My overall impression
Allow me to begin by saying that, though I have been friends and colleagues with the creators of this production for years, and many of the young men and women (the entire cast are in their teens) in the show have been students of mine, I went into this show with a critical and objective eye and ear. The last thing I wanted to be was that friend saying, “omg you guys I loved it SOOOOOOO much” simply for the fact that they created, produced, and ran the show. I’ve been a critic for years, I’ve owned and operated review sources in the Pacific Northwest, and I don’t fluff peoples’ egos when it’s not deserved.
That being said, OMG you guys I loved it SOOOOOOO much! The story kicks off like a typical teen musical but takes an impressively and boldly dark turn almost immediately, ushering in issues that no one ever wants to talk about, but that desperately must be confronted in our culture today. And while the plot of Generation ME centers around some of the heaviest issues we, as a community and society, must face, the lighthearted, awkward, and unconfident bravado of genuine teenage highschool life tweets, texts, and sings throughout.
Given the nature of the piece, it is difficult to say who is a lead and who is supporting, but shout outs must be given to Kayla Wood (playing Kaylee Summers), Liam O’Donnell (Milo Reynolds), John Novotny (Cody Bennett), Kennedy Slocum (Addison DeVoe), Marcus Wells (Marvin Ellis), and Caroline Coyle (Ginny George). The gut-wrenching emotional depth and range of Wood, O’Donnell, and Novotny left very few eyes dry by the final curtain call. Slocum’s Queen-Bee-of-the-Mean-Girls prowess was captivating, especially paired with the slapstick physical comedy onslaught brought by Wells. And if one were looking for a pedal-to-the-metal teenage comedy barrage, one need look no further than Caroline Coyle, especially in the number “Sweet Sixteen” in Act 1.
Now, Fringe audiences be aware, this is not a one-act, nor is it short. It’s, in every sense, a full-blown musical; two acts and two hours and change, so make sure to hire the sitter to stay a little later than the nights you hit up the sketch shows. Allowing for time, the show flies by and will at the very least leave you thinking, more likely have you weeping (especially you parents in the house).
There are two more chances to see the show, and I’m sorry I’m only now finally writing this up, but I didn’t want to let Fringe end without having said, once more, for all the world to hear, “OMG you guys I loved it SOOOOOOO much!”
