Mudshark, a new musical by The Producing House, premiered at the Bryant Lake Bowl theater this past Thursday night. The premise of the show is a sort of cover band - with a twist. Alongside the songs that many of us know and love, the audience also gets to explore some of the behind-the-scenes, dark, and seamy stories of the artists we love.
The show opens strong, with Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train." Playing in the background is a PowerPoint presentation of images and stories - and Ozzy is certainly a great place to start if you are looking for the darker side of rock n' roll. I was initially concerned that the entire show would be music and PowerPoint, but the two stars, Katy Hays and Matt Riehle, do perform many of the skits themselves, as well as encouraging audience interaction.
The show is definitely new - there was the occasional awkward moment and some of the humor still feels forced, but I imagine that with time, this will gain its own momentum and a more natural flow. There are also definitely some tweaks needed on the storyline - it's not entirely clear how certain portions fit into the larger scheme.
But - the music is amazing. You know these songs, and you probably love them. I found myself moving with the music, and if there had been a dancefloor, I would have been out there. Katy and Matt play off one another well, particularly when singing. The music is also live (and incredibly well-played). My biggest fear going into the show was that the music would be piped in, but not here - these people are performing live and it is in the music that they really shine.
So - the show was fun. The humor and storyline needs a little bit more time and practice before it starts knocking it out of the park, but you'll love the music. If you are looking for something to do this coming Friday (November 12th) or Saturday (November 13th), the show starts at 10pm at Bryant Lake Bowl. You should be there (and there's free food. I'm not telling you what, but it's unfortunately amazing. You'll understand what I mean when you try it).
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