Review: 44 THE MUSICAL at KLEIN THEATRE

It’s a wild thing to wake up one day and decide to write a musical ode to the Obama presidency. No one will ever know how that inspiration struck Eli Bauman, who had never written a musical before, but his creation, 44 The Musical, is an absolute party. 

After a long run in LA where the show won seven BroadwayWorld LA awards, 44 is debuting here in DC, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Klein Theatre. DC feels like its natural setting. What other audience can better appreciate a political satire musical? Not that you have to be well-versed in politics to enjoy the show. You need only to have seen Lindsey Graham one time to know it’s funny to make him walk around with a child’s parasol the whole show.

There are many such devices and moments in 44 that will make you laugh. Overall, the satire is spot-on, if one-dimensional. It’s a full-throttle commitment to exactly one joke per character. The real highlight, is the music. 

The story of 44 is the story of the Obama presidency, as remembered by Joe Biden, hilariously played by Chad Doreck. But it presents as more of a musical revue, or even a cabaret. Running in quick succession, the songs capture somewhat random moments, relationships, and feelings that come together to paint a rosy picture of the Obama years and the spirit of hope many found in the movement. Much of this is accomplished through Summer Nicole Greer’s performance as Voice of the People. Dressed as Rosie the Riveter, she fills the theatre with her voice and the sheer force of that alone makes the world she envisions seem inevitable. 

Much of the cast are recording artists, so the vocals are all phenomenal. They’re accompanied by an equally talented live band consisting of drums, keyboards, guitar, and bass. Musical Director, Anthony “Brew” Brewster, sits in the house-left enclave with the rest of the band facing him in the house-right enclave, so they are visible to performers and audience alike. Brewster’s expert conducting allows the actors and musicians to draw out notes and extend jokes as needed. It also allows for little bits of improvisation and exchange. This freedom for the performers to play off each other and the crowd makes the show itself feel freer and lighter, aiding the overall sense of joy and fun. 

This is the show’s self-proclaimed purpose. Bauman and his co-producer Monica Saunders-Weinberg say they wanted to create a show that allowed people to feel joy and have fun. They clearly put a lot of thought into creating that atmosphere, setting the tone even before the show begins with a small gift placed at each seat. Their claim that 44 is designed to be inclusive and “for everyone” is less convincing given the show’s 100% one-sided view, but no one could deny that it’s fun. And after all, it’s not a musical’s task to generate detailed political commentary. There’s plenty of that elsewhere. It’s a much bigger challenge to bring joy and lightness to politics, and 44 does that well. We can only hope that one day our nation will heal enough that someone makes an equally hilarious musical about the Trump years.