Even with nearly 100 cast members, the largest cast in club history, NU Stage Musical Theater Company’s spring semester revue gave everyone a chance to be in the spotlight.

Every semester, NU Stage hosts a cabaret-style performance of songs and scenes pulled from a number of different musicals, all focused on a common theme. This semester’s theme was titled “Just Passing Through.” The show tells the stories of different musical theatre characters on their journey to find a place to call home while passing by all the people who shape them.

Directed by Braden Gastaldi, a third-year business administration and graphic design combined major, the show featured a total of 23 numbers, including “Belle” from “Beauty and the Beast,” “One Short Day” from “Wicked” and “Another Day of Sun” from the popular movie-musical “La La Land.” 

With a simple set design that could be altered to match the essence of each musical, the revue was a dynamic and captivating performance with flashy lights, eye-catching costumes and impressive choreography. Each performance had the audience roaring with applause, drawing in a nearly-full Blackman Auditorium.

“Getting to put on a show in Blackman now is like blocking for a larger scale. You’re blocking for lights and you know, you’re working with a big set,” Gastaldi said. “It’s been great getting to put my creative vision down onto paper and then getting it off the paper onto the stage. Seeing it all come together is really awesome.” 

Any student who auditioned was guaranteed a part in the show, contributing to the exceptionally large cast that performed in this semester’s revue. Students had the opportunity to be performers, production staff (informally referred to as “p-staff”) or part of the pit orchestra. 

Charlotte Zaino, a third-year business administration major, has performed every semester since her first year, making “Just Passing Through” her sixth revue. With plenty of experience in NU Stage, Zaino has enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the show as both a performer this semester and as p-staff in past semesters.

“You can go from one semester someone being the director or the choreographer and then the next semester you’re in the show with them,” Zaino said. “To get to rehearse with these different people and then also get to experience them as choreographers and having done it with the same people the last two years has been super fun.”

Zaino was a featured dancer in multiple dance-heavy numbers but stood out as Alice in “Welcome to Wonderland” from “Wonderland.” Despite the cast size, many students formed friendships and found a sense of community in doing the revue. Students could also indicate how many numbers they wish to perform in, making the revue less intimidating and a surefire way to form bonds between performers.

Lara Koppel, a third-year speech language pathology and audiology major, only performed in one number but certainly shined for the five minutes she took the stage. Koppel starred as Hermes in “Way Down Hadestown” from the Broadway hit “Hadestown.”

“With the revue, you have that one moment to just have so much fun, and there’s not so much stress on it,” Koppel said. “You’re able to spend so much more time with other people who maybe you wouldn’t have, so it’s a fun time to make those connections.”

No one understands the impact of NU Stage more than Jackson Evans, a fifth-year behavioral neuroscience major. Evans joined NU Stage when it was fully virtual in fall 2020, and he didn’t know anybody. Now, as he graduates this semester after five years of heartwarming performances, he’s leaving behind forever friends and a place that gave him somewhere to belong.

“It has helped me define who I am, especially the revue with being as open as it is and being open to people of all levels, no matter your background in theatre,” Evans said. “It’s really tough to know that I have this space that I’ll be leaving behind, but I’m glad to know that I had this family around me while I was here and I got to walk this path with them.” 

Evans performed a powerful and captivating rendition of “Sunset Boulevard” from “Sunset Boulevard” as Joe Gillis. 

“It’s been really nice to reflect back on the capacity we have to encourage growth and excitement for theatre where it wasn’t before,” Evans said. “I’m really proud of where we’ve come to, and even the fact that this is the largest revue cast we’ve ever had in the history and that we’ve made it here and kept things enjoyable and open for people is really exciting to me.” 

Bella Valle, a second-year biology major, had never been to a NU Stage performance before but said she left the show deeply impressed. Daschel Knuff, a second-year music major and a veteran showgoer, accompanied Valle. The two had nothing but positive reviews for the entertaining student-led show.

“I’m always blown away by the level of production, especially since most of these people aren’t theatre majors,” Knuff said. “It’s a super easy, fun way to get involved in the Northeastern community. The performers are having a lot of fun, and so it’s a super great event to come to.”

Although Valle, by her own admission, has never been much of a theatre person, she continued to be blown away by each number and found the show to be thrilling and entertaining.

“I feel like this show is such a testament to people needing to come to more things in theatre and just appreciating the talent we have in Northeastern,” Valle said.