October 22, 2008

Broadway review: honest and family-friendly at '13'

NewYorkology contributor Alexandra Farkas returns today with her review of “13”. Since she covered “Young Frankenstein” in November, she directed the New York premiere of John Fleming’s “The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley” at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center on the Lower East Side in February and became a mother to a beautiful baby girl.

A musical called “13” about being thirteen starring thirteen thirteen-ish olds? It sounds like the corniest gimmick to come out in years, and it may be, but it’s also a sweet, fun evening of entertainment that has you rooting for the cast and characters in equal share. It may not be the best thing to hit the boards this season, but it’s certainly the most honest, family-friendly entertainment you will find anywhere near Times Square.

In fact, it’s somewhat hard to believe this show is on Broadway at all. With music and lyrics by Tony-award winning composer Jason Robert Brown, it has the credentials, but it feels like a much smaller endeavor. It’s a high-energy show, full of kids performing their hearts out – including the teenage onstage band; but sitting in the theater, it was hard to imagine that a few blocks away “Legally Blonde” had been bringing its audience to their feet with all of its slick “Omigod!”ness.

Standout performances among the cast of budding teenagers include Allie Trimm and Aaron Simon Gross, as the good guys/losers vying for the new-kid-in-town’s attention. Sure, the stereotype goes that the nice ones have more talent but not as much flash as the popular jock, but in this case the blonde hunk (Eric M. Nelsen) is one of the weaker links. His sidekicks, Al Calderon and Malik Hammond, however, have a great chemistry and are reliably funny and entertaining every time they have a moment.

It’s hard to imagine choosing to see this show without an adolescent in tow, but if you’ve got one, you’ll recognize the peer pressure, angst, and eagerness to do the right thing in “13.”

Image source: “13: the Musical” wallpaper

Earlier: Another high school musical, “13,” opens on Broadway
Celebrating the ‘theater that matters’ at IT Awards

October 22, 2008 10:18 AM in Broadway, Kids, Midtown

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