Cabaret Scenes Theatre Review - 13

Who does not remember being 13, the year of gawkiness, acne, and befuddlement? It was also the year when you were technically a teenager, although you were not a "real" teen until you reached 14. Every kid knew that. They also knew that peer-pressure kicked in big time during this period of sexual awareness but no sexual know-how.

13 – The Musical at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is an amiable, ingratiating show, thanks to Jason Robert Brown's music and lyrics, and a talented cast of mid-teens led by 15-year-old Graham Phillips playing Evan Goldman (with Corey J. Snide in the weekend matinees) . It is a show that kids will love and parents will enjoy watching them enjoy. It is for kids who would no longer be seen at The Little Mermaid but still have a few more years before Spring Awakening. In this show, the saltiest spice is tongue-talk.

Dan Elish and Robert Horn's book is on the light side with the plus of not being condescending. Despite no real character development, it does drive home points about gaining self-confidence, priorities, and responsibility. The plot can be condensed into one sentence: Evan Goldman, a 12-year-old Upper West Sider, is about to turn 13 and have this gimungous bar mitzvah, but his parents' divorce forces him to move to Appleton, Indiana. Indiana, Siberia – for Evan it's the same thing, over the Hudson River and away from his friends. Luckily, he quickly meets a couple of other misfits, sweet Patrice (Allie Trimm), and Archie (Aaron Simon Gross ), a crippled boy with a quick wit and deceptively steely spine. Three lost souls in the turbulent sea of Dan Quayle Junior High.

Evan still wants to have his bar mitzvah but to persuade anyone to come, he has to get in with the cool kids led by quarterback Brett (Eric M. Nelsen) and head cheerleader Kendra (Delaney Moro). Kendra's BFF is the two-faced Lucy played by Elizabeth Egan Gillies who has her own priorities. Brett's hangers-on include Eddie (Al Calderon), Malcom (Malik Hammond), Simon (Joey La Varco) and Richie (Eamon Foley). They have a comical doo-wop moment singing "Bad Bad News." Now here lies the problem. The cool kids do not like Patrice or Archie. This actually is a bit puzzling because Allie Trimm is a lovely actress, not at all geeky, and no real reason is given for the intense dislike for her. At one point, Patrice tells Evan a few things with a sweet, not sticky, "What It Means To Be a Friend" It is easier to understand their dislike for Archie because he openly scorns them. Evan's dilemma is should he dump his two good friends to get the cool kids' to come to his party?

Directed by Jeremy Sams, this little story and its characters trot toward its inevitable ending after overcoming a couple of obstacles. Bits of dialogue and narration by Evan serve to move from one song to the next, and Brown's tunes are catchy and his lyrics, like "If That's What It Is" and "A Little More Homework" make sense. The cast and the onstage teen band is energetic and enthusiastic. Christopher Gattelli's choreography features a lot of exuberance, reaching a peak after the last bows with band and cast rocking out with "Brand New You." The set by David Farley makes Manhattan look a lot more colorful than the earth tones of Indiana, and his costumes shout out, "American 'Tween."

13 – The Musical is appealing kid stuff. Unpretentious, 90-minute, imtermission-less, the message is there but will not smack the young viewer in the head.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
October 23, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org



	13 – The Musical Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre New York, NY
Who does not remember being 13, the year of gawkiness, acne, and befuddlement? It was also the year when you were technically a teenager, although you were not a "real" teen until you reached 14. Every kid knew that. They also knew that peer-pressure kicked in big time during this period of sexual awareness but no sexual know-how. 13 – The Musical at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is an amiable, ingratiating show, thanks to Jason Robert Brown's music and lyrics, and a talented cast of mid-teens led by 15-year-old Graham Phillips playing Evan Goldman (with Corey J. Snide in the weekend matinees) . It is a show that kids will love and parents will enjoy watching them enjoy. It is for kids who would no longer be seen at The Little Mermaid but still have a few more years before Spring Awakening. In this show, the saltiest spice is tongue-talk. Dan Elish and Robert Horn's book is on the light side with the plus of not being condescending. Despite no real character development, it does drive home points about gaining self-confidence, priorities, and responsibility. The plot can be condensed into one sentence: Evan Goldman, a 12-year-old Upper West Sider, is about to turn 13 and have this gimungous bar mitzvah, but his parents' divorce forces him to move to Appleton, Indiana. Indiana, Siberia – for Evan it's the same thing, over the Hudson River and away from his friends. Luckily, he quickly meets a couple of other misfits, sweet Patrice (Allie Trimm), and Archie (Aaron Simon Gross ), a crippled boy with a quick wit and deceptively steely spine. Three lost souls in the turbulent sea of Dan Quayle Junior High. Evan still wants to have his bar mitzvah but to persuade anyone to come, he has to get in with the cool kids led by quarterback Brett (Eric M. Nelsen) and head cheerleader Kendra (Delaney Moro). Kendra's BFF is the two-faced Lucy played by Elizabeth Egan Gillies who has her own priorities. Brett's hangers-on include Eddie (Al Calderon), Malcom (Malik Hammond), Simon (Joey La Varco) and Richie (Eamon Foley). They have a comical doo-wop moment singing "Bad Bad News." Now here lies the problem. The cool kids do not like Patrice or Archie. This actually is a bit puzzling because Allie Trimm is a lovely actress, not at all geeky, and no real reason is given for the intense dislike for her. At one point, Patrice tells Evan a few things with a sweet, not sticky, "What It Means To Be a Friend" It is easier to understand their dislike for Archie because he openly scorns them. Evan's dilemma is should he dump his two good friends to get the cool kids' to come to his party? Directed by Jeremy Sams, this little story and its characters trot toward its inevitable ending after overcoming a couple of obstacles. Bits of dialogue and narration by Evan serve to move from one song to the next, and Brown's tunes are catchy and his lyrics, like "If That's What It Is" and "A Little More Homework" make sense. The cast and the onstage teen band is energetic and enthusiastic. Christopher Gattelli's choreography features a lot of exuberance, reaching a peak after the last bows with band and cast rocking out with "Brand New You." The set by David Farley makes Manhattan look a lot more colorful than the earth tones of Indiana, and his costumes shout out, "American 'Tween." 13 – The Musical is appealing kid stuff. Unpretentious, 90-minute, imtermission-less, the message is there but will not smack the young viewer in the head. Elizabeth Ahlfors Cabaret Scenes October 23, 2008 www.cabaretscenes.org

13 – The Musical

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre New York, NY

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
New York, NY