What I liked
The story and the staging are great! The set made of school desks, flats and an air mattress made it feel a lot more grounded than your typical fringe black box play.
And the cast! Those kids (who I would guess were all under 12) put their whole hearts into it. Especially the main character, who prays to bring her C- to a B+. Her spunkiness, sassy line delivers and crystal clear high notes were magical. I had a feeling I was watching a future movie star. The others are wonderful too! Each dance, dialogue and song felt earnest and charming. Special shoutout to the teachers pet, Jason, who had awesome comic timing as the obnoxious star student.
Todd’s writing (he also directed and acted as the overbearing teacher) gave the play a bouncy tone and a handful of moments that made me smile or say “aww.” It manages to be a fun parody using disney and pop melodies, while also saying something authentic and personal about the expectations we put on kids.
It was also an all asian cast, and offered an insiders look into stresses unique to that community. The cultural specificity and grounding added another great layer to an already rich production.
Going in I had no idea what to expect. I didnt realize it was a show about and for child audiences. And I guess it isn’t, not exclusively.. A big part of the musical theater tradition is dedicated to stories about childhood (annie, oliver) and this is fun to watch in the same way those are. Bring the kids or not. It’s a great show.
What I didn't like
n/a
My overall impression
I was charmed! A wonderful cast of young actors reflect on academic expectations with humor and heart in this sweet, sassy musical parody. If you like kids musicals like Annie, Matilda or Oliver, you’ll love this.
