Montevallo’s 2020 College Night competition and Homecoming Celebration ended in a Purple Victory on Saturday, Feb. 8. The Purple’s show, “Witchful Thinking: One Hex of a Musical” or “Get Witch or Die Trying” or “Brew it for the Money” or “A Witch, a Troll and a Knight Walk into a Bar,” beat Gold Side’s “The Golden Days” in Saturday night’s competition. Purple’s victory this year ends a three-year-long streak by Gold Side.

Purple Side Summary

By: Katy Barnes

Fantasy becomes reality as the curtains rise and the overture begins for the 2020 Purple Side production, “Witchful thinking: One Hex of a Play or Get Witch or Die Trying or Brew it for the Money or A Witch, a Troll, and a Knight Walk into a Bar.”  

A fractured fairy tale if there ever was one, this year’s Purple Side show takes place in a fantasy land run by  Queen  Daffodilia. The tone is quickly set with the dream ballet immediately immersing the audience into the show.  

As the lights rise, we see a town of oppressed magical people, regaling the audience with their most recent  struggles as they sing “Tragically Magic.” Taxes are rising and life is getting worse, bu  fortunately  their local witch has the cure for what ails them.  

Clara runs the local potions shop with her business partner, Troll. Their goal is to help the magical citizens, but due to the taxes, the townsfolk can no longer pay for their potions. Clara, ever generous, does everything in her power to provide for the townsfolk, but Troll tells her that they need the money.  

Enter Queen  Daffodilia  and her royal guard. The queen, despite being anti-magic, needs help retrieving a treasure from beyond the town. The Queen explains that while she’s sent many people to the cave none have returned. She believes that the only one strong enough to do this is her step daughter, Clara, and she promises that with the money they find she will ease up on the taxes towards magical folk.  

Troll and Clara go away to discuss the terms of the deal, and the two decide that if they “Do It for The Money” instead of for the Queen, it would be justified. They agree to the Queens demands and they receive a map leading them to the treasure. As Troll walks the Queen out, Clara sings “Do It for The Money” reprise, revealing that the real reason she’s going on this quest is to have enough money to help the towns folk.  

As Troll returns, he  brings with him Finch, a member of the Royal Guard and  self care  advocate. The Queen sent him to protect the duo but Clara feels like he isn’t necessary. Troll explains though that they can’t go on the quest without him so they begrudgingly decide to let him tag along as their chef.  

Unbeknownst to the trio, following close behind is Queen Daffodilia and her loyal Courtier. He asks why they’re following Clara and she explains that, once upon a time, she did care for Clara. In another part of the woods, Troll chastises Clara for not admitting sooner she was related to the royal family. Clara tells him that she never wanted a replacement for her mother. The two duet with “I  Tried” and it ends with the two groups continuing on their paths.  

Clara’s group goes through a place called the “Waters of Promise” – a body of water filled with Sirens who sing to the trio their deepest desires. They reveal how Clara misses her mother, how Troll wants to exist outside of Clara’s shadow and how Finch wants to be braver so he can protect others. They break free by sharing their innermost fears and they realize that they can help each other cope with their struggles.  

Clara admits that  she ran away from the kingdom when Queen  Daffodilia  married her father, and she was scared of taking the crown. Troll wants their customers to appreciate him as much as they appreciate Clara, and Finch admits that he doesn’t trust the Queen as much as he used to.  

They find themselves in the Tree Trunk Tavern, a local bar where many townspeople go to relax. Finch, visibly uncomfortable, asks why the people don’t like him. The people explain through “What Good Does Magic Do You” about their oppression and Finch vows to listen to the Magicals from now on.   

Over in the B-Plot, the Queen finally revels to her Courtier her plan to kill Clara. She fears that her crown is in danger and that Clara is using her magic to help the rebels in overthrowing her. Queen  Daffodilia explains that “Moving Forward” she intends to eliminate the  Magicals – including her stepdaughter. They vow to continue on in hopes that something else along the trio’s way will end them, but If not, the Queen vows she’ll do what needs to be done.   

Clara and Company now find themselves in the middle of the Forest of Death.  As the Death Guardians begin to surround them, the trio sings “If I Don’t Die  in The Next Five  Minutes” about how they’ve changed over their journey. They confide in each other their plans for the future and they continue on their journey, with the Queen and the Courtier not far behind. The Queen,  disappointed  that nothing has managed to kill Clara yet, tells the Courtier to call reinforcements to meet them at the Cave of  Chrysus  where the Queen plans to kill Clara once and for all.  

The Trio finally arrive at the Cave of Chrysus, only to be greeted by the Queen and her guard. The Queen begins her attack, but is interrupted by the rebel alliance who accidentally stumbled upon the cave while on their way to attack the castle. A battle breaks out causing the Queen and Clara to have their final confrontation in “I Tried Reprise.” During their final battle the Queen is struck by Scurge – the leader of the rebels – and refuses Clara’s help to heal her with magic. She dies in the Courtier’s arms and is taken away while Clara sobs.  

Finch and Troll remind Clara that it isn’t her fault that the Queen refused her help. The Courtier then apologizes for all of the things he did under the Queen’s rule and that he accepts any punishment Clara sees fit, as she’s the new reigning monarch.   

Clara excepts her new role and tells the townsfolk that there’s no time to waste as they all join in to sing the finale “Work to Do,” ending the show with PV’s held proud.

Gold Side Summary

By: Ryan Howard

The Gold Side’s 2020 pro-duction transports us to 1970 Goldenview High School, where, instead of focusing on their studies, students are thinking about the upcoming back-to-school dance, and how it will set the tone for the rest of their lives. 

We meet Mikey and Mindy, the school’s announcers, who welcome all the students back to school, while a classroom springs to life onstage. After announcements, the first period teacher calls roll. 

Roll is interrupted by Charlie Chamberlain rushing into class late. While Charlie explains himself, he is tripped by star athlete, Robbie Richards. Charlie’s friends, Jax and Boom, rush to his aid, but a teacher breaks it up and gives Robbie detention. 

After the class settles down, the students burst into the opening number, “Roll Call,” and sing about how they don’t want to sit beside classmates they don’t like. 

After the song, school “golden girl,” Dottie Wagner, calls Robbie out on his unruly behavior earlier, but Robbie insists that “people like Charlie” need to be put in their place early on so they know their place. 

During this discussion, Robbie’s friend, Tim, lets slip that Robbie has been “macking on” another girl from a home-ec class over the summer, and Dottie leaves the classroom in disbelief. 

In the courtyard, Dottie’s friends, Jax and Bonnie, try to convince her to break up with Robbie. Dottie then remembers she wants to apologize to Charlie for what happened to him, because she knows Robbie won’t. 

Dottie and Charlie are talking, when Robbie, interrupts to attempt to apologize to Dottie for his behavior, while trying to avoid mentioning the home-ec home-wrecker. Dottie gets mad with the way he brushes off his unfaithful-ness, and dumps him. 

Robbie gets angry, but is reminded he has detention and begrudgingly leaves.  

While Dottie and Charlie get friendlier with each other, Jax and Boom discuss the potential problems that could arise if Dottie and Charlie got together. The ensemble launches into “How It’s Gotta Be,” and sings about issues of racial integration, and how being an interracial couple could lead to issues that the two students might not be prepared for. 

Back in the classroom, Robbie and his friends are serving their detention. Robbie begins planning how to get back together with Dottie, although his friends think it’s unlikely. The discussion is interrupted by Tim rushing into detention to let them know what happened in the courtyard. 

When Robbie hears there is a chance of Dottie going to the dance with Charlie, he sings “Who’s the Boss,” in which he plots to get Dottie back. 

Dottie gets home from school, and hears her mother, Wendy, talking on the phone with Robbie’s mother. When Wendy gets off the phone, her and her husband Walter attempt to convince Dottie to get back together with Robbie, and sing praises about Robbie in the song, “Better than the Rest.” 

Furious, Dottie storms out the door. Her parents let her go, thinking she just needs time to cool off. 

Dottie goes to Mama’s, a lively diner in town. She approaches the counter and sees Charlie working. The two talk, and Charlie notices Dottie is alone, and goes on break to keep her company while she eats.  

The two make idle chit-chat, neither really quite sure how to talk to the other, but realize through the song, “Getting to Know You,” that even though they look and were raised differ-ent, they’re both still just people. 

The song is broken up by Robbie, who is shocked at the sight of Charlie and Dottie sitting together. The two boys get into an argument, with Robbie promising to show Charlie “what’s up” in the Freaky Friday dance-off; the night’s main event. 

At Freaky Friday, Char-lie’s team, The Steptations, are challenged by Robbie’s team, the Dancing Machines. The two teams take turns showing off their moves in “Metronome.” 

Once the dancing ends, the judges tally scores and Robbie offers to take Dottie to the dance, but she tells him that she’s going with Charlie, shocking both of the boys. 

The judges come back and announce Charlie’s team has won, infuriating Robbie who storms out of the restaurant.  

The night winds down, and Charlie tells Dottie he is excited to go to the dance with her. While Charlie and Boom are closing up for the night, Robbie and Tommy come back and heckle Charlie. 

When Dottie comes down-stairs the next morning, Robbie is eating breakfast with her parents. When Dottie asks what he is doing there, her parents explain that Robbie came over to tell them about the previous evening. Robbie told her parents several lies about Charlie’s character, even claiming that Charlie was caught stealing from his own mother’s restaurant. 

Ignoring Dottie’s denials, her parents and Robbie sing “Blind-ed,” and the parents learn Char-lie’s black. They insist that Dottie cannot date someone who isn’t like them, which causes Dottie to storm upstairs to her room. 

Robbie leaves, and Jax and Bonnie arrive to drop off Dot-tie’s dress for the dance. Dottie’s parents ask them to talk some sense into Dottie and call her downstairs to meet them. The trio talks, and her friends insist that Dottie should go to the dance. They sing the song “Blinded Reprise” together, promising to have Dottie’s back no matter what. 

The dance scene opens with “Back to School Dance,” where all the students sing about how excited they are about kicking off their senior year. The song ends, and the students start to slow dance. 

The scene is interrupted by a furious Robbie who gets into a fight with Charlie. The fight ends with Robbie and Tommy ganging up on Charlie to beat him up. 

Angry, Dottie tells Robbie she isn’t some prize to be won, and that she wanted to go to the dance with Charlie because he’s a genuinely nice guy who doesn’t shut her down like Robbie always did. A teacher breaks up the drama and escorts Robbie and Tommy out of the dance. 

Two of Robbie’s friends go and apologize to Charlie, saying that if they knew he was going to get physical, they would have tried to talk him down. The ensemble then sings “Lessons Learned,” questioning what they have been raised to believe about people unlike themselves.Once the song ends, Dottie apologizes to Charlie for the events of the night, but Charlie says the night is still young, which leads into the “Back to School Dance Reprise.” The show ends with this number, where the students reflect on the events of the evening and look towards a more hopeful future, and a “Golden Year.” 

Make sure to check back as The Alabamian posts more photos from this College Night season on our website.