Mostly Musical Theatre

Cedar Point 2010 – Live Shows (Review) — updated May 31, 2010

All of Cedar Point’s shows are now up and running for the 2010 season.

I’ll start with the newest of them, “Rock Band Live” at the front of the park. It’s awful. I can’t tell you what a mess this show is. Based on the computer game, it mixes pre-auditioned audience participation with a gag-me “scripted show” and is a direct ripoff of “the American Idol Experience” at Disney Hollywood studios without the budget, glitz, interest, or talent. The microphones go on and off, emit static, and sometimes fizzle right out. The lighting and costuming are bizarre to say the least — at times, it looks like the slaughter-of-the-pig sequence from Carrie, the Musical. The technical work is sloppy throughout. The performances are shaky, ranging from mediocre to completely inadequate.

I’m not even going to waste more time on that show — it is dreadful — stay away. It is sure to be a one-season temporary production in the theater that normally houses Broadway-style reviews.

Everybody Love’s Snoopy is the big-budget ice skating show in the Goodtime Theater. It’s much better than last season’s production, and the skating is quite good. The entire thing is well choreographed and the sets and costumes look terrific (this is an import from Cedar Fair’s Knotts Berry Farm from last season). Brother and sister skating team Lara and Neill Shelton (competitive pairs skaters) do a terrific job with their featured segments — they are energetic, young, and attractive. There are no beer-bellied skaters this year (unlike last season). The show looks something like this:

Lara and Neill Shelton “boogy” to some Buble:

And here, they perform more serious stuff (their death spiral):

By the way — the Goodtime Theatre (Everybody Loves Snoopy) used to be the old IMAX theater at CP — as a result, it was designed to maximize sound from the front of the house to the back, and to deaden audience sound. That results in a very hollow live-feedback sound. You literally can not hear the people around you applauding, laughing, or responding. As a result, the sound is very one-directional. They make a big deal every year of urging you to applaud and respond when you like the skating elements. Please do so. The cast will enjoy hearing your response, and your neighbors will feel less like they are the only ones in the packed theater.

Let’s continue with the most highly attended but least interesting show of the bunch: ALL WHEELS EXTREME; which really is only bikes, in-line skates, scooters (the artist fell twice), gymnasts (of the backflip and not much else variety) and a couple cheerleaders.

The show is what it is, and except for music, is virtually identical to last summer’s show. The stunts are good. The cast is attractive. The effort and energy that goes into this show are phenomenal. But it’s all a hollow thing. You can see more than this on tv these days, any given afternoon. But they amp the volume up, keep the crowd cheering, and its a pleasant way to spend 25 minutes with a great view (of both the performers and the blue lake beyond). Here, one of the performers does a (wait-for-it…) backflip:

Here’s another shot: you get the idea —

GRAND OLE COUNTRY at The Palace Saloon is a tremendous improvement over the sing-along that has been there the past few seasons. The six-person cast performs a variety of country and gospel songs from Patsy Cline to current favorites. It all moves along briskly in a clumsily-choreographed community-theatre caliber show. The performers have great voices. The girls are particularly strong. The guys have nice voices but stumble through their dance moves. The volume of the canned music is cranked up far too loudly for the performers, and some of them can’t be heard over the piped-in music. This is the same problem that plagued last-years show at the Red Garter Saloon. One of the men (with a deep baritone voice) fares better than the others; another of whom has many solos and basically can’t be heard at all. The costuming is fine, and the lighting good. My suggestion would be to crank down the volume, let the kids perform, and cut all that fussy choreography. Here they perform some of the clumsy choreography:

On the other hand, the diamond of the summer so far is over at the Red Garter Saloon. TROPICAL BEAT – ISLAND HEAT is an all-around terrific show; the best in the park this summer. The live band is back and they look and sound terrific backing up a three-member cast.  The guitar player sings along, and it’s all great fun. The music here is crowd-pleasing; the cast is energetic and clearly having fun; and the show is well-staged, avoiding needless movement, briskly working its way through a set of beach-party infused tunes that range from “Get On Your Feet”…to “Turn the Beat Around”. Terrific fun. Here’s a few shots of the cast in action:

As with all shows at CP, you need to get there at least a half hour before the show. The Red Garter Saloon in particular has a seating problem with not enough chairs to go around. If it’s full, get a soda and stand at the bar. This show is worth standing through.  If you only have time for one show – skip the more obvious All Wheels stunt unspectacular, and head directly to the Red Garter Saloon at the front end of the Frontier Trail. You’ll have a great time, and see the most professionally produced show at CP in quite some time. If you have time for two, pick up Everybody Loves Snoopy and enjoy the skating, air conditioning, and attractive cast.

Summary – 2010

Best Show: Tropical Beat – Island Heat

Best cast: (tie) Everybody Loves Snoopy — Tropical Beat – Island Heat

Most Energetic cast: All Wheel’s Extreme

Best Choreoraphy: Everybody Loves Snoopy

Best Direction: Tropical Beat – Island Heat

Best Lighting: Everybody Loves Snoopy

Best Sound Design: Everybody Loves Snoopy

Best Set Design: Everybody Loves Snoopy

Best Costumes: Everybody Loves Snoopy

Best Featured performers: Lara and Neill Shelton (Everybody Loves Snoopy)

Best musical selections: Tropical Beat – Island Heat