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The Great Depression may have been a time of economic hopelessness, but its music was nothing of the sort! Westfield High School’s lively performance of Crazy for You took its audience back to the 1930s and showered it in everything from tap dance and showgirls to romance and saloon bar fights.

Crazy for You follows banker Bobby Child, who longs to perform on the New York stage. When he travels to Deadrock, Nevada to foreclose a theater, he ends up falling in love with the town as well as the town’s only female, Polly Baker. Bobby finds himself in a web trying save the theater, and his adventure keeps the audience laughing the entire time! The musical was based off of a 1930 Gershwin musical Girl Crazy. The Gershwin book was rewritten by Ken Ludwig in 1992 and won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical has been praised for its classic American music and comedy, and with its fabulously talented singers, dancers, ensemble, and tech crew, Westfield certainly did the show justice!

Westfield’s production was led by the ingenious Colby Dezelick, who played the lead man Bobby Child. Dezelick was an amazing tap dancer, a witty comedian, and a beautiful singer. Not only was he a tremendous showman, but he was also the choreographer for the show and helped to design the elaborate set along with Brandon Sanchez. Another memorable performance was done by Mitchell Buckley, who played Lank Hawkins. He was great as an angry saloon owner and was hilarious when he finally fell head-over-heels for the irresistible Irene Roth, played by Madeleine Bloxam. Bloxam herself was a fantastic singer and dancer in “Naughty Baby.”

The show was full of great ensembles, including the Follies showgirls and the Deadrock cowboys. Though some actors were more convincing than others, the characters created a wonderful collage of talent. The Follies were all very skilled in tap dancing and performed impressive dance numbers in songs like “I Got Rhythm” and “I Can’t be Bothered Now.” One noteworthy performer was Corinne Holland. Besides being an excellent dancer, she was also a priceless actress as the dim-witted and flirty Patsy. The Cowboy Trio, made up of Nick Burroughs, Ben Nelms, and Brandon Sanchez, maintained a resonating harmony as they sang “Bidin’ My Time” (in both English and French) and “The Real American Folk Song.” Together with Bobby, the Follies, and the cowboys, the cast performed “Slap That Bass,” which was arguably the most exciting and entertaining number of the show.

Westfield’s performance of Crazy for You would have been nothing without its stupendous technical aspects. The costumes for the show were jaw-dropping; all of the Follies’ costumes were handmade and included enormous ostrich-feathered headpieces, bouncy tutus, and glittering dresses. Costume designers Bayleigh Aschenbrenner and Zoe Hawryluk spent countless hours on these costumes, and their hard work was evident. The lighting for the show, done by Robert Palack, Ellie Ross, and Ben Nelms, included multiple colors and spotlights that greatly enhanced the performers’ dance numbers and solos. Except for a few cracking microphones, the technical crew was flawless!

Great talent in both the performance and technical factors made for a supreme show. Crazy for You made the audience go crazy for Westfield High School!

by Natalia Kot of Heritage High School