Although normally found in Kendall Hall putting on musicals, the members of TCNJ Musical Theatre ventured over to the Rathskeller on Friday, April 25, for the last show of the year: “TMT Night.”
The duo, consisting of the president of TMT Jenna Rose and TMT member Kyle Sheehan, were first to take to the stage. Also referred to as “Steve Buscemi in Your Kitchen,” the two opened the show with a powerful alternative-rock song, “S.O.G. Burning in Hell” by Steel Train, with Rose commanding the vocals and Sheehan pounding the keyboard.
“We are a very serious band, and this next song is a very personal song,” Rose said just before Sheehan broke out singing OutKast’s “Hey Ya!,” leaving all of the audience members laughing.
This was Rose’s third time participating in the annual “TMT Night” at the Rat.
Sisters Dana-Joy and Jamie-Tate Carducci and one of the many returns of Sheehan on the keyboard were the second act of the night. The girls’ set included a stripped down cover of Lady Gaga’s hit “Poker Face.”
From this point on the show became a revolving door of talented TMT members. Monica Blumenstein and Kelly Cosentino, who played the guitar, reprised “Say Something” by A Great Big World, a song they had covered at this years “A Capella Fest.”
Sitting upon a large overturned recycling bin and manning it as a drum, Evan Tsahalis provided a light rhythmic beat as Jenna Burke and Jonathan Edmondson successfully took on Poison’s “Every Rose has Its Thorn.” The trio also performed Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.”
One of the high points of the night was singer Molly Crawford and keyboardist Joey Tible, an alumnus of the College.
“I remember last time this year, I was so sad because it was going to be the last time I performed with Joey … but lo and behold,” Crawford said, gesturing her arms out to Tible.
Crawford’s voice wailed — her voice larger than the venue — to Christina Perri’s “Human” and Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.”
“We determined that every song can be made happy with a ukulele,” Crawford said, referring to Tible who played a ukulele for the country cover.
As a last minute decision, the two decided to not only give a rendition of the theme song from the television show “Adventure Time,” but to also perform “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from the Disney film “Frozen.”
“I warn you, the last note does not exist in here,” Crawford said before inviting the audience to join her on stage to sing along.
Blumenstein, Rose, Briana Luppino and McCabe joined forces for the final performance of the night.
Luppino, a senior psychology major, explained that normally at the end of every TMT Rat show, the closing song chosen is supposed to evoke tears from the fellow TMT members, especially those who are graduating in the coming weeks.
“We decided to do a sad song so you can cry, and then a sing a happy song so you are not crying when you leave,” Luppino said.
However, as a last minute addition — a well-formed trend at this point — the trio decided to teach McCabe a “happy” song in one of the stairwells of the Student Center before singing a sad song, which was an impressive four-part harmony of “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and The Heart. The lyrics, “I miss your face like hell,” called out to the TMT members.
Sheehan joined in on the keyboard for the “happy” song of “Best Day Of My Life” by American Authors.
The quintet’s daring attempt dried the eyes of fellow TMT members and put smiles on their faces before the set closed.
Rose, a senior political science and journalism double major, was elated by the show.
“Everyone did amazing tonight and I am really proud of everyone who performed,” Rose said.
The lighthearted performances from TMT were the perfect remedy to the week of finals vastly approaching students at the College.
