Love is a very mysterious feeling, and one everyone can experience at some point in their life. Love can hit someone like a semi-truck, that instantaneous acknowledgement with oneself where they just know that the love they are feeling is something special. Other times, love can be the result of an invisible Trojan Horse, sneaking its way to you like an emotive surprise attack. The latter occurs in “Pretty Woman: The Musical” the latest Broadway show to hit the Sun City.
The musical, based on the smash hit film, follows a wealthy businessman named Edward Lewis, who during a work trip meets a prostitute named Vivian Ward. Lewis, intrigued by Ward’s off kilter personality, hires the eccentric to accompany him for social events during the week. What ensues is a whole lot of laughter, romance and toe-tapping musical numbers.
Yoali Rodriguez, an El Paso resident and fan of Broadway, speaks to how the show surprised her, as well as the joy of its message of following your dreams.
“The musical was awesome, and I was not expecting it to feel so new and accurate to the film,” Rodriguez said. “It was funny, and I just felt the message came across very well, it didn’t leave its main point which was to follow your dreams no matter what; it was so fulfilling to see something like that back on the stage.”
In its two-hour and thirty-minute runtime, the show never lost this message: showcasing how everyone has a dream. And even if it’s big or small, there’s no shame in chasing it. This is highlighted through and through in the track “Never give up on a Dream”. This song used the backdrop of Los Angeles and Hollywood to spotlight what it’s like to be someone trying to find their place in life, an important theme of the show. Songs like this one and the many throughout also showed off the talent of the performers, with each actor having their time to shine.
Yamil Rivera, who plays Giulio, an energized bellhop of the fancy upscale hotel in which Edward stays during his week in Los Angeles. Originally from Puerto Rico and living in New York City, Rivera talks about what it’s like to be on the Broadway stage and the preparation for a role like his.
“It’s amazing, I love to be on stage and especially in this musical and I’m having the best time of my life on stage and off,” Rivera said. “For a role like mine there is a lot of physical preparation, and I need to do a lot to sustain myself for seven to eight shows a week; especially for my voice.”
Along with Rivera, the rest of the cast blends in perfectly with the story. Specifically, the two leads played by Eva Gary and Jack Rasmussen. The two showcase electric chemistry, with us as an audience believing their romance every step of the way. Among the many feats, the most impressive of the show was its grasp on the audience. As the crowd couldn’t help but laugh, groove and cheer throughout.
Catching Marginot is a contributor and can be reached at hcmarginot@miners.utep.edu.
