I also saw it last night and enjoyed it. The book does need work and some fleshing out to add more dimension and depth to the story and characters, but I found the subject interesting and compelling. Sills was in his element and gave a terrific performance. With some tweaking in the writing and direction, his character could be developed into one less two-dimensional if we could see more of the thought process behind his manipulation of the other characters. He is far more interesting as a man who has a more admirable moral compass, but chooses to abandon it rather than being a stock character purely compelled by greed. The entire cast delivered strong performances. Luba Mason is definitely underused, especially musically. I thought most of the songs were interesting and some quite catchy. The lyrics are the weakest element of the score. The genre-specific performance songs (Mondays Suck, N.G.S., Showtime), don't really land as convincing radio play chart toppers. And I do agree with Baritone about the "coding" of Mondays Suck. It's a misfire that more easily reminds me of Manic Monday than a song with a hidden political message. I will say that the fluff number Hip Hop Country was a blast and brilliantly performed and choreographed. It was a show-stopper and the audience did not want to stop applauding. I found myself humming some of the melodies when I left. I would definitely buy a CD. I think the show has great potential, especially Off-Broadway or in London. I was never bored, especially when the sisters sang, which was flawless. When the book doesn't leap into stock soap opera melodrama, it's fun to watch. I hope they keep working on it.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
