Avon Players’ ‘The Prince of Egypt’ Delivers Us Light in the Darkness!
I didn’t grow up religious, which feels like the appropriate way to begin this review. Many of my friends attended Sunday school and catechism, sharing what they learned there; however, it felt like a foreign language at times. Somehow, I also missed out on watching DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt as a child, which might seem crazy as someone who could quote almost any Disney film from an incredibly young age. Perhaps those two things are correlated; however, all that to say that I’ve gone almost my entire life without seeing or knowing anything to do with the film or musical version of The Prince of Egypt.
Blasphemist, I know, especially when you factor in that quite a few of my friends are downright obsessed with one version or another. So when Avon Players announced that The Prince of Egypt The Musical was to be their season opener, I had no way of knowing what I was getting myself into. Sure, I knew that Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame was involved with the composition, but other than that, I was clueless.
So, imagine walking into Avon Players’ in Rochester Hills and being swept up into a true epic that has to be witnessed to truly be understood. Under the direction of John (JD) Deierlein, the cast and crew have concocted a show that is inspiring as it is timely. During a unprecedented moment of darkness, The Prince of Egypt the Musical has arrived to remind us that hope is ever-present and that we’re only lost to the desert sands if we stop fighting for what we truly believe in.
[Warning: Spoilers from Avon Players’ The Prince of Egypt are below!]
A tale of two brothers in The Prince of Egypt
Ancient Egypt is where our story begins, although I wish I could say it’s under better circumstances. Worried about a possible rebellion from the Hebrews due to their growing numbers, Pharaoh Seti orders the slaughter of all the babies. Filled with obvious anguish, Yocheved (Emily Brown), along with adolescent children Miriam and Aaron, sends her infant son down the Nile, hoping one day to be reunited with the young one, if the fates allow.
However, fate has something else in store for the child, as the basket he’s carried in travels the river straight into the hands of Queen Tuya (Tracy Murray), who decides to raise him as her own. Naming him Moses, thanks to Miriam, Tuya welcomes him into the folds, forever changing his and her other son, Ramses’ life.
The Prince of Egypt fast forwards until the brothers are adults, having grown to be quite polar opposites. Where Moses (Drew Gale) is full of adventure and perhaps a bit too much courage, Ramses (Adam Wager) is full of anxiety and easily malleable to his brother’s whims. Whims that often get them in trouble with their commanding father, Seti (Ryan Gigliotti), and the even more devious High Priest Hotep (RJ Miller-Zelinko).
Seti has come to expect much more from Ramses than Moses, as the former is set to take the throne one day. There’s a conflict that comes from duty, which ultimately puts the brothers at odds. As truths become revealed, Moses can no longer hide from his past and the weight that is placed on his shoulders.
With the help of a resilient Midianite woman, Tzipporah (Kionna Dailey), whose intelligence matches her beauty, Moses learns what’s important in life. No one is truly free when people are enslaved by others. Can Moses return to his Kingdom and free his people?
The ensemble bears the weight of this Avon Players musical
When you’ve seen as many plays and musicals as I have over the years, you come to have some expectations. Traditionally, shows have some form of set that rolls on and off the stage, setting both the scene and transporting the actors and audience to another world. However, The Prince of Egypt subverts those expectations, using the ensemble as the set whenever possible.
There are blocks that are carried on and off stage, often becoming thrones or pieces of pyramids; however, with the exception of those, much of the stage remains bare. Instead, the ensemble molds itself to be whatever pieces are required to tell the story. At times, they become the walls holding the two princes’ secrets, while at other points they take the place of the horse and chariots that they ride through the town.
The Prince of Egypt would be nothing without the ensemble, as they transform what would be a flat space into whatever it needs to become. If not physically moving the pieces, they become the sand dancing across the desert or the river that carries Moses to safety. This musical requires some imagination, asking the audience to buy into the human representation of inanimate objects and forces. And it works.
It doesn’t just work, it’s a work of art. The cast and crew understood the assignment and delivered magnificently. Factor in that the ensemble is a fraction of the staged West End production, and it’s even more impressive. These actors are doing the work of multiple cast members and still manage to pull off some of the most inspiring dance and work that I’ve seen recently. Enough praise cannot be given to the hard work and dedication that it must have taken to pull off a show like this.
A strong cast helps to shape The Prince of Egypt into an epic tale
While I have endless praise for the ensemble who do so much of the work within The Prince of Egypt, you couldn’t have the musical without the talented principal cast bringing these expansive characters to life. It’s easy to get lost in characters such as the ones who are larger-than-life in more ways than one. Finding the humanity between the royalty and rolling sands is a never-ending struggle, but the Avon Players cast does so with the beauty and grace that this show deserves.
The relationship of Moses and Ramses is the one on which The Prince of Egypt is built, which means that to have a successful show, you have to have strong actors in the roles. Avon Players found two excellent leads with Drew Gale and Adam Wager, who bring Moses and Ramses to life, respectively. Drew Gale soars to heights unseen, showcasing his incredible talent during moments where he releases his full power through song. Many times throughout his performance, he gave me chills by belting songs with relative ease and then pulling back to barely a whisper with the power of a seasoned professional.
Wager (Sweeney Todd, The SpongeBob Musical) is equally as powerful, giving one of the best performances I’ve seen from him. Ramses is such a complex character, stuck between wanting to be his own person and also wanting to be someone his father can be proud of. Where Moses’ journey seems more straightforward, audiences watch Ramses battle internally between what is right and what is right for Egypt. His sense of duty overpowers his humanity many times; however, you still see glimpses of that in the quiet moments when Egypt fades away.
These two are an emotional force in which The Prince of Egypt blossoms, with Wager and Gale’s chemistry intoxicating. As Moses and Ramses are headed towards destruction, you can’t peel your eyes away. The audience is rooting for these brothers to repair their relationships, and instead, we get a front row seat to both of their hearts breaking in real time. If not for the remarkable work from these two, the musical could easily fall flat.
Yes, The Prince of Egypt is ultimately about two brothers; however, this musical is made up of a cast of complex characters that showcase the epic story that it’s trying to tell. Kionna Daily as Tziporrah is enchanting and easily one of the best parts of this show. She’s a strong-willed character who doesn’t shy away from her truths, but also loves with her whole heart. Daily strikes a balance between sharp and kind, well, making Tziporrah more than just a two-dimensional love interest. She’s a leader in her own right, who serves as wise counsel to Moses while also being his partner in life, which Daily seems to understand intimately about the character, enhancing the narrative, with charm tenfold.
Emily Brown (Young Frankstein) also gives a career-defining performance as Yocheved, the biological mother of Moses. While Yocheved isn’t on stage often, with Brown stepping into the ensemble for much of the show, her presence is felt in every scene. She sets everything in motion and serves as the ghost of duty and love for Moses, pushing him to save his people at any cost. Brown’s performance showcases how true love, regardless of which kind of love, never ends. Every time she stepped onto the stage as Yocheved, I was moved to tears. From a simple look to a line in a song, Brown brought the emotional catharsis to The Prince of Egypt.
There’s another woman who is equally, if not more so, important to the life of Moses, his sister Miriam (Lori Smith). Similar to Yocheved, she floats in and out of Moses’ life, serving as a guardian angel for him on the side of the living. She sees him safely to Queen Tuya, played Kendall Wager at that moment in the musical, and believes with all her heart that one day he’ll return to save their people. Miriam proves just how powerful love and belief in something can be, as she never gives up on Moses’ return. Smith has the honor of being the shimmer of light in the darkness that is The Prince of Egypt, reminding audiences that happiness is our own to make and that giving up is never an option.
The Prince of Egypt is also nothing without the Pharaoh and Queen, who may not have much stage time, but much like Yocheved, have a strong presence in the show. Ryan Gigliotti (Beauty and the Beast) and Tracy Murray (Sweeney Todd) consistently gave me chills for a variety of reasons. Gigliotti gave a thunderous performance as Seti, commanding the stage with his presence. You can tell how comfortable the actor is on stage, not just stepping into the shoes of the Pharaoh, but becoming the ruler in both words and body language.
Equally as fitting as the Queen is Murray, who has found a balance between mother and ruler. You can see the conflict on her face sometimes, as she’s placed between her sons and her husband, although she always remains composed. However, there are also moments where you see the facade crack, and that is where Murray truly shines. Forever the Queen she may be, but Murray has found the human side to the ruler, allowing the sadness to seep through when necessary.
Finally, we can’t close out the discussion of The Prince of Egypt without talking about the villain of the show, Hotep. An amalgamation of two different characters from the animated film, Hotep serves as the whisper in Ramses’ ear, pushing him to keep order above all else. He’s rigid in this thinking, wishing to rule over the people of Egypt with an iron fist, using the Pharaoh almost as a puppet to achieve his wicked goals. Miller-Zelinko amplifies the wickedness within the character, making him terrifying as well as immoral. As the saying goes, it’s hard to be the hero, but even more so to play a villain; however, this actor makes it look like the easiest task in his day. If you’re looking at goosebumps resulting from terror and fright, then look no further than this actor’s portrayal of the metaphorical mustache-twirling Hotep and his dastardly deeds.
Final thoughts on Avon Players’ The Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt does something that you don’t necessarily see with a lot of musicals; it appeals to many different people. Those who grew up on the DreamWorks film will delight in seeing a staged production of the show. Audience members who are religious and have heard the story of Moses and Ramses will enjoy a different take on the timeless tale. There will be those who just love musicals or want to see another work from Stephen Schwartz amidst the Wicked fever that is overtaking the world. Regardless of why, The Prince of Egypt will bring people together for a night of extraordinary theater that delivers us messages of hope when we need them the most.
Avon Players’ The Prince of Egypt runs for two more weekends, ending on September 27, so get your tickets now! Have you seen a production of The Prince of Egypt? Plan on catching the Avon Players production? Let us know @BoxSeatBabes on all social media platforms!
Exclusive Interview: Ryan Gigliotti and Tracy Murray of Avon Players’ The Prince of Egypt
