Broadway Review of "13 the Musical"
4 out of 4 Stars
High School Musical,” meet the Middle School Musical: “13.” It’s younger, smarter and hotter than you are.
Though it shares the pop culture catchiness and peppy energy of “High School Musical,” “13 the Musical” is also extremely passionate, authentic and a joyride from beginning to end. Not once does it condescend or descend into camp. It easily wins our vote for class valedictorian.
The show follows the coming of age saga of Evan Goldman, a Jewish 12-year-old from Manhattan on the verge of his Bar Mitzvah. But when his parents suddenly divorce, he’s forced to move with his mom to a small, bleak town in Indiana. Uprooted from his old life, he must make new friends at Dan Quayle Junior High and somehow maneuver the complicated social minefield.
Though we see little of the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, Evan becomes a man when he learns to no longer require the approval of the jerks from the “in-crowd” and embrace the geeks as his true friends. Like it or not, it’s a universal tale of friendship, identity crisis and puberty that we’ve all experienced.
Unlike “Charlie Brown” or “Spelling Bee,” where adult actors portray kids, the cast of “13” is made up of 13 real teenagers. Even the band is teens.
Standouts include Allie Trimm, who gives a mature but vulnerable, high-belting performance as the nice girl next door; Egan Gillies as the fearsome, demanding popular girl; and Graham Phillips as our protagonist, who directly addresses the audience.
Jason Robert Brown, who penned the extraordinary, extremely challenging scores of “Parade” and “The Last Five Years,” is one of our best musical theater composers. Here, his soft rock songs combine witty but psychologically honest lyrics (think Stephen Sondheim for kids) with catchy melodies and pulsating rhythms.
As complimented by a very cute book and fierce cast, “13” is a fresh, electrifying original musical that will leave you grinning for 90 blissful minutes. We recommend it to anyone who has ever been or will be 13 years old.
Jacobs Theater, 212-239-6200, $76.50-111.50. Tues-Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 2 & 7pm. Open Run.
Comments (3)
Since 13 was only my second Broadway show that I had seen in my life, my expectations for it were very high. Thankfully, all of my expectations were fulfilled. 13 is not only a show with an all teenage cast, but a story, a journey, about the troubles that kids endure when they become teenagers.
Evan Goldman, who is preparing to have his Bar Mitzvah, is torn apart when he learns that his parents are getting a divorce, and he must move from lively New York City to "The Lamest Place In The World", Appleton, Indiana. Evan must choose between either being what he isn't and have all the "cool kids" attend his Bar Mitzvah, or being himself and having two really good, close friends.
13 is a riveting story about forgetting stereotypes and being your true self to gain real friends. "What It Means To Be A Friend" is an absolutely breathtaking song, not only because Allie has an unbeatable voice, but because the song expresses what a true friend really is and how they should always be there for you. I absolutely loved the cast (even being teenagers gave a wonderful performance) and the band, who without it, there would be no music for the amazing cast to sing to. Jason Robert Brown did a great job with turning this book into a dramatic, yet fun-filled Broadway hit!
13 the musical, is the most outrageous show I have ever seen. It is truely amazing, and one of the best. It is about a 13, year old boy named Evan who is about to have his Bar Mitzvah and moves to the middle of no where, where no one is jewish. Since he is the new kid he is torn between a true friend and the popular kids. Through Evan's journey we are tought some of the problems we dont realize that 13 year olds go through, things you would not expect til high school.
Any teenager would go crazy over this show because of how much it relates and how fun it is to just sit and watch. It makes you just want to get up and dance with them!
Aaron Simon Gross is a truely amazing singer, for his age. With a cast of teenagers it is truely amazing to see that a kid can take on a job that adults have been working for so long, and just blow them out of the room. The whole cast is extremely talented.
If you are interested, dont doubt it, go see it! Its worth every penny!- Rachel Kaufman
Best show to ever hit Broadway! That’s one way to describe 13 the musical, the newest hit show to the Great White Way. 13 the musical took Broadway by storm with the story of Evan Goldman, a 12 year old boy, who when his parents get divorced, has to move to Appleton, Indiana. His life, turned upside down, Evan must attend a new high school with a new set of students, where he faces the decision of becoming the popular kid or the person he really is inside. One of the great things about 13 the musical is that it relates to audiences of all ages. Whether you’re a teen or an adult you can picture yourself in situations similar to the ones Evan is facing. The cast consists of a group of extremely talented teenagers. Some are new to the Great White Way while others, Eamon Foley, Delaney Moro and Henry Hodges have been seen in the last few years in other productions like Mary Poppins. This cast has to be one of the most talented casts and exciting casts to watch on a Broadway stage. Combine these actors with a music score by James Robert Brown, and you have masterpiece. 13 will have you leaving the theater singing tunes such as “Bad Bad News” or the gossip phone calls from “Everything Charlotte Says is a Lie.” What are you waiting for, visit 13themusical.com and buy your tickets now.
- Evan