13 the Musical, reviews, comments, concerns

[loridunn]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 4:32am

13 is composer Jason Robert Brown's newest musical. It is playing in LA at the Mark Taper Forum. I enjoy his work. I really get hooked to most of it and have the cast recording on repeat, but this one will not even be near my "To Buy" list. Yet if you are 13 or under or 50 and older you will possibly have a great time. Everyone in the theatre in those age brackets were living it up, so maybe you would too.

The show is simple enough. Jewish boy moves from NY to Indiana? because of his
parents divorce. Boy is lonely wants to be popular, but has unpopular and handicapped friends. There were 13 kids playing the roles and a band of kids with the only adult being the conductor. The set was extremely useful and easily transformed into every scene imaginable for these middle school students. Costumes were fine, Nothing too impressive but the show is about modern day kids, so they were good. LIghting was great and with the many ventures, of the cast, into the audience they were able to keep up and make it flow naturally.

The main problem of the show was is redundancy. Not only were the songs similar but the overall style just felt played out. The combination of the touring RENT cast, High School Musical, and Fame would be the perfect description of this show. It was very dramatic, just as 13 year-olds are, but I found myself laughing at more than with the actors. The songs were so forgettable and tried to achieve the rock style of RENT. However a cute little blonde rocking out just didn't do it for me. The story was overplayed and typically unrealistic. If you want to know spoilers, just message me.

The point is that the show was the same as every other teenage musical. Even down to the schools mascot, Wildcats (just like High School Musical), I was bored. I found some similarities in this music and some of his other work but primarily just bland story with bland music. The one positive: my bestfriend was hating how much the 50+ patrons were LOVING IT!

Lori

Updated On: 1/11/07 at 04:32 AM

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 9:04am

I have heard both the medley and "What It Means TO Be A Friend" and I think you need to add another group to wh owould like it-teachers. Every teacher that I have played either of those songs for (even ones that do not like musical theater) have loved them and wanted to know how they could see the show. And they hoped it could get to the East Coast so they could go see it.

Anyone else see it yet?

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 12:27pm

I'm not sure I understand your comparisons - sure, some of the ballads have the same feeling (partly, I think, because of the "being a man" theme song that goes through most of Evan's), but I didn't get RENT or Fame from it at all. "Brand New You" is a little High School Musical, but mostly I think 13 has a great sense that it's actually a musical, rather than a bunch of pop songs strung together by a weak plot.

And I think that though the story is rather cliche, but since it's told in such an entertaining way (through things like "Bloodmaster" and "It Can't be True") that I could honestly care less.

I'm kind of beating a dead horse just saying that I love the show, but I really do.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 12:46pm

"too bad it's not appealing to a larger demographic..."

It's about teenagers. Adults don't and won't care.

The LA Times called it a highly polished grade school production. That sounds about right.

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 7:14pm

this is lindsay...not ricky ashley.

i disagree on your comment saying that its just for teenagers. i've seen it 9 times and since the age of the mark taper subscribers are 50 and over..I watched and sat next to adults who LOVED it. Everytime I saw it there wasnt a quiet audience that didn't enjoy it.
And the High School Musical comparison..It's much better than High School Musical..

[SimpleJoysHaveSimpleVoice]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:11pm

Question...how appropriate is the show for pre-teens? Is there foul language? Mature content? Or is it a pure teen show, like High School Musical?

Thanks.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:24pm

They say crap and bitch a couple of times and have some vague references to smoking and the various "bases". But it's definitely appropriate for pre-teens. Unless you're amish. :)

[SimpleJoysHaveSimpleVoice]

Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:55pm

Darn Marshmellow!!! How did you know I was Amish?

[loridunn]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 12:05pm

Yes pre-teens would love it. They'd definately be with the greater part of teh audience enjoying it. But I still stick with what I said. It's very redundant. It's like how a lot of jukebox musicals got popular. Some of them have good catches but they're all very similar. Yes JRB has some good songs and I enjoyed a few but overall it was just the same 'ol thing. All of the adults around me enjoyed it as well, like I said, but that didn't mean that my age demographic did. When I looked around the theatre only teenagers and adults enjoyed it. I recommended it to my mother who is a middle school counselor and she is bringing some co-workers. Yes people will like it, but HSM, FAME, and Footloose all have fans as well. It's a fine show, just not my cup of tea.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 12:38pm

Out of curiousity, what is your age demographic?

[loridunn]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 2:16pm

20's. Most 20-30's patrons didn't seem enjoy it as much as the older and younger audience members did. My assumptions of my age range are simply from looking around the theatre and seeing the xpressions on others faces. The elder audience members seemed to light up with excitement just as the younger ones did. I must say that when the lead actor went into the audience to interact with them the man he layed down on just about lost it. He obviously was having on of the best times he'd ever had. Just not for me.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/12/07 at 5:17pm

I'm twenty, so at the very bottom end of that bracket. Then again, I also watch and love Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and Avatar, so I'm not sure if I'm a great person to represent the age group.
(In my defense, they're awesome shows.)

[loridunn]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 2:13am

That's not to say that everybody in that range agrees with what I said. It just seemed like the common feeling from what I saw. Who knows, I could be wrong. It just really seemed like everyone other than that age enjoyed it much more than we did. I like those tv shows too, just not to terribly impressed by 13.

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 1/14/07 at 12:30pm

(It's Lindsay)
Thank you for the honesty on the subject in a way that is not rude haha.
Must of been the one night that I wasn't there (of 9) that everyone wasn't loving it. But, each night of course does bring a different crowd to the show as no two people are exactly alike.
When I went to the opening matinee performance the whole entire audience were clapping and screaming before the kids had finished the individual numbers. That is always fun to watch.
I can't believe I watched it so many times and wont have a chance to see it again. Haha. I spent 2 weeks with that cast.
But whats good about the criticism is that most people are recognizing the insane amount of work that each cast member has put into the show in order to make it as best as they can. Watching them try and work their hardest in their 4-5 hours worth of rehearsal and then having the show at night during previews was pretty awesome.

[TimeSuckage]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:35am

I saw it tonight and thought it was adorable. It reminded me of "Rent" not so much in terms of style or material but that the energy on stage, and some of the performances, were just wonderful and rose above the material. I'm not sure who the target audience is but the mixed crowd (tweens through seniors) I saw it with loved it, altho I don't know if people are really appreciating the show or appreciating the fact that there's a lot of talented young performers/musicians on that stage who deserve their props. I think Jason Robert Brown is gifted but he really needs to write about something not personal next time. He's becoming the Woody Allen of musicals - mining his personal angst for his art and it weirds me out. I don't see "13" having the mainstream appeal of "High School Musical" or being able to sustain an open ended run (it's a casting nightmare - you'd have to replace actors every six months, at least).That said, I had a good time and it's better than a lot of other live theater I've seen.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:43am

He's becoming the Woody Allen of musicals - mining his personal angst for his art and it weirds me out.

Hilarious!

Since I'm a dork and had a six hour car ride today, I started to storyboard my imaginary film of the show, and came to the conclusion that it's completely impossible. I think the appeal would be there for the show if it could reach a large audience somehow, I just don't see the people who love High School Musical trekking out to the theater.

The problem with a Broadway run wouldn't necessarily be casting (as I'd say that up to 15 would be fine if the kids can handle it for that long), but more the expense. Shows with children are hell to run, meaning it would have to sell a good proportion of one of the larger theaters every night just to meet the weekly running costs. Since 13 isn't even selling out the Taper (or hasn't when I've been), I'm not holding my breath.
But I have high hopes!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 2:36am

Here's a letter to the Editor that was printed in the LA Times yesterday:

RAILROADED INTO A KIDDIE SHOW

Thanks for your review of "Thirteen". My husband and I felt out of place with the audience who seemed to thrive. Surely those people who relished a teenager lolling about them were planted? I realized later how much of the audience must have been relatives and friends of those lively young things. One of our older friends, though, really loved it and kept saying it would get to Broadway. Heavens! I was annoyed we got hoodwinked into a kiddie show when I assumed my Taper series was for a little adult fare.

W. Bayer
Claremont.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 4:04am

I'm not that familiar with grand rights for a show, but can they establish a grand right for a new show even if it's not been performed on Broadway? I assume so, as long as it meets the length of the run? Then 13 will be performed at a community theatre/high schools etc. all over the country.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 10:34am

I resent only one sentence in that letter:

Surely those people who relished a teenager lolling about them were planted?

Just because he/she didn't enjoy it. How incredibly rude.

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 11:48am

How old do you think someone is when they exclaim, "Heavens"?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 11:50am

"He's becoming the Woody Allen of musicals - mining his personal angst for his art and it weirds me out. "

I'm just waiting for another Parade, myself. JRB is my favorite composer, but I have to admit that I am not liking his new stuff all that much. The "13 Medley" either contained bad songs, or did not display the best moments in them. I do like "What It Means to Be a Friend" but it's hardly my favorite JRB song, ever.

I don't think I'd like the show namely because I do NOT want to relive those years, myself.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 11:52am

She was speaking for a LOT of folks who disliked the show. I have a friend who works for the Taper and says that the season subscribers have been very vocal in their dislike of the show.

They feel it would be better off performed in a cafetorium...

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:24pm

although you may discuss that the subscribers are not enjoying it, i know for one that a lot of them are.
i have either
a. spoken to them personally
or
b. spoken to the people behind the scenes of the theater.
yes, people are entitled to not liking it, but don't knock it down for the people who do.
(this is lindsay)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 1:44pm

Facts are facts.

I'm glad you like it though. Good for you.

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 8:59pm

still not the only one that enjoys it.
(lindsay..since ricky is MIA)
:)