Review: BE MORE CHILL at Sinclair Community College

For those in the know, BE MORE CHILL, recently closed an Off-Broadway run so successful that plans are already in the works for a Broadway debut in 2019. Dayton audiences have the great fortune to be able to see the show before that happens with two more shows this weekend.

BE MORE CHILL with Music and Lyrics by Joe Iconis and Book by Joe Tracz, is based on the 2004 novel by Ned Vizzini. The main character, is Jeremy, a teenager who is not happy with his life but feels powerless to change it especially when it comes to his Dad and a certain girl named Christine, the object of his affection. Anthony Dell'Aria's Jeremy gets as tongue tied and endearingly awkward around Christine as Charlie Brown does whenever he sees the little red-haired girl. He finds what he believes to be his remedy in a pill-sized computer called a Squip that enters his mind to tell him how to live his life. Of course, things like this never work out as easily as that.

As a mother of two teenagers, I would like to think that I am in touch with the issues facing teenagers today, after all many aren't that different than what all teenagers face. I am not quite as in touch as I thought. While I enjoyed the show and performances, it did not resonate with me the same way that it did with my teens. They loved it. I felt maybe as my mother felt when we watched THE BREAKFAST CLUB together in the 1980's. I thought then that maybe BE MORE CHILL resonates for the teens of their generation as THE BREAKFAST CLUB did for me, although in a funnier way. It helped me look at the show through a different lens.

The cast was amazingly energetic and they worked wonderfully together as an ensemble (led by Director Chris Harmon). While the show is definitely a comedy, there was one beautiful, heartbreaking moment with Micah Koverman's rendition of Michael in the Bathroom. My mama heart just wanted to give him a hug. Excellent comedic performances were given, particularly by Christopher Goetz in a few different roles and the seemingly fearless DeShawn Christian as Rich Goranski.

Go see one of the final two performances of BE MORE CHILL, tonight and tomorrow night at 8 PM. Take one of the teenagers in your life (although it is recommended for those over 14 due to some mature content). Also be aware that haze and fog are used in the production. Tickets cost $18 for adults/$15 for students and seniors. All seats are reserved and available online NOW at: www.sinclair.edu/tickets.

Photo Credit: Patti Celek