What I liked
I have to commend Rebecca Lynne right off the bat for her phenomenal direction. I was not familiar with her work prior to this production, but I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for her work in the future. The choices that she made were so smart, and really felt like she was bringing a comic to life, particularly when it came to a big fight scene at the end, which I won’t spoil, but it’s a ton of fun.
The projections were awesome. I love the opening credits, the little interludes, and the post credit bits. They just further helped establish the zany world that John Patrick Daly and Rebecca Lynne have put together.
The ensemble work was so good. I’m always a sucker for a stand out ensemble, and Jessica Carlson and Jack De Sanz tackled each of their characters with comedy gold. Sanz’s Mayor was by far my favorite part of the show. He had me laughing my ass off. I may be wrong, but his accent sounded exactly like Strongbad from the Homestar Runner days and I loved it so much. Jessica Carlson’s Candice was similarly wonderful, and she had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. These people two actors did so much heavy lifting in terms of having to create so many distinct characters and they do it with absolute ease.
Isaac Deakyne perfectly embodied the corporate asshole CEO and his monologue at the tech show was extremely memorable. Malinda Money- who is in essence the true hero of the story- brought a very poised and grounded presence to the piece. She was the moral center and heart, and her talent shines brightly here.
Lastly, I have to mention the great work of John Patrick Daly. Writing a play- especially one as ambitious as this- is no easy task. Having to then act in that piece is even harder. With How I Became A Superhero, John handles both with so much skill that he makes it seem as if it WAS easy. He has an extremely natural stage presence, is a very gifted comedian, and works very well as the fledgling hero taking himself way too serious. I really liked his performance, and I can see him going very far with his gifts.
Special mention to the fight choreography and designer of the giant costume at the end. Very very well done.
The narrative and message were on point, especially in today’s world. It’s a unique perspective that isn’t usually shown in superhero movies.
What I didn't like
While I loved the idea of a post credit scene, I felt that it ran just a tad bit too long. Similarly, the opening scene with the bidding didn’t draw me in as much as the rest of the story, but I feel the same way about many Superhero movies in terms of their setups. Once the action kicks in, I was fully engrossed. This is a piece that could definitely be expanded. Because of this, a lot was done in a very short amount of time which naturally detracts from the amount of emotion we can invest in all of these people. I’d love to see this expanded into a two act with Money’s role beefed up even more. Overall, it was a great piece, ambitious, and well executed.
My overall impression
How I Became A Superhero is a cleverly written, well executed, and highly energetic new play that is definitely worthy of your time. Translating the fun of a comic book into the stage is no easy task- but this team handles it with a whole lot of talent and creativity.
