By College Night judges

Judge 1

Congratulations on your show!

SCRIPT, LYRICS, SCORE – 

The script was very tight. The story was clear and kept moving. I wish the lyric writing fit more tightly into the narrative. The opening number was very clear in intent and felt like a strong start. The Fairest of Them All also did a nice job keeping the narrative going. Other numbers felt out of place. I wish the score took more advantage of the ensemble. Several numbers were in unison. Scene shift music was generally thin. Additionally, there were several scenes where underscoring would have been nice, especially the final scene.

DIRECTION, CHOREO, ACTING, SINGING – 

Stage direction and choreography was strong. The “in character” backlit scene changes were very nice. Acting was solid, and the singing was strong as well. I appreciated the clear diction.

ORCHESTRA –

The orchestra seemed a little under-utilized, but the playing was good. I wish the overall texture of the orchestra was thicker to match what was happening on stage.

COSTUMES, SET, HAIR and MAKEUP, PROPS –

Costuming could have been more contrasting between groups of players. Same on the set. There was a bit of a generic period look overall. 

LIGHTING DESIGN –

There were several nice lighting moments. I liked the use of backlighting on the scene shifts. I wish the lighting was more connected to the story overall. I think Romula’s lab could have had more depth of color. Lights in other scenes set in different places were too similar.

RUNNING –

The running of the show was tight. The show fit neatly into an hour.

FINAL THOUGHTS –

Cloaked in Red had a very solid script with a very solid story, but fell a little short in terms of an overall musical theatre experience. Underscoring would have lifted several scenes emotionally, and scene shift music could be more solid. The ensemble could be used more effectively, and harmonies would be nice. Revisit some of the tunes, and explore how to use tune writing to round out characters and tell their story with song. This is a nice piece of theatre to be further explored.

Judge 2

Script

• The story was clearly and effectively constructed, with a strong through-line.
• The simplicity of the piece was one of its strengths. 
• At times, however, there were missed opportunities to more fully explore the inner world of the characters.  
• The piece occasionally shifted between camp and realism. Committing more fully to the heightened world of camp may strengthen cohesion and clarify the stylistic language for the audience.

Lyrics

• The lyrics for the group numbers were effective and well crafted.
• In songs such as “Lament of the Beast,” “The Soul of the Serpent,” and “More Than You,” there may be opportunities to more deeply explore the inner worlds of the characters.

Score

• The arrangements at the beginning of the show felt full and supportive of the story being told.
• As the show progressed, the arrangements seemed to become thinner and less fully developed, which occasionally lessened their dramatic impact.

Direction

• The show was well cast and well-rehearsed.
• Character development for the principal players was strong, and the actors were fully committed to telling the story.
• The movement vocabulary for the Beast ensemble occasionally felt generic; exploring a wider range of physical choices might further individualize the creatures and enrich the world of the play.
• At times the blocking upstaged the actors.  This was particularly true in “Hunter’s Creed” for the character of Rory.
• There were strong stage pictures and effective use of space throughout.
• Stylistically, the Merry Men felt very contemporary and somewhat out of alignment with the rest of the production. The broadness of their play in the Dunwich Den during the scene preceding “Move Your Merry Feet” and in the woods preceding“Good Things in a Bad Way”—was distracting and took focus away from the narrative. While clearly a directorial choice, this stylistic contrast felt confusing and pulled me out of the story.

Choreography

• “Move Your Merry Feet” featured wonderful, energetic dance sequences.
• “Who’s Afraid” Very nice beginning with focused and well executed movements.  Would like to see more specific storytelling from the arrival of the beasts to the end of the number.
• In “More Than You,” the staging did not fully match the emotional intensity of the conflict between the characters. A fuller physical embodiment of that struggle could strengthen the moment.
• The snake puppet in “The Soul of the Serpent” was a striking and effective element. Exploring greater variety in its movement—through changes in tempo and use of vertical space—might further enhance its impact.
• “The Battle” featured a strong and well-executed fight sequence.

Acting

• There were strong, thoughtful choices from all of the principal performers.
• I appreciated the control and clarity with which the story was delivered.

Singing

• Many lovely voices onstage.
• The singing was strong and the diction clear—thank you.

Dancing

• The dancing was well executed throughout.

Costumes

• The realistic world of the Villagers was well imagined and thoughtfully detailed.
• Robin and the Merry Men looked particularly strong.
• The Beast ensemble and the world of Romula may benefit from further development. At times, the beasts read as more comical than threatening. Exploring a scarier, more ragged, or disheveled aesthetic could heighten their impact. Similarly, a more elevated design for Romula—severe and regal at once—might help distinguish her as a truly epic figure.

Set

• The use of moving pieces effectively helped create the world of the show.
• The flying elements were especially successful.
• Standout environments included the town of Baxford, the Dunwich Den, and the Crystal Caverns.

Hair & Make-Up

• The villagers’ looks were strong and consistent.
• A more dramatic treatment for the Beast ensemble would further support their menace.
• A more heightened hair and make-up design for Romula could help lift her out of the everyday world and into the larger-than-life presence the character requires.

Props

• Props were well executed and supported the action effectively.

Lighting Design

• The lighting design was strong and consistently appealing, supporting the storytelling throughout.
• The use of spotlights to highlight principal players was particularly effective.
• “Move Your Feet” was well lit and supported.
• The look created for the Crystal Caverns was especially beautiful.
• The transformation sequence was enhanced by the lighting choices.
• In a few moments, the cyclorama was lit in a single, uniform color, which flattened the stage picture. The moments when the cyc was layered with multiple colors were far more dynamic and visually effective.

Running

• I appreciated the intentional, individualized movement within the set changes.
• At times, transitions appeared to unfold in stages rather than as unified shifts. Allowing changes to begin and end together could further strengthen their impact and maintain momentum.

Thank you both for making College Night a huge success!  Congratulations!  I had a wonderful time and wish all of you the very best!

Judge 3

CLOAKED IN RED 

A Storybook Musical Thriller 

Gold Side’s thrilling Cloaked in Red was a heart-wrenching tale of truth, bravery, and sacrifice in the face of imminent danger. I appreciated the natural historical setting while still using fictional characters – it felt very The Lord of the Rings as opposed to Into the Woods. This attention to realism might have hindered the play a bit. Moments of levity were few and far between, which can make the evening’s entertainment feel heavy. 

That said, my favorite number of the entire night was “Move Your Merry Feet,” a classic tribute to a musical theatre production number where the high energy music is supported by fun (and clean) choreography. Isaiah Coleman as Robin was particularly magnetic to watch as he led the Merry Men and the Village Ensemble. Another shout-out goes to Libby Lang as Romula who fully committed to the role of glamorous overlord (and served fierce vocals, I must say). 

A major aspect of this production that didn’t quite work was its construction. It was an extremely traditional formula: scene into song into transition, but this can make the show feel long, even though the runtime fell under an hour. Modern audiences – for better or worse – have a hard time dropping back into the story after a blackout that is being used for a scene change. Clearer attention to these transitions would have helped the flow of Cloaked and allowed for a seamless through-line of the story. 

The music itself also left something to be desired. Though historically accurate and extremely mood-setting, it never really found variety in itself. When most of the numbers are in a minor key and the lyrics tend to repeat themselves, it can be difficult for an audience to differentiate between numbers, which in turn leads to confusion of the story itself. A lack of harmony writing was also detrimental: unison between voices and orchestra can lead to a depth of pitch issues. 

All of that being said, however, the show committed to itself. It (and everyone involved) knew what it was. And for a musical thriller of this sort, that’s important and commendable. The stakes stayed high, the costumes and set (and puppet!) kept us in the world of play, and the final battle was extremely well choreographed and executed, a difficult feat for any show. Gold Side gave us a thrilling evening of entertainment and begged the audience to take a look at the age-old question: How far can we go to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good?

Gold Victory College Night 2026

Production & Total Points

	Judge 1	Judge 2	Judge 3	Points possible
Script	7/10	7/10	6/10	20/30
Lyrics	6/10	8/10	6/10	20/30
Score	6/10	7/10	7/10	20/30
Direction	8/10	8/10	8/10	24/30
Choreography	9/10	8/10	7/10	24/30
Acting	7/10	9/10	8/10	24/30
Singing	8/10	9/10	8/10	25/30
Dancing	8/10	9/10	7/10	24/30
Orchestra	7/10	8/10	6/10	21/30
Costumes	7/10	8/10	6/10	21/30
Set	6/10	9/10	6/10	21/30
Hair & Makeup	7/10	8/10	7/10	22/30
Props	3/5	4.5/5	4/5	11.5/15
Lighting Design	3/5	4.5/5	4/5	11.5/15
Running	8/10	8/10	7/10	23/30
Overall Effect of Production	11/15	14/15	10/15	35/45
Timing				5/5
Production Subtotal	111	129	107	347/470
Preproduction subtotal				143.78/171
Infractions				-20
Total Points				475.78/646