“One day it’s kicks, then it’s kicks in the shins, but the planet spins, and the world goes round and round…”
In 1962, John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote their first song together and musical theatre would never be the same. Over the next few decades, Kander and Ebb created iconic musicals with songs that immediately entered the Great American Songbook. And the World Goes Round is a testament to their illustrious careers and their deeply held friendship.
It has been an immense joy to bring and the World Goes Round to life at First Act. Song Cycles are such an important part of the musical theatre landscape, and I am so grateful to present First Act’s FIRST EVER song cycle. Throughout the show, you’ll see these thirteen amazing students embody characters from all walks of life. Whether it’s Boston singing about his love of all things “Sara Lee,” Mary and Meghan comparing their lives in “Grass is Always Greener,” or Cameron warning us about the “Kiss of the Spiderwoman,” these students bring a genuine light to these stories that I am so proud of.
While there isn’t always a connecting plot line from song to song, you’ll notice the themes of resilience, optimism, and perseverance throughout each story. You also might hear some of these classic songs in a new light!
To the World Goes Round cast: Jacob, Savannah, Logan, Meghan, Halle, Cameron, Kylie, Mary, Riley, Bella, Kaitlyn, Jadyn, and Boston, you all were perfectly assembled for this show. I am so thankful for your dedication, time, and the high expectations you set for yourselves. You stepped up to the plate and are simply knocking it out of the park!
To the World Goes Round team: thank you for dedicating your time and expertise to this experience, and for being along for the ride while we figured this song cycle thing out for the first time! Elizabeth, your vision and execution of choreography brought this show to the next level, and we are so lucky to work with you. Courtney, I am forever proud of you, and I think Steven is proud of us too. 🙂
And thank YOU! Thank you for showing up to the theater today to support this cast and crew! Because of people like you, First Act can continue producing incredible educational theatre programming.
I hope you can leave the theater today knowing that brighter days are coming because the world, well, it keeps going ’round!
Hillary Talken
