Jason Robert Brown and 13! Another success!

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 2:17am

Hey BWW!

I just got back from seeing the first preview of the musical 13 by Jason Robert Brown. And let me tell you how pumped up am I after seeing this show.

For those of you who are dubious of the show and the fact that a 36 year old man is writing music that is supposed to be coming from that of a 13 year old, you shouldn't be worried. Jason has yet again proved that no matter what, he has got what it takes. You don't need to be worried about him writing a show about being 13...not in the slightest.

Let me start with the set. It's at the Taper so it was like a half theater in the round kinda experience. I was sitting row K seat 56. It was an amazing seat (but lets face it, they all are- seating I believe only 750 people) The set was a very simplistic one. Exactly what it needed to be. It has swiveling doors to open and expose different scenes such as the lunch tables, or bedrooms of the kids, and the football field. Then on the second level there were moving doors that would open and close to reveal the all teenage band (which brought the house down), and it would also be used as projection screens for when the kids went to "the movies"

Now onto the score. It was extremley well written. I went in there, not really knowing what to expect, and came out thinking that it was EXACTLY what it should have been. The music didn't patronize, or characterize the lives of these kids. Instead it shed a heartfelt, truthful, funning, touching look at who these people really are. What they feel, how they fit in, how they see the world, and where they are coming from. The lyrics (taken out of context can be mistaken as corny and silly) but in the show they make perfect sense. There are some real home-runs, especially the song that the character of Patrice sings. It's a song about a friend leaving you, and having to deal with moving on and dealing with those emotions. Plus, it was sung out of the ballpark by the girl who played her! (Talk about amazing talent!)Without going into too much detail, this score is amazing. Some really great work out of Jason, and every song was exactly what it needed to be.

Lastly the cast could not have been better. Every kid was a star in their own right when they stepped out onto that stage. From the first time (when they are in shadows singing about being invited to the party) to the last time when they take their dancing curtain call. The engery was high and fierce, and the voices on these kids were amazing...and dont even get me starte don how well they dance! (Look out for the AWESOME choreography). The true standouts of the cast however were the boy playing Evan (Ricky Ashley) and the girl playing Patrice (Sarah Neimeitz). These two give performances that would surprise you in so many ways. Both of them being only the age of 14, you'd think they would be lost in such a HUGE undertaking. But NO, they take these roles, make them their own, and crank out performances that would make Broadway's top performers take notice. These kids are going to make it far. Also a side note (look for Ryan Ogburn in the show- I know him and he is totally adorable on stage)

Yes there are a lot of details I am leaving out, but its because I want you to go see this show! Its well worth the ticket price!

There's no telling how successful this show will be, but if tonights performance were any indication, then you are in for a real treat! (the only real problem the show had was a few sounds cues gone wrong- nothing that won't be fixed after tonight.)

The highlight of the night, however, was getting to meet Jason Robert Brown himself!!! He sat in the back of the theater taking notes, and after the show I went up to him. He was the nicest guy, and was so willing to talk and sign my program!

So thank you Jason!
Thanks for another great show!

(Another cool highlight I should mention is that the kids play in the audience a lot. It was a great way to get everyone in the theater even more involved. It also provided for some of the funniest moments!)

Updated On: 12/23/06 at 02:17 AM

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 2:20am

haha im glad you enjoyed it! I just posted mine!

[FosterChild]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 2:57am

Sara Niemietz was the little girl in Hollywood Arms. She was great then--I'm not surprised she's grown into a nice little talent!

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 3:17am

I'm so glad that I don't have to feel quite so guilty now for loving the **** out of every minute of that show. Honestly? The most enjoyable thing I've seen all week, and that sounds like faint praise until you realize that I saw 11 musicals off broadway and on in the past 7 days. :)

I'm so going again.
And taking my pom-pom!!!

I hope Sara Niemietz settles into the line deliveries, because her voice is FANTASTIC and she could be really great in this show.

[samcd3]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 4:05am

When is the album coming out, the Australian MT community is absoloutely JRB crazy

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 5:27am

Ricky Ashley isn't 14.
a little fyi.
:)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 11:18am

Is there a CD in the works?

I have 3 friends who are ensemble/swing.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 12:33pm

I somehow doubt it yet - JRB's following isn't quite big enough to get an automatic cast recording. Hopefully it will explode like High School Musical (without the vitriol) and we'll get one. And hoepfully it will be while this cast is still young enough to pull it off.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 12:39pm

It's at the Taper so it was like a half theater in the round kinda experience.

Do you perhaps mean a 3/4 thrust?
And you can be sure there will be a recording.Thanks for the review.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 12/23/06 at 11:14pm

bump

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 12:11am

The lack of interest in this show makes me cry. I just bought tickets for New Year's Eve & Jan 3rd. And I'll probably try to crash opening.

I'm a geek. Can I be written into the song?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 12:19am

How long does it run out there?
Could it transfer this season to Broadway.
JRB is the real deal.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 12:23am

Is the song about BFFs still in there?

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 2:43am

It plays until February 18th. I'm pretty doubtful of a Broadway transfer - I guess it depends on the buzz and reviews. They've only had one preview and there isn't another until the 27th.

Although I'll say now that if it were called "Disney's 13" it would run for years and years. The problem would be marketing, and it could totally backfire, especially after the success of High School Musical.

Here's the song list:
- Thirteen!
- All the Cool Kids
- Get Me What I Need
- What It Means to Be a Friend
- Getting Ready
- The Bloodmaster
- Being a Geek
- Angry Boy
- Tell Her
- It Can't Be True
- Getting Over It
- My Name is Archie
- Brand New You

By the way, David Gallo did the set. I am so in love with that man and his crazy beard!

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 5:16am

Yes! David is fantastic, the set was so unimaginably perfect!

One of my favorite moments was the movie screen with the actors during "The Bloodmaster!"

i will never get over those lyrics..."munch that leg, munch that leg!"

I'll be there on opening too. And if I don't get one of the free tickets, I am still gonna wait around, because there will be a TON of important people there I'd like to meet.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 11:07am

The Bloodmaster sequence was fantastic. I saw that song title in the program and was all "WTF???" It's that kind of randomness, I think, that makes this show better than all the other ones aimed at kids. Which are generally pretty bland.

[defygravity2]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 1:31pm

No lack of interest in this show here! I'll be there in January with 4 others in tow. I have high expectations of JRB and this show. I hope there is merchandise to buy in mid January.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 3:14pm

Unless it gets to Broadway, I doubt there will be mechandise.
Still, one can hope!

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 4:18pm

No there will be no merchandise for the show. You will however get the complimentary program that the centre theater group always gives all its patrons. Which is nice. It has a HUGE 13 on the cover.

People are really going to enjoy this one, its pretty hard not to, with kids so talented.

And I have heard through the grapevine that there might be a transfer to New York, but it could be wrong. I doubt that it wil transfer to broadway (unless they get a very small intimate theater- which is what the show requires), but I do believe it will make it to New York.

I just feel pretty lucky to have seen an actual ORIGINAL CAST JRB show in Los Angeles!!

[Lindsay2]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 5:09pm

I can't agree more, being a teenager I wasn't really around for any of the openings of any of his shows, plus to the downside that I do live in Florida. So I CANT WAIT to see a original casted JRB show. But, my boyfriend is in the show...I know a 2600 mile away distance haha but i'm SO excited to see it on opening night.
YAY!
He has probably ruined so much of the show for me, but I am still so excited to see it.
And the reviews are great, even though he's brutally honest with me on everything it is nice to know everyone's opinions.
:)

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 5:14pm

I'll be there opening night too!

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/24/06 at 9:48pm

I was just sent the montage sampler of songs and found it absolutely terrible and almost unlistenable.

I haven't seen High School Musical, but this is what I imagined it would sound like...

Maybe in the scheme of the show the songs work better, but I almost closed to window 35 seconds into the cliche lyrics of "Being a Geek."

Its like they took the entire Brat Packs/Mean Girls movies and put it to music... and not in a good way.

I found it hard to believe this was JRB.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/25/06 at 1:01am

I hated both of the songs I heard ("What it means to be a friend" and "Geek") before seeing the show, but somehow it was so earnest that I couldn't help loving it. And I love those songs now, too.

It's obviously nothing like any other of Jason Robert Brown's scores, but if it were it would be a completely different show.

And you give too much credit to High School Musical.

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 12/25/06 at 1:25am

I can only say I'm excited from JRB playing "Being a Geek" at his concert here in Toronto last October. Best line ever:

EVAN: You'd never understand, Rabi [about being a geek].
RABI: I dunno, Evan. I'm a Rabi in Indiana.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 12/25/06 at 1:33am

Sadly, that line for me was a lot funnier when it had Jason Robert Brown saying "and then the Rabbi says..."
Weirdly the relay of the joke is funnier than the joke itself. :)