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13, The Musical
Remember when you were thirteen? The angst? The drama? The braces? Well, now you can relieve those days through the new musical 13! Though re-experiencing those days past might not seem very appealing, trust me - 13 is an accurate but humorous account of what we all went through in that first year of teen-dom.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a free ticket to the first ever teens-only invited dress rehearsal. Not only was I thrilled to become a part of Broadway history, but I was excited to see the only all-teen cast to ever hit the Great White Way. Yep- the entire cast of 13 is aged 12-17; even the band is comprised of all young teens. And those who are cynical about age versus talent, trust me- these kids are fantastic. Their solos are nearly pitch perfect and they handle the quick and witty dialogue with ease.
The musical, composed by Jason Robert Brown and written by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, is funny and likeable. The main character is a Jewish boy named Evan Goldman (Graham Phillips), who is just weeks away from the happiest day of his life: his bar mitzvah. He has planned the perfect party and everyone can’t wait to come- and then his parents tell him that they’re getting divorced. Evan moves with his mother from New York City to Appleton, Indiana. The first person he meets his neighbor, Patrice, a geeky, sweet girl who’s not afraid to think for herself. When school begins, Evan realises that Patrice doesn’t exactly hang out with the cool kids- her closest pal is Archie, who is always teased about his Muscular Dystrophy. Though he’s the new kid at school, Evan decides to invite everyone in his class to his bar mitzvah. If the cool kids come, he figures, he’ll have instant popularity and the best bar mitzvah a kid can have.
Unfortunately, our hero realises that he can’t have the best of both worlds. Brett, the school football star, tells him that if he invites the likes of Patrice and Archie to the party, he and his buddies will not be making an appearance. Evan has to decide what he wants more- to be accepted by the in crowd and cut his personality to fit their needs, or to keep the two people who like him exactly how he is.
This musical was a joy to watch- the songs are catchy and amusing and tailored to fit the actors’ voices. The teens have incredible comic timing, delivering their lines flawlessly. I can imagine they have fun saying dialogue like, “Guys, Kendra is a good girl- I can’t just hit on her like a whack-a-mole!” and "I wasn't going to tell you this... I wanted to protect you. But I think you should know- LIFE SUCKS!"
I encourage everyone to go see this show- it’s funny, it’s touching, the music is awesome, and the performers are fantastic. Don’t worry that you’re too old for a musical about thirteen year olds- it’s definitely a PG-13 show, and one that everyone can enjoy. If you plan to go see it, make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time- I had planned to get in line two hours before the show started, but when I passed the theatre four hours beforehand, people were already lined up. So, hurry, get your tickets and relive being 13!
13 opened on October 5 and performs at the Jacobs Theatre in New York City. Sadly, it is closing on January 4, so get your tickets now!
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