Rivercity The Musical

A cute attempt to mimic the Archie comics that sadly just fell quite a bit short.

On the upside, there were several of the actors who had some very good voices. And there were some cute moments that brought the comic strip to the stage.

But overall, it just didn’t succeed. The story didn’t hang together and the jokes were over after the first 15 minutes.

As my first fringe show i couldnt be happier. Rivercity the musical energetic and funny, there was a wide range of humor from witty to silly, there was something for everybody. The actors put in work with their performance and singing. they all really put on an incredible show and im happy i got to see it.

What a clever, hilarious show! What incredible voices! What an awesome band! I loved it and felt like it had something for everyone, and gave me something to think about after. naruto run

Such a fun, silly show for all ages! The music was incredible and the 4 actors brought together a show that shined. A bunch of great one liners and dumb humour that had me laughing the whole time. If you’re looking for a show to leave you smiling, this is the one to see!

This musical was about the characters from the Archie comics. High energy, the songs were very funny and I liked how they said everything out loud that you would’ve read in the comic. I did find it weird that they couldn’t say the character’s actual names and that Riverdale was called “Rivercity.” The live band playing the music was great. I’ve seen some of this group’s work before and the tone was very similar - including the Little Stinks character that has shown up in other previous shows.

The review litmus test for me is: "did I enjoy myself?". I can say here, that I did not.

I loved Scoobie Doosical ★★★★★ (2023), so I was very excited for Rivercity, but for me the entire production did not land. It's got a live four-piece band which is incredible, except that tech issues mean that basically any time the band was playing the vocals were completely washed out and inaudible. This was especially prevalent with the lead actress.

Maybe if I was a bigger Archie fan, the stilted script full of "Egad!" and "Awooga" and verbalizing "teehee" and "giggle" would have been more cute instead of grating. But I am not, and it was.

There were some legitimately funny jokes – "No, its a Taylor" landed really hard for me – and some of the farcical elements were a joy. But ultimately, even when you find a cup of water in the desert, you still die of thirst.

Rebecca Merkley has done great stuff in the past, and has a clear technical talent, so I'll absolutely see her next work.

But for me, this production was a whiff.

The show was amazing. A wonderful break from reality with lots of laughs, great actors, beautiful singing and a great band.

Loved it! As a long time fan of Archie comics I thoroughly enjoyed this show & the singing was incredible by all.

As a lifelong Archie comics enjoyer, this was fun! Personally, I think some of the jokes went on for too long and could’ve been cut, but there were some that genuinely made me laugh out loud. The sound effects and the language (egads!) from the source material was also a great touch! This is one of the only Archie adaptations that really highlight how awful Archie could be.

I liked the nods to the original material and it was impressive seeing the cast take on multiple characters. It would’ve been fun to also riff on some of the other Archie mini comics, like Katy Keene or the Little Archie instead of just doing the Lil Jinx parody. I also think Jonsey/Jughead should’ve had the size of role that Reggie had, but once again that’s just me being nit-picky.

The songs were fun and aside from a few technical issues early on, the show went smoothly. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but the show was overall enjoyable and something I’d recommend to those who also keep an archive of Archie’s in their closet.

“In a world where you can be anything, be punctual.” Abby Solomon

From the moment this Archie inspired musical began, it was clear Rivercity the Musical wasn’t taking itself too seriously. Set in a high school, this musical shows an intentionally exaggerated, cartoon-like style of comedy. With a standout live band, with a triad of talented musicians Jyn-Ting Ying, Shawn Gan, and Aaron Addorisio. They helped to tie the whole musical together, bringing a certain energy to the performance and made the musical numbers feel more lively. The production also used exaggerated sound effects throughout the performance, adding to the playful and cartoon-like atmosphere of the show, giggle. Bringing a comic like atmosphere that only added another layer to the show's humour. Additionally, one other standout vocalist was B. Cooper, played by Renee DeSilva Bissell, whose vocal skills added much character to the show.

However, the show was not always successful for me, with much of the humor being more childish and certain repetitive moments became more difficult for me to connect to the production and is particularly more inclined to appeal to a younger audience. Especially throughout the show, where there were several mic mishaps that were slightly distracting from the audience's perspective. Still the cast handled it smoothly without letting these difficulties take away from the show, and it is perfect for those who enjoy a playful, over-the-top comedy, there is certainly something to enjoy.

Finally, an honest look at everything wrong with Archie Andrews (or at least the legally distinct version of him).

Strong musical numbers and remarkable vocals from lead Renee DeSilva Bissell bring an already-strong script to life. Lots of great comedic moments too and the right balance of irreverence for the source material – I recommend seeing it!

A musical most enjoyed. The band was strong, the singing was great. Thoroughly entertaining