Review: THE FIRST STAGE: FETCHING WATER AND YETI OR NOT at Analog
FETCHING WATER is a fresh retelling of innocence being lost and found. YETI OR NOT captures grief and warmth one big step at a time.
Despite being known for country music, Nashville might end up being the next big American city for new musicals after NYC and LA. Thanks to Douglas Waterbury-Tieman and Sarah Aili from NMTN (New Musical Theater Nashville) in collaboration with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), The First Stage gives audiences the chance to preview the next big musicals over at Analog Lounge in the Hutton Hotel. What next big musical would you be taking a peek at? A funny and nostalgic tale that crams two sets of child literature icons together? A heartwarming backpacker’s story about grief and discovery? On September 12th, I got to see both. With book and lyrics by Leslie Becker and music by Michael Hunsaker, Fetching Water is a fresh retelling of innocence being lost and found. Created by Brandon Marks, Sean Richards, and Derek Hughes (with additional materials by Abby Nelson), Yeti or Not captures grief and warmth one big step at a time.
We all know the story of Jack and Jill, who went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. We’ve also had fun with Dick and Jane as we watched Dick run and Jane jump. Now, what happens when the iconic duos collide? You get Fetching Water by Leslie Becker and Michael Hunsaker. I won’t spoil too much about this show, but I absolutely loved the different music styles that demonstrate how the worlds of the duos clash against each other. From whimsical elements to jazzy vibes to rock music territory, Hunsaker contains the musical chaos without giving people whiplash. Thankfully, the show had a phenomenal band to keep up with the chaos. The members included music director Michael Sobie on the keyboard, Mason Ingram on percussion, J. Kyle Graham on guitar, Robert Shankle on the saxophone and flute, and Kaitlyn Raitz on the cello. Becker brings so much humor and charm to the script, and J. Scott Lapp understood the childish and chaotic assignment as the director. My only complaint was that we only got to listen to Act One. I’m sorry, but you can’t just give us that banger of an act finale and leave us wanting more. To be fair, The First Stage only allows each show about forty-five minutes so that the event runs under two hours. Needless to say, I need a full production of Fetching Water. This show started development over twenty years ago, and it’s so close to reaching the top of the hill.
Playing iconic characters takes some big shoes to fill, even in an unique retelling. Thankfully, Fetching Water had a fantastic cast to carry the show up that hill. Ben Laxton (yes, THE Ben Laxton from The Book of Mormon) is adorable and heartfelt as Jack. His vocals are perfect for the charming-yet-flawed type of leading man, and he has great chemistry with his costars. Allison Bailey is delightfully devilish as Jill, with all the glee and hidden rage of a Disney princess who just wants more. Given how she’s played Glinda in Wicked, the casting is just too perfect. Dustin Davis is devious and dashing as Dick, a boy who will try anything to stay relevant. Davis could effortlessly switch from a remorseless troublemaker to a helpless youth on a dime, and his comedic timing is on point. I got a kick out of him reacting to a script falling to the ground as if it were a dramatic turning point in the plot. Erin McCracken is such a diva in the role of Jane, who is also desperate to stay relevant. McCracken displayed this strong exterior that is starting to crack, all while delivering some killer vocals. Oh, and co-creator Leslie Becker was fun as the Narrator.
We’ve seen plenty of musicals about people processing grief, but how many of them process grief by looking for Bigfoot? Thanks to Brandon Marks, Sean Richards, and Derek Hughes (with additional materials by Abby Nelson), Yeti or Not focuses on a man named Henry Clark who leaves his office job and follows his late father's map in search of Bigfoot out in the Pacific Northwest. As soon as I saw those flannel shirts onstage, I thought, “Oh, this is going to be a cozy musical.” Despite the themes of grief, the music of Yeti or Not is the perfect soundtrack to listen to on a road trip. The blending of modern musical theatre, pop, and folk-Americana is effective and lovely to listen to. It made me think of the country and alternative rock music that I’d listen to in the car with my parents in the 2000’s. The lyrics range from humorous talks of conspiracy theories to inspiring quotes about living life to the fullest. The band was really talented, with Will Mangun on the fiddle and banjo, Joe Hamm on drums, Logan Lowery on the piano, Andrew Riley on guitar and saxophone, David Gross on bass, co-creator Sean Richards on acoustic guitar. And to think that it all started when co-creator Brandon Marks listened to a podcast about Bigfoot.
The cast of Yeti or Not is just as enjoyable as the music. Co-creator Sean Richards plays the role of Henry Clark’s father, Tom, as he plays the acoustic guitar. Richards told me that he almost didn’t work on the show because his son was just born when they started. Thank goodness he changed his mind, because he just seemed so proud up there. Megan Richards played Henry’s mother, Maggie. Even when she wasn’t singing, she had this heartwarming presence as she admired her costars. Harrison Hall plays Chip Bauer, a survivalist who claims to have seen Bigfoot. Even though Chip isn’t too trustworthy, Bauer had great chemistry with Henry’s actor, James Richardson. W. Scott Stewart is fun and comforting as Bigfoot. He gives off the perfect father figure vibes, and he works as an excellent scene partner for Richardson. He also sounds really nice. Abby Nelson nearly steals the show as Jenny Lewis. Having already provided additional materials for the show, Nelson serves as the potential love interest. There was this one moment where Nelson sang this big song about not needing to hide anymore. She was so lost in her performance that she didn’t even notice her costars admiring her with absolute joy in their eyes. It was definitely my favorite part of the show. And last but not least, we’ve got James Richardson as Henry Clark. Richardson has this great energy as a leading man that is hard to ignore. He just seems so comfortable up there, and he brings so much heart to the role.
The First Stage shall return in December. Be sure to follow @new_musical_theater_nashville on Instagram for updates.
|
Giselle TPAC Polk Theater (10/02-10/04) |
|
|
Cyrano Riverwalk Park (9/10-9/19) |
|
Moon Over Buffalo Tellico Community Playhouse (9/03-9/20) |
|
WILLY WONKA BRAVO CREATIVE ARTS at The FSD Performing Arts Center (10/03-10/04) |
|
Come From Away Chattanooga Theatre Centre (9/01-9/30) |
|
Playhouse Pours Playhouse on the Square (10/08-10/08) |
|
ATRIUM TheatreWorks@TheSquare (1/08-1/24) |
|
An Enemy of the People The Circuit Playhouse (9/11-10/04) |
|
The Tempest Scenic City Shakespeare (10/02-10/23) |
|
Disney's Frozen Playhouse on the Square (11/13-12/20) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.