A spirited 'Sweet Charity'

"Fun, laughs, good time!" resonated through the auditorium as Germantown Academy's Belfry Club opened its performance of the beloved '60s musical, Sweet Charity.

First gracing the Broadway stage in 1966, Sweet Charity was conceived, staged, and choreographed by creative genius Bob Fosse; the original production garnered twelve Tony award nominations. The musical tells the story of Charity Hope Valentine (Michelle Geosits), a taxi dancer who remains optimistic about love despite her profession and several failed relationships. In a fateful incident, however, she meets the neurotic but endearing Oscar Lindquist (Andrew Deck), and falls hopelessly in love with him – will he be the one to finally give her "something better"?

Germantown Academy performed with maturity, accuracy, and unparalleled spirit; the energy of every cast member was characteristic of a professional show, rather than just a high school performance.

Michelle Geosits anchored the show as Charity; her dancing was nearly flawless, and her ability to twist and twirl while maintaining a solid soprano tone was most impressive. In solo numbers such as "If My Friends Could See Me Now," she kept audience interest with her dynamic facial expressions and dance moves. As her primary love interest, Oscar, Andrew Deck portrayed the character's neurosis with hilarious physicality and impeccable comedic timing.

As her sassy companions Nickie and Helene, Nicki Sadeghipour and Erica Nicole Rothman, respectively, supported Charity through her antics with undeniable technical prowess and high energy. Especially in the lamentation "Something Better," the two girls, along with Charity, displayed strong vocals and deep understanding of their characters. Another strong performance came from Erik Rogers, who portrayed actor Vittorio Vidal; his balance between being confidence and sensitive was a pleasure to watch.

The ensemble accented the story well with intricate, entertaining dance routines while maintaining high energy levels throughout the entire performance. Their commitment to character in numbers like "Rhythm of Life" made the entire show more believable.

The set was clean and effective, built entirely by students of the Germantown Academy Advanced Technical Theater Class. Furthermore, the stage crew provided seamless and unnoticeable transitions, keeping the focus on the actors and dancers.

Germantown Academy's performance of Sweet Charity was truly outstanding; it reminded us that there is always a high road, and if something seems to go wrong, it is only to open the door for something better.