Emma! A Pop Musical: review

A young matchmaker in high school with free reign: what could go wrong? The musical, Emma! A Pop Musical by Eric Price and produced by the Central York Performing Arts (CYPA), ran from November 17 to November 18. It was a musical comedy directed by Central York’s theater teacher, Ben Hodge. This musical is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.

A senior at Highbury Prep named Emma Woodhouse [Kaitlyn Arrow] plays a matchmaker in the musical comedy, set in the 1980s. She sets two of her teachers who then get married in the opening sequence. Emma then attempts to help her friend, Harriet [Katie Fonda], who is in desperate need of a boyfriend. Emma also continues to pair up her fellow peers; some of the endeavors are successful, while the others not. While concerned with everyone else’s happiness, Emma forgets to focus on her own. Through a story of growth, humor, and coming of age, Emma! A Pop Musical does not fail to disappoint.

With excellent acting and singing ability among the cast, it was no surprise that Emma! A Pop Musical was successful. Kaitlyn Arrow fit the role as the senior matchmaker. Her voice was clear and strong, and it was obvious that she, along with the rest of the cast, spent months practicing. The supporting actress, Katie Fonda, was enthusiastic, and with her macro and obvious expressions, one could see that she was immersed in her role. Also, Koby Fink, who portrayed Jeff Knightley, had positive onstage chemistry with his fellow actors and actresses. All of the actors and actresses blended nicely with one another, and the female-empowering songs from the ‘80s provided nostalgia for those in the audience. The cast members delivered the songs confidently, and the upbeat choices kept the audience waiting for what was next.

The set was was very conventional, allowing each scene to seamlessly flow. The props were simple, but yet effective, portraying the “high school” aspect of the musical brilliantly. One of the props that stood out was a personalized campaign poster of the character Philip Eaton, portrayed by Alex Arrow. The attention to small detail showed that time and consideration was put into each set piece, providing a powerful setting for the production. The costumes, like the school uniforms, were accurate to the time period, and they looked very well put together. The spotlights were always accurate and everyone on stage was visible. The lighting was particularly good for the cut-away scenes with Harriet, the spotlight and magenta lights giving off romantic vibes.

The only thing that caused some concern among myself and other viewers was the sound quality. The microphones would cut in and out, and the music was usually louder than the actors’ voices themselves. There was a point in which someone was delivering a line and their microphone was off.

With it being a musical comedy, there were many lines meant to make the audience laugh. The line, “Your hair is already crazy - crazy beautiful,” generated the greatest laughter from the audience. The other lines usually resulted in a chuckle or two from the crowd, but again, the sound quality somewhat dulled the jokes. The characters were developed, and the actors and actresses portrayed their characters excellently by their expressions, voices, and effort. Overall, the play was put together and well rehearsed, but it would have been more successful if the sound quality was better.

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