Every song tells a story. . .and Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, the latest installment in the Pompano Players’ inaugural season, has dozens to share. This toe-tapping yet thought-provoking revue boasts excerpts of 60 songs by popular women in the music industry. Together, these numbers create a narrative about the journey of women and the ups and downs they have faced throughout history—following their dreams, falling in love, dealing with heartbreak, pursuing their careers, enjoying their independence, and everything in between. The show was created by Dorothy Marcic, a professor at Columbia University, and was originally produced in New York. Since its original run, it has played thousands of performances in over 70 cities (and counting). Now, the production is here in South Florida, directed by Jeremy Quinn (who has also helmed other shows in the Pompano Players’ current season, including hit plays Love, Loss & What I Wore and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change).
The plot is relatively simple: Narrator Dorothy (Dalia Aleman), a fictionalized version of playwright and professor Marcic, along with three of her students (who all play a multitude of roles throughout), Samantha (Anneliese Wolfanger), Rosa (Noelle Nicholas), and Eden (Heather Simsay), take the audience on a journey through women’s history. They incorporate the stories of Dorothy’s own family members and friends, along with those of iconic women both fictional and real, all set to a delightfully catchy soundtrack of famous tunes all sung by women (and, in many cases, as Dorothy dryly points out, written by men), highlighting how far society has come with regard to women’s rights, and how far we still have to go. You’ll recognize so many hits of different genres that make it near impossible not to sing along.
Dorothy spends slightly less time in the spotlight than the rest of the cast, yet Aleman’s performance, in my eyes, was a real standout. She portrays a wide range of emotional experiences with her take on the character—from the vulnerability of being let down by someone you care about, as she begins the show separated from her unfaithful ex-husband, to the empowerment that comes with knowing who you are and what you deserve. She particularly shines in songs like the heartfelt “In My Daughter’s Eyes” and the unapologetic “Brave.”
The rest of the cast also brings their own unique flair to their performances and these well-loved songs. Wolfanger stands out in confident kiss-offs like “These Boots are Made for Walkin’” and “Piece Of My Heart,” along with the starry-eyed “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” where she emulates the essence of Betty Boop. Nicholas dazzles as she embraces her independence in songs like “You Don’t Own Me” and “I Will Survive,” and her acting is just as impressive. She delivers a touching depiction of the plight of Black women throughout American history, telling the stories of famous figures like Ida B. Wells and Rosa Parks.
With her performance, Simsay captures the feel of the Golden Age of Hollywood, harkening back to classic musicals with fun, flirty numbers like “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “Whatever Lola Wants.” And together, the women are unstoppable, with their smooth, seemingly-effortless harmonies!
The pacing of the production is another aspect I personally really appreciated. The show covers decades over the course of around two hours, but nothing ever feels overly quick or slow. There’s also enough variety in the types of narratives and the musical numbers featured that the audience will be excited to keep up with wherever the story moves next.
I did, however, feel like some areas of the production left a little to be desired. The band, led by Music Director Phil Hinton, was fantastic, although their placement at the very back of the stage felt slightly awkward. I also felt like the projector screen behind the performers could have been used to greater effect throughout. I would have loved to see more moments like a particularly moving point late in the show, where the screen displays images of important women in history, ending with some great encouragement to the audience that they, too, could embody the energy of these remarkable women.
Finally, the costumes, curated by Costume Designer Penelope Williams, nicely demonstrate the evolution of fashion during the decades when the show takes place; how trends change over the years, how certain pieces are always emblematic of their specific era. However, the costume changes were sometimes a little distracting because of the large clothing racks on stage, which the characters grab from over the course of the show, and because the Samantha, Rosa, and Eden characters are dressed in vastly different colors and styles of outfits to begin with. Having the clothing racks on stage likely made things more efficient, but sometimes it caused those transitions to feel less natural and seamless at times.
Overall, the heart of Respect: A Musical Journey of Women is the wonderful performances, the catchy songs, and the inspiring message, all of which this cast and crew do a beautiful job of bringing to life. I was especially heartened to see the audience packed with women of all ages, laughing with their loved ones, mouthing the song lyrics, and enjoying an uplifting afternoon at the theater. If you want a theatrical experience that will bring you joy and remind you of your own strength, this is certainly the show for you!
