Crazy For You
at Tesoro

Reviewed on April 20, 2018

Olivia Fu
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Things Are Looking Up for Tesoro's "Crazy for You"
written by Olivia Fu, a senior at San Juan Hills High School

From the glitzy stages of 1930s New York City to the sleepy ex-mine town of Deadrock, Nevada, Tesoro's lively production of "Crazy for You" celebrates chasing one's dreams, trusting in love at first sight, and embracing the universal magic of dance.

Carson Preusse is stellar as Bobby Child, exuding dorkish charm as his exaggerated and clumsy gait hilariously contrasts his graceful fluidity when dancing. From his starry-eyed conviction in "I Can't Be Bothered Now" to his goofy charade as Bela Zangler, Preusse consistently portrays Bobby's loyalty to his heart and determination to follow his passions.

One of these passions is the enchanting Polly Baker (Eve DeVault), the enigmatic daughter of Deadrock's sole theater owner and the only girl in the town. DeVault masterfully captures Polly's toughness, youthful innocence, and fiery resolve to save the theater through her powerful vocals and wistful micro-expressions.

The real Bela Zangler (Luca DeMarco) parallels Bobby's romantic turmoil with his unrequited love for Tess (Gianna Piva) — and quite literally mirrors his suffering in the side-splitting lamentation of "What Causes That?" Zangler and Tess's interactions are enrapturing, his sacrificial actions and her melting obstinacy revealing a truly affectionate bond beyond their witty repartee.

Still, it's the ensemble of Follies and Cowboys that steal the show through their bright vivacity and bold command of the stage. Whether it be the Follie's energetic kicks in Bobby's dream sequences or the Cowboy's farcical duels, the ensemble's animation and palpable chemistry transform the heartwarming love story into a jovial, slapstick comedy.

Praise is also due to the immersive prop design. Clanging pots and pans enliven the elaborate antics in "I Got Rhythm," and the creative use of rope to transform the Follies into instruments during "Slap that Bass" expresses a deeper, unadulterated joy for music in a playful way.

The lighting design by Adrianna Ciscone further constructs the atmosphere, bathing the couples in warm, dreamy hues and utilizing the spotlight to capture intimate moments and paint exquisite silhouettes.

Tesoro's "Crazy for You" is a gutsy ode to dance and theatre, proving that love for the stage and artistic expression transcend all geographical and financial barriers.

Ian Dembek
Yorba Linda
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Things are looking up at Tesoro

Tesoro's "Crazy for You" centers around the blossoming love of a New York City banker and aspiring performer, Bobby Child, and an independent girl from Deadrock, Nevada, Polly Baker. Bobby ventures to Deadrock to foreclose on the theatre that Polly's father owns, but when Polly finds out why he's there, she storms off. Bobby has the genius plan to dress up as Bela Zangler, a big-time show producer. Through multiple identity crises, mistaken love, and fun tap numbers, this love story finally blooms.

Carson Preusse as Bobby Child and Eve DeVault as Polly Baker complement each other beautifully. Preusse's impeccable comedic timing and DeVault's mesmerizing vocals make for scenes that you can't help but enjoy. Preusse's quick feet make multiple appearances as he taps his way around the stage, including a tap-off with DeVault on top of a table. DeVault constantly finds new ways of presenting her character, reacting truthfully to everything happening around her. In the song "Shall We Dance?" Preusse lifts DeVault and elegantly twirls her, leading into a stunning dance break and ending in a kiss.

Luca DeMarco as the real Bela Zangler brings a comedic presence to the stage, utilizing a consistent accent and lanky body language. In the song "What Causes That?" DeMarco and Preusse perform in perfect unison, as if looking in a mirror.

The Follies, a group of Zangler's performers, all bring a charismatic presence to the stage, with subtle attitude and sass. Gianna Piva as Tess brings an authoritative voice to the stage, especially when talking to Zangler. Chelsea McCormick as Patsy has an unwavering smile, making it impossible to look away from her during group dance numbers.

Of course a show would never be complete without a fully mounted technical crew. Hair and makeup by Holly Hatchel and Mya Kratzat create realistic and understated palates to represent each character. Zangler and Child's beards seem to blend perfectly into their face, which is a hard task to tackle.

Marketing and publicity can often get pushed aside, but not at Tesoro. The Tesoro Marketing Team cannot be stopped, going as far as hiding Easter eggs around the city with free tickets to the show. They also made several commercials to be broadcast to their school.

Tesoro's "Crazy for You" reminds us all to be ourselves, except for when we have to be someone else to win over a girl.

Ally King
Corona del Mar
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Tesoro High School dazzles in "Crazy for You"
written by Ally King, a senior at Corona del Mar High School

Tesoro High School Theatre Arts takes the stage by storm in their production of Crazy for You, a musical composed of songs made famous by George and Ira Gershwin.

The story follows Bobby Child, an unenthused banker with a dream of becoming a dancer, and Polly Baker, a small town girl with an unstoppable attitude. Their paths cross as Bobby is sent to foreclose on a failing theater turned post office that Polly's father owns, but the plan goes haywire when Bobby hatches a plot to save the theater. Full of high energy dance numbers, nostalgic scenery, and young romance, Crazy for You is an engaging experience from beginning to end.

Playing Bobby Child, Carson Preusse displays incredible dedication to the role. Preusse precisely executes complicated tap choreography, all the while entertaining the audience with his wry facial expressions. Joined by Luca DeMarco as Bela Zangler, the two perform a mirror image act, matching each other's actions down to the tone of voice as they dance around the stage.

Speaking with a country twang and singing her heart out, DeVault charms as Polly Baker. She consistently performs challenging dance maneuvers with ease, and wins audiences over with her stubborn attitude.

Josh Nayor shows off his comedic timing as Lank Hawkins, a disgruntled saloon owner thwarted at every turn. Nayor utilizes every part of his vocal range as he hilariously threatens other characters onstage. Similarly, he is not afraid to make use of physical comedy, cartoonishly throwing his body around in the number Naughty Baby.

Tesoro's marketing team goes to great lengths to publicize the show. They utilize every form of social media, including commenting on the live game show HQ Trivia. Another creative way the students advertised was on opening night, all cast members tied a balloon to their backpack for the school day, creating a hard to miss ad.

Hair and makeup design by Holly Hatchel and Mya Kratzat adds another layer of whimsy to the show. All of Zangler's Follies wear short curly wigs, making them stand out as a uniform group. Additionally, the facial hair in the show is tastefully exaggerated, creating recognizable characters such as Bela Zangler, with a signature mustache and goatee.

Tesoro High School delivers an exciting show chock full of colorful characters, impressive numbers, and impeccable student work.