The Wichita State music theatre club is taking its own spin on “Ride the Cyclone,” opening March 12.
The musical, written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, follows a tragic accident at a fair that leads to the death of six Canadian students.
Show director Alexandra Enmark, a sophomore studying theatre and design, said that directing this show is “frankly amazing.”
“It’s been in my top Spotify list forever,” she said. “I love this show so much, when I heard I was directing it, I literally screamed … it has such a strong ensemble within the characters.”
The show follows the ghosts of the six high-school students after their deaths on the Cyclone rollercoaster. Karnak, played by Bennie Randolph, the show’s narrator and a musical fortune teller, feels guilt for being unable to prevent their deaths, and brings forth the spirits of the students for them to tell their story through song, to win the ultimate prize from him — the chance to come back to life.
One of the other main characters, Jane Doe, played by Aubrey Johnson, has one of the more haunting narratives in the show. In the accident she lost her head, and it was replaced with the head of a doll. Her experience in the afterlife is of mourning the fact that she no longer remembers who she was.
Another character, Ricky Potts, played by Connor Harris, explores some of the freedoms offered in the afterlife, as he is able to move and speak freely without the hindrance of the disability that ruled his life before. His arc surrounds his joy of being able to speak for the first time, and he is finally able to tell the stories that he built in his head without the aid of technology.
Enmark’s favorite part of the production has been working with her crew to bring the story to life and figuring out how to direct a show with heavier themes.
“The show explores a lot of what it means to live and die,” she said. “It discovers a lot of nuances and humor within that, and overall, what it is like to be a teenager.
“I hope people come to see it, because I think it’s kind of eye-opening, but I think we’re bringing a new perspective to it that people haven’t seen.”
“Ride the Cyclone” runs March 12 – 14, with performances at 7:30 p.m. each day. Tickets are $15.
