“Wh@ if?” The June Havoc Theatre Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
Somewhere in the self-named new musical mindfuck “Wh@ if?” there is indeed a musical. The difficulty at this stage of its development is finding it. The most significant impediment to discovering the meaning in this new musical by Jeremy F. Richter is being able to hear anything the actors are saying or singing. It is incomprehensible how a director could not tell his cast they are inaudible. Where was he sitting in rehearsals and why wasn’t he listening from the back of the theatre?
“Wh@ if?” is a musical which sports not a play within a play but a fantasy within or parallel to a reality. The reality is playwright Jared Finn’s hearing a male voice in the background of his cell conversation with his girlfriend Kari on New Year’s Eve, The fantasy (aka the ‘mindfuck’) is the story he creates in his head to identify the mystery male.
There is brilliance in this project. There were lyrics early on (when, straining, one could hear them) which were chilling. Duets, duets dueling other duets, solos, full-cast songs are featured throughout. One has the sense something important could be happening but there is no way to know sitting in sounds of silence.
Without being able to engage in what was transpiring on stage, it was difficult to discern when the fantasy began and when it ended or whether the reality and Jared’s reimagining of it co-existed on stage.
This critic wishes there were more positive things to say about this new work. Hopefully these comments will encourage the director to find time before the next performance to work closely and carefully with his cast so they understand better who their characters are, how they relate to one another, and what they need to do to convey this to the audience. Whatever “Wh2 if?” is, it is complicated and probably important. Hopefully the director will make it all work so this musical can have the successful future it deserves. This includes a program with a song list.
WH@ IF?
Wh@ if? is presented by the Independent Theater Collective in association with The Midtown International Theatre Festival. Director: Michael Aulick; Musical Director: Jeremy F. Richter; Sound Designer: Spencer Thomas; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.
Michael Aulick directs a cast of five including Jeremy Zoma (Jared), Katie Zaffrann (Kari), Dale Andrew Sampson (Landon), Mallory Hawks (Renae), and Nick Reynolds (Aaron).
Wh@ if? will run at the June Havoc Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, 1st Floor, in New York City for four performances on the following schedule: Saturday, July 21st @ 7pm; Friday, July 27th @ 9:15pm; Thursday, August 2nd @ 9:15pm; Friday, August 3rd @ 9:15pm. Tickets are $18 for adults/$15 for students and seniors. Visit midtownfestival.org or call 866-811-4111.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Thursday, July 19, 2012
CEOExpress
