The 2015 Canadian stage musical, Ride the Cyclone (RTC) is one of the best musicals I’ve ever heard. While definitely for more mature audiences (I’d say 15+), the humor isn’t OVERLY raunchy (it is still a bit “spicy” at times). I think everyone who enjoys being happy and listening to music should listen to this musical. I’d recommend finding live performances over the studio recording though.

One might see the fact it’s a theater musical, dismiss it as another operatic musical, and never give it a chance; however, it has something for everyone. Ocean’s What the World Needs feels like a generic 2010's pop song, while Mischa Bachinski has two songs of absolute opposite genres: one an autotuned rap about money and awesomeness and the other a Ukrainian folk love song about his fiancée.

Many people look for representation in media they enjoy. Ride the Cyclone has a great representation of “the only gay man in a small rural high school” (a quote of the character describing himself). Noel Gruber, one of the main characters of RTC, is revealed to be gay in the first 10 minutes of the musical. Even if you only listen to the songs and don’t watch the full musical or read the script, it’s semi noticeable in his song Noel’s Lament, along with the transition tracks between songs.

Usually, dark comedies have humor that many would find dry and not actually “dark." Many "dark comedies" are just misogynistic or racist, but the humor in RTC is relatable to the age group the main cast are in and actually sounds like things a 15–18-year-old would say. Lyrics worrying about never graduating, wiping browser history, and the joke with Constance focusing on “when the two boys kissed.”

Definitely give it a listen. The cast recording is available anywhere you listen to music and you can also find live recordings of some of the songs on YouTube. From first listen, the story might be hard to understand, but if you enjoy the music and are interested in the story a little more you can always read plot summaries, watch videos covering it, or seek out local and/or professional productions. Tickets are on sale for June performances in Rhode Island. Any fan who’s going on vacation near the Providence area should definitely consider going if they want to see it live.