ROYALS GONE ROGUE

As a young royal, the spotlight can be detrimental. Similar to the pressure that school, jobs, society, and social media puts on the everyday teenager. These aspects are taken to the extreme when a crown is placed upon your head. In this upbeat, fast paced show, the audience follows a group of teens all on their path of self-discovery. All the while being next in line for the throne. They set the scene, entering couple by couple, and begin to waltz. A pre-opener ballad of "To Thee My Country/God Save the Queen" plays as the first soloist of the show walks on. They all bow to the assumed princess, following right behind the queen, and time stops. "You Should See me in a Crown" by Billie Eilish changes the mood. Through this grungy solo we enter the conflict of the show, the need for power. This high energy opener transitions into "Royals'' by Lorde. The audience is further pushed toward the pressure put on the youth. We see a prince carelessly tossing a crown around, only to be caught by someone who can only be imagined to be his father, the king. Disappointment reigns these performers into their ballad, "Easy on Me" by Adele. Uninspired, they begin to exit the stage when they hear the beginning of "Wings" by Little Mix. Behind a sheer drop, five soloists perform separate solos, only their silhouettes being lit. At the conclusion of these solos, the curtain is ripped away to reveal our powerhouse soloists in their second costume. They continue the number girl group style, getting the audience pumped up to close out the show, until the rest of the girls enter. They have now changed into their second costumes. Towards the conclusion of the song, the boys march onstage in their second costume. They close out the show with "I’m a Ruler". This high energy closer helps shed the stuffy skin of their past expectations and shines a light on the new energetic and hopeful youth. This show, containing a loose storyline, is relatable to the youth of today by encouraging them to find their inner kings and queens, and to not let the pressure of the expectations put on them to control their personalities. It's all about ruling how you want to rule and being true to yourself. This, along with society's love for entertainment such as Bridgerton, Young Royals, The Crown, and the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Six, which follows a similar message, makes this show feel relevant and necessary to show the competition who Unity Vocal Rush truly is. We may never be royalty, but we truly are our own kings and queens.