Metro Theater Company’s “Unlikely Hero” finds her superpower

The pressures to fit in at a new school are always tough but imagine having to acculturate into a new high school where all the students are superheroes. That’s the premise of Emilio Rodriguez’s play “An Unlikely Hero.”  Teenage Jordan spends a lot of time with her comic books living in the fantasy world of her favorite superheroes. But when she receives an unlikely invitation to attend Haven High School for superheroes she is unexpectedly thrust into their world.

Rodriguez’s script is reminiscent of the charming 2005 film “Sky High” starring Kurt Russel and Kelly Preston. “Sky High” is a delightful coming-of-age movie about the son of superheroes who is enrolled in a school to determine his specific superpower. In that film, Russel and Preston’s son discovers his power just like Jordan must at Haven High School.

Metro Theater Company continues its four-decade long mission to bring professional theatrical productions to the youth of St. Louis with this production of “An Unlikely Hero.” At the Thursday morning production Metro hosted a large group of third graders from the Hazelwood School District. It is likely that many of these elementary school children were attending their first professionally produced play.

Pre-show announcements included a short message about behaviors expected during a theatrical performance. The 8- and 9-year-old children were an engaged, respectful, and participatory audience. Their well-thought-out after-show questions illustrated the attention each one paid during the entertaining production.

Directed by Carl Overly, Jr., “An Unlikely Hero” stars Jailyn Genyse as Jordan, Christian Kitchens as Alex, Ryan Lawson-Maeske as Zion, and Chase Harless in the dual roles of Dr. Mars and Chelle. Overly and his skilled quartet of actors told a high energy story with athletic blocking and innovative staging. The director and his cast were supported by the technical creators including scenic/lighting designer Jayson M. Lawshee, costume designer Lou Bird, sound designer Lamar Harris, props manager Allyson Sims, and puppet designer Afsaneh Aayani.

“An Unlikely Hero” introduced its young audiences to many storytelling conventions for the stage including sophisticated lighting, sound and costume design, choreographed stage fights, puppetry, and the use of music. Jailyn Genyse plays her flute onstage, and Chase Harless is a school administrator who drops rhymes and raps.

Harless was an audience favorite for his goofy turn as the rapping school principal and the puppeteer of the sea turtle name Chelle. The actor showed exceptional versatility as he switched between the two roles.

The cast handles Overly’s blocking exceptionally well. Kitchens and Lawson-Maeske's athleticism is on full display as the jump, flip, and somersault over one another. Genyse carefully navigates crisscrossed laser beams ala James Bond in the 007 movies, and Harless gets to show his hip-hop dance moves as part of Overly’s choreographed movement.

“An Unlikely Hero” is a hero’s journey that would appeal to any young theater goer. It's a story that embraces friendship, teaches the values of honesty, collaboration, and helping your peers succeed. Metro Theater Company has created a show that grabbed a young audience's attention and engaged them with dynamic storytelling.

Public performances of “An Unlikely Hero” continue in the theater at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park through Sunday, October 20, 2024. It is a wonderful opportunity to see a play with your children and introduce them to the magic of theater. More information is available at metroplays.org