Super Musical at Taproot: The Hello Girls ends this weekend

 

Rebecca Cort, Miranda Antoinette, Cassi Q Kohl,
Lauren Engstrom, and Jessica Ziegelbauer
(Photo by John Ulman)

The Hello Girls
Taproot Theatre
Composer/Lyricist Peter Mills, Book/Lyricist Cara Reichel
Through August 19, 2023
 
This musical is a treat from start to finish. It is also such a pleasure to be able to experience full-blown musicals on stage again. Taproot’s choice is a wonderful summer treat!
 
Likely, you won’t know the true history this musical is based on. But boy! is it fun to find out about it!
 
During World War I, at a time when women were sorely underemployed and shunted into very specific “pink” jobs, some women found themselves employed as telephone operators. It was a newer profession, since telephones themselves were pretty new. Operators used large banks of plug-in boards where they had to learn which cords to specifically plug into which switch, quickly and seamlessly. This was a good job across the country.
 
Logically, the need for seamless, fast telephone service applied to the Armed Services, particularly in a war situation. As the war heated up, the generals realized that telephone connections were crucial, and that the reality was that the best operators were women. They were needed in France and had to be bilingual. This is the story of how a bunch of pioneering, brave women fought their way into the military and became unsung heroes of the military communication network.
 
The cast at Taproot is top-notch. It is mostly an ensemble piece with one star turn from Cassi Q Kohl as Grace Banker. Kohl is onstage almost every minute as the woman with natural leadership skills and an innate sense of self-esteem. She is indefatigable, with a belting power that lasts throughout the entire show – which is about two and a half hours. She is riveting.
 
The music can be challenging with some multi-part harmonies, but is also accessible and fits extremely well into the telling of the story. The well-written book is funny, poignant, sobering, and uplifting.
 
The rest of the cast includes Rebecca Cort, Lauren Engstrom, Jessica Ziegelbauer – though on the night I saw the production, Jacqueline Tardanico took over and did a stellar job, Miranda Antoinette, Jeremy Steckler, Casey Raiha, Fune Tautala, Jeff Church, and Rico Lastrapes.
 
Music Director Michael Nutting keeps the musical engine moving and the tempo never flags. The show doesn’t feel like its actual length. Scenic design by Mark Lund is extremely spare and almost nonexistent, with a few desks and benches, changing quickly, never slowing down.
 
Katy Tabb’s choreography was particularly deft and fun, and never upstaged the actors, just enhanced their abilities with cohesive, collective and period-appropriate moves.
 
Director Karen Lund created all the right emotions, and by the end, you might find yourself tearing up (I know I did). Costumes were tight, as usual, from veteran costumer, Nanette Acosta. And Ahren Buhmann helped the moods with expert changes in lighting needs and projections.
 
The show has been so successful that they were able to extend a week. You have a few more days to catch this delight and I hope you will get out there.
 
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