The lineup this year for Elsie fest featured some incredible musical theater stars including Alex Brightman, Kirsten Maldonado, Adrienne Warren, and more. Not only did they have featured performers, but this charming festival also had a Disney sing-along in between acts for the audience. It added a fun interactive element to the festival, as well as gave the stars a small break in between performances. The event was held at half capacity, due to COVID-19, which gave a more intimate feeling to the festival and fans had room to breathe or spread out across the outdoor venue.

The show started off with a bang as Alex Brightman took the stage with the always iconic number “Mamma Mia”. The Beetlejuice star continued to please the crowd with his witty comments and one-liners throughout his set, but the cake topper was when Darren Criss joined Brightman on stage for his final song. Their duet of “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” made for an amusing end to his high-spirited set.

The next performers rose to fame on Tik Tok after their creation of Bridgerton the Musical. The songwriting duo Barlow & Bear sang many of their recent hits, with guest stars including Zak Resnick, Joshua Henry, and Betsy Wolfe, but the most compelling was their duet “Burn for You” with Darren Criss. The three of them both come from parody musical theater backgrounds and fed off each other’s exuberant nonstop energy. 

Up next came Adrienne Warren, who is most notably known for her performance as Tina Turner in the Broadway Musical Tina. She sang hits from the iconic Tina Turner tune “Simply the Best” all the way to the Broadway classic “Being Alive.” Adrienne Warren was a shining star in the festival and had everyone on their feet screaming by her second song. Her energy was unmatched and was absolutely bursting with life as well as an extraordinary talent. 

Krysta Rodriguez and Kirstin Maldonado from Pentatonix were two other outstanding featured performers. Krysta Rodriguez opened with the anthem “Good Kisser” and closed with the crowd-pleaser “What’s Up?” for an overall entertaining and enjoyable performance. Kirsten Maldonado then gave a stunning performance of “The Wizard and I” from the hit musical Wicked that brought back out the spirit of Broadway in the midst of all the pop tunes. The festival even brought in the hip hop improv group called Freestyle Love Supreme who kept the audience entertained with their energetic performance.

The final performer was, of course, the man of the hour, the absolutely wonderful Darren Criss. He came out with enough energy for three performers, opening with a Glee classic “Somewhere Only I Know”. Immediately the relatively relaxed crowd rushed toward the front in the hopes of getting a better view of Darren’s set. His recent EP release had the crowd in even more anticipation for a chance to see and hear the first live performances of his new songs. Darren’s EP Masquerade boasted his musical versatility and this live show at Elsie fest only proved him right. From the piano to the bass to the guitar, Darren did not disappoint. He played iconic Glee tunes like “Cough Syrup” along with his new songs “f*kn around” and “for a night like this”. The audience was even blessed with a cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Déjà vu” on acoustic guitar; it was the perfect mix of sweet and rockin’. Darren’s performance was a showstopper and the first plays of his new tunes were ones to remember. 

Elsie fest was an evening for Broadway fanatics, pop enthusiasts, and music lovers in general. Regardless of your favorite performer, each act was energetic as well as intimate. Broadway tunes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a unique addition to the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! summer festival and you couldn’t have asked for a more enthusiastic crowd to perform for. From pop songs to show tunes, these Broadway stars and pop icons brought their best performances to the Prospect Park Bombshell this year.

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All the songs on the 5-track EP are drastically different in sound, as well as character, but somehow meld into a remarkable listening experience. The first track “f*kn around” starts the album with a bang. This high-energy tune is attention-grabbing, not to mention it has a killer chorus that will absolutely make you want to scream “You’re f*kin around!” along with Darren. This track was chosen to be released as the first single from the EP back in May 2021 and he chose well. 

“i can’t dance” is the second track and by far the strangest on the EP, but enjoyable all the same. The entire track feels mysterious – almost like you’re at an underground fashion show in Paris. The chorus is harsh and crisp with the repetition of “I can’t dance” in a rather staccato style.  However, the verses are smooth and husky, which is rather off-putting at first, but Criss uses this low register to his advantage. He provides the audience with gorgeous throaty notes that make you hang on to his every word and even show off his knowledge of the French language. As interesting as this contrast is, the song is a little difficult to wrap your head around and falls a little flat towards the end, but overall it is a captivating listening experience. 

The third track is funkier and a bit softer than the second, “let’s” keeps with the staccato chorus sound but has a less drastic contrast between the verse and the chorus. Definitely, an easy song for a listener to wrap their mind around, and the catchy “let’s go to a masquerade, let’s stay up all night” lyrics is something almost everyone might want to do (especially after this past year)!

“walk of shame” is a wonderfully beautiful tune and serves as a break in the upbeat nature of the EP. This fourth track is reminiscent of a simple Italian sonata and a tune one might hear in the background of a beautiful love scene. Darren’s vocals are soft and he invites the audience to quite literally take a peaceful walk with him. 

The final track “for a night like this” is absolutely a concert closer, if there’s ever been one. The line “break out the bottle that we’ve been saving for a night like this” that brings the pre-chorus into the chorus is absolutely genius. The fun melody, optimistic lyrics, and flawless vocals keep the tune boppin’ from start to finish.

Masquerade starts off with an in-your-face rock banger and slowly works its way to a soft, optimistic tune. Each song, although quite different, hints at the previous song while simultaneously foreshadowing the presence of the next. Darren shared on social media “Masquerade is a small collection of the variety of musical masques that have always inspired me.” This musical variety that we know Darren for, works in his favor and any longtime fan will be absolutely bursting with excitement after finishing this short but sweet EP.

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