Reviewed by Margaret Thompson
Finally, a CharacterWorks production that I was completely familiar with. We had just watched the Disney version of Tarzan a few weeks ago, and when we arrived on opening night, I was proud to announce to CharacterWorks managing director Donna Amadee that I needed no advance coaching for a change. “There will be a lot more singing than in the movie, since this version is based on the Broadway play,” she warned me. Hooray, that’s why we come to see these talented young people!
And once again, the cast did not disappoint. Based on Edgar Rice Burrough’s Tarzan of the Apes and the smash-hit 1999 Disney animated film, Tarzan tells the story of an infant boy orphaned on the shores of West Africa. Taken in and raised by a band of gorillas, the young boy strives for acceptance by his ape 
father while grappling with his uniqueness. When a human expedition enters their territory, Tarzan – now a man – encounters strangers like himself for the first time. Tarzan features sensational music and lyrics by pop icon Phil Collins, including the Grammy and Oscar winning song, “You’ll Be in My Heart” and the show-stopping audience favorite “Trashin’ the Camp.”
The opening treehouse scene, featuring Tarzan’s birth parents and one very evil leopard, highlighted the expertise of the set designers and drew us all into the story from the get-go. Young Tarzan, who I was thrilled to learn during intermission is played by Brandon McKinney, the very talented son of one of my middle school friends (this is just one reason why I’m glad I never left RVA!), made a pint-sized giant entrance to the stage, donning nothing but a loin cloth and a smile – what a fearless 11-year-old boy he is! In his eighth performance in the last three years with various Richmond theater groups, he wowed the opening night audience with his stage presence. His gorilla mother, Kala, played by Freeman Junior Natalia Araujo, was fantastic, dripping with raw emotion and belting out song after touching song throughout the play. When older Tarzan made his entrance, it was immediately clear that Lee-Davis Senior Grant Paylor has quite the fan club among Richmond-area teen girls. I had to squint to make sure he wasn’t really a member of One Direction in a loin cloth (which surely contributed to the fanfare). He too gave a spectacular performance and wow, what chemistry he shared with Jane, played by Landmark Christian Senior Charlotte Gulasky. Their duets were top-notch, and they could easily hold their own for their solos.
The entire cast once again brought down the house and showed what tireless rehearsals and true dedication can turn into. As the mom of Brandon McKinney (young Tarzan) explained to me, “He misses all of the birthday parties and other fun things, but he doesn’t mind one bit. He just loves to be on stage!”
Tarzan continues through Sunday, June 22nd at the Robins Theatre at the Steward School. Tickets are available at CharacterWorks
