REVIEWS
LEGALLY BLONDE
"Lea Sevola as Vivienne, Elle's foil turned friend, has a powerful voice and brings a nice aloofness to the character made famous by Selma Blair."
"Vivienne’s (Lea Sevola) character has a personal growth arc almost as important as Elle’s, and Sevola played her gradual metamorphosis with class, emphasized by her impressive vocals."
ATHENA
“Lea Sevola shines as Athena.”
“Sevola impresses in the title role, playing a character that could easily fall into the cliché, but with enough nuance to imbue even the little moments with something multifaceted. The character claims that she wants to be a mystery and the actor delivers. It’s a compelling performance and the primary engine for the first third of the show at least.”
“Sevola and Giorgio truly get a workout during the show. They’re almost in constant motion, whether with foils at the ready or dancing in a club (well, sort of jumping and hopping around like goofy teenagers), or doing stretches and other exercises. Even when they might be winded, they speak all their lines clearly and with purpose.”
“This scripted play strives to seem unscripted. [Director Summer] Wallace succeeds in evoking the urgency of now. The two young actors do, too. They’re in the moment. And have no clue about the moments to come.”
Mamma Mia!
"Lucas Blair, Shae Celine, and Lea Sevola (Pepper, Lisa, and Ali, respectively) have such a high level of commitment to their characters that the large ensemble numbers are deeply engrossing no matter where you look...Every ensemble number had me grinning like a fool as I marveled at the dancing which was at times athletic, graceful, silly, or all of those at once."
"The entire cast has superb vocal ability and gifts for dance…. Both male and female actors execute splits, throws and high kicks while they belt out those ABBA lines, never pausing and seemingly never taking a breath...some of those heels and wedges are so tall it’s a miracle that the dance numbers are perfectly executed..."
Xanadu
"Lea Sevola -- with the ink barely dry from her BFA in Musical Theater at Ithaca College -- ought to earn her Equity card with this production and her dream pairing with Rodriguez. Solo, she's the brunette twin of Kate McKinnon, SNL performer and rising film star -- her microsecond timing, facial contortions and full-body gyrations, combined with a complete lack of self-consciousness, make her an ideal canvas for any comedic role, and she sings, dances and acts like she's been doing it for decades."
"Villainy is supplied by sisters Melpomene (Desiree Rodriguez) and Calliope (Lea Sevola). Their joint rendition of Evil Woman brings down the house. Sevola is all boppin' sidekick (sometimes just a bit behind on the plan)."
A View from the Bridge
"Lea Sevola shows remarkable change from innocence to ferocity with her Catherine."
“Sevola plays her part well in helping the audience to root for Eddie. She captures Catherine’s innocence and naiveté, two factors that play their part in helping to undo Eddie, because unlike Beatrice, she cannot see what her presence does to her uncle. Sevola has wonderful chemistry with both Ericksen [Beatrice] and Cardamone [Eddie], a factor which really makes this play work and contributes to the eventual tragedy.”
“Sevola’s innocent eyes, youthful exuberance, and incomprehension of the brewing stop effectively convey a desire to cling to her childhood. But then the actress has Catherine’s strong will surface and her heart awaken as she crosses the threshold into womanhood."
Printed in the Zeeland Record
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
“Lea Sevola as Shulie, the sweet side, has a stunning vibrato.”
“Sevola’s Shulie is sweet and innocent and she gets to shine in such songs as
“Unpack Your Adjectives” and “Figure Eight.” She also plays the bewitched ingenue when George declares that Zero is his hero. She finds just the right way to make Shulie stand out in a way that is perfectly natural for her, inviting the audience to adore her.”
“Sevola does an outstanding job of capturing her character’s dizziness and goofiness…her voice was strong and melodic in ‘Interplanet Janet’”