[title of show]
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bowen, Book by Hunter Bell
Directed by Sam Hayes
Choreographed by Cady Bailey
Prism Theatre Company
August 16, 2024
Katie Orr, Jaelyn Hawkins
Photo by Cady Bailey
Prism Theatre Company
Prism Theatre Company is staging their first musical, with a version of meta-musical [title of show] subtitled “the gender bend”, casting the show with women in all the roles. As originally developed, this musical has a gutsy, self-referential and quirky vibe that enlivens the proceedings and makes for a fun lesson in what makes a musical while at the same time serving as an ode to friendship and collaboration in the creation of art. At Prism, the production features an enthusiastic cast and energetic staging.Â
The show is essentially based on the creation of the show itself, as writers Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell collaborated and took their unlikely little musical to Broadway. It shows how the two friends came up with the concept and wrote the show in a few weeks to make the deadline for a theatre festival, enlisting their friends Susan and Heidi to star, and then later performed it off-Broadway and used a YouTube series to help raise their profile so they could bring the show to Broadway. Along the way, and with the help of their accompanist Larry, the duo and their cast explore the world of theatre in New York, as well as musical theatre conventions, famous musical flops, various references to other musicals and especially Into the Woods, and form a close bond that grows from the process of creating art together.
The cast features Katie Orr as Jeff, Jaelyn Hawkins as Hunter, Rachel Bailey as Susan, and Savannah Fernelius as Heidi, along with music director/keyboardist Mallory Golden as Larry. It’s a lively, energetic cast, with strong characterization and comic timing, and although some of the singing has a rough quality, that works for this show with its “grass roots” vibe. The script itself features clever songs and sometimes too-clever jokes and occasional moments of “profanity as humor” where simply saying a word gets a laugh. For the most part, though, this is an insightful, fun show, with a great cast and energetic, fast-paced staging.
The set by Caleb D. Long is simple but effective, and the costumes by Sam Hayes suit the characters well. There is excellent lighting by Catherine Adams and sound by Golden. This small-scale show works especially well in the Kranzberg Arts Center’s black box space, with the audience seated up close in an intimate setting.
This is the first production of this show I’ve seen, and I’m glad for the introduction. If you love theatre, you’re probably going to get many of the references here, and the overall attitude is one of love for theatre and the creative process. The cast and crew seem to be having a great time, as well. It’s a fun show, with an infectious energy. It works well as Prism’s first venture into musicals.
Jaelyn Hawkins, Rachel Bailey, Katie Orr, Mallory Golden, Savannah Fernelius
Photo by Cady Bailey
Prism Theatre Company
Prism Theatre Company is presenting [title of show] at the Kranzberg Arts Center until September 8, 2024