We live in a binary culture. Man, Woman, Adult, Child, Life, Death. In We’re Gonna Die, plays in the gray space in between. The set is a neutral space. Like hospital waiting rooms and bus stations, it feels comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. Janelle McDermoth, our lead, transitions seamlessly from gut-wrenching monologues to bittersweet ballads and back again. Frequently she relishes in the silence in-between moments, giving us time to process what is being said. 

Lee’s monologues, delivered with care by McDermoth, feel as though they are from a friend over coffee. There is an intimacy in the work that implores you to look inside yourself to those moments you felt alone, faced tragedy, and overcame. Part of it is that these stories are based on true events. This is the nitty-gritty reality of life. We experience transitions as the band goes from quietly waiting to jammin’ out. 

The tongue in cheek lyrics of the songs perfectly complements the monologues. They are full of hard truths and humor. The music itself is reminiscent of Lily Allen’s “Alright Still” and Paramore’s “After Laughter” with lots of synthesizers and guitar riffs. Again, we hear this fine balance of joy and pain, sorrow and triumph. Simone Rose, Debbie Christine Tjong, Kevin Ramessar, Freddy Hall, and Marques Walls provide the perfect accompaniment to McDermot not just visually (they are a gorgeous cast!) but in the spirit and energy of the show. The connection between them is strong and it feels as if the band has been together for years. 

Under Raja Feather Kelly’s direction, this piece dives deep and wide into a pool of emotion. Kelly carefully balances a myriad of emotions the characters and, in turn, the audience feels. This place between places we see on stage and the transitions from monologue to song come with great care and attention to detail. Some transitions happen faster than others. Some mean little and others mean everything. And isn’t that just like life? Are we not always in transition? 

We’re Gonna Die plays through March 22nd at Tony Kiser Theater. 

The post Review — <em>We’re Gonna Die</em> Explores Hard Truths appeared first on Broadway Black.

Recently, the cast recording for  Hamilton was made available to stream in advance of its digital release.  Suffice it to say, fans have been absolutely blown away! While the music is not technically “rap” in the commercial sense, it is musical theatre performed in mostly hip hop and R&B style. With musical nods to the likes of Biggie, Mannie Fresh, Trina and Beyonce, this production continues to garner new admirers who tag themselves with #Hamiltunes on Twitter. Here’s a flashback of Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda debuting what was originally  “Hamilton Mix tapes” at the White House.

The beauty of being able to listen to the recording lies in its ability to transport the listener into the rich tapestry of the story without feeling like something integral has been missed. Who knew Alexander Hamilton was such a complicated and intriguing founding father?  If you have kids in Civics and History, love musical theatre, enjoy various iterations of rap and R&B, or just want to expand your palate for the arts, you really ought to listen to the soundtrack. It’s a fresh take on history in a contemporary musical form with a super diverse cast (as in Aaron Burr is played by a Black man).

We enjoyed every second of the recording! It’s a perfect starter piece if you always thought Broadway wasn’t for you. As an added bonus, The Roots stepped in to help produce the official cast recording. It’s always amazing to see the mighty path Hip Hop has carved through our culture and how its ethos continues to be a major part of the American narrative.

If you do check it out, let us know your thoughts!  You can purchase it on iTunes, Google Play or Amazon or enjoy the music stream right here!

The post The New Hamilton Cast Recording Lives up to the Hype! appeared first on Broadway Black.