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Review by Kathy Carpenter
May 15, 2022 (Spring Valley) - Good versus evil. Most of us have a little of both. When we successfully merge the two, we become better people. Young Actors' Theatre in Casa De Oro presents Disney's “Descendants," based on the book by Nick Blaemire. Disney entertainment equals happiness. The show, directed by Katie Wallace with music director Mary Rose Vadaboncoeur, will have you leaving with a smile.
“Descendants” takes the children of four Disney villains, children who grew up rotten to the core and transplants them into the perfect fairy tale world. The Prince of Idyllic Auradon convinces his parents to allow four of the children from The Isle of the Lost to come over to their perfect world as exchange students to heal the wounds between places. Good and evil prevail throughout the show as the characters of both worlds are tested, and they take the strengths of each other, becoming better together as they work as one. The four children from the Evils are Mal (daughter of Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty”), Evie (daughter of the Evil Queen from “Snow White”). Jay, son of Jafar (from “Aladdin”), and Carlos (son of Cruella from “101 Dalmations.”)
Director Wallace feels the theatre is a place to play, thus creating the freedom to have fun and grow as actors. She said for an actor, it's all about the process. It worked. Not only do the five main characters do incredible acting jobs, they light up the stage and audience and are totally rocking the fun.
In most shows, I generally have favorites. In this show the five leads were so amazing, I loved them all. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Cadence Ditomaso, who played Mal, was 11 years old. She was so sophisticated and high school-like. She had an amazing voice and could easily be a star. Her counterpart Evie, played by Averie Phillips, is not quite as young but equally talented. The boys, played by Ezri Alvarez and Shan Bates-Lamparella, were spot-on- lit. Alyssa Vasquez played Maleficent and was so much fun to watch with her old-school musical singing--small but mighty. Ty Felberg played the Prince, rocking his transformation into the criminal world on the Isle of the Lost. The show had a huge cast coming together to entertain us.
The song and dance is high-energy, modern, fun and well-danced, so impressive with such a large cast. I loved the songs. Act two opened with a duet of the Prince and Mal, "Space Between," which is absolutely perfect for the show. Costumes befitted the characters. And I haven't heard cheering like that from an audience in awhile.
A lot of the production work is also done by students. It's a whole community of togetherness as a theatre family -- learning, growing, and having fun together. Now is your chance to come out and give them support and encouragement on the great work they are doing.
Disney's Descendants
May 12-22, 2022
Young Actors' Theatre
Encore! Theatre
www.yatsandiego.org or 619.670.1627 use code: casadeoro for 1/2 off tickets
Casa De Oro
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