SuperYou
One of the best ways to kick-off this summer in Milwaukee is a high-energy night of rock music, empowered women, poignant lyricism and superheroines. The Skylight Music Theatre’s upcoming show, SuperYou is an uplifting story presented by a team of talented women that will leave audiences inspired and ready to rock out.
SuperYou will run at The Skylight Music Theatre in the Third Ward, 158 N. Broadway Ave., from May 26-June 18. For tickets and more information, visit skylightmusictheatre.org/upcoming-shows-events/superyou.
For Lourds Lane, writer of the book, lyrics and music for SuperYou, the story behind her work is one of resilience. “The earliest inspiration came from a personal place. I had this idea to ask my favorite singers to perform a few songs I’d written for a concert featuring women rockers. The show we put together was a huge hit. People loved it, and they wanted to know the story behind these amazing ‘superheroes.’ At that point in my life, my self-esteem was at an all-time low. Just getting out of bed was a struggle, let alone writing anything,” says Lane. “Then, something miraculous happened. There was a song that shuffled onto my playlist that I heard quietly in the background, and it instantly began lifting my spirits. I remember thinking, ‘Man, I wish I wrote that song.’ Then it hit me— I did write that song! When I realized my own music could make me feel better, it dawned on me that what I do matters. That’s when I came up with the idea for a musical about a comic book artist who learns to love herself and value her worth when her superheroine creations come to life. Just like my own music rescued me, her art rescued her.”
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Heartwarming, Passionate
SuperYou is rooted in a place of realizing self-worth, which makes the show heartwarming and passionate. The music in the show comes from several different genres, and each character sings in a distinct style that is all their own. “Lourds is a composer of incredible musical diversity. The songs that are featured most specifically represent the initial essence of the character who sings them as we meet them. Our characters traverse multiple styles because they are blended together as part of the whole,” says Wendy Bobbitt Cavett, music supervisor. “I have always loved to play the song ‘To My Angels’ because it is an emotional and spiritual cry from our hero, Katie. I relate to the experience of searching for union with oneself and a Creator through music.”
What makes this production successful is the team of world-renowned women working to bring this show to life. “I’ve never enjoyed a team more than this one. In my opinion, the alchemy of JoAnn, Lourds, Melissa and myself is a rare occurrence and a gift. I treasure the experience of developing this show with them,” says Cavett. Melissa M. Jones, producer, has enjoyed the ride of getting SuperYou on the Skylight’s stage, despite several unexpected challenges.
“The journey of the SuperYou musical has been an absolute ride unlike any other I’ve been a part of before. When the pandemic hit and we had to shut down before our first run in May 2020, we made some bold decisions to keep going and do whatever we could to get our music and message into the world despite the challenges we were facing,” says Jones. “We’ve come so far, and I am infinitely grateful for our amazing team, all of the people and fans who have supported us along the way, and for the next steps ahead of us.”
The SuperYou process has been full of perseverance and joy in the face of adversity, fueled by a team determined to bring an inspiring story of believing in yourself to Milwaukee theater-goers. In every aspect of the production, one will be able to feel the care, hard work, and talent of the women who made it all possible, both on and off the stage. “SuperYou is an original tale that I believe will speak to so many of us who have ever doubted who they are,” says JoAnn M. Hunter, director. “I am looking forward to working with the creative team to continue developing the piece at the same time the audience can enjoy this powerful and uplifting story.”
As the journey continues, each person involved with the show has much to look forward to. SuperYou’s message is centered around finding the power within to be brave, passionate, and true to oneself. “The message that I hope audiences take away from SuperYou is that we all have the power within us to follow our dreams and become the heroes we’re meant to be. My hopes are that by the end of SuperYou, people walk away humming some songs and feeling connected to their authentic selves. That people are reminded of the unique gifts they have to offer the world and feel inspired to follow their dreams,” says Lane. “So many of us have dreams that we let slip away, and the takeaway of SuperYou is that we owe it to ourselves and the world to shine as brightly as we can shine, or the world gets a little darker. The stakes are that high.”
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