Orange Rose provides a great opportunity for talented performers with limited experience to perform onstage. In such a talented market, the competition for roles can be difficult and this theater company plays a crucial role in the Orlando arts ecosystem.
Twisted is not only a licensed show, but the original production from Starkid is famously on YouTube for free (no slime tutorial required). I was very pleased to see the actors make plenty of fun choices that were original to them and provided a fresh take on some otherwise expected comedic beats.
Twisted moves incredibly quickly in Act II and similarly, the cast seemed amped up after intermission. This made the second Act a highlight for me, as was the ensemble. They especially got to shine in “No One Remembers Achmed,” but provided plenty of laughs throughout. The projected backdrop led to a fantastic animation sequence in “Take Off Your Clothes.” Special credit to Isabella Rapoza who played the Princess (in my showing), whose comedic chops consistently got the biggest laughs.
That being said, there were points where some performers were lost in the song. Perhaps there was an issue with the volume of monitors for singers causing them to lose their place. There was very limited set dressing punctuated with a projected backdrop. This felt complete, but the lighting design was almost non-existent, something I think the venue could have provided plenty of opportunity for.
Overall, Twisted is a great selection for this theater company. There are lots of laughs, but the emotional core of the show was still felt thanks to the dramatic demands being met by the lead performers. The ensemble truly gets to shine, including as named roles, and a double casting approach reflects the mission statement of the show.