In Transit is an upbeat, hopeful, a cappella musical set in the dirty depths of the NYC subway system. The story is synonymous with the transient nature of New Yorkers themselves; always on the move…always going somewhere…not always sure exactly where. As an audience, we are eavesdroppers, watchers, voyeurs to the conversations and activities that tell us what dream they followed that landed them here and how their journey has been “delayed,” or “is being held at the station,” or “is running on an alternate track.”
Each story is connected by the words and generosity of an enlightened Subway beat-box musician whose instrument is his vocally perfect, percussive precision that sets the stage for the musical numbers to follow.
The set, a subway entrance and platform is a good fit for most of the scenes, but it becomes problematic when there are alternate locations. Throwing a blanket over what are actually subway seats to make it a sofa takes you out of the action. Lighting and sound are both seamless and allow the story to move forward uninterrupted.
Director, Kathleen Marshall also took on the task of choreography. Here I was troubled by the lack of honor of the constraints of the set. The two simply did not seem to serve each other. Characters were walking over the subway tracks throughout various scenes which become commonplace and again a challenge to accept and stay with the action of the play.
All the performances were very strong and vocally, pitch-perfect. Alone, they each had a clear defining quality that when harmonized with the rest of the cast, whether emulating other instruments or as vocal back up, became quite powerful and moving.
The show itself can be dated back several years in development…as far back as 2003 in the Fringe Festival under the name, ALONG THE WAY. After so many years of being able to refine storylines, I was surprised to find them unimaginative, monotonous and tired; the struggling actress, the girl who moved for a man and got dumped, the financial guy who loses his lucrative job and the gay couple struggling to find common ground and acceptance. There seemed to be so many more opportunities for stories that were not clichéd or stereotypical that could have been explored. All the stories eventually become interwoven to bring about a harmonious commonality: they (we) are all on a journey, sometimes that journey moves along swiftly and without interruption, but when it gets difficult and you miss your train, or your transfer or you go uptown instead of downtown the important thing to remember…and to do…is to just keep moving.
I would recommend this show for anyone with a love and appreciation for innovative musical arrangements as well as those who harbor a kitschy love for the struggle of “making’ in,” finding happiness, and finding yourself in the Big Apple.
Credits: Book, music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth; Vocal arrangements by Deke Sharon; Musical supervision by Rick Hip-Flores; Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
Cast: David Abeles, Moya Angela, Steven “HeaveN” Cantor, Justin Guarini, Telly Leung, Colin Hanlon (starting 1/10), Erin Mackey, Gerianne Pérez, Margo Seibert, Chesney Snow, James Snyder, Marian Torres, Nicholas Ward, Adam Bastian, Laurel Harris, Arbender Robinson and Aurelia Williams