Ride the Cyclone is poised to celebrate its 15th anniversary when a new production of the hit musical debuts on the Arena Stage in Washington, DC in January 2023. Despite the musical company touring North America in 2022 with five different productions throughout Canada and the United States, many feel the show is still unheralded for many different reasons, which plenty of TikTokers have expressed through various video tributes.
Whether it’s the music itself, the characters, the dance numbers, the rewatchability, etc., there’s no shortage of love for Ride the Cyclone on TikTok being one of the best musicals of the past two decades.
Contents
Great Alternative Opening Numbers
Those familiar with the quasi-creepy musical Ride The Cyclone are aware that each show opens with a different musical number depending on the location of the production. While “The Uranium Suite” is commonly referred to as the opening number, TikToker @mtTonex notes that even alternative openers like “Fall Fair Suite” are just as good and are often the best part of the entire show.
Going further to highlight their favorite part of “Fall Fair Suite,” @mtTonex notes how edgy and irreverent the song lyrics are, reinforcing how unique it is to feature different opening numbers that are just as catchy and memorable as the original. Several responders favor “Fall Fair Suite” over as an underrated alternative opener and claim a recorded version should be included on the official Ride the Cyclone album.
Jane Doe Herself
With no shortage of affectionate tribute videos, compelling cosplay recreations, and lip-syncing dance numbers on TikTok, it’s clear that protagonist Jane Doe herself is arguably the main reason why the musical is such a masterpiece. Cue @ohnoitspenelope, who continues to prove how relatable Jane Doe’s story is by making a slew of touching cosplay tributes.
The musically macabre tale of a beheaded everywoman grappling with her true identity speaks to millions of people as a metaphor for mental health but also promises the hope of a new beginning. Without such a strong central character guiding the audience through the story, Ride The Cyclone would not be as durable as it’s proven to be. The TikToker proves that, despite her circumstances, Jane Doe is an underrated role model.
Hidden Depths
Part of what makes Ride the Cyclone undeniably special are the hidden layers that can be peeled back on repeat viewings, leading to a new experience each time out. TikToker @noels_lament points out many subtle thematic motifs that they missed the first time out, such as Ricky appearing to be the only one who can hear Jane Doe as she’s falling.
Unless viewers viewed the production photos, they may have missed the implication that Ricky and Jane were fairly close with each other after talking on the roller coaster. Whether fans knew about that low-key connection or not, @noels_lament makes a great point about how rewatchable Ride the Cyclone is and how discoveries can be made each time.
Casting
While a compelling central character like Jane Doe is half the battle, casting stellar actors who can sing and dance night in and night out is just as important. Part of what makes Ride The Cyclone unforgettable is the standout second-run cast, which is just as strong as the original according to @spaceageebachelorman.
The TikToker applauds Ashlyn Maddox’s performance as Jane Doe, providing a 2-minute clip from the show to support her claim. While many favor Emily Rohms’ voice, several others agree that Maddox’s superb physical choreography eclipses the original Jane Doe actress. Many unforgettable musicals go downhill after the initial run with original actors, but Ride the Cyclone proves the opposite, which is why it’s had such lasting staying power.
Noel & Mischa
TikToker @noels_lament is back to express their undying love for the relationship between Noel and Mischa. Affectionately dubbed Nischa by RTC shippers, the heartfelt bromance between the two is one of the main reasons why the musical is so enjoyable. Their relationship also tends to get overlooked by Jane’s storyline, making their odd-couple dynamic underrated as well.
In a compilation of @noels_lament’s favorite moments from the show, it’s obvious that the unlikely friendship forged between Noel and Mischa remains a highlight of the musical. But just like the alternative opening number, the “Will Smith movie” line in the video is substituted for “Adam Sandler movie” and “Transformer movie” in different versions of the show, once again proving how the show constantly evolves to stay fresh.
Emotional Depth
The profound emotional depth of the acclaimed horror musical’s story and music remains the show’s biggest draw, according to @heyitssaly. In the span of a few seconds, the song “Talia” transitions from happy and uplifting to emotionally devastating, with the TikToker noting, “you can hear every once of anger and sadness Mischa has knowing he’ll never see the love of his life again.”
Indeed, Mischa’s evolution from a violent gangster rapper to a tender crestfallen balladeer delivers a sentimental wallop that continues to haunt fans of the show. Without such an emotional anchor to ground the story, RTC would not be as timelessly relatable as continues to be 15 years after its debut.
Orchestrations & Choreography
TikToker @aaron.d.wachs feels so strongly about “the orchestrations and choreography (especially Mischa)” in RTC that it gives him “so much serotonin.” Indeed, the version of the opening “Uranium Suite” number is a virtuosic display of sound and movement that continues to hypnotize audiences with euphoria.
Colorful, dynamic, and deeply engaging, a fellow TikToker reinforces the sentiment, adding “the choreography for this song as a whole is just amazing, but this part is definitely my favorite.” Musicals can only reach classic status if they consistently capture the audience’s attention through the music and movement of the dancers, and RTC proves that the choreography and orchestration are just as timeless as the story and characters.
Fun & Easy To Sing Along To
The best musicals invite viewers of all stripes to want to participate and sing along. According to TikToker @naree_asherian, Ride the Cyclone does just that. In a video recreating Ocean’s hit song “What the World Needs To” despite never hearing it or seeing the show, everyone can jump right in, learn the lyrics, and feel like they’re part of the production.
Whether @naree_asherian is a budding Broadway actress or not, the broad appeal of the sing-along-songs in the musical continues to prove how durable, relatable, and accessible the high-quality songwriting remains over time. For a story about inclusion, welcoming others to join in and share the magic is truly special.
Ballad Of Jane Doe
Scrolling through TikTok’s popular musical accounts, “The Ballad of Jane Doe” is a constant refrain cited as one of the show’s biggest appeals. Even people who don’t understand the story like @misscandieheart realize how irresistible the song is, saying “I don’t get it, it’s a song about a girl who lost her head in a roller coaster. It’s nothing special” before doing a dramatic lip-sync of the song.
It’s one thing for die-hard fans of the show to create loving tribute videos. It’s quite another for someone who doesn’t connect with the story to still enjoy the music enough to produce their heartfelt homages. Ride the Cyclone is underrated for the way the music gets under the skin and converts the uninitiated.
Meme Worthy
For Gen-Zers, nothing can be deemed a masterpiece unless it can be turned into an internet meme. TikToker @r0sieTV received over 90,000 likes for suggesting that RTC has meme-worthy music to keep the internet amused for years.
A clip of a “Space Age Bachelor Man” recital led several responders to think it was taken from a production of Cats, which not only underscores how underrated RTC is in many circles, but it also proves how the show transcends the stage to become a multimedia celebration of abject fun.