Through Sat 11/10
When a musical begins with people chirping —
“No one I love is gonna die today/
Cars are not death-traps/
And drinking every day is okay!” —
you know something not so OK is going to happen, despite the peppy tune and pasted-on smiles. That’s the situation in this Musical for Millennials — a surfeit of whimsy and denial covers real pain and confusion and crisis, especially for three women.
The first act is episodic, plunking us down in the tangle of relationships between five long-time friends, with cheerily offbeat songs that reminded me of Avenue Q without the puppets. It’s in the second act, when the real stakes are finally uncovered, that this new piece by Melissa Crum and Caitlin Lewins really starts to bare its heart and the poignancy meter rises.
There’s a rocking band — sometimes a bit too rocking for the singers — but the material shines brightest when Crum, Lewins and Madelyn Hayes let their voices intertwine a cappella or with simple accompaniment.
There are plenty of laughs too — the FUN-eral (“Shitty Sad Luau Song”) for a fallen comrade is mighty weird fun, and the female masturbation trio “I Can Do It By Myself” is a showstopper. I hope these talented authors continue to tweak the piece after this admirable premiere, because the journey from “Everything is Okay” to “ I Don’t Have to Smile Today” is real and worthwhile.
[Written by Linda Eisenstein]
Cleveland, OH 44102