Combining show tune jeopardy and vocal acrobatics, three of Ottawa’s musical theatre companies competed at Tone Cluster’s annual Show Tune Showdown on April 22.
Everyone embraced musical theatre’s queer history, with Tone Cluster—one of Ottawa’s few explicitly queer choirs—uniting all attendees for a night of musical celebration.
Showdown judges Giacomo Panico, Jeremy Fisher and Ariel Troster, offered witty and encouraging feedback in rapport with Jesse Reynolds’ charismatic hosting.
Reynolds said live musical theatre is especially exciting.
“It’s the energy,” Reynolds said. “Unless you’re in that room, you don’t feel it.”
Show Tune Showdown was a vibrant, high-energy night with dazzling performances by Orpheus Musical Theatre, Zucchini Productions and Lost Baggage Musical Theatre.
In their debut Showdown performance, Lost Baggage humoured attendees with comedic renditions of “Way Down, Hadestown” and “Tom, Dick or Harry.”
Zucchini Productions surprised the audience in their first number, with their quartet performing the classic trio hit “Brotherhood of Man.” They later delivered a heartwarming rendition of “We Belong.”
Securing the win, Orpheus Musical Theatre awed attendees with their vocally powerful performance of “Defying Gravity.” They closed the performances with an electrifying rendition of “Some Like it Hot.”
The dynamic duo of queer culture and show tunes motivated gay radio celebrity Reynolds to emcee the Showdown for his second year.
“It just so happens that the [the two] go together really well,” Reynolds said.
Creator Rob Bowman cited this interlacing when first pitching the Showdown. Since the event’s 2005 debut, Bowman has connected with the broader 2SLGBTQ+ community through audience engagement and establishing Showdown branches in New York and Minneapolis.
Essential to Showdown is the show tune Jeopardy, where theatre groups congregate on stage and guess a tune based on clues. Whoever guesses correctly performs on the spot.
This year, despite Reynolds instructing members not to buzz in answers until he read the clue, Zucchini Productions’ Katie Shapiro excitedly rang in early. After comedic uproar from Reynolds, Shapiro correctly guessed and delivered a feel-good rendition of “So Far Away from Beautiful.”
The interactive audience showdown was also particularly memorable.
Each year, audience members guess a tune based on the emcee’s clues. Whoever correctly guesses the song performs onstage for points to donate to their chosen team.
This year’s winner, a senior identified as “John,” delivered a soulful performance of “It’s Almost Like Being in Love.” He earned a standing ovation and granted Orpheus 10 points.
Bowman emphasized keeping the event friendly, adding that unlike other musical competitions, “there’s no Simon Cowell.”
Instead, the Showdown judges were local celebrities who inserted their personalities into the night.
Panico changed costumes at intermission, and the judges shared nostalgic reminiscences about personal musical memories.
Sticking with the effervescent themes, Bowman was excited to bring back the closing audience sing-along led by Tone Cluster, performers and judges.
“[It gets] everyone excited and involved, and it’s a good way to close the show,” he said.
Energy was high throughout the night.
“[The Showdown] is communal in that we’re bringing the arts community together,” Bowman said.
Featured image by Derek Hille.
