Flashdance — The Musical

A A A Comments (0) By Brad Richason Wednesday, Mar 27 2013

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Orpheum Theatre

910 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Category: Performing Arts Venues

Region: Minneapolis (Downtown)

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Detractors of modern musicals tend to focus their ire on the industry's fixation with attracting audiences through splashy adaptations of pop-culture artifacts more revered for nostalgic appeal than artistic merit. At first glance, Flashdance — The Musical would seem to validate this criticism. The musical's source material, 1983's Flashdance, is a movie so defined by its era that the DVD might as well be sold with a complimentary pair of leg warmers. The narrative, following an 18-year-old steel welder who yearns to become a professional dancer, is the stuff of camp implausibility. Realism, however, is beside the point. Recognizing that the film works best as an extended series of impressively choreographed music videos, playwrights Tom Hadley and Robert Cary worked with composer Robbie Roth to rearrange the drama and maximize the spectacle in their U.K. musical adaptation. Though the work retains such essential songs as "Flashdance — What a Feeling," "Maniac," and "Gloria," 10 original songs were written for the stage production. The end result proved to be a positive transformation, suggesting that the musical is a better fit for the hyper-stylized sensibilities of the narrative. Twin Cities audiences will have the chance to judge for themselves when the U.S. touring version, directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, makes its Minnesota audition in advance of an anticipated Broadway run. Please note that oversized, shoulder-baring sweatshirts are strictly optional. (Photo by Kyle Froman)
Tuesdays-Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 p.m.; Sundays, 1 & 6:30 p.m. Starts: April 2. Continues through April 7, 2013