BSAP’s Black History Month performance, “Fantastic Voyage,” took Venice High on a unique and uplifting journey.
“The hippiest trip in America” said by junior Nathan Santacruz, who emceed the show,
The show opened with Teena Marie’s “Square Biz,” the play immediately set the tone by “focusing on black joy” rather than dwelling on historical struggles, according to BSAP climate advocate Taylor Thomas, who directed the show.
The prologue, which featured dancing, created a jazzy, hippie, and a ’70s-inspired vibe, reinforced by the purple, blue, and pink lights. I personally think they really helped to elevate the room and make it feel fuller.
The play started with Young Beyonce (junior Elize Waters) being awoken suddenly by parents calling her from behind the stage. The character, even with the few lines she had, still managed to bring the character to life in a very bright and entertaining manner.
Beyonce and her parents drive in a comical cutout of a car to her grandma’s house where she watches a show broadcasted on the TV titled the “Fantastic Voyage.” It was cool that the stage curtains were in a box-like shape throughout the play to remind the audience that all of the performances were taking place on TV.
Marie’s “Square Biz,” sung by The Three Pitches (seniors Lauren Ashley, Estrela Boateng, and Adriana Pozos), was the highlight of the show. The group harmonized together beautifully. Added to their act were the painted cutouts of square frames and flowers held by background dancers, along with the color diamond cutouts hanging from the top of the stage. I loved the background dancers just totally letting it loose, too. It humanized the performance and made it more relatable.
Afterwards, there was a playful pause in the musical aspect of the play, and a Word Game was introduced by the host of the Fantastic Voyage. The word was “funky”, which described the next segment of the show: Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Let’s Groove.” It was lip synced by seniors Johnny Cary (BSU President), Kai Jamar, and Zane Seaborn and was received well by the audience—probably because it’s a banger song. Included were big colorful painted cutouts of fire, the earth, and wind held by the background dancers.
After every performance, Beyonce’s excitement and anticipation was adorable. Her repeated lines of “I can’t wait until it’s my turn to be on TV!” and “I can’t wait until I’m on stage hearing them call my name,” showed her eagerness to someday shine on stage. The parents, played backstage, added humor by telling her to calm down.
A standout moment occurred during the final performance of the TV show, where the Dream Girls—senior Jana Craig, and juniors Ta’Leah Henderson and Kaxoriyah Bell—encountered a small malfunction that stopped the music. Despite the glitch, the three girls showcased professionalism and continued their act. They wore big red dresses and lip synced.
As the play concluded, the parents calling Beyonce for dinner marked the end of the Fantastic Voyage, prompting her to run backstage. However, she returns quickly and exclaims “Beyonce!” motioning with her hands in the air as if her name was floating above her. Then she runs backstage with applause and laughs behind her.
The final touch was an acapella performance of an Adele song by The Three Pitches. It was impressive and meaningful. Then, the rest of the cast came out one by one and received praise and applause from the audience.
