My thoughts on THE STORY OF MY LIFE (spoiler alert)

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 5:17pm

Not gonna lie, I found myself getting misty a few times.

Still, there was something somewhat unsatisfying about this incredibly depressing little musical about a friendship through the years. I can't put my finger on what it was. Perhaps a lack of catharsis. Perhaps too much, yet too little exposition and reasoning.

It was pleasant and watchable; at 90 minutes the perfect length, but I left asking the question "why would people want to see this?" It doesn't say anything new and it virtually ignores all the points that it brings about.

Why does Alvin kill himself? Is it because he's alone? Is it because he's gay? Is he gay? They certainly hint at it enough. Why does Thomas stop being his friend? Is Alvin in love with Thomas?

The list goes on and on. Brian Hill and Neil Bartram certainly raise a lot of questions that they don't care to answer. And I, for one, didn't like that.

I think it would fare better as a song cycle, quite frankly. The music is very pretty and pleasant and sad (the "Saying Goodbye" song was what got my waterworks started), if not exactly memorable or innately hummable; the performances by Malcolm Gets and Will Chase are near perfect and genuine, especially Gets'.

The running musical theme of the show bore too striking a resemblance to a certain section of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE...

I'm sorry this is so disjointed. I just wanted to get a few thoughts down. I'll embellish it when I have more time later.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 5:52pm

I agree with what you think. It didn't really bother me at the time that none of the questions were answered. I mean all the major parts of the story were intact. I mean, we know he died, and we know he committed suicide. Whether or not its because he was stuck in the small town while his friend went and had the life he wanted isn't really touched upon, but I think it's sort of hinted at through the performances.

I think all you really needed to know in way of Alvin's sexuality is the little moment where Will Chase mentions the fact that he kissed his neck. I think anymore might have been too obvious. The whole musical is understated, so I think it worked.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 5:53pm

Does not sound like even in a healthy economy people would shell out big bucks to see it

It seems it would have been better for Off Broadway.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 5:59pm

My friend is in love with this show and is seeing it for a second time this evening.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:03pm

I think it's an unfair statement to say "This won't fly on Broadway" or something to that effect. I really don't think Broadway has a formula for success. "Cry-Baby" and "Shrek" should have been sure fire hits on paper, but neither of them have faired too well. I don't think anyone thought "Avenue Q" would be quite the success its turned into. I mean, who knows? I think this little show provides a nice balance with the rest of the mega-musicals currently playing on the Great White Way.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:08pm

I've heard it referred to a number of times by the cast and creatives as a "recession musical."

But looking at the price list, it's not exactly cheap.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:10pm

"I've heard it referred to a number of times by the cast and creatives as a "recession musical."

But looking at the price list, it's not exactly cheap."

maybe its because there are a lot of comp's lol

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:13pm

i'm in love with the show and seeing it a second time this evening!!

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:15pm

I really don't think Broadway has a formula for success.

Well, please, list all the musicals on Broadway that were financial hits and had a cast of less than five.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:31pm

Way to spoil a major plot point.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:33pm

It says spoiler alert in the title. What are you waiting for? A "Danger Will Robinson"?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 6:46pm

Blaxx, how many times has this type of musical been attempted on Broadway? I'm not saying it "deserves" to be a hit or anything like that. It's a business. I get that. But I think saying it doesn't belong on Broadway in the first place is where I have a problem.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 7:00pm

I can already tell that it's going to be this season's CATERED AFFAIR. A teeny, tiny musical that finds a nice little fan-base that isn't necessarily big enough to sustain a run.

The one difference is I think CATERED AFFAIR had a big cathartic moment. This really didn't.

[Not_the_cool_table]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 7:11pm

I think the success of a show is most often defined by the number of non-theater folk that turn out to see it. (musical theater fans will usually turn out, even out of curiosity, no matter what) Unfortunately this feels like a show for the most fervent of musical theater goers and not really for the masses. I am very curious to go see it, but especially from watching that clip of them singing on TV, I can't imagine non-theater folk racing to buy a ticket.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 7:18pm

Blaxx, how many times has this type of musical been attempted on Broadway? I'm not saying it "deserves" to be a hit or anything like that. It's a business. I get that. But I think saying it doesn't belong on Broadway in the first place is where I have a problem.

Well, I can argue that. If Broadway was the only road for a musical, but we know that's not the case. That's why the definition of "flop or hit" makes so much sense to me, and we must know that no show will survive on good intentions. An opening Off Broadway for example, could have brought this show a much longer life that it might have on Broadway.

But, it's obvious to me that the producers have some very personal investment on this piece, and if so, power to them. I have not seen this show and very much look forward to see it, but financially Broadway has never been the place for such small musicals to succeed. Perhaps this show will prove me wrong.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 7:51pm

Depends what you consider a small musical? Avenue Q is a relatively small musical that did great. Urinetown is a small musical that did well. It just depends, but I understand your point. But Broadway will bring the show more attention and more chances at awards then it would have done Off-Broadway. And I can't say that the show felt lost in the Booth.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 8:23pm

I saw the show last night (sat behind Judith Light!) and, despite the fact that it is "Beaches" meets "Sunday in the Park", you can't help but get misty-eyed. Gets and Chase give fantastic, genuine performances, you can't help but root for them to find some way to find their way back to each other. The first couple of songs are a bit too wordy for their own good, but then the show finds a nice rhythm and before you know it the show is almost over, until we get to the troubling part of unresolved conflict. Then you're not really sure if you want to like the last ten minutes of the show. But then you do...and then spend the ride home realizing what a horrible friend you can be.

I didn't want to or expect to like the show, and I do want to see it again. Hopefully it'll be around long enough to do so.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 8:25pm

'sat behind Judith Light!'

No way! off topic, but thats so cool! I'm kinda mad because she hasn't been on the past few episodes of Betty :/

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/11/09 at 11:54pm

Ooooh I'd love a musical of Beaches.

[LadyDramaturg2]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 4:34am

I started wondering whether Richard Maltby has now developed a need to do these little shows that feel like they would live well Off-Broadway/On Tour (remember Ring Of Fire? -- don't pounce meanly, it was a nice show with Top Notch Talent) --

I've been worried about the small-i-ness of this show for quite a while; though I have noted previously that it seems to move even the most stereotypical Caveman-Male-Chauvinist-Un-Enlightened-Types, suggesting that the show could find a market, but...

Is that enough to sell $100 tickets for a year (or so)? Well, not if the show doesn't actually play its story's climax [to wit,"The one difference is I think CATERED AFFAIR had a big cathartic moment. This really didn't."]

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 11:07am

Overall, after a night of thinking about it, I'd give it a solid "So What?".

And I've come to the conclusion that it's due to a lack of catharsis. You assume the plot is going to lead them to a reckoning which would, in turn, lead to an emotional release.

Thomas asks the dead Alvin "Dude, how could you do such a thing?" (At least, that would be the first question I would ask my best friend who killed himself when he came back to me as a ghost.)

Alvin would reply "Because after my father died, I had no one."
Thomas would say "But you had me."

Alvin would give Thomas a glance. Thomas would know that he'd done wrong in deserting his best friend who he knew really had nobody else.

Alvin would say "I was hoping Clarence would find me and stop me."

Thomas would realize the emotional impact of the line and react accordingly.

Then, they would sing the song where the musical through-line sounds suspiciously like "Move On."

Alvin would say "You were my angel once, and now I'm yours." Thomas would make peace and then start to deliver the eulogy. Blackout.

As cheesy as my lines were, it would be a satisfying ending. At least, I would find it satisfying, albeit it incredibly cheesy. But still satisfying.

But the show has nothing like this. No coming to terms. No emotional release. No climax, even.

And THAT is what pissed me off.

[Elke]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 12:40pm

Yankeefan007, I see your point. Your ending could work.

But I disagree when you say that there's no coming to terms. In the first scene, we saw Thomas struggling to write the eulogy. He wonders "Where is that story?" and says "I've got to find the piece of the puzzle that brought me here today".

Then near the end, when Alvin comes back to Thomas ("This Is It"), Alvin says to him that he shouldn't look for a story that isn't there and says "just accept that sometimes pieces might not fit".

This results in Thomas accepting what happened and doing a very spontaneous eulogy ("Let me tell you a story about Alvin..."). For me, all of this made a wonderful and satisfying ending.

Just my two cents. :)

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 12:59pm

Also you have to take into consideration that life in general does not have those answers, "the missing piece of the puzzle". I think that's what I enjoyed so much about the show when I saw it on Tuesday, it was very real. There was no fluffy ending that tied everything up in a nice package because let's face it how often do things work out in real life.

It's obvious this show speaks to a lot of people, however it seems that the general target audience is probably going to be an older crowd, who have more life experience and have experienced the loss of friends and family. This fact, unfortunately, probably means that it may not have a long life on Broadway. It probably would have done better in a subscription based house like MTC or Rounadbout where the clientele is generally older and would be more inclined to see it.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 1:02pm

Depends what you consider a small musical? Avenue Q is a relatively small musical that did great. Urinetown is a small musical that did well. It just depends, but I understand your point. But Broadway will bring the show more attention and more chances at awards then it would have done Off-Broadway. And I can't say that the show felt lost in the Booth.

I still disagree. Both Urinetown and Avenue Q transferred to Broadway with huge buzz (certainly not the case here). And I doubt that Broadway can bring the show more attention and awards than Off Broadway - if anything, it has a huge risk to become one of those obscure Broadway shows no one ever heard about.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/12/09 at 1:22pm

The problem is that almost nothing lasts commercially Off-Broadway nowadays. On top of that, if a show has not had even a short run on Broadway, it has less of the chance of having a life post-Broadway -- around the country, the world, regionally, touring.

Look at last season's ADDING MACHINE. A commercial Off-Broadway musical that received raves. It extended its run once it received such raves, and then had to retract its extension due to poor ticket sales. Now, will ADDING MACHINE be on many regional theatres' radars this coming year or any time in the future? Probably not. Because it wasn't on Broadway and not that many people heard about it. If ADDING MACHINE would have been put up for a limited run at MTC or LCT on Broadway, it would have had the opportunity at Tony Awards recognition, and people around the country, and the world would have heard about it.

Even if STORY OF MY LIFE fails on Broadway, I think it will have a very healthy regional life due to the visibility of the fact that it played Broadway.