By Marcina Zaccaria . . .
Super You is an energetic burst of music from Lourds Lane. A concert about a comic book artist who finds her voice, Super You, verges on rock extravaganza.
Lourds Lane, herself, a petite figure with pigtails, plays the electric violin. Having written the Book, Music, & Lyrics, Lane fills the stage at Carnegie Hall with strong women and deeply human characters that spring from one’s imagination. With an aim towards rock opera genius, sheer might pushes this story, provoking creative minds to look inward at what drives them.
Super You begins with the song, “Who’s Stronger Now,” sung by The Chix (Seven, Ima-Mazing, Blast, and Rise). The protagonist, Katie, joins them to sing their mantra, “Don’t Wait, Create.” While she keeps a strong posse of girls around her, Katie loses all wisdom when she is not working on the fantastic characters in her comic books. The emotion of Young Katie, interpreted sensitively by a young Lydia Ricks, is mirrored by her mother. The musical continues with the haunting, “Fragmented,” where an older Katie, played by Kennedy Caughell, reveals her interior.
Singing no melodies and speaking no words, her mother, played by Elizabeth Parkinson, is a constant reminder of human frailty. Identity formation for a young girl without the possibility of self-expression can be challenging. The mother in Super You, presenting only as a modern dancer without words, expresses the emotion of the singers simultaneously in dance. Their ability and inability to speak is poignant and elusive.
Here’s to supporting cast Brie Cassil, Carrie Compere, Ty Deran, and Militia Vox for building dynamic characters that drive the plot forward. The songs churn out, one after the other. Their spirit of fight rivals their joy of song. There’s something about the incredible volume at Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall that can verge on mind-blowing. What’s out for everyone to see is an imaginary world where a TikTok influencer, a girl band member, and a transgender player change the scene. They sing, “The Truth is Coming for You” and later, “Oh Yeah I Love Me.” The comic book characters so alive in Katie’s consciousness build the drama. The freedom, expressed in art rock, rap, and harmonics sounds to the back of Zankel Hall, impressing this younger audience. Carrie Compere is particularly strong as Ima-Mazing, and Lourds Lane’s music is most memorable when spoken and sung.
Jay, played so smoothly by Justin Sargent, re-enters Katie’s life. After losing his record deal, he looks to Katie to make him whole. The pairing has never been stronger. Katie confesses that her mother is having troubles, and Jay admits that his father isn’t doing well. Now that Katie is older, she finds it even more crucial to say, “I Need You/ We Do it Together.” The spirit of fight is back within her. The lyricist, Lourds Lane, looks deep here, really delving into how one creates a pathway to survival, and Director and Choreographer JoAnn M. Hunter is particularly intuitive about how to make this relationship really work on stage.
Katie refuses to build strength through suffering. Instead, with deep, spiritual reflection, she finds the loud and soft ripples of emotion within her. With the relief of finding her voice again, there is a moment to see herself with her music world, with her family and friends, and finally, with other artists. With the song “Light of the World,” she calls out for others to do the same. From the Filipino artist, this strong declaration is more compelling and glorious than anything before it.
In a post-show chat, Lourds Lane revealed that her mother recently passed away. To share this with the audience at Zankel Hall may have set her soul free, in some way, leaving painful memories with the images and the profound sound of the music.
Super You was performed on July 20 & 21 at Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall in NYC www.carnegiehall.org
Photos: Mark Ashe Photography
Featured Photo: Lourds Lane, Lydia Ricks
