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Eight O'Clock Theatre performing "Crazy For You"
Eight O’Clock Theatre’s latest show blends romance and comedy through song and dance in "Crazy For You." Fox 13 photojournalist, Barry Wong has the story.
LARGO, Fla. - For Eight O'Clock's performances of "Crazy For You", performers created rhythms in a variety of ways.
"It's a massive production. The set is big. There are multiple levels," Eight O'Clock Theatre Director James Grenelle explained. "They're dancing on roofs. It's a very physical show with lots of dancing."
The backstory:
"Crazy For You" is a Tony Award-winning play that debuted on Broadway in 1992. It's described as a "zany rich-boy-meets-hometown-girl romantic comedy."
Meet the performers
The hometown girl Polly is being played by Kayley Jewel. She first took the stage at 10 years old and hasn't looked back since.
"You know, I'm actually kind of a shy person," Jewel said. "I think it's like the one place that I feel really comfortable, like getting up in front of people and being loud and crazy."
Loud and crazy takes center stage through lots of tap dancing in the show.
"That would probably be my favorite part of the show," Jewel said. "There's something so fun about just smiling up there, banging out a rhythm and getting people to jam along with you."
Jenelle Remy has been a part of Eight O'Clock Theatre for 15 years. She plays Elaine, one of the right-hand ladies of the lead guy, and she is the dance captain for the show.
"With tap dancing, you have to be way more precise with your sounds and your movements," Remy said. "Everything's on the balls of your feet, the bottom half of your body, so you can show it all up here, yes, but you really do have to have your taps and your sounds syncopated and right on the money."
What they're saying:
"I hope they walk out of here with smiles on their faces and also believing in a love story," Jewel said.
The company will perform seven times from May 1-10 at Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo.
"This show is funny. It's heartbreaking. It's joyous," Grenelle said. "It embodies the desire to become something more. What I hope everyone takes out of it is completely entertaining and happy."
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews done by FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong.