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That’s a dynamite combination, as a group of musicians and dancers proved Wednesday night to a sold-out house at Viterbo University.
The touring show “Movin’ Out” was muscular, passionate and powerful. And, wow, those young dancers can really move, combining modern dance, ballet and gymnastics into compelling storytelling.
The story, which Tharp set to an all-Billy Joel soundtrack, is about five friends — Brenda, Eddie, Tony, James and Judy. They start out happy and sassy in “It’s All Rock and Roll to Me.”
But then Brenda and Eddie break up, Brenda and Tony hook up, James and Judy get married, and all the men leave to fight in Vietnam.
Some of the most muscular dancing occurs on “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” followed by some of the most poignant in “The Stranger,” as the old friends return minus one.
The second act is all about readjusting through drugs and hallucinations and survivor’s guilt. Eddie dances out his guilt and frustration as he remembers James and the pain of Vietnam in “River of Dreams/Keeping the Faith/Only the Good Die Young.” By the time the band plays the last refrain of “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” the gang has come to terms with each other and settled back into life.
The music is Billy Joel beginning to end, and that’s a good thing. The choreography is pure Twyla Tharp, and that’s a great thing.
Together, that’s a powerful night of theater.
