‘BE MORE CHILL’: The cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

BE MORE CHILL
Music & lyrics by Joe Iconis
Book by Joe Tracz
Based on the novel by Ned Vizzini
Directed by Stephen Brackett
Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th Street
866-302-0995
http://bemorechillmusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

The backstory of Be More Chill is perhaps more interesting than the musical itself. When the show originated at a small New Jersey theater in 2015, it reportedly became a digital phenomenon when its pop score went viral online on various social media platforms. After an Off-Broadway run last summer at the Signature Theater, the show has for some inexplicable reason opened on Broadway, targeted at the under-30 set (the younger siblings of millennials sometimes called Generation Z). Everything about this production is derivative of earlier musicals and movies that mastered the topic of tension between high school nerds and popular kids so much better (from Dear Evan Hansen to Mean Girls and Heathers).

Science fiction is the uninspired twist that sets Be More Chill apart from other teen angst musicals. Socially awkward teens Jeremy (Will Roland) and Michael (George Salazar) will do anything to shake off their geeky reputations. High school junior Jeremy is hot for Christine (Stephanie Hsu) and is eager to find new ways to impress her. Jeremy doesn’t have a great life at home, either. He lives with his divorced father (Jason Sweettooth Williams), a man who works from home and never wears pants.

Bully Rich (Gerard Canonico) introduces Jeremy to a computer-in-a-pill known as a SQUIP (an acronym for “super quantum unit intel processor”). Whenever one takes the pill, a computer implants itself in one’s brain and instructs the user in what to say and do in order to be cool. After meeting a “dealer” at a nearby Payless ShoeSource (don’t ask), Jeremy is persuaded to take the SQUIP. When he swallows the pill, the SQUIP manifests itself as a character modeled after Keanu Reeves (Jason Tam), clad in a sci-fi costume resembling a sad Vivienne Westwood knockoff. The SQUIP harshly critiques Jeremy’s personality, wardrobe and behavior and cooks up ways he can finally become popular among his classmates.

The narrative often seems like an excuse to pad out the story with numerous shrill technopop songs, from “More Than Survive” and “Do You Wanna Ride?” to “Halloween,” “Michael in the Bathroom” and “The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set a Fire)”. “The Smartphone Hour” is supposedly a tribute to “The Telephone Hour” from Bye Bye Birdie but fails miserably as a modern ode to that classic. Chase Brock’s choreography is unremarkable. One of the sillier subplots is the school play Christine and the other kids are working on, a zombie-apocalypse rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by the high school drama teacher Mr. Reyes (Mr. Sweettooth Williams again, playing one of several roles). The show’s sense of humor primarily mocks 1990s pop culture with references to Crystal Pepsi and “Red” Mountain Dew, Eminem and video games.

The performances from the cast are mostly forgettable except for Tiffany Mann, the gossipy teen with a powerful voice. Ms. Mann does her best to add some dimension to her role, but the rest of cast cannot rise above the paper-thin material and stereotyped characters. Unlike other teen musicals, there is ultimately nothing redeeming whatsoever about the characters here, so it’s impossible to root for any of these kids. Just like Mr. Reyes’ dreadful play within the play, Be More Chill is an unsatisfying evening of theater and reeks of amateur writing. Despite the colorful, clever sets by Beowulff Borritt and all the energy emanating at the Lyceum, watching the show is akin to being on a bad acid trip—awkward, painful, jarring and unsatisfying.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 13, 2019
Reviewed at March 12, 2019 performance.

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Will Roland & cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Tiffany Mann & the cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: The cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: (left to right) Katlyn Carlson, Tiffany Mann & Lauren Marcus. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Jason Tam & cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Stephanie Hsu & cast. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: (left to right) Jason Tam, Will Roland & Lauren Marcus. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Stephanie Hsu & Will Roland. Photo: Maria Baranova

‘BE MORE CHILL’: Will Roland & George Alazar. Photo: Maria Baranova

The post ‘Be More Chill’ a pill of a show appeared first on StageZine.

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Ben Platt. Photo: Matthew Murphy

DEAR EVAN HANSEN
Book by Steven Levenson
Music & lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Directed by Michael Greif
Music Box Theatre
239 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.dearevanhansen.com

By David NouNou

Dear Evan Hansen is an original musical that is epic in its universality and its theme is timeless. It is a phenomenon for every parent that has a troubled child, who may be misunderstood, lonely, despondent, troubled, bullied, or even suicidal; it is a musical of our time and for generations to come.

The story centers on an anxiety-ridden teenager, Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) who has to write himself letters of affirmation to build up his confidence and be able to socialize better with fellow students. On the first day of school, his letter is confiscated and read by the bullish outsider, Connor Murphy (Mike Faist). In the letter, Evan expresses his feelings about Zoe Murphy (Laura Dreyfuss) who happens to be Connor’s sister. At the end of the letter, he signs it “me.” Three days pass, and it is revealed that Connor committed suicide and the only thing on him was the letter he confiscated from Evan. Connor’s parents, Larry and Cynthia Murphy (Michael Park and Jennifer Laura Thompson), think it is a letter to a friend and they get in touch with Evan.

At first, Evan is at a total loss of what to say and do because there was never a friendship between him and Connor; but he sees how desperate the parents are and how much they want to know things about their son. With the aid of his cousin, Jared (Will Roland), Evan and Jared start fabricating backdated emails to give the parents some closure. Thus begins the tangled web that Evan has created for himself. At first he enjoys the fact that he is being noticed, that Larry and Cynthia become almost like surrogate parents, and Zoe starts to fall for him. In comes Alana Beck (Kristolyn Lloyd,) who was in a couple of classes with Connor, but never knew him, gets caught up in the hoopla, and wants to preserve Connor’s memory by starting the Connor Project and a website. Evan has to give a speech in school, and also does an online post about Connor. Naturally it becomes a media sensation and goes viral.

Meanwhile Evan’s mother, Heidi Hansen (Rachel Bay Jones), has no clue as what is going on and what her son is doing. Her husband left her and Evan 10 years earlier and she had to raise him alone. She is a nurse by day and taking paralegal courses at night, leaving her little time for Evan. She does her best to help but knows little what is happening with Evan, until she is invited to the Connors for dinner and then finds out through the Internet about The Connor Project and how Evan is co-president.

The web is so tangled and troubling to Evan that he is suffocating and losing himself in his predicament. He has to find his way out. I normally don’t like to give so much of the story, but must in order for the reader to understand the complexity of this piece. I also don’t want the reader to think that the piece is a depressing downer, morose or maudlin; on the contrary, it has a message of hope.

Michael Greif has taken this complicated tale and directed it with the lightest of touches. He knows it’s a heady topic and he treats all the action and movements with the utmost respect. The book by Steven Levenson is brilliant; he combines teenage angst and pains with today’s social media and all its trappings. The score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul is a marvel. They did an incredible whimsical score for the Christmas classic A Christmas Story but here the score reaches exultant heights that are haunting and riveting.

The entire cast is outstanding but the star of the show, Ben Platt, is a revelation. He has the acting chops, the singing voice, the looks, the charm, and the personality to make the star of tomorrow. His Evan Hansen is a performance for the ages.

Guess what, folks? Get your tickets while you still can, because come Tony time I see at least six major awards going to this masterpiece.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published December 9, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on December 8, 2016

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Mike Faist & Ben Platt. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Ben Platt & Rachel Bay Jones. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Ben Platt & Laura Dreyfuss. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: Ben Platt, Jennifer Laura Thompson & Michael Park. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

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