Pete Moye’
Arts Button

The Cerritos College Theater department kicked off its fall season with “Return to the Forbidden Planet” gracing the Burnight Center Theatre.

Gracing the stage is exactly what this production did during the entire show. Everything about the show was simply graceful. It is, without question, the best community college musical in quite some time.

Don’t enter the theatre expecting to go see a show because if there was ever a show that involves the audience, this is that show, so you are not seeing a show, you are a part of the show.

This is one of those plays where it is almost impossible to talk about without listing a spoiler disclaimer. “Forbidden Planet” is that good. You will leave this play wanting to tell your friends about it.

The best way to describe the show is to liken it to that of a simulator ride with an audience.

It is obvious that a tremendous amount of work went into this production. It has strong acting, entertaining choreography, and the singing more than complements the production.

The comedy is wonderful. Prepare to laugh because you will be doing plenty of it.

This play is an instant audience favorite. Anyone that has anything negative to say about this production may want to check his pulse.

The audience involvement was very impressive. You never know if someone from the cast will come up to you and talk to you or address you at any time.

Audience members appeared captivated throughout the show.

Aerospace engineering major Anthony Hilario commented on the show saying, “I enjoyed it very much. I didn’t expect such great acting and singing.”

With mind-blowing musical performances, Forbidden Planet is the type of show that makes you forget that you are watching a play.

Acting is about becoming the character that you are portraying, and that is exactly what the cast did in this play. You can walk around campus calling the actors by their stage names instead of their real names because they became the characters that they played.

Theatre Arts major Oralia Neria commented on the music by saying, “I liked it. [The music] is very energetic, very high. The music kept the play entertaining.

With amazing lighting, video, and sound, even the tech crew hit a home run with this play. It was obvious to see that they are every much a part of the show as the actors are.

Support this production. Everyone from the actors, tech crew, choreographer, and director gave their all with this play. Even the curtain call was full of performance and energy. Don’t let money be the reason why you miss out on the best show to run on the Cerritos College stage in quite some time.

This cast gave everything that they had to give, so take a few hours out of your day and go see this show. You will not regret it.