Play us a tune, piano man

I’ve had a pretty nasty cold this week, thanks to the fickle Indiana spring weather. But Tuesday night as I watched a cast of about 15 dancers jump and jive all across the stage to the melodious sounds of Billy Joel hits, I forgot all about my cold.\nAdmittedly, I had not completely forgotten it when “Movin’ Out” began its first scene. I was still sneezing and dejectedly popping DayQuil while the dancers tried to light up the room. The opening was entertaining, but not thrilling, and all of the dancers seemed to be half-energized. Of course, that could be the DayQuil talking.\nBut soon, the numbers began to pick up as the suspended band, with the “piano man” leading the way, shot out hit after hit, including “Uptown Girl,” “She’s Got a Way,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and, of course, “Movin’ Out.” The chemistry between the dancers was enough to get anyone moving. The lovers actually looked in love, and the men had their cool male bonding experiences, all the while performing well-choreographed dance moves in unison. It was especially convincing that Brenda (Amanda Kay) and James (Eric Bourne) were two star-crossed lovers.\nWhat really struck me about “Movin’ Out” was the intense emotion displayed by the entire cast for every song. Whatever emotion it was – anger, joy, playfulness, fear, madness – the sounds of their voices reverberated throughout the room, filling the audience with whatever emotion had taken the stage at that time. The war scene, in particular, to the sounds of “Waltz No. 1 (Nunley’s Carousel)” gave me chills. The intense lighting in the scene, coupled with a simple but effective set, created shadows on the wall that felt as if they were haunting me as well as the main characters.\nAct II of the performance really showed off the talents of both Twyla Tharp, the choreographer and creator of “Movin’ Out,” and the dancers themselves. The intricate moves and perfectly timed interactions among the cast gave the more than 1,600 audience members a little more to cheer about, which they did in enthusiastic claps and cheers.\nThe performance was energetic, thought-provoking and fun. It captured the essence of the confused yet determined generation of the 1960s. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.