Hello Beautiful People,
Full disclosure – I have a soft spot in my heart for 90s pop songs, groups, songstresses, and I loved Britney Spears when she first came out. I’m talking pre shaved head, pre babies, pre 55 hour marriage in Vegas. I loved Britney Spears in the days of braided pigtails and plaid skirts. Maybe I even donned the staple Britney ensemble as a Halloween costume once...maybe. So you can imagine my delight when I attended #UntitledPopMusical this evening, the latest collaboration between the ever so talented Michael Kimmel and Drew Gasparini. And no, that isn’t a typo, the title of the show is a hashtag.
Are you intrigued yet or what?
At the heart of #UntitledPopMusical is Jenna Styles, pop star sensation and virtual overnight superstar. The show illuminates the concept of instant fame, and what that means in the digitally dependent era that we all find ourselves in. As we see the media machine build Jenna up, whether you realize it or not you start to anticipate her fall from grace and glitz – a true testament to tongue in cheek message of the show. You’re jamming away and rocking out to songs like Pieces and Gotta Be Sweet and Too Much is Never Enough, while laughing at the ridiculous antics of Jenna Styles, and wondering if she’ll make the same mistake as Britney. Or Lindsay. Or hell, even Amanda. And then, after the last note is played and the lights dim, you can’t help but wonder, do we set these girls in a gilded cage of glitz and glamour, only so that we can be the ones to tear them down?
Here’s what I know, and here’s what you need to know:
I absolutely adored the whole cast. So, oodles and endless congratulations to Lisa Brescia, F. Michael Haynie, Andrew Kober, Lauren Pritchard, Gabe Violett, Remy Zaken, and Keith White – you all rocked it. But, as always, there are moments and folks who just resonate with me more than others.
Andrew Kober as Howard is creepy comedic perfection. It’s that wonderful blend of not being able to decide if you dislike or pity the character – a tribute to the script and to the ever so talented Kober.
My favorite songs came from the character of Justina, played by Lauren Pritchard. Justina, for me, is the character that says the things that everyone is thinking, but doesn’t have the guts to say. She has no filter, and it’s like a breath of fresh air. Weird and freaky fresh air, but fresh air nonetheless; couple that with the unending soul and richness that goes hand in hand with anything and everything that I have ever heard Pritchard sing, and well, you have a bit of musical theatre magic of epic proportions.
The chemistry and comfort between Bobby, (F. Michael Haynie) and Jenna (Julia Mattison), provided some of the most intimate and intriguing parts of this story. Their relationship allows the audience to peek into the heart and mind of Jenna Styles, without the pretense of preprogrammed tweets and preplanned crotch shots; the volleying of emotions and sound and banter between Haynie and Mattison is seamless. SEAMLESS.
Michael Kimmel has a gift with language. Drew Gasparini has a gift with music. Putting the these two brains together is purely awesomesauce. The script compliments the music, and the music compliments the script. It’s a symbiotic relationship and it serves this show quite well.
If you missed the show, well, that was a bad move.
I’ll say it again, if you missed the show, well, that was a bad move, as #UntitledPopMusical is a fresh piece of immersive theatre. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll have you singing and humming along almost instantaneously, and trust me when I say, it’s a show that allows you to truly check your worries and woes at the door and lose yourself in the world of Jenna Styles.
The only bad thing about this evening is just that, it was only one evening, one concert reading, one time to see this piece. BUT, I have no doubt that the producer powers that be will give this a life in a different space. It’s just inevitable.
To the cast, crew, & creative team of #UntitledPopMusical – you all were phenomenal. Here’s to keeping theatre alive and well in this world!
Live, Love, Learn,