Last night I went to the first preview for the new musical 13, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, of whom we all know I am a huge fan. The general excitement of being at the first Broadway performance of a show aside, I was particularly excited about seeing this, pretty much just because of the JRB connection. And it definitely did not disappoint. (Disclaimer: I'm no theater critic - I pretty much like everything I go see, so don't take my word as any legitimate review. I'm easy to please, as long as they sing well and make me laugh or cry.)
The kids were amazing singers - I was especially impressed with the girl who played Lucy, whose parents I happened to be sitting next to. While some of the actors sounded like they were 13 (good for 13, but still young voices), hers was much more mature. Plus she was the sassy, bitchy character, the kind you love to hate. She was definitely a scene-stealer, in the best possible way. I also loved the group of boys who followed the tween-heartthrob Brett around. They sang a campy little song called "Bad, Bad News" and the audience, myself included, just ate it up.
The dancing was just a bit U-Sing for my taste, but then again, I'm always there for the voices more than the moves. I was amused by the "playing your leg as a guitar" move that seemed to be ubiquitous in U-Sing/Scandals last year. (And I have a feeling these songs will make their way into future shows as soon as the sheet music becomes available.)
I recommend that you check it out if you're in NYC. And if you're not, I recommend that you come visit me and we can go see it again once it officially opens and they've worked out all the little kinks. For now, here's a link to their music video from the website www.13themusical.com:
P.S. The title of this post is in reference to a line from the show that cracked me up. Patrice enters, telling Archie she came after she got his text, but is confused about what "CQDBTIOE" means. He, in exasperation, explains that it's obviously: "Come Quick, Danger Beckons, Time Is Our Enemy." LAWL.
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