A Transparent Musical is Coming Along!

 It was kind of nice to revisit these characters, even though I stopped watching the TV show a season or two before its finale. As was the problem with the series, these characters are who they are, and their flaws become tiresome. 

The songs by Faith Soloway were really good! More than one showstopper, and all hit that right balance between familiarity and dissidence to make it interesting. I also very much appreciated that I could understand most of the words most of the time. 

Still, there are areas that need work. 

While "You Must Be (Love at the JCC)" is one of the most entertaining numbers of the show, the storyline between Josh and Raquel feels forced and is the weakest subplot of the show. And that's even more evident in "Quartet" when they try to juxtapose the oldest siblings. While a very nice song, the stakes aren't high enough for Josh and Raquel to the more crucial stakes for Sarah and Len. 

"Mom in a Car" desperately needs to be moved to Act 1. Sarah Pfefferman (played by Sarah Stiles) comes across as angry for no reason until that song, and it's a little too late in the show to really care about her and what happens in her relationship. Stiles, an incredible actress and singer, deserves better. 

Also, one minute she makes a hard and important decision, and 2 songs later, changes her mind and makes the opposite decision, which makes her whole storyline seem pointless because there's no sign of change or growth, just sentimentality. 

Unfortunately, Daya Curley's Maura is lacking. This cast has many incredibly strong performers, and Curley gets swallowed by all the talent around her. 

The standout is Liz Larsen's Shelly Pfefferman. Much like Judith Light in the TV series, she's the most fun to watch. Her character (and the actor playing her) has found the right balance of flawed and funny that the audience completely lights up whenever she comes onstage.

There is cutting to be done here. The show doesn't merit the length. Tightening it up all around would be beneficial. 

These criticisms are not meant to steer any audience member away. It was an enjoyable evening, and I think we'll be able to say we saw it when. They're meant to help bring the show to a much broader audience, and with these tweaks, I think they'll get there. 

7.5/10

*These opinions are entirely my own. I paid for my ticket. 

A New Brain told in a New Way

This is a William Finn show that I've never before had the pleasure to see IRL, but have listened to both the original cast recording and the 2015 cast recording starring Jonathan Groff many times. So I was thrilled to buy a ticket to see this at The Davidson/Valentini Theatre at the Los Angeles LGBT Center (a first for me), presented by Celebration Theatre, in association with LALGBTC. 

I have not been in a theatre this small in years, and the intimacy really worked here. The energy was shared between the performers and audience in this beautiful way that can only happen in live theatre. 

This was a different presentation of the show, directed by Khanisha Foster, starting with the casting. Gordon is played by non-binary (they/them) Amanda Kruger, and Roger (Gordon's lover) by Yassi Noubahar (she/her), roles previously played by men. Kruger's Gordon is three-dimensional, and finishes the marathon seemingly with more energy than when the show started! Noubahar's voice is beautiful, which made up for a lack of nuance in character. 

The 4-piece band adds so much to this show, but I was hoping for a moment to actually see them behind their hidden curtain. For the most part, the sound design works, but there were some  moments where the lyrics were lost, particularly with Kruger and Noubahar. 

Sade Ayodele as Rhoda, on the other hand, had no such trouble with her incredible voice! I also appreciated the depth she added to a character that was only outlined on paper. 

What struck me the most is that, even though the center of the story is Gordon's brain tumor, the majority of the 95-minute show is a celebration. The characters may be queer or gender expansive, but that's not the focus of the show. It allows these humans to be just that: humans dealing with love, sickness and demanding bosses, and finding the humor and ways to sing about it. 

While the show is about 5 minutes longer than it should be, Foster keeps the show moving and uses the space inventively. Alli Miller-Fisher's choreography celebrates the body's desire to move, to dance, to be free, and Mitchell Johnson throws themselves into every move with the biggest smile ever!

Every cast member has their opportunities to shine, and they feel like a loving family when they're all on stage together. 

This production runs through June 24, and I strongly encourage you to experience this celebration of life and theatre.