Review: THE CRAFT: AN UNAUTHORIZED PARODY OPENS IN KANSAS CITY at The Westport Bowery

They put a spell on me, those crazy witches and their craft. The magic of THE CRAFT: AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY opened Thursday, March 30 at The Westport Bowery in Kansas City.

Nick Padgett produced and directed THE CRAFT: AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY by Troy Heard with Musical Arrangements by Brandon Scott Grayson. Padgett also recreated the choreography for Kansas City. Kansas City audiences are the first to see this hilarious parody outside of Las Vegas, and this is only the second production of the show.

The movie THE CRAFT written by Peter Filardi and Andrew Fleming and starring Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, and Neve Campbell hit the movie theaters in 1996. A teenage girl enters a high school having just moved to the city. Not knowing anyone Sarah falls in with three outcast girls, who practice the art of witchcraft. Determining that Sarah is the fourth of the circle the witches invoke the power of the Manon. What they do with this power soon weighs on Sarah's conscience and she begs them to stop.

What happens in THE CRAFT: AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY follows the original movie script as far as plot, and the characters have the same names, but that is where the similarity ends. The characters are exaggerated, the dialog and actions campy, and the overall production is one of the funniest to come to a Kansas City stage. Throw in fabulous music and a cast that is second to none, and you have the makings of a cult classic (once enough people get to see it). I could easily see this outrageous production several times before it closes on April 29.

Lacy Goettling is magnificent in the role of Sarah. She has a beautiful singing voice and her stage presence is superb. Lacy has appeared in five musicals and this is her 10th production with Padgett Productions. Since 2016, not counting the Covid year, she has appeared as Janet Weiss in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. She has also appeared in EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL as Cheryl Williams a role she will be reprising in June for Padgett Productions. She has also appeared in FREAKY FRIDAY at the New Theatre & Restaurant.

Cori Anne Weber is outstanding as Nancy, leading the small band of outcast witches to the dark side of magic. What a marvelous voice, body language, and facial expressions. So many times that I can't count she contorted her face to a degree that she was reminiscent of Fairuza Balk, who played Nancy in the movie. She has appeared in Padgett Productions of The Rocky Horror Show, Mamma Mia, and Sweeney Todd. On April 1 and April 28, Kristen Alley will appear as Nancy.

Other members of this extraordinary cast include Ashley Youjng as Bonnie, Jazlyn Epps as Rochelle, Alec Bridges as Skeet, Elise Campagna as The Other Girl, and Jack Kapple as The Other Guy. Music Director Matthew Harris is joined by Benjamin Hart on Guitar, Mark Johnson on Bassd, and Morgan Rogers on Drums.

THE CRAFT, AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY runs through April 29 at The Westport Bowery. THE CRAFT: AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY is not endorsed by Sony Pictures Entertainment for its subsidiaries.

Photos courtesy of Padgett Productions