FRINGE 2015: Captain Aurora is a smashing success

Captain Aurora: A Superhero Musical hits exactly the right chord as this highly professional and fully fleshed-out musical comedy sings and dances its way into the Fringe history hall of fame.

The play tells the story of a banker-by-day/superhero-by-night lead who struggles to find purpose in an increasingly routine life. When her life is shaken up by political plot, alien invasion and the threat of exposure, Captain Aurora will have to rise to the challenge, regardless of the sacrifices she may unwillingly make on the way.

The play makes clever use of pre-existing and oft-overused comic book tropes and ultimately succeeds in lovingly parodying and paying homage to some of the elements that make classic superhero stories great.

Eva Petris, who shines in the role of Dawn and her alter ego Captain Aurora, is very talented and delightful to watch. Her enthusiastic performance is rivalled only by her impressive vocals and concrete commitment.

The 12-person cast proved versatile as they exceeded expectations in both their ensemble and individual solo numbers. Zachary Creatchman stood out in his earnest portrayal of Dawn’s love interest Ben, who is staunchly supportive and loving throughout.

Other highlights included the cast of evil villains—Diamond and The Rough played by Brett Seivwright and Saraah Hicks respectively—as well as the hilarious and talented Jonathan Patterson as Terence the Terrific Tapper.

Dance was one of the standout most professional elements of the show, as the creative and impeccably performed choreography included extended tap and swing numbers.

While the tale of a lone hero who must rise to defend the Earth from alien invasion is hardly a fresh one, the show benefits from its self-awareness and ability to play off that which has come before.

As if that weren’t enough, the original music and lyrics are brilliant in their composition. With orchestrations by Chris Barillaro and vocal arrangements by Music Director David Terriault, the production team is stacked with knockout talent. Special recognition must also be given to Trevor Barette, who not only wrote the book, music and lyrics, but also directed the show with expert precision.

Captain Aurora: A Superhero Musical is an absolute Fringe must-see but tickets are going fast! The sold-out opening night crowd was on their feet before the end of the performance and once you see it, you’ll know why.

Captain Aurora: A Superhero Musical plays at the La Chapelle (3700 Saint-Dominique) at the following times:

• June 14h (Sunday) at 1:00 pm
• June 15th (Monday) at 6:00 pm
• June 17th (Wednesday) at 9:45 pm
• June 19th (Friday) at 1:30 pm
• June 20st (Saturday) at 8:00 pm

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Marilla Steuter-Martin is part of CJLO’s Official Fringe Team covering the sights and sounds from the 2015 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.

You can follow her on Twitter @MKSteuterMartin