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The lights of Broadway get a taste of Golden at 2012 Broadway Review

A night at the theater will mix a little bit of Footloose, the Little Mermaid, Spamelot and more.
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Practice is well underway for the 2012 Golden Broadway Review.

Local performers are busy getting ready for this year’s Golden Broadway Review.

“This is probably my favourite year for music. We have some good stuff, so I think it is going to be one of the best years,” said Shannon Kelly, the event’s founder and organizer.

The review, which showcases musical theatre through the decades, features different musicals every year. This time around, they will be performing numbers from Cabaret, Annie Get Your Gun, the Full Monty, Spamelot, Footloose, Marry Poppins, the Little Mermaid, and Jesus Christ Superstar.

“I think we have a really nice variety for everyone in the show this year,” said Kelly.

This is the fifth year the show has been put on here in Golden, and it started as a school project when Kelly was attending the College of the Rockies back in 2006.

“I didn’t see any musical theatre in the community, and that’s my passion, so I decided to put something together,” said Kelly. “So I got a whole bunch of people from the community to volunteer, and the Golden Players supported us in the process.”

Kelly, who lives in Halifax, makes the trip to Golden every year to put on the show. She usually gets here two to three weeks in advance to put the show together, and see some old friends.

“Before that I send the music here for everyone to learn. Dana Hudson is our musical director, so she teaches everyone all the songs. And then I jump in and do the dancing, and put it all together.”

There are roughly 30 people performing in the show, including 16 kids in the kid’s chorus.

“Some people keep coming back, but every year we get new people, which is totally awesome,” said Kelly.

“Most of the people that come in have no theatre experience or background, but the minute they get on stage, I always wonder, because they amaze you by the end of it.”

Kelly may be the one pulling the strings behind the curtain, but she is no stranger to the centre stage. She recently finished a three-week run of Cabaret in Halifax in which she was the lead.

She works hard to make sure that all the performers here have a good experience.

“The most important thing for me is the process, and having fun, enjoying and meeting new people.”

John Manuel will be emcee for the evening. And also back this year will be one of Golden’s Town Councillors performing his own number. “I won’t give it away this year, but Mike Pecora is doing our sound... and he always does one awesome number. I can tell you it’s the opening number of Act 2. It’s so great to have him on board again, he’s such a busy guy,” said Kelly.

The Golden Broadway will be running two nights only, on Feb. 24 and 25 at the Golden Civic Centre. Tickets are available at Moon River, or from any of the cast members.

“For the last two years we’ve been sold out. And it’s very exciting because it’s at the Civic Centre this year, and it’s beautiful and new,” said Kelly.

“This is the opportunity to get the people of the actual community on the stage. Which is kind of what it’s about. I am just very honoured that I get to be a part of it and help out, see all my friends, and do something I love.”