Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – The highs and lows of NYMF 2018

• By drediman
• July 31, 2018
• No Comments

As this summer’s New York Musical Festival enters its fourth and final week, I thought it would be a good time to take stock of this year’s offerings. I didn’t get a chance to see everything (I wish I had been able to make it to Emojiland, which I heard fabulous things about), but I did catch four full musical productions, each vastly different from the others. Unfortunately, that diversity carried over to the quality of the works, as well. Here are my thoughts.

INTERSTATE

A scene from “Interstate”.

Book and Lyrics by Kit Yan & Melissa Li; Music by Melissa Li

There’s a revolution going on. On Broadway, we have RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist Peppermint making history as the first openly trans woman to originate a role on the Great White Way. Now there’s Mr. Yan and Ms. Lee’s Interstate, which tells the story of a fateful road trip embarked upon by an up-and-coming Asian pop music duo. The twist: one is a lesbian, the other a trans man. Although I applaud the show’s unabashed interest in exploring queer identity (and I’m also only too happy to support the work of Asian American artists), Interstate in its current state is, well, a bit too eager in its desire to be a “musical”. By sticking strictly to the stereotypical musical comedy mold – despite some admittedly powerful moments – Interstate ultimately registered as somewhat derivative. The material and its young performers could have used some of the authentic transgression its characters exuded.

PEDRO PAN

A scene from “Pedro Pan”.

Book by Rebecca Aparicio; Music & Lyrics by Stephen Anthony Elkins

Ms. Aparicio and Mr. Elkins’ Pedro Pan depicts one boy’s experience in the real life Cuban exodus known as Operación Pedro Pan, in which children were sent to the U.S. and separated from their family and friends to keep them safe from the violence of the Cuban Revolution. Currently, the one-act work seems more like an outline than a fully-fleshed out musical. The book could easily be expanded to fill two meaty acts (perhaps one act taking place in Cuba, and the other in the U.S.?).  Mr. Elkins’ latin-flavored score is perfectly pleasant, if a bit generic. The production was also notable in that it featured performances from the smooth Tony-winner Wilson Jermaine Heredia and the robustly-voiced Natalie Toro.

IF SAND WERE STONE

A scene from “If Sand Were Stone”.

Book & Lyrics by Carly Brooke Feinman; Music by Cassie Willson

For me, the surprise highlight of the festival was Ms. Feinman and Ms. Willson’s If Sand Were Stone. The new musical portrays one woman’s experience of going through early-onset Alzheimer’s and the effect it has on her family. Ms. Willson’s score is delicate and emotive. The composer has a distinct style and her songs struck a strong emotional chord in me. These are compositions that refreshingly aren’t afraid to break the mold of the typical musical theater song. That’s not to say that the production was flawless. The otherwise sensitive staging’s use of dancers was confounding and often times just plain distracting, as well as a tad pretentious. However, Canadian actress Trish Lindström was simply astonishing in the central role, giving a nuanced, painfully transparent, tough-as-nails performance that left me shaken and deeply moved.

’68

A scene from “’68”.

Book and Lyrics by Jamie Leo; Music by Paul Leschen

The last production I saw was ’68, a new musical that depicts the events leading up to the Chicago riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and its aftermath. I admired the musical’s ambition and attempt at layered storytelling that’s populated with a diverse set of characters across the socio-economic spectrum. The score by Mr. Leschen is appropriately eclectic and at times memorable. In its current form, the musical, which emulates the sweeping style of Ragtime, could benefit from a more distinct tone and a clearer book. Matters weren’t helped by the fact that talent in the cast was all over the place. Nevertheless, the show benefited from the presence of the truly marvelous Mary Callanan, who possesses pipes of gold and a glance that pierces the soul.