Set in the charming streets of Paris and between quaint landmarks, the dreamy world of Amelie will make you say “au revoir” to the bland fixtures of reality. The performance fits in with McLean’s long standing preference for obscure yet poignant productions, introducing audiences to unique stories.
Amelie is part of TheaterMcLean’s 2025 Cappies show, a regional student critics program that nominates high school theater for awards. Amelie stands out as the first Cappies piece that McLean has performed on the auditorium stage since 2018, making the cast and crew determined to transport the wide space into the even wider realm of Amelie.
Adapted from Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant’s 2001 film, Craig Lucas’ Amelie debuted at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre before reaching Broadway in 2017. Featuring the music of Daniel Messe and Nathan Tysen, the story is a love letter to hope and romance. The plot is centered around the titular character Amelie, a woman with a limitless imagination but a reserved disposition. As she embarks on a mission to help others and wrestles with her blossoming feelings for a stranger at the metro station, she must decide if she can sacrifice the safety of fantasy for the risk of reality.
Senior Audrey Link delivered a striking performance as Amelie, blending punchy wit with a meaningful representation of trepidation and yearning. Panicked eyes, hunched shoulders and an anxious scurry expressed Amelie’s intense insecurity. Yet, Link’s soaring soprano vocals unveiled a hidden strength within the character, melodically paving the way for Amelie to overcome her worries and explore the vibrancy of life. Alongside Link, junior Alex Valencic’s portrayal of Nino made for an endearing contrast. Valencic’s grounded tone clashed with Link’s whimsical one, showcasing the conflict of cowering away from love. Through lingering gazes at Amelie and crestfallen sighs at her elusiveness, Valencic skillfully depicted Nino’s tender longing. Together, Link and Valencic conveyed both the fluttering fantasy of romance and the heartbreaking temptation to surrender to fear.
As an ensemble-reliant show, the performance brought a fantastical energy to the story with colorful swirling vines of waving ribbons in the background; flashy, ornate outfits; and dramatic stylings of three different Elton Johns, framed by bright sparks. Whimsical characters like a singing fish, a rocking boat and a traveling gnome all seamlessly mixed the dreamlike mood with the wistful emotions.
The Blue Bottle Fly, played by junior Hope Titus, was a feature unique to McLean’s production. Directors Phillip Reid and Amber Smith wanted to emphasize the captivating presence of fate, adding a liveliness to the concept through an actual character. Titus’ performance elegantly illustrated this idea, silently expressing the ties of destiny through graceful twirls and gliding leaps.
Junior Alex Elders’ rich lighting enhanced the musical’s whimsy, lucid purples and warm hues. The masterful difference in colors used for the couple, Amelie bathed in cold violet and Nino washed in a passionate pinkish red, captured a separation as profound as the physical gap between them. The spirited tone was further painted by senior Sicilia Oliver’s choreography, the dancers bringing lyrics to life. This was most vividly displayed in “The Sound of Going Round in Circles,” where Amelie was surrounded by people rotating their bodies to a soulful chanting of “around, around, around.” The circular motion expressed the monotony of routine, building a thickening sense of repetition.
TheatreMcLean’s heartfelt production of Amelie was a keen blend of magic and actuality, illuminating the ways love and resilience can make a dreamer’s fantasies their reality.
