in a strange limbo carnival.

In this limbo world, the choir students are confronted by the Amazing Karnak, played by early care and early childhood education freshman Kimberly Vela-Elizondo, a fortune-telling machine who tells the teens only one of them will be allowed to leave limbo and return to the mortal world. 

As they await their fate, they are given a chance to plead their cases to the mysterious mechanical fortune teller, hoping to be resurrected.

The play’s unique premise allows for a wide range of characters, each more eccentric than the last. From the self-absorbed Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg to the passionate and misunderstood Constance Blackwood, each character offers their own unique perspective on life, death and the absurdity of existence.

One of the show’s standout performances is that of Jane Doe, a mysterious figure whose identity remains unknown.

Played by performance sophomore Mia Lopez, her haunting opera voice and captivating stage presence elevate her character to a tragic heroine. 

The group’s empathy for her, as they write her a birthday song, is a touching moment that highlights the power of human connection.

Blending elements of rock, pop and cabaret, the musical numbers are both catchy and thought-provoking. The choreography, particularly in Noel Gruber’s number played by theatre freshman Tanner Mott, is visually stunning and adds to the overall theatrical experience.

The director’s lifelong passion for theater is evident in his approach to the play. 

“I love theater, that is, theater not trying to be a movie, if you know what I mean,” Smither said. “We’re not trying to make reality. We’re trying to make an outlandish, strange, unique [experience].”

The collaborative vision for the show has been crucial to the production’s success, as the director worked closely with a team of student designers for the set, lights, costumes, props and sound effects. 

“Everybody is bringing, like, such an amazing view of the world,” Smither said. 

Shayna Isaacs, voice and lyric diction assistant professor and musical director, said the group of students all knew the music already.

“[The actors] were excited and prepared to work on these complicated harmonies because this music is not easy, and they did such an incredible job working on that challenge, and working with all the sound challenges and all of that,” Isaacs said.

The talented cast has embraced the physical and vocal demands of the show. Theatre senior Ariana Cruz who played Constance Blackwood said it was a “crazy learning curve” and the performance required immense stamina to balance singing, dancing and acting.

“It’s definitely a process and a very, very, rough learning curve for me, personally,” Cruz said. “I don’t think I’m made for musicals, so, like, doing this is, like, very tough, but such a crazy learning experience.”

Theatre senior Brendan Lopez, shared his appreciation for the collaborative process. 

“There’s so much passion within the show,” Lopez said. “Everybody, from cast to crew, brought their all to this with the costumes, the lighting, the sound and everybody just wanted to tell this beautiful and rich story.”

The costumes were a crucial element in bringing the characters to life.

Cruz said her favorite moment working on the production was when she received the final costume that she was going to wear.

“I was so ecstatic wearing that,” she said.

While the play’s humor is often dark and irreverent, it also explores deeper themes of identity, loss and the meaning of life wonderfully told by the ensemble.

“There’s a point where you can just see the world,” Lopez said about acting in the show. “[You] can see the story, and then from there, you could just fully immerse yourself into it. And then, to finally just present it, it’s just so beautiful.”