By Guy Gardner
If you could spend “just one day” in someone else’s shoes, would you?
Think about the person you are the closest to – what would you learn if you swapped places? What they struggle with? What they excel at? Maybe even a secret tattoo?? This idea is brought to life in “Freaky Friday,” a new musical with book by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Brian Yorkey.
At the top of the show we meet Ellie Blake (played by Maddy Terril), as she gives us the scoop on what we are in store for. A true story, in musical form. It’s a Friday in April and it’s the day of the Hunt, a huge scavenger hunt put on by her school. It’s an important day for everyone at the school, and one of the biggest social events of the year. Ellie’s mom, Katherine (played by Stasha Case), is hard at work catering and designing her own wedding, and simply doesn’t have the time for her daughter’s “mouthy” tone. The mother/daughter struggle is at its peak on a Friday that can only be described as freaky.
As it always goes, the tension between parent and teenager grows and grows until a tug of war begins with Ellie’s hourglass. (What…you don’t have a special hourglass?) The hourglass breaks and Ellie and Katherine’s minds are transported into the other’s bodies, and we have the beginning of a wild ride. With Ellie in Katherine’s body, and vice versa, there’s no way to know how this day will happen with so much to do. Ellie (in Katherine’s body) now needs to plan her mother’s wedding, and Katherine (in Ellie’s body) needs to navigate the social construct of high school. Confused? So are they.
Through the story we meet a cast of wonderful characters including Ellie’s puppet loving younger brother Fletcher (played by Luke Pyron), the “list master” of the Hunt, Adam (played by Weston Thomas), Katherine’s fiancé Mike (played by Nick Perry), and a cast of characters who are consistently confused as to why Ellie and Katherine are acting so different on this ‘freaky’ Friday.
As with most musicals, chaos ensues. From dissecting frogs, to ruining the prized wedding cake, and a scavenger hunt to help save the day – “Freaky Friday” is a fast-paced tale that constantly makes you sit and think what it would be like to live as someone else for a day.
Directing “Freaky Friday” is TIP veteran Mark Swezey. Mark spends his days as the theatre director at Shawnee Mission South High School, and sees a lot of this story in his everyday life.
“Shakespeare tells us in Hamlet that theatre should hold up a mirror to the world around us to see the good that we do and the bad that we do to make the world a better place. “Freaky Friday” tells us about the importance of understanding one another by walking a day in another person’s shoes,” Swezey said. “Empathy involves understanding the emotion of another person, feeling it, and responding appropriately. We find out in the end that love and caring are always the answer to developing better relationships.”
It’s no secret we all can benefit from more empathy for others in our lives, and “Freaky Friday” reminds us that although we may think we know what someone is going through, there’s even more under the surface.
“Freaky Friday,” which is Rated G, kicks off TIP’s 2023 Outdoor Season, running from June 2 through 10. Followed by the classic “Meet Me in St. Louis,” which is Rated G; on stage June 16 through 24; “13,” Rated PG, June 30 through July 8; “White Christmas,” Rated PG, July 14 through 22; and “Footloose,” Rated PG, July 28 through Aug. 5.
For outdoor productions, gates open at 7:30 p.m., and shows begin at 8:30 p.m. General admission is $10 for adults, $6 for youth ages four to ten, plus tax, and free for children three and under, but tickets are still required. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at theatreinthepark.org. “Anytime tickets” available via either ticket-buying method, are not specific to a certain night or performance, and can be printed out at home and scanned at the gate. A limited number of reserved tickets for outdoor chairs are also available for every performance for $20 each. Continuing in 2023 is Thrifty Thursdays when a 20% discount is offered on Thursday night performances. This makes adult tickets $8 and children’s tickets $4.80, plus tax. The discounted tickets must be purchased at the box office for the specific show.
Join us… we’ll be glad to see you!
