Center Theatre Group
"13"
Dec. 22 through Feb. 18
Anyone who survived eighth grade remembers the cliques,
superficial gossip and social anxiety that made the last year of
middle school one of the most traumatic yet formative adolescent
years.
Eighth grade seems to inevitably spawn backstabbing girls,
flirtatious boys and the eternal tug-of-war between the cool kids
and the losers.
Jason Robert Brown’s new musical comedy “13”
delves into a world where Abercrombie-clad teenagers mock their
“Star Wars”-loving social inferiors.
“13,” which made its world premiere in December at
the Mark Taper Forum, features a cast of 13 teenage artists.
Defying the pigeonhole of being a kids-only or family-friendly
show, “13” is hugely entertaining, as Brown’s
witty music and lyrics give the entire audience something to relate
intimately to. Everyone knows the peer pressure, romantic crushes
and caste system present in all middle schools.
“13” tells the story of Evan, a New York child of
divorce who moves to Appleton, Ind., just in time for his bar
mitzvah.
As the new kid in town, Evan (played superbly by Ricky Ashley)
tries to win over the right friends, but soon realizes that
achieving popularity is not as easy as he expected.
In Evan’s words, he “just wants to fit in with those
that fit in.”
Who can blame him for wanting to be cool? After all, being cool
can get you to second base in Appleton.
Leading up to his ceremony, Evan alienates his only real
friends: the crippled nerd Archie (Tyler Mann), who has a crush on
the queen bee Kendra, and Patrice (Sara Niemietz), the bookworm
with a genuine heart.
Soon, he hopes that anyone aside from his mother and an Internet
rabbi will come to his big day.
Brown’s musical is an unexpected coming-of-age story that
rings surprisingly true.
As the characters discuss religion, money, social status and
race it becomes apparent that Brown is more socially engaged than
most other Broadway writers working today. He gives the audience
something to think about where others offer tap numbers and jazz
hands.
While the musical is a story of acceptance and diversity,
Brown’s work does not descend into being a trite, “We
Are the People” kind of production.
Instead, the show uses its exhilarating and often hilarious
lyrics to lift a middle school story to an adult sensibility.
Like Brown’s Tony-winning work in “Parade,”
this show is more intelligent and thought-provoking than most
American musicals. It is engaged with the times and compellingly
speaks to its audience.
The cast of “13” is a truly talented group of
teenagers who can sing and dance like Broadway veterans.
Throughout the show, they interact with the audience,
demonstrating how well they can work a room.
Their talent is exceptionally noteworthy, considering the fact
that most of them are not old enough to drive.