Cheerleading cult film spawns musical opening at MSMT
When “Bring It On,” the kitshy competitive cheerleading film, came out in 2000, no one imagined it would go on to become a cult classic.
Five direct-to-video sequels later, “Bring It On: The Musical” makes its regional premiere at Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre when it opens in Muhleberg’s Empie Theatre on Thursday, June 13.
The musical, with music by “Hamilton’s” Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt of Broadway’s “Next to Normal,” features a hip-hop score, production numbers that showcase athletic cheer routines, a multi-ethnic cast, and the first transgender character to appear on a Broadway stage.
MSMT director Charles Richter who calls it a
“superstar project,” says he was was stunned when he first got the music.
“These are really exciting tunes by the reigning gurus of contemporary musical theater,” he says.
James Peck, who directed Miranda’s “In the Heights” at Muhlenberg in 2016, agrees the “score is fabulous.”
“These are two of the best contemporary composers and the show is a rocking good time,” Peck says. “The score mixes rhythm and blues and hip-hop with a Broadway sensibility. A lot of the bigger numbers are built around cheer competition routines and we’ve made them as crazy as we can manage, and still keeping it safe.”
Peck says the story is based on the third movie “Bring It
On: All or Nothing” which came out in 2006 and starred Beyonce’s sister Solange Knowles.
Campbell is captain of the cheerleading squad at Truman High School, but an unexpected redistricting forces her to spend her senior year of high school at the neighboring Jackson High School.
“Because of the redistricting, this girl from a wealthy suburban high school goes to a school where there is no cheer squad,” Peck says. “However, there is a dance crew, led by Danielle.”
Campbell befriends Danielle, and the dance crew girls form a powerhouse squad for the ultimate competition — the National Championships.
“At the core of the story, Campbell has to learn about how privileged she is,” Peck says. “It is a lesson in humility and forging bonds, and touches on issues of race, gender, class and ethnicity.”
Richter says the show has an “interesting history.”
After premiering in Georgia, it opened on Broadway for only a limited engagement in 2012, despite getting good reviews.
The show features lyrics by Miranda and by Amanda Green of the Broadway show “High Fidelity.”
The book is by Jeff Whitty, who won a Tony award for “Avenue Q.”
The show features choreography by Samuel Antonio Reyes and musical direction by Ed Bara, both of whom also worked on Miranda’s “In the Heights.”
To coordinate the show’s cheer routines, 2018 Muhlenberg graduate Gabrielle Hines assisted Reyes for the cheer routine numbers.
Hines, who was a cheerleader at Muhlenberg, works as a cheer coach and also stars as Danielle.
“Gabby knows what she’s doing,” says Peck.”The dance is mostly hip-hop with throws, hand springs and tumbling.”
Richter notes that many members of the cast have been cheerleaders in the past.