Obviously Michael

Very good show. Sharp. Fun, and imaginative. Dug all the performances.... full review

a good story for children, but there is still a lot of room for growth. that said, there are some real beautiful moments ... full review

This is not marketed as a children's show, but I assume it must be. It's the story of a first grader, his classmates, and his imaginary castle. It's cute enough, but there's certainly no reason to go unless you've got kids in tow. http://fringeblog.webs.com/... full review

Wonderful little play right near the heart of Hollywood! The audience is gently dumped into Michael's world, which brilliantly anthropomorphizes the difficult struggle of balancing harsh reality and illustrious imagination. All the performers are top form, easily snapping between their (eerily accurate) six year old characters and adult counterparts, and the coziness of The Elephant House brings the perfect atmosphere to let you in on the adventure with them. Echoing The Phantom Tollbooth's wish to live in "one city as easy to see as Illusions and as hard to forget as Reality," Obviously Michael will make you laugh and think and feel a little wistful for a childhood past.... full review

Obviously Michael is a wonderfully fun ride through childhood fears and anxieties, where imagination ultimately conquers all. Zach Brown is as silly on stage as he is in real life, so combine him with the rest of the ensemble and Laura Steinroeder's playful direction and you'll find flashes of your elementary school days replayed before your very eyes.... full review

A charming ensemble piece about the power of connection. I was surprised that with all the jokes about literal language and references to Michael's unclear perception of others' emotions, there was no mention of the autism spectrum. It may not have intentionally presented a child with Aspergers, but so many of Michael's quirks reminded me of the spectrum kids in my life. The cast's energy bubbled, and the script made me chuckle (and I'm not always a chuckler) but the overall arc - was it in complete flashback? - was a tad confusing, and ended a little abruptly. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with Obviously Michael. ... full review

The show was thoroughly charming. I was impressed with its ability to avoid being too cutesy or too light or too self-serious. It felt a little "workshoppy" but that is the nature of the piece. It was non-traditional in staging and story and the piece needs some creative exploration before it is complete. It didn't feel complete, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the show. Some of the cast members took a while to warm up to their roles, but by the end of the show they all shined. Highly recommended.... full review

Obviously Michael is inventive, fun, and heartwarming. All at once its whimsical, heartwarming story is silly, imaginative, and completely touching. Under the insightful direction of Laura Steinroeder, the energetic cast truly captures the immediacy and innocence of childhood, creating an engaging, nostalgic, totally family-friendly show. I wish I had kids, so I could bring them to see this; but even as a young adult I loved and appreciated every minute.... full review

One of the most magical moments I've ever had in a theater was seeing "Urinetown," when the father's spirit walked out on stage, stood on a box and other actors sprayed mist around him to show he was a speaking from the beyond. It served to be hilarious, touching and uniquely theatrical. "Obviously Michael" could get there with a lot of script development, and the team pushing their creativity to the max. There were a few imaginative moments that showed where this show could go. The script has some unique and real observations on life and how we label each other at the young age of six. They just need to push it and go for it. With lots of different worlds, levels of reality and dreams, I urge this new company to take a deeper look at ... full review

Not at all what I expected. The show is cute in a way that only shows about young kids can be. The cast make us believe they are all first graders with their attendant active imaginations. The story line is inventive and brought out ably, although stumbling at times. Overall, a good show.... full review