The New Theatre presents Freaky Friday the Musical: Our Review
The Show
What would it be like to trade places with your teen for a day? This is the premise of Disney's beloved Freaky Friday, a story first brought to film starring Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris in 1976, then a remake starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in 2003, and now a stage musical production for modern audiences presented by New Theatre & Restaurant this summer. Your kids will love this family-friendly summer musical.
This past week, I attended the show with my ten-year-old daughter and her friend. Both girls enjoyed the fun uplifting show full of upbeat music and hilarious moments. I enjoyed experiencing family-friendly live theater and a delicious dinner with the girls.
During our showing, some of the cast were unable to perform and standbys filled in. They did a great job presenting this beloved Disney classic!
In this newest telling of the tale, mother and daughter are surprised to find themselves inhabiting the other body for one "freaky" Friday. It happens that the Friday in question is the day of Mrs. Blake's wedding rehearsal (she is a widowed mother about to wed her fiance, Mike). Mrs. Blake (played during our showing by standby Beth Benedict, to be played by Shanna Jones) is ambitiously catering her own wedding and the nuptials are to be featured in a national magazine as a promotion for her new catering business. Ellie Blake (played by McKenzie Custin), the teen, is facing the trials of high school and is looking forward to "The Hunt," a scavenger hunt with her classmates.
Through fast-paced upbeat music, the duo sings and dances their way through the challenges each one faces. Along the way, they make discoveries about the other that they never knew (tattoos anyone?), and learn to empathize with the struggles they face. The mother who is overworked and overscheduled often seems pushy to her teen, and the daughter who is adventurous and trying to fit in often seems rebellious to her mom. When they switch places for a day they discover that there is more to the story and they discover a newfound love and respect for one another.
The show is presented with a great supporting cast. Ellie's younger brother (played by Drew Squire during our showing) and Ellie's high school crush, Adam (played during our showing by Layne Roate, to be played by Tyler Fromson), both offer much comic relief throughout the show. The music moves the story along well and the finale leaves you with a heartfelt message of love and understanding.
We enjoyed watching this creative update of the classic on stage and highly recommend this family-friendly summer musical for Kansas City families.
The Food
This show is presented at New Theatre & Restaurant and one of the highlights of any visit is the FOOD! Before the show, guests are invited to a buffet offering a great selection of vegetables and entrees. You may also order an after-dinner dessert which is served during intermission. We ordered the strawberry napoleon and it was fantastic. The service and food were terrific - definitely one of the highlights of the night! Your ticket price includes dinner and the show making it a great value for families.
This summer, treat your family to Freaky Friday at New Theatre & Restaurant showing thru Sept. 11, 2022. To purchase tickets, visit https://newtheatre.com/show/freaky-friday/.