By Jody Tuso-Key — Managing Editor

We are the products of our parents. Some lucky ones won the Parent lottery, and that was a wonderful thing. Others lost the lottery or had no opportunity to play at all. Regardless of our upbringing, all of our parents or guardians most likely passed things on to us based on their own insecurities; however,  in almost every cases, our parents did the very best they could and were the best parents they knew how to be.  

This is the underlying premise of Amelie, being offered by Horizon theater until November 10th. This slice of life is a beautiful and enchanting look at the ordinary life of two ordinary people told in a way that shows how they are both extraordinary. Adapted for the stage as a musical from the French Film of the same name, this romantic comedy is about a Girl named Amelie (Anna Dvorak) with a germaphobe father (Marcus Hopkins Turner) who happens to be a physician and a neurotic mother (Bethany Irby). Amelie’s contact with her parents came in the form of a monthly physical examination by her father. During one visit, Emelie is so excited to see him her heart races, and he misdiagnoses her with a heart condition. As a result, she is cut off from contact with the world and homeschooled by her mother. Her solace is her telescope, with which she is able to view the world from afar. 

Amelie eventually grows up, moves out, and finds a life of her own, working in a cafe with three co-workers: Suzanne (Chelcy Cutright), a retired trapeze artist now owner of the cafe;  Georgette (Jennifer Alice Acker), a hypochondriac; and Gina (Jessical Meisel). The cafe also has its regular customers: Gina’s ex boyfriend Joseph (Daniel Burns): A poet named Hipolito (Cameron Smith); and an air hostess, Philomene (Kylie Dickenson). She leads a quiet life until one day, when she finds a child’s box of treasures left hidden in her apartment by a previous owner. She determines to find him, and thus sets off a chain of events where she resolves to become a do-gooder and practice random acts of kindness. Meanwhile Nino (Jordan Patrick) is a character who frequents the Metro, picks up discarded pictures from an instamatic photo-booth, and collects them in an album. He and Amelie cross paths several times, which eventually culminates in her finding his album left behind, but being too timid to return it to him. 

There is more to the plot, but you’ll have to see the show to find out what I haven’t divulged in this review. What I will say is you may want to do your homework and see the film or read a synopsis of the musical as the action happens quickly, the songs are hypnotizing, and it helps to know the storyline to follow along. 

Celebrated Atlanta director and co-choreographer Heidi McKerly has created a masterpiece once again, assembling an award-winning team with the incomparable Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay creating the set which looks like it was sliced straight out of Paris. As I have said many times, their attention to detail is unparalleled in the Atlanta area. Lighting designer Rachel Blackwell as well as audio engineer and sound designer Allison Laurens had a magical space within which to work as Horizon’s uniqueness lends itself to  imaginative lighting and sound. Costume designer Carrie Giglio had her work cut out for her as most cast members played several parts and had quite a few costume changes. I especially enjoy Elton John’s costume in Emily’s dream sequence. Kudos to the projections designed by Victoria Nation, Lisa Adler, and Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay. I honestly thought they had used an LED screen as the projections were so vivid and clear. I’ve been to many season openings in the past few months, and this is the best technical execution I’ve seen so far. 

I was captivated by the music, especially since, with the exception of expert music director and conductor Holt McCarley and harpist Cambria Russell, the orchestra was comprised of the cast, quadruple threats who were not playing static in their places at all times, but moving throughout the intricate stage to create engaging pictures for the audience. This orchestra included Skyler Brown on Guitar, Daniel Buns on Bass, Kylie Dickenson on Violin and Viola, Miro Gomez on Cello, Eric Nabeth on Accordion,  and assistant music director and musician Bethany Irby. 

As far as the performers were concerned, every cast member was 100% committed to their roles. All the vocals were spectacular, and there were beautiful pictures created on stage constantly. Anna Dvorak was a perfect choice for the lead role of Amelie. She approached the part with a sense of innocence and wonder, and was a delight to watch. Amelie’s counterpart was her younger self, portrayed as a puppet and played expertly by Eden Mew. My dear friend, Jeff McKerly, is one of my favorite performers of all time and he was an adorable fish and also played a sweet and compassionate “glass man” as Dufayel, Amelie’s downstairs neighbor and confidant.  Another dear friend whom I’ve known for many years, but have never seen on stage is Miro Gomez, an ensemble member who also the legendary Elton John. Miro and I had been colleagues during my days at West Hall Middle School. I was blown away by his performance! I know he’s talented, but, as our middle schoolers would say, he ‘slayed’. Marcus Hopkins Turner also delivered another stellar performance. Along with an variety of ensemble members, he also played Raphael, Emelie’s father and Bretodeau, the man who owned the box of childhood memories. He has a stage presence that is larger than life, but also knows how to blend into the ensemble when required. Jordan Patrick as Nino and other ensemble members was a joy to watch. I recently saw Moulin Rouge in NYC with the great Aaron Tveit, and Jordan’s performance and mannerisms are similar. He’s had an impressive career in Atlanta since his arrival in 2017. I hope to see him in more shows in the future. Of course, the remainder of the cast was all stellar and Key-noteworthy as well. 

The most beautiful thing about Amelie is that no matter who you are, there will be a character in this show with whom you’ll identify. While the story is about everyday lives, it’s beautifully assembled and reaches all our senses to tug at our heartstrings. This musical is a Speakeysie Must See, so get your tickets and enjoy the show!

Thanks for your readership. Peace, love and light be with you!