When Words aren’t Enough… A Queer Dancical Comes to life!

The Cast of Unstoppable / Brenda Powers Photography

Unstoppable: A Queer Dancical is a highly ambitious, world-premiere work presented by the creators of the long-running Dare to Dance events in partnership with Green Carpet Studio, an independent production company. Dare to Dance is a local nonprofit that provides opportunities for dance enthusiasts of all skill levels, ages, races, genders, and countries of origin to connect with others, create, perform, and grow in their mutual love of dance. And in many ways, Unstoppable is the perfect anthem for the many people who have found a chosen family with Dare to Dance.

Unstoppable follows the story of two best friends reconnecting when one gets a dream campaign job for a mayoral candidate in the city where her friend now lives. Her friend, meanwhile, has been working to advance LGBTQIA+ rights through new legislation. Both of their lives are turned upside-down in the aftermath of a violent hate crime against the transgender and queer community. Inspired by real events, Unstoppable is raw, real, and relevant, and is a dream project for writer/director Zheng Wang. He has developed a story that is unapologetic in covering tough subject matter in a way that centers hope and heart. The core of Unstoppable are love stories—intimate ones between partners, personal ones between friends, and universal ones in how we can all support our broader community. Love is the armor that can make all of us unstoppable.

So, what is a dancical? It’s a play with music where the performers break out into dance rather than song. The dance numbers provide a theatrical expression of the emotional throughline and inner arc of each character, offering the audience an opportunity to see and feel what characters are going through. The recorded lyrics help to propel the plot forward between the scripted scenes.

The concept and resolution for the story is inspiring. It represents and celebrates the queer community in a deeply visceral and incredibly joyous way. The cast reflects a wonderfully diverse group of artists and offers them a chance to express the fullness of their identities. As one performer shares, “Imagine what the world could be like if we all were able to express and exist freely and unconditionally—that’s when the world is most beautiful.” That beauty is the lasting impression many in the audience are left with, as this cast dances their hearts out! The performers give their all, elevating the production with an earnest quality that makes you want to root for them.

Alanah Pascual, Eric Stinehart, Ren Caldwell, and L’Angelo Jones are superb in their central roles. They are genuinely believable in a way that defines each of their characters uniquely. Their humanity and the chemistry they share provides the poignant foundation that powers every dance sequence.

It’s the kind of show that inspires connection, with many audience members chatting with each other post-show. While there were those who felt the long scene transitions detracted from the potential of the piece, others noted they felt the timing was perfect because it gave them time to absorb and reflect. For me, the rough edges added to the charm and made it feel all that more brave, like real people were revealing their hearts to me. And when words weren’t enough to convey the depth of their being, they could share who they we re through dance. And perhaps that is the power of a dancical – to reach others beyond the limits of what words can convey.

Unstoppable: A Queer Dancical plays through March 3, 2024, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm, at the Broadway Performance Hall on Capitol Hill. Tickets and information: www.unstoppabledancical.com.