SAUGUS — The Theatre Company of Saugus is prepping for their newest musical, “Ride the Cyclone,” which will take to the stage in October.
The show follows six teenagers, played by adults, from the St. Cassian Chamber Choir who perish in a roller coaster accident. In limbo, they meet a mechanical fortune teller who invites each to share their story for a chance to return to life, according to the company.
Director and choreographer Jason Hair-Wynn, who is also the vice president of the company, shared his excitement for the musical, as well as the hard work being put in by the cast and crew.
“The cast is one of the most incredibly talented casts I’ve worked with. The sound is unbelievable,” Hair-Wynn said. He explained that the show gained popularity through TikTok and is a Canadian musical.
“It’s darkly whimsical and deeply human. It asks us what makes life meaningful, and I think that resonated with all of us right now,” he said.
Hair-Wynn explained that Sunday was their first full run through of the show, and what he witnessed made him break down in tears, along with everyone else.
“For me, the show is about celebrating every voice in the room,” he said. “Each character has a chance to share their story, and that’s a powerful reminder of how important it is to be heard. This is a show unlike anything else. It invites us to confront mortality, but with joy and spectacle.”
One thing Hair-Wynn highlighted was the risk-taking in the show. He noted that the cast was full of people who weren’t afraid to take risks. He told The Daily Item they were working on one spectacle that is sure to captivate the audience, but asked that it be kept secret.
Another secret is who the voice of The Amazing Karnak will be.
“He’s the mystical mechanical fortuneteller. We have a brilliant person working on building the mechanical fortuneteller, he makes puppets,” he said. “So, Karnak will be manipulated by someone, but the gentleman doing the voice is a Saugus resident,” Hair-Wynn said. He continued that Karnak’s voice came up with an idea to not announce who he is, instead giving him the name Tiresias Cogsprocket.
Hair-Wynn spoke passionately about the musical, praising the cast and crew, and emphasizing the amount of creativity they’ve been able to put into the production.
“I’ve had the ability to be unique every step of the way. Each cast member shines in their moment. They each get their moments to sing and talk about their lives,” he said.
“Each one of these actors is so brilliant, and I don’t use that word lightly. They’re just so real and human. They sing and harmonize so well together that it’s been easy to just play around and see where we can go with this and know that there’s an immense amount of care happening,” Hair-Wynn said.
He also mentioned the cast would be performing on Founder’s Day, Sept. 13, and also on WERS 88.9 FM, a radio station for Emerson College, on Sept. 27.
The cast will include Tomiko Nicholson as Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg, Mark Damon as Mischa Bachinski, Link Bowen as Noel Gruber, Arth Joshi as Ricky Potts, Amanda Raponi as Constance Blackwood, and Kristen Sehn as Jane Doe.
Music direction is by Shawn Gelzleichter. Ally Lewis serves as the stage manager, and Chelsea Callahan is the assistant stage manager.
The show will be performed on three weekends, including Oct. 17-19, Oct. 24-26, and Oct. 31-Nov. 2. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. Additional Saturday matinees on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 are at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available on the Theatre Company of Saugus’s ticket page. The show will be performed at the American Legion Post 210, located at 44 Taylor St.
The production includes fog, flashing lights, cursing, and suggestive innuendo. It is recommended for ages 12+.
