There is a need for new musicals based on completely original ideas. One of the best places to view new works, I have recently discovered, is Boston. Not only is this much closer to where I live compared to New York City, but there is a thriving theater scene that you will be able to find a production that satisfies your needs. One show that immediately caught my eye was LATE: A New Musical. The topic of high schoolers expressing their trauma of a school shooting is not a typical musical concept, but it was enough to draw me in. As a high school teacher myself, I was deeply impacted by the subject matter that was beautifully displayed by the developmental production.
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| Photo by Romero Mehta |
LATE follows the tale of high school best friends Billie and Katie as they go about a regular day at school and that same day exactly one year later after living with the impact of a school shooting on that seemingly normal day. We follow the affects of how this event changed the lives of these best friends and a bunch of their classmates. This exploration of grief and how friendships are tested is the heart and soul of this show completely comprised of teenage characters.
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| Photo by Junia Morrow |
What is fascinating about this show is the non-linear component of it. We flash back and forth on the same day a year apart. Storylines are crossed and you explore how relationships can change drastically in one short year of time. Even our best friend main characters have a completely different relationship with one another. When you are in the timeline of the day of the shooting, there is this constant sense of dread because you know the event has to come at any minute, and when it does, the hurt is greater than you could have predicted. We have spent so much time with these characters and have connected with them but also have the knowledge of who they become in a year. This is a great way of exploring character motivations while still hoping for a different ending.
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| Photo by Junia Morrow |
It is amazing to see a show that is created and designed around teenagers that is mature enough to capture the hearts of both adolescents and adults. It never talks down to its audience and the characters feel authentically like teenagers. Even though the majority of the cast is in college, you believe them the entire time that they are younger in age. The dialogue is exactly what I hear day-to-day as a high school teacher, making the show feel more realistic compared to other media that has teenage characters that tries to cater to both teens and adults. Everything about this show just feels so genuine, something that can bee hard to find with blockbuster-sized musicals.
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Photo by Junia Morrow
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At times, I was able to predict certain events were going to take place. When this topic is so mainstream and everyone seems to be familiar with one story of a school shooting, you can kind of predict what is about to happen. The non-linear story helps to break up this feeling. But there were many moments throughout the narrative that I was not expecting, leaving me in awe of how they were able to subvert my expectations. There are little hints shown strategically placed within the story, and when they come together in the end, the impact and emotions hit you like a freight train. There are clever details hidden within the design of the show as well -- from the production design to the costuming -- that when I was finally able to place all of the pieces together myself, it gave me one of the biggest "a-ha" moments I have had in a theater experience.
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| Photo by Junia Morrow |
After speaking with the creators of the show, I know that they have gotten notes on how to tweak the show. I think that a few little changes is exactly what this show needs to be successful. This is the type of show that not only needs to be seen by tons of audiences, but deserves to be seen as well. This would thrive with high school theater departments all over the country. I hope that one day this story is told time and time again for years to come.
For more information and to help make this show a reality, please visit latemusical.com
Rating: 4/5*
Directed by: Ilana Ransom Toeplitz
Cast: Cortlandt Barrett (Billie), Jayla Shedeed (Katie), Kennedy Chang (Makala), Cole Stanley (Vernell), Azul Girola (Charlotte), Max Cavanaugh (Ryan), Jackson Gentry (Beau), Jeffrey Michael Sewell (Cole), Catie Jamieson (Swing), Emery Cunningham (Swing), Alex Kennedy (Swing)
Creative Team: Michael Wartofsky (Music and Additional Lyrics), Kathleen Cahill (Book and Lyrics), David Freeman Coleman (Musical Director), Joy Clark (Choreographer), Avery Piazza (Assistant Director), David Goldstein (Scenic Designer), Amaya Gonzalez-Møllmann (Costume Designer), Elijah Goldberg (Lighting Designer), S. Miller (Sound Designer)
*This is still a developmental production, with changes being made as the production has ended its Boston run.
