13 - Insulting and Amaturish.

[JohnMs2]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:02am

A theater goer going into "13" may think that "101 Productions LTD" wanted to try to ride on HSM's success and get their share of the money. Well, the result is not awful, its disgusting. An amaturish evening that is both offensive to gays, jews, and the handicap, and just purley bad.

When Kendra tells Lucy she doesn't think new boyfriend Brett is that hot, she replies "Yeah well, even my priest thinks he's hot". And when 12-yeard-old cripple boy talks about how Kesandra, a 12-year-old girl at school "needs a sex god", you know something is wrong.

Not only is the choreography amaturish at best, the direction is not even suitable for community theater.

With songs like "The Lamest Place in the World" and "A little more homework", 13 is embarrassly bad, even for your HSM fans.

Not a single scene made sense, the lead for some reason was almost not featured in the second act, and a 20-minute curtain call was extremely unnecessary.

But don't worry, your teens may also learn a thing or two from "13". For one, they'll learn that "when you hold your breath and concentrate, a little pee comes out". Also, that "boys r so stupid no wonder they're not girls".

Anyhow, I dont know what "13" is, but its not even theater trash. It's one big mess that even a 6-month preview period wont fix. I was embarrassed for everyone involved and hope the 13 producers dont get away with this scheme.

Forget IN MY LIFE, GOOD VIBRATIONS, or even Bobbi Boland, this sets a new standard to Bad.


* Forgot to mention the flying dancing pads at the Act I finale.

Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:02 AM

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:12am

Um... wow?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:17am

Thanks for editing that. It's only slightly less incomprehensible now.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:18am

Is it Glory Days bad or Cry-Baby bad?

[pli1018]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:19am

Cry-Baby was WAY better than this. But then again I loved Cry-Baby, so...

Let's just say I doubt it will close on opening night.

[xOnMyOwnX]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:20am

Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:20 AM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:21am

I agree with a lot of what you said.

It's a pretty terrible show. CRY-BABY was way better...didn't see GLORY DAYS but from what I heard, I'd say it's probably just as good if not a little better.

It won't close on opening night but it probably won't make it through the winter.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:21am

Double post.

My review ( and a bunch of others ) are here:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?page=4&thread=978125&boardid=1
Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:21 AM

[Broadway Baby 2]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:21am

I think it sounds as if we have a new standard of bad. lol This show is from the producers of Altar Boys and My First Time. I expected it to be bad. WOW

[JohnMs2]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:22am

Cry Baby was a masterpiece compared to this.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:23am

Wasn't Altar Boyz a hit?

I really can't wait to see its grosses. Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:23 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:27am

Would James Barbour like it?

[HometownGlory]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:28am

I've never seen a bomb on Broadway before, and it's always been a goal. I think I may need to get to the Jacobs ASAP.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:28am

Are you kidding me? Are you stupid? This isn't meant to be "Oklahoma" or "Gypsy". "13" is meant to be a fun show about what teens go through, completely performed by teens. Unless you skipped those years of your life, you would understand the show. Will it be a hit? No, probably not. But it will be around for at least some time, because it is a fun, lively show. And amateurish? Please, those kids had more talent in their pinky then you have in your entire body. Lemme see you tap like that. Or belt out songs like those brilliant girls.

And for the record, I've seen and loved SITPWG and Gypsy as well, so I'm not just some fangirl theatre-goer.

Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:28 AM

[philly03]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:02am

I also found it to be insulting! And slightly confusing/didn't care too much about the story.

I don't really see how long it will run either. As much as I like JRB, this isn't his best. The crowd tonight also wasn't the most enjoyable!

But seriously, it's to me like a Carrie-type flop. It's pretty bad, there's lot of random dancing that I think was stolen off of 'Legally Blonde: The Musical,' but there are a few gems of songs in there. (it clearly isn't going to be a mega-flop) The cast overall is pretty good, especially the girl playing the leading female role. I didn't care for most of the roles though!

It's pretty bizarre that I should believe this is what TWELVE / thirteen yearolds are actually like nowadays.
Updated On: 9/14/08 at 01:02 AM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:20am

I don't like what I've heard of the show, but you do realize that JRB is Jewish, right?

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:29am

...you do realize that JRB is Jewish, right?

"A self-hating Jew! You ARE becoming a stereotype!"
-South Park

(ducks from rain of stones)

Honestly, this didn't sound that great even from the beginning. There's nothing wrong with telling a story about teenagers, but why does one have to resort to the most tired cliches, recycled by those who don't know enough about teenagers to be original?

There's nothing wrong with a show being "just a lot of fun", but fun can be sophisticated, too.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:42am

I actually really enjoyed this, and well, I think it stayed very true to life, which I could see people mis construed as bad theatre but I found it very easy to relate to and I know a lot of people in the theatre did as well. There were two people trashing it as I was walking out, maybe one was you. But, I know as a fact from people being in the giant mosh pit like stage door crowd that a lot of people loved this show, many of them were screaming it right by me.

Another thing, you never mentioned the performers, Graham Phillips was absolutely amazing, and he was in act two, the act wasn't that long to begin with, he was in 3 of the 6 songs, the first two he wasn't in, but then again, in Wicked Elphaba isn't in the first two act two songs, and Graham was seen in the 3rd song and led the 3 of the 6 songs in act two.

Eric Nelsen played his character extremely well and made it believable, although I hated his character, he played it amazingly.
Aaron Gross as Archie was phenomenal and really made me and the people around me feel for his character.
Delaney Moro(Kendra), Elizabeth Gillies(Lucy), and Allie Trim(Patrice) along with the whole rest of this cast really were amazing. While I do agree the curtain call was longer than needed, it was there first dress, let them enjoy.

This show really captured teenagers perfectly, some people may not like the book, but thats what teenagers say nowadays and I think it's great that there is finally a show so true to life.

Now I'm not gonna make this about me but I found the show very easy to relate to and at one point got very choked up thinking that I'm not the only one going threw things that when on in the show, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that.

Sorry, I realized I'm repeating myself, but I just really loved this and I'm annoyed that other people didn't, while I can't change there opinion I would just like to get mine out so there are few good ones about the show.

Also, I thought the scenes flowed pretty well, honestly I can't see how they were unclear, they pretty much followed a boy (Evan) threw school and his social life and what happened, and they did that very realistically.

This show actually became my favorite show because of how much it reminded me of myself. Maybe the people downing this show just didn't pay close enough attention to see how real it was. But I loved it and recommend it to everyone.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 2:00am

Please, those kids had more talent in their pinky then you have in your entire body.

Well, somebody has read reviews of Glory Days.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 2:19am

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 02:19 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 3:54am

When Kendra tells Lucy she doesn't think new boyfriend Brett is that hot, she replies "Yeah well, even my priest thinks he's hot".

Is that really a line? That's awful.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 9:44am

Methinks I must get me to the Jacobs ASAP if it's this bad!!

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 9:48am

It isn't bad though! It's a great show, true to the lives of teens!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 9:54am

I totally disagree.

It's very untrue to the lives of teens. Where were the mentions of puberty? Saying once that he had "hair growing in places he didn't know were places" and the incredibly awkward mentions of sex? Puberty is a huge part of being thirteen.

And what about school? There were no references to school unless it was a setting for the ridiculous plot to move forward.

They just put a lot of hot-topic issues like divorce, terminal illness, and teenage angst together and didn't even expand on THOSE issues.

I don't see how it was true to the lives of teens...things like that would never happen unless it was an episode of HANNAH MONTANA or something.

It had a good idea in that it would chronicle the lives of teenagers going through dramatic life changes but that's the highest praise I can give it. I did not think it was true to the lives of teens at all.

I thought it was trying to hard to be hip and young and it was just a mess.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/14/08 at 9:56am

Can you please explain what the "flying, dancing pads" are like in the first act finale? This sounds like a moment of unintentional high camp!!