Review: JUKEBOX HERO at San Diego Musical Theatre

JUKEBOX HERO is the new fun and frothy concert fundraiser streaming from San Diego Musical theatre.

Like other "jukebox musicals", where music from popular artists is combined to create a show, this concert is a little bit CINDERELLA meets MAMMA MIA. With songs from ON YOUR FEET, MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, and more this show is not lacking for catchy tunes.

Shirley Johnston is our nameless main character; a woman who owns a cabaret (also called the Jukebox) who is thinking about her current life and the choices she made in her younger days that led her to where she is now. As she is closing up her fairy godmother, played by Karyn Overstreet, arrives belting a song and promising to help make her singing dreams of the past a reality.

Along the way, there are flashbacks to when she first arrived in the city with her friend Michael, played by Berto Fernandez, and they were trying to make it as singers. Soon she falls for lounge singer Aaron, played by Luke Harvey Jacobs. But when that doesn't work out the way she planned, she finds herself back home, no longer singing.

Through the magic of her fairy godmother, she soon is inspired by young lovers played by Jennifer Hubilla and Neil Dale, and finds her singing dreams may come true after all when she meets Bryan Barbarin.

Written and directed by Neil Dal, this 45-minute show is told mostly through the lyrics of the songs and offers moments for each of its 7 cast members to shine. Cinematography by Ron Christopher Jones.

As theatres are starting to plan to emerge from this long live theatre intermission the concert shows that if you "don't stop believing" then your dreams (of live theatre) are closer to coming true. By purchasing a ticket for this fundraiser concert you help support the arts and attain the coveted status of "jukebox hero" for yourself.

JUKEBOX HERO is streaming through May 30th. Tickets are a minimum donation of $15. Visit sdmt.org for ticket access.

JUKEBOX HERO

Conceived & Directed: Neil Dal

Cinematographer: Ron Christopher Jones

CAST

Berto Fernandez

Bryan Barbarin

Jennifer Hubilla

Karyn Overstreet

Luke Harvey Jacobs

Neil Dale

Shirley Johnston

Photo Credit: The cast of JUKEBOX HERO at SDMT

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