Freaky Friday at the Empress

There are exceptions but I am not a big fan of turning popular movies into stage musicals because, in my opinion, they are incredibly contrived and this is especially true of Freaky Friday.  However, I saw a production of this show last night at the Empress Theatre and, while I didn't especially like the material, I enjoyed the performances.  Katherine Blake (Jen Kroff) is a single mother who owns her own catering business.  She is stressed out because she is catering her own wedding to Mike (Jeremy Jonsson) with the hope that it will be featured in a popular bridal magazine so she wants everything to be perfect.  Her moody and argumentative teenage daughter Ellie (Beck Skeen) doesn't want her to marry Mike and definitely doesn't want to attend the rehearsal dinner because she would rather participate in the school scavenger hunt organized by her crush Adam (Eli Carillo).  Both Katherine and Ellie each wish that the other could see the situation from her perspective and this wish (and a magic hourglass) causes them to switch bodies.  Chaos ensues as Katherine tries to navigate high school while Ellie deals with wedding preparations and a photo shoot.  They think that finding another hourglass will switch them back but Katherine and Ellie must ultimately learn to appreciate each other for who they are before things can return to normal.  Most of the songs are largely forgettable (although I do like "I'm Not Myself Today" because it is an emotional turning point) but the show is elevated by the performances of Kroff and Skeen.  They both have wonderful voices and great comedic timing, especially when they imitate each other (I loved Kroff's wobble while walking in high heels and Skeen's facial expressions when reacting to the goings on at school).  I also really enjoyed the ensemble because they are enthusiastic and give it their all in executing the fun choreography.  When I saw a production of this show at HCT I was really impressed with their elaborate set but I think I actually prefer the minimal set in this production because it put all of the emphasis on the choreography.  This show will never be a favorite but I had a lot of fun watching this heartfelt production and recommend getting a ticket to one of the three remaining performances (go here).