blast-o-rama.

In the interest of full disclosure, please note that the passes for tonight’s show were provided directly by The Baltimore Rock Opera Society themselves. Furthermore, I (as a member of Super Art Fight) have previously performed alongside members of the Baltimore Rock Opera Society.  That said, my review is in no way tempered by their requests nor any personal relationships. Thanks! And read on!

“I’m off to see a rock opera.”

It’s a weird statement to say to yourself.  Considering it’s been neigh on four decades since the heyday of the rock opera, which gave us far too many Who albums and films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it’s not really something you just up and do anymore.  It’s a unique mission for a night, one that provides little expectation or anticipation. It’s a relatively blank canvas upon which your evening will be set.

Sure, I had heard a great many positive thing about the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, and their 2009 performance Grundlehammer, but this was a completely different situation.  Two completely different situations, to be honest.  And if the idea of performing two separate shows wasn’t daunting enough for this relatively young group, they had to completely renovate a theater at the same time, taking the well worn Showtime Theater and turning it into what will now be known as the Autograph Playhouse.

Clearly, they were aiming for the moon on this one – but the question is, to the unknowing audience, who just was arriving for the night – what would they see?

It’s an old adage in the theatre world (surprise, I’m an ex theater kid) – that which the audience does not know, does not matter.  If you blow a line, the audience doesn’t know about it unless you make it clear that you did.  More importantly, in this case, the efforts put forth in renovating a building and creating two separate shows does not matter – the audience just wants to be entertained.

And lo, the Baltimore Rock Opera Society aims for the moon with their Spring 2011 performance, a double feature, placing the Roman Empire era tale Amphion alongside an over the top Star Trek homage, The Terrible Secret of Lunastus.  Taking on a single one of these shows, with complex scripts, large casts, complex songs and impressive sets would be task enough, but the gang at BROS decided to pair them together.  And that, in and of itself, is equally the event’s most impressive – and most damning- concept.

The evening begins with Amphion, set in the year 527 AD. A tale of a charismatic songwriter’s ill-fated love with an ambassador’s daughter, it’s a complex story full of rich characters, and more importantly (given the focus of the evening) a diverse soundtrack, spanning the gamut of many sounds and song styles.  By itself, this show would have been more than enough.  The actors more than talented, the musicians more than adept and ready to take on whatever the tale would provide.  However, from the word go, a number of minor technical issues would mar the performance.  The sound, generally impressive for the musicians, rendered vocalists difficult to understand and some dialogued muffled.  Never the less, the audience (like myself) was game, and proceeded full speed ahead with the intent of the creators, and enjoyed what was, as much as the concept of what could’ve been.

A twenty minute intermission followed, and the sets were changed, giving us the sci-fi layout of Lunastis.  Perhaps a bit more in the BROS wheelhouse, the tale is more humorous.  Comparisons to Star Trek are more than apt, with a general sense of camp and whimsy felt in the entire cast.  The lead for the humans in particular, Tim Olewinik (“Paul”), seemed to channel equal parts Captain Kirk and Captain Hammer.  Again, the level of production shined, with impressive sci-fi landscapes and interactive weapons covering the Autograph Playhouse stage.  The alien makeup is also worth noting, with the Abzug people feeling like they’d fit right into the next Abrams lead Trek sequel, but the most impressive costume work of the entire evening goes to that of the Android.  Perhaps the most pitch-perfect part of the evening, Lily Susskind provided the proper body language to the character, but the costume (and I assume PA system) absolutely sold the robot to the audience.

But again, much like Amphion, technical issues marred what could’ve been a front to back perfect experience.  Dialogue at times lost, vocals unclear.  Again, I wanted these shows to achieve greatness, but I was left wanting for something more.

Sure, I had my issues, I had my concerns.  And I also must say that a four hour event was much more than I had expected for the evening.  Perhaps cutting the show down to one story, and perfecting its two hour run would have been a smarter idea?  But I get the feeling that with The BROS, there is no such thing as cutting an idea down.  They go big, or go home.  And in this day and age, there’s something truly admirable about that.

Well performed, well casted and well laid out, the BROS Double Feature is far from perfect, but it is a hell of a way to spend an evening.  Considering the size and scope of the events they’ve done so far, I cannot wait to see what they do next. And hopefully, you’ll be inspired to see them sometime soon as well.  The BROS Double Feature runs for it’s final weekend next weekend (June 10-12), and more details can be found at BaltimoreRockOpera.org. Do yourself a favor – see them now, and be the one to tell your friends about how you saw them before they were “cool”.  If these are their growing pains, the BROS are going to be something truly great, and I for one cannot wait to see it.