Team Starkid Musical Breakdown
So it is the Summer of 2015. I have had one too many spoonfuls of Nutella and watched one too many YouTube videos when I should have been studying for the MCAT... Oops. So now I'm going to waste yet another hour of my precious time to write a blog post about one of the many nerdy obsessions that is near and dear to my heart. So it's not a total waste:)
So my sister and I recently revisited our love of Team Starkid by re-watching some of our favorite musicals! In doing so, I was reminded just how much I love and admire this group of cooky cats and the content they have created over the years.
Last summer, my sister and I had the chance to visit Chicago and see "Ani: A Parody" and "The Trail to Oregon!" performed live. It was incredible... We went on a back stage tour led by none other than Brian Holden himself and met Nick Lang, Joe Moses, and many others. We also went to a late night comedy show performed by Brian Holden and Meredith Stephen, which was brilliant. The best part was definitely when Joey Richter and Lauren Lopez sat right behind us and kicked the backs of our seats laughing the entire time!
So I would consider myself a pretty big Starkid fan, to say the least. I remember watching AVPM when it first debuted on YouTube back in 2009. Need I remind you, that was before Darren Criss was on Glee and before the musical went viral. Yes, I was that hipster. But I became pretty obsessed with it. My sister and I quoted it all the time (and still do), and any friend who came over was forced to watch at least the opening number. With every new musical there have been more quotes, songs, and impersonations to tag along, and each holds a special place in my heart. With that, I would like to present my personal Starkid Musical line up!
1. Twisted- Based on reviews online and on YouTube, it seems that Twisted has become a fan
favorite. And what's not to love? Not only is it a parody of the Disney Classic "Aladdin",
but it's a parody of Disney itself. Here Starkid does what it does best. It takes something
we all know and love and manages to literally twist it into something completely different
but just as if not more endearing. What makes Twisted stand out above the rest, however,
is the heart of the show. Yes it is funny. Yes it is clever. Yes the songs are catchy and the
actors phenomenal. But these are things we expect from Starkid. No, what makes Twisted
rise above other Starkid productions is the depth and emotion that pervades the entire
performance. Dylan Saunders was made for the role of Jafar. He makes a character who
terrified me as a five year old seem effortlessly lovable, charismatic, charming, and smart.
Unlike other shows, Twisted has a clear message. Doing the right thing may not be easy
and the path is not always clear, but those who do are the true heroes. I just love this play.
2. Holy Musical B@man- You may be surprised that this show is so high on my list, but the
characters are what keep bringing me back over and over and what make me love it more
each time. Seriously though. Joe Walker's Batman is precious. Brian Holden's Superman
is adorable. Jeff Blim's Candyman is terrifying. Chris Allen's Alfred is spot on. Lauren
Lopez's Commissioner Gordon gets me every time. On another note, this show is just
hilarious. It's probably the least serious of any of them, but it works. If I had to choose a
show to just exist in, I would choose this one, because I love the whole world they
created. It's exactly what one would expect a Starkid twist on DC's comic world would be
like. "Somebody's Buddy" is one of the catchiest songs I think Starkid has written, and it's
one of my personal favorites. Everything in this musical just fits.
3. A Very Potter Sequel- So I know it may be "sacrilege" to not have AVPM at the top of my list and
especially to not have it above AVPS, but this is my list, so bugger off! I recently re-
watched all three of the Harry Potter Musicals, and I came to the definite conclusion that I
like the sequel best! The props and costumes are obviously more professional here, but I
also really enjoy the new characters as well as the storyline. Brian Holden's Lupin is
hilarious, Tyler Brunsman's Lucius is perfection, and Joe Walker's Umbridge scares the
poop out of me yet still manages to make me cry laughing. The returning characters are
just as good as they were in the original, and yet they manage to bring something new and
fresh. I love seeing the evolution of Hermione's self esteem. "The Coolest Girl" always
brings a tear to my eye. I enjoy seeing Harry grow into the pompous douche bag we met
and loved in AVPM ("Guys Like Potter"). Draco Malfoy is seriously the funniest diaper
wearing, picture drawing, time traveling, little d in the whole world... The music is also
really really good. "To Have a Home" and "Those Voices" are very well written and
memorable. "Stutter" could be made into a hit pop song, no lie. Overall, great show.
4. A Very Potter Musical- What is there to say really? This is where it all began... This is where we
first realized that it was possible to take a franchise that had already dominated the
literature, film, and amusement park worlds and turn it into something completely
different but just as incredible. Not only was AVPM a jump to the stage with a new
musical format, but it introduced the same characters you knew and loved as perhaps
more "realistic" yet "ridiculous" versions of themselves. It's hard to explain.. It took the
books you could recite cover to cover and somehow condensed and mixed together the
best pieces into one cohesive story while adding in new bits as well (Zac Efron). In other
words, Warner Brothers could learn a thing or two from Starkid! There is a reason Starkid
has had the success they have had, and that is simply because this musical exists.
5. Ani: A Parody- I had some trouble deciding where to place Ani, as there has been a lot of
controversy amongst fans since it's YouTube debut. I was surprised it wasn't initially
received better, because when I saw it in Chicago almost every fan I talked to said they
enjoyed Ani more than Trail to Oregon. After watching both online for myself, I decided
Ani just didn't translate as well to YouTube. It was a show best experienced live where
you could really take everything in. Trail to Oregon was more like Starkid's previous
work, mainly because it was an actual musical. None of the actors in Ani sing. There are
songs that narrate the action, but they are performed by a stage band. But not only is the
stage band fantastic, but the songs are so good and allow for some fantastic
choreography! Ani does rely heavily on its source material, which is great for Star Wars
fans, but perhaps not so great for others. Apparently not as many people have seen Star
Wars as I once believed (college has taught me this), and if you haven't, much of the
comedy will be lost on you. I suppose that is unfortunate, but not really, because isn't that
just incentive to watch them?! When you have seen the films, there is no way you can't
find this downright brilliant! Nick Lang steals the show as Obi Wan and the Emperor,
Brian Holden is a close second as Jar Jar, and Chris Allen's Anakin impressions are gold.
Somehow, yet again, Starkid manages to completely rip apart the Star Wars universe and
expose every flaw imaginable while creating characters you instantly fall in love with.
6. Starship- Starship was another unique show for Starkid. It is the only show where half of the cast
is comprised of puppets, and as silly as it may sound, for the most part it works! Joey
Richter as the puppet Bug is definitely one of my favorite characters. His coming of age
story is cliched but is classic and heartwarmingly done. I enjoy Brant Cox as Roach and
Lauren Lopez as Bugette, but I wish more bugs instead of cardboard cutouts could have
been used. I was intrigued by the bug world and wish more time could have been spent
there. Lopez as Taz nearly steals the show, but it is the romance between Dylan Saunders'
Tootsie Noodles and Meredith Stepien's Mega-Girl that makes the show for me. Seeing
them as a couple again in Twisted was a fangirl's dream.. I also love Saunders as Pincer,
and "Kick it Up a Notch" is definitely the best song. Unfortunately I am not a huge fan of
Joe Walker's character Up, and Denise Donovan nearly drives me insane as February.
7. The Trail to Oregon!- As I mentioned, I recently re-watched Trail to Oregon, and though I did not
initially care of it in Chicago, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it the second time
around. Oregon is certainly the most inappropriate of all the musicals. Holy Musical
B@man has some language, but Oregon seems to have sexual innuendos in almost every
scene/song. I think that's mainly due to the fact that the show, songs, and lyrics were
written and directed by Jeff Blim, but it was initially a huge turn off for me. After seeing
Ani and how clever it was, Trail to Oregon came off as shallow and silly. After re-
watching the show, however, I appreciate the success it has had. It is more clever than I
initially gave it credit for, and the acting and songs are actually good. There are only
really six characters in the show, and I think it suffers a bit from that, but in the end it
works it self out dog. Jeff Blim as the Father and Rachael Soglin as the Mother were my
favorite characters. I wasn't that fond of Jamie Lyn Beatty, Lauren Lopez, or Joey Richter
in the show though. They all had moments that eventually won me over, but several times
I caught myself wishing Blim or Soglin would come back on stage. As I said, in the end
the show won me over, and I am glad it is a part of the Starkid musical canon.
8. A Very Potter Senior Year- And last but not least, the final installment of the Harry Potter
Musical Trilogy. It's not that I don't like AVPSY, it just dosn't always work for me. For
one thing, it's not a traditional Starkid musical. I know it isn't meant to be, but I still don't
feel that I can rank it amongst the others. AVPSY was performed at a Leaky Con
convention and was done on script. The script and music were ready, and it was the only
time the cast could to do it, so they did. Believe me, I'm glad, but the show had problems.
Because it was done on script, the actors couldn't focus as much on acting, especially
those like Darren Criss who were obviously very unfamiliar with the script. It also meant
that things were forgotten (like Joe Walker forgetting to wave the diary around). Darren's
mike doesn't work the whole show, and then there's his dang tie.. Oh Darren. Meredith
Stepien does a fantastic job replacing Bonnie Gruesen as Hermione, but she isn't Bonnie,
and that is still sad. Please don't hurt me, but I really don't like Evanna Lynch as Luna!
That sounds weird to say, because she is Luna! But she just doesn't work in the musical.
It's awkward. There is also just so much going on! I feel that because this was the last one
and Starkid was in this phase where they had new actors but were bringing back old ones,
they just decided to squeeze in all this material to cover as much plot and as many
characters as possible. It works for the most part, but it's just not quite the same and is a
little much at times! The last half hour, however, makes it worth it. "Everything Ends"
makes everyone cry, and Tyler Brunsman's Cedric cameo is pretty much the best thing
ever. It was a beautiful goodbye to our beloved Harry Potter Musicals.
And there you have it! As the years have progressed and more musicals have been added to Starkid's roster, I think, for the most part, they have gotten better and better. Alas, the conversation was recently brought up between me and the sis regarding Starkid's future. When Twisted in Concert debuted in New York at 54 Below back in March of 2014, I really thought big things were ahead for this beloved group of performers.
After Starkid Takes Manhattan and the back to back musical line up last summer and "The Trail to Oregon!"'s brief NYC debut last month, perhaps Starkid needs some time to regroup. We can only cross our fingers and hope that Brian, Nick, and Matt are cooking up something fantastic, but I think fans of anything must always be aware that "everything ends" and "nothing is made to last" (see what I did there?). There will come a time when all the Starkid members will move on to bigger and better things, as many already have. And that's ok. In fact, that is "totally awesome".
*Note: I did not include MAMD because I have not watched that musical and probably will not*
So my sister and I recently revisited our love of Team Starkid by re-watching some of our favorite musicals! In doing so, I was reminded just how much I love and admire this group of cooky cats and the content they have created over the years.
Last summer, my sister and I had the chance to visit Chicago and see "Ani: A Parody" and "The Trail to Oregon!" performed live. It was incredible... We went on a back stage tour led by none other than Brian Holden himself and met Nick Lang, Joe Moses, and many others. We also went to a late night comedy show performed by Brian Holden and Meredith Stephen, which was brilliant. The best part was definitely when Joey Richter and Lauren Lopez sat right behind us and kicked the backs of our seats laughing the entire time!
So I would consider myself a pretty big Starkid fan, to say the least. I remember watching AVPM when it first debuted on YouTube back in 2009. Need I remind you, that was before Darren Criss was on Glee and before the musical went viral. Yes, I was that hipster. But I became pretty obsessed with it. My sister and I quoted it all the time (and still do), and any friend who came over was forced to watch at least the opening number. With every new musical there have been more quotes, songs, and impersonations to tag along, and each holds a special place in my heart. With that, I would like to present my personal Starkid Musical line up!
1. Twisted- Based on reviews online and on YouTube, it seems that Twisted has become a fan
favorite. And what's not to love? Not only is it a parody of the Disney Classic "Aladdin",
but it's a parody of Disney itself. Here Starkid does what it does best. It takes something
we all know and love and manages to literally twist it into something completely different
but just as if not more endearing. What makes Twisted stand out above the rest, however,
is the heart of the show. Yes it is funny. Yes it is clever. Yes the songs are catchy and the
actors phenomenal. But these are things we expect from Starkid. No, what makes Twisted
rise above other Starkid productions is the depth and emotion that pervades the entire
performance. Dylan Saunders was made for the role of Jafar. He makes a character who
terrified me as a five year old seem effortlessly lovable, charismatic, charming, and smart.
Unlike other shows, Twisted has a clear message. Doing the right thing may not be easy
and the path is not always clear, but those who do are the true heroes. I just love this play.
2. Holy Musical B@man- You may be surprised that this show is so high on my list, but the
characters are what keep bringing me back over and over and what make me love it more
each time. Seriously though. Joe Walker's Batman is precious. Brian Holden's Superman
is adorable. Jeff Blim's Candyman is terrifying. Chris Allen's Alfred is spot on. Lauren
Lopez's Commissioner Gordon gets me every time. On another note, this show is just
hilarious. It's probably the least serious of any of them, but it works. If I had to choose a
show to just exist in, I would choose this one, because I love the whole world they
created. It's exactly what one would expect a Starkid twist on DC's comic world would be
like. "Somebody's Buddy" is one of the catchiest songs I think Starkid has written, and it's
one of my personal favorites. Everything in this musical just fits.
3. A Very Potter Sequel- So I know it may be "sacrilege" to not have AVPM at the top of my list and
especially to not have it above AVPS, but this is my list, so bugger off! I recently re-
watched all three of the Harry Potter Musicals, and I came to the definite conclusion that I
like the sequel best! The props and costumes are obviously more professional here, but I
also really enjoy the new characters as well as the storyline. Brian Holden's Lupin is
hilarious, Tyler Brunsman's Lucius is perfection, and Joe Walker's Umbridge scares the
poop out of me yet still manages to make me cry laughing. The returning characters are
just as good as they were in the original, and yet they manage to bring something new and
fresh. I love seeing the evolution of Hermione's self esteem. "The Coolest Girl" always
brings a tear to my eye. I enjoy seeing Harry grow into the pompous douche bag we met
and loved in AVPM ("Guys Like Potter"). Draco Malfoy is seriously the funniest diaper
wearing, picture drawing, time traveling, little d in the whole world... The music is also
really really good. "To Have a Home" and "Those Voices" are very well written and
memorable. "Stutter" could be made into a hit pop song, no lie. Overall, great show.
4. A Very Potter Musical- What is there to say really? This is where it all began... This is where we
first realized that it was possible to take a franchise that had already dominated the
literature, film, and amusement park worlds and turn it into something completely
different but just as incredible. Not only was AVPM a jump to the stage with a new
musical format, but it introduced the same characters you knew and loved as perhaps
more "realistic" yet "ridiculous" versions of themselves. It's hard to explain.. It took the
books you could recite cover to cover and somehow condensed and mixed together the
best pieces into one cohesive story while adding in new bits as well (Zac Efron). In other
words, Warner Brothers could learn a thing or two from Starkid! There is a reason Starkid
has had the success they have had, and that is simply because this musical exists.
5. Ani: A Parody- I had some trouble deciding where to place Ani, as there has been a lot of
controversy amongst fans since it's YouTube debut. I was surprised it wasn't initially
received better, because when I saw it in Chicago almost every fan I talked to said they
enjoyed Ani more than Trail to Oregon. After watching both online for myself, I decided
Ani just didn't translate as well to YouTube. It was a show best experienced live where
you could really take everything in. Trail to Oregon was more like Starkid's previous
work, mainly because it was an actual musical. None of the actors in Ani sing. There are
songs that narrate the action, but they are performed by a stage band. But not only is the
stage band fantastic, but the songs are so good and allow for some fantastic
choreography! Ani does rely heavily on its source material, which is great for Star Wars
fans, but perhaps not so great for others. Apparently not as many people have seen Star
Wars as I once believed (college has taught me this), and if you haven't, much of the
comedy will be lost on you. I suppose that is unfortunate, but not really, because isn't that
just incentive to watch them?! When you have seen the films, there is no way you can't
find this downright brilliant! Nick Lang steals the show as Obi Wan and the Emperor,
Brian Holden is a close second as Jar Jar, and Chris Allen's Anakin impressions are gold.
Somehow, yet again, Starkid manages to completely rip apart the Star Wars universe and
expose every flaw imaginable while creating characters you instantly fall in love with.
6. Starship- Starship was another unique show for Starkid. It is the only show where half of the cast
is comprised of puppets, and as silly as it may sound, for the most part it works! Joey
Richter as the puppet Bug is definitely one of my favorite characters. His coming of age
story is cliched but is classic and heartwarmingly done. I enjoy Brant Cox as Roach and
Lauren Lopez as Bugette, but I wish more bugs instead of cardboard cutouts could have
been used. I was intrigued by the bug world and wish more time could have been spent
there. Lopez as Taz nearly steals the show, but it is the romance between Dylan Saunders'
Tootsie Noodles and Meredith Stepien's Mega-Girl that makes the show for me. Seeing
them as a couple again in Twisted was a fangirl's dream.. I also love Saunders as Pincer,
and "Kick it Up a Notch" is definitely the best song. Unfortunately I am not a huge fan of
Joe Walker's character Up, and Denise Donovan nearly drives me insane as February.
7. The Trail to Oregon!- As I mentioned, I recently re-watched Trail to Oregon, and though I did not
initially care of it in Chicago, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it the second time
around. Oregon is certainly the most inappropriate of all the musicals. Holy Musical
B@man has some language, but Oregon seems to have sexual innuendos in almost every
scene/song. I think that's mainly due to the fact that the show, songs, and lyrics were
written and directed by Jeff Blim, but it was initially a huge turn off for me. After seeing
Ani and how clever it was, Trail to Oregon came off as shallow and silly. After re-
watching the show, however, I appreciate the success it has had. It is more clever than I
initially gave it credit for, and the acting and songs are actually good. There are only
really six characters in the show, and I think it suffers a bit from that, but in the end it
works it self out dog. Jeff Blim as the Father and Rachael Soglin as the Mother were my
favorite characters. I wasn't that fond of Jamie Lyn Beatty, Lauren Lopez, or Joey Richter
in the show though. They all had moments that eventually won me over, but several times
I caught myself wishing Blim or Soglin would come back on stage. As I said, in the end
the show won me over, and I am glad it is a part of the Starkid musical canon.
8. A Very Potter Senior Year- And last but not least, the final installment of the Harry Potter
Musical Trilogy. It's not that I don't like AVPSY, it just dosn't always work for me. For
one thing, it's not a traditional Starkid musical. I know it isn't meant to be, but I still don't
feel that I can rank it amongst the others. AVPSY was performed at a Leaky Con
convention and was done on script. The script and music were ready, and it was the only
time the cast could to do it, so they did. Believe me, I'm glad, but the show had problems.
Because it was done on script, the actors couldn't focus as much on acting, especially
those like Darren Criss who were obviously very unfamiliar with the script. It also meant
that things were forgotten (like Joe Walker forgetting to wave the diary around). Darren's
mike doesn't work the whole show, and then there's his dang tie.. Oh Darren. Meredith
Stepien does a fantastic job replacing Bonnie Gruesen as Hermione, but she isn't Bonnie,
and that is still sad. Please don't hurt me, but I really don't like Evanna Lynch as Luna!
That sounds weird to say, because she is Luna! But she just doesn't work in the musical.
It's awkward. There is also just so much going on! I feel that because this was the last one
and Starkid was in this phase where they had new actors but were bringing back old ones,
they just decided to squeeze in all this material to cover as much plot and as many
characters as possible. It works for the most part, but it's just not quite the same and is a
little much at times! The last half hour, however, makes it worth it. "Everything Ends"
makes everyone cry, and Tyler Brunsman's Cedric cameo is pretty much the best thing
ever. It was a beautiful goodbye to our beloved Harry Potter Musicals.
And there you have it! As the years have progressed and more musicals have been added to Starkid's roster, I think, for the most part, they have gotten better and better. Alas, the conversation was recently brought up between me and the sis regarding Starkid's future. When Twisted in Concert debuted in New York at 54 Below back in March of 2014, I really thought big things were ahead for this beloved group of performers.
After Starkid Takes Manhattan and the back to back musical line up last summer and "The Trail to Oregon!"'s brief NYC debut last month, perhaps Starkid needs some time to regroup. We can only cross our fingers and hope that Brian, Nick, and Matt are cooking up something fantastic, but I think fans of anything must always be aware that "everything ends" and "nothing is made to last" (see what I did there?). There will come a time when all the Starkid members will move on to bigger and better things, as many already have. And that's ok. In fact, that is "totally awesome".
*Note: I did not include MAMD because I have not watched that musical and probably will not*
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