Be More Chill
Lyceum Theatre, NYC, May 1, 2019
Reviewed by Elizabeth Ahlfors for Cabaret Scenes
Photos by Maria Baranova
Be More Chill is one more Broadway musical about high school angst that draws teens to the theater. The problems are meaty, but Joe Tracz’s book of sputtering sci-fi/adolescent paranoia is flimsily wrapped in sophomoric silliness and an ear-splitting score with overwritten lyrics, lame rhyming, and emotional melodrama. Admittedly, I am not part of this target audience.
Tracz adapted Ned Vitzzini’s 2004 young-adult novel that involves an unassuming teen, Jeremy Heere, played by Will Roland (Dear Evan Hansen), who sees himself as a “Loser, Geek, Whatever,” which serves as the Act I closing song. Since his mother left, his father just sits around without enthusiasm, not even putting on his pants. Jeremy has no one at home to talk to and no real parent.
In addition, Jeremy is super miserable in his New Jersey high school. What he wants is all spelled out in his first song, “More Than Survive,” brooding on his upcoming day—whether to walk or ride the bus, getting to his locker, and everything that makes high school dreadful if you are bullied, unpopular, and desolate. That is, until school bully Rich (Gerard Canonico) tells him about this pill that will solve his problems. Isn’t that what everyone does today—have a problem, take a pill? How timely is that?
This pill, however, is different. Although it costs $400, Jeremy buys it. Called a “Squip,” it implants a computer into Jeremy’s brain that promises to make him more chill, ready to party with the cool teens, and trade smooth talk with the girls. The Squip lives in Jeremy’s mind but, onstage, it is played by Jason Tam, preening around in costumes design by Bobby Frederick Tilley II. After Jeremy swallows it, the Squip tells him, “I’ve arrived, wow! Won’t be long until you will/be more chill.” Squip will guide Jeremy into becoming like everyone else. However, there is a dark side.
Directed with wild and wacky teen tumult by Stephen Bracket, Jeremy begins to change. Listening to Squip—”You want someone to like you, hate who they hate”—he draws away from his best friend and fellow geek, Michael, played by George Salazar. Brooke (Lauren Marcus), who never noticed him before, offers him a ride home and he accepts. He forms a relationship with ebullient Christine Canigula (Stephanie Hsu), a ditsy but well-meaning girl he’s had his eye on, and then he joins the acting group that is preparing to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
As Jeremy, Roland is blah, hard to feel sorry for even as he is ignored. Salazar, as Michael, is more interesting and has the more emotional song. The best in the show is Stephanie Hsu, a perky, indefatigable go-getter pepperpot who sings, “I Love Play Rehearsal,” (“My brain is like bzzz/My heart is like Wow/Because we’re here at play rehearsal”). Jason Sweettooth Williams takes on several roles, playing Jeremy’s father, the school play director, and a stockboy who sells the Squip pills.
Musically, composer/lyricist Joe Iconis provides the electronic score with plenty of “Na, na, na…” and “C, C, C, C’m On,” and “Whoa, Uh-Huh, Uh-Huh, Uh-Huh” in the moronic and repetitive lyrics aimed for the young audiences. Some songs fit the characters neatly, like Christine’s joyful “A Guy That I’d Kinda Be Into.” Jeremy’s lifelong pal, Michael, sits alone in the bathroom singing a sorrowful “Michael in the Bathroom” while a Halloween party is going on downstairs. Who would not feel sorry for him? Choreography by Chase Brook is energetic and mildly imaginative, but the sets by Beowulf Borritt, projections by Alex Basxo Koch, lighting by Tyler Micleau, and sound by Ryan Rumery create a polished production.
The high schoolers in the audience were wildly enthusiastic, loving the songs and pretty much everything else. Gnawing at me though is the core of the story which is—Have a problem? Take a pill. I would advise against bringing younger children to hear this message.
