Shadows, A Dance Musical

Shadows is a dance musical by Randal David-Cook and Joey McKneely.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: isn’t almost every musical a dance musical?

I mean, West Side Story! Hello!? Billy Elliot! A Chorus Line! The list goes on and on!

But Shadows is different, see: it’s the story of two couples— no, make that two stories about four couples:

One of the stories is told with traditional songs and prose… and the other is told almost entirely through dance.

Watching Shadows is like watching a ballet, followed by a musical. Followed by another ballet, and then another musical. Followed by… well, you get the picture.

In the musical, Janine Divita shines as Claire, the MILF from Connecticut who succumbs to an affair with her potential real estate broker Alex, AKA Xander (John Arthur Greene), after she considers selling her grandmother’s apartment in the city, which the neighbors consider to be haunted.

In the dance, Irina Dvorovenko and Waldermar Quinones-Villanueva masterfully execute the story of Claire’s grandmother, a ballerina named Valentina (with perfect en pointe), whose own affair in the same apartment had tragic consequences two generations earlier.

Nickemil Concepcion and Naomi Kakuk provide compelling performances as the betrayed spouses, and Kyreed Jordan and Omar Nieves should be branded “dance ninjas” for their contributions as the present-but-not-present “shadows.”

Billed as “a gothic ghost love story,” Shadows is dark. Shadows is spooky. But Shadows is also funny. And as anyone who’s been through a marital separation can attest, Shadows perfectly depicts just how complicated, confusing, stressful and ultimately uncertain the entire process can be.

With a creative set and lighting by Sheryl Liu and Brian Nason, spot-on costumes by Christopher Vergara and an incredible psycho ending that you’ll never see coming, this is one uniquely enjoyable production that will make you laugh, cry and shiver in suspense.

So check it out, then come back here and tell us what you saw lurking in the shadows!

Your reviews can help others decide whether Shadows is worth checking out, and your ratings help us help you find future dance musicals and other live events you’re sure to love!