“Ballots,” an original musical parody of the chaotic events surrounding the 2000 election, will open at the Bartell Theatre tonight and run through Saturday.
Written and produced by Madison local Anthony Lamarr and directed by Dana Pellebon, the musical’s debut in Madison will be the show’s official premiere.
“It’s a little romance, drama, politics and great ’80s clich?s all combined into one phenomenal show,” Lamarr said.
In the show, the two male leads of opposing social crowds compete for the coveted role of senior class president. Naturally, the influences of their peers attempt to sway their opinions. The entire democratic process becomes a chaotic mess brimming with controversy, symbolizing the debacle of the 2000 elections.
Current University of Wisconsin fifth-year student Jeremy Sonkin stars as Geoff, the head of the jocks. Having recently starred in “The Full Monty,” Sonkin is eager to play the role of Geoff and thinks the show carries an important message about voter responsibility for all citizens.
“The show instills the idea that you don’t have to be 100 percent involved in politics to still respect your right to vote. It’s your responsibility and is not something to just look past,” Sonkin said.
Complementing Sonkin’s role is Jeffery White, a 2006 UW graduate, playing the character of Alex, the leader of the nerds. White is eager to be back on stage after dabbling in theater during his years as an undergraduate. White majored in political science; therefore, the musical captured his interests perfectly.
Both Sonkin and White spoke highly of working with Lamarr, citing his enthusiasm and love of quality, meaningful theater as his strong points. Both expressed their excitement at being a part of the show, bringing the characters in “Ballots” to life for the first time.
“I have been totally onboard with everything Anthony has done. Anything he touches is amazing. He is truly a comedic genius — the play is hilarious,” White said.
After seeing the preview performance, it was clear the show was extremely well written. The plot dragged a bit during the second half of the show, but the great acting talents kept the audience chuckling until the end.
The black box theater environment of the Bartell Theater also lent itself well to the show. The performers played to the audience and got everyone engaged and involved in the action onstage.
The musical aspect of the show could have used the most improvement. While the lyrics, music and pit band were highly entertaining, the vocal performers were more difficult to listen to. Sonkin was one of the exceptions — impressing the audience with his clear, well-trained voice.
As a whole, the show lived up to Lamarr’s promises. The ’80s style added some flair to the stereotypical high school scenarios. The romantic aspects of the show were predictable, but certainly relatable to many typical high school relationships.
Lamarr is optimistic about the show’s outcome and has set the bar high for himself. In the near future, Lamarr plans to take “Ballots” to the New York City Fringe Fest, the largest multi-arts festival in North America.
“This show has the potential to be larger than life with its message to the world and its catchy music,” Lamarr explained.
When asked how his musical stacks up to the other popular shows on Broadway today, Lamarr only had one comment.
“‘High School Musical’ can’t even touch this show,” Lamarr said.
Performances will run 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday Oct. 22-23; 9 a.m, 12:30 p.m, and 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24; and 3 p.m, and 8 p.m. Saturday Oct. 25. Admission is $15 per person and tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or at the Bartell Theatre box office.
