NEW YORK CITY — As a teen in the 90’s, movies like Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion held the campy type of humor we all had grown accustomed to. So when I learned there was a musical off-Broadway, starring the legends Laura Bell Bundy and Kara Lindsay, I was ready to be in my ‘business woman special’ seat to experience this new musical. With a book by Robin Schiff and music and lyrics by Gwendolyn Sanford and Brandon Joy, fans of the movie will find plenty to smile about.
Directed by Kristin Hanggi, some of the best things about this production lie in the design. The scenic design by Jason Sherwood was colorful and nostalgic. The lighting design by Jason Lyons and projections by Caite Hevner combined for some truly fun moments, including a fantastic Lisa Frank like montage that made me feel like I was school supply shopping in the 90s again. At the top of the proscenium, I saw a sewing machine stapled to the arch. The lights were fantastic neon colors that matched the costumes perfectly and gave the production the feel of a 90s TV show like Saved by The Bell. The team knew what demographic was likely to resonate with this musical, and it showed.
As for the actors, of course seeing Laura Bell Bundy as Romy on stage was as fun as I expected, but Kara Lindsay was an absolute gem. Her depiction of Michele was quirky and charming. The two played off each other well, almost too well, with their amazing chemistry making them break a few times. It is moments like that that make live theatre retain its charm. When they are singing the song “Coolest person I know”, it felt like a true friendship. I could see the chemistry blossoming similarly to bigger productions such as friendship numbers in Wicked. This was also shown in the reprise. It was their connection to each other that made the show shine, even if the writing still needed some tightening.
Romy and Michelle plays on an open run Off-Broadway. | Photos Valerie Terranova
The blessing and curse of this show is the heavy handed fan service to those who are expecting the movie. While that can be fun, stage is a different medium and shaking things up would serve this story well. The first act too long to get moving, and while I was invested in the characters because I knew them from my college days, I had to wonder if I would care at all having come to the show without prior context. This was especially true of Heather, played impeccably by Jordan Kai Burnett. In the the number “Love is” the nostalgia is what drove the piece forward. This song was strong, interesting, and well done, but felt like it came out context. While the story follows the movie almost exactly, it might have been better to cut a bit from the movie plot and instead invest more into the characters like Heather who need development in a staged version. The use of the yearbook projections and some of the past flashbacks could have been combined to make the flashback plot shorter and get to the reunion part of the show sooner, which is where the fun really begins.
The ending number “Changing the World” was a real show stopper, and if all the spirit, energy, and design of that number could be infused into the rest of the show, the magic could spread. Unfortunately, most of the other numbers felt lackluster, especially in comparison. The choreography by Karla Puno Garcia was great technically strong and visually stunning the entire production, and truly stood out in “Changing the World”. The costumes by Tommy Kurzman paid homage to the wild time that was the 80s and the 90s, but also opened up the personality of Romy & Michele perfectly. The ending of the show is in a store, and the way the store is built and the imagery of that shows that the creative team understood what this show could be.
Romy and Michelle plays on an open run Off-Broadway. | Photos Valerie Terranova
Shows Off-Brodway are still in development, and their purpose is continue to play with the material to see what works and what does not. From the original playbill printing to when I saw it there was an insert sheet that showed that two songs have already been removed from the first act, which is likely a good start. Compared to a successful screen to stage adaptation like Legally Blonde, Romy and Michelle doesn’t stand on its own yet. A first time viewer of Legally Blonde: The Musical can have no experience with the movie and still enjoy the show. With Romy & Michele, while the star talent — particularly Lindsay — is fantastic, without having nostalgia for the show, the current book gives little for a person who comes in without prior connection.
I think this production has a lot of promise. The second act won me over enough that with tweaking, the first act could get there. The very purpose of an adaptation is to take what works and make changes that serve the characters and story in a new medium. The show’s creators need to take some freedom to build more into some of the side characters like Heather to make the case a better case for a stronger show. As the show continues to develop, it may be worth getting together for another reunion.
