A wild romp with ‘Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical’

Brand-new Shifted Lens Theatre Company successfully brings a cult classic to life

There’s a new theatre company in town, and things are looking promising for its first outing.

Shifted Lens Theatre Company’s premiere production of Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical, now playing at People’s Building in Aurora, is a wild romp based on the cult classic film Cruel Intentions. Initially released in 1999, the film featured breakout performances by Sarah Michelle Geller, Ryan Phillipe and Reese Witherspoon.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical, the brainchild of writers Roger Kumble, Lindsay Rosin, and Jordan Ross, was developed as a jukebox musical featuring the music of the 1990s. The production, directed by Lexie Lazear, is dripping with nostalgia for those who remember the “memorable” 1990s. This production will serve well anyone longing for the music of NSYNC, Boys II Men, Britney Spears and the like.

Set in New York, the story is based on the 18th-century French novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” and has a straightforward premise. The musical revolves around the manipulative stepsiblings Sebastian Valmont (Jack Icke) and Kathryn Merteuil (Sabrina Patten), who engage in a wicked wager against unsuspecting Annette Hargrove (Erica Caruso), the headmaster’s daughter of the fictional school Manchester Prep just outside New York City.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is a dark comedy with seductive overtones driven by revenge, lust and passion. Eventually, there is a shift in attitude; however, as we find out, it is too late. The story is always fun but somewhat trivial, with a simple underlying theme of “play nice.”

Jack Icke and Sabrina Patten in ‘Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical’ | Photo: Ashleigh Vlieger

A squeeze of slime

As Sebastian, Icke has the right amount of charm mixed with a squeeze of slime. Icke certainly looks the part of a preppy, although he does come across as a little too mature to be completely believable. As Kathyrn, Patten is appropriately manipulative and is the ultimate tease with her tight leather apparel and built-in sensuality. Her performance is fun and sexy. Caruso plays the most fabulous virgin, Annette. She is convincingly steadfast in her convictions about saving “it” until marriage – until she’s not. All three actors have impressive singing voices, as demonstrated in various ’90s hits such as “I’m The Only One,” “Genie in a Bottle” and “Just a Girl.”

Director Lazear never shies away from the excessive sexual overtones in Cruel Intentions. Her direction is totally in touch with the story’s twisted stepsiblings’ cruel manipulation and raw sexuality. However, she needs to rethink some of the blocking. Much of the action is played straightforwardly when, in fact, the audience is slanted on the sides of the stage. This is also a problem with some of the choreography, as well.

Musically, the production hits all the right notes. Music director Tanner Kelly does an excellent job bringing back the sound of the ’90s. A four-piece band upstage works diligently to recreate this quintessential sound.

A welcome addition to the Denver theatre scene, Shifted Lens Theatre Company has delivered an enthusiastic production of Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. It will undoubtedly appeal to an audience familiar with ’90s music or the source film. It’s an impressive first effort from this new theatre company.