For the first time in known theatrical history, Signature Theatre is offering two world premiere musicals running in rep with each other. One is called The Hollow, with music and lyrics by Matt Conner, and book by Hunter Foster. The other is called The Boy Detective Fails, with music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, book by Joe Meno.
I have the honor of portraying the title role in The Boy Detective Fails, and my partner, Matt wrote the music and lyrics to The Hollow. So, as you can imagine, this rep is of some great importance in our household.
Both of these pieces are very cutting edge and challenge the viewer in many different ways. Not all people will like being challenged, and some will prefer that their evening ends wrapped up in a nice and neat bow. But if theatre that makes you think, talk to friends, and have heated discussions is your cup of tea, then what are you waiting for? Plan your trip now!
Listen to what people are saying: THE HOLLOW
"...a dark gem...entirely engrossing and deeply powerful..."
-
Theatremania
"sing allthe power of
myth, Foster and Conner effectively address the negative effects bigotry and small-mindedness have on a community. Through their
characters, story and music, they have created a dynamic new legend in "The Hollow," a valid contribution to the cause of the new American musical, a cause to which Signature Theatre is firmly dedicated."
"Henriette Van Brunt,
played with voracious self-righteousness by Sherri Edelen, one of the show’s vocal powerhouses, who whips her contemporaries up into a frenzy against Crane."
- Washingtonian
Also with both shows, it seems that everyone is seeing 2 different things...
"The music too often doesn’t
illumine the characters
very well or move the story along with conviction."
- Roy Maurer -
DCtheatrescene
"...But those characters have all been transformed in the
musical, fleshed out and made to illuminate even more clearly
than the original..In addition, Conner's music and lyrics move the action of the musical along."
- Barbara Mackay - Washington Examiner
Come decide
for yourself!
"Captivating...Spellbinding...Perfect"- MD Theatre Guide
"the story’s tragic resolution, with many questions still left unanswered, proves more unsettling than the thought of a ghostly figure and his horse with glowing red eyes."
- Washingtonian
"The Hollow shares some of the ambiance of Conner's previous musical,Nevermore, but
here, some of the lyrics are unadorned, while others blossom into an eerie dimension, sometimes carried by wafts of classical-sounding music. The effect is almost unremittingly hypnotic...Director Matthew Gardiner harnesses his cast's energies, allowing them a measured, deliberate energy at first that suggests there is vast power
being held at bay. When the force is finally released, it explodes in psychological violence. Yes, The Hollow is a horror show, but it's the horrors found within us which
do the scaring here, not monsters or special effects."
- Theatremania.com
THE BOY DETECTIVE FAILS
community."
ton Examiner"Smith is onstage almost nonstop for 2 1/2 hours, and his singing is superb every .
"The thread that does hold things together, to the extent the material allows, is Billy himself. Stephen Gregory Smith achieves what every actor aspires to, but few can do consistently: he makes us believe, completely , that he IS the person who he’s portraying. It’s that simple, and it’s that complex. Smith is that boy." - Kyle Osborne - EntertainmentorDie.com
"Smith is mostly fine, exploring an odd character who is both high-strung and tense, yet engaging. However, he occasionally strays into cartoon territory -- which director Joe Calarco should rein in." - Theatremania
COME AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF!
"Though "Boy Detective" is based on a book,
what makes the show successful is that
it's not a singular vision. There is a clear meeting
of minds: everything from
the acting to the music to the precise
choreography hits the same perfect
one-two note of sadness and joy, that
weird melancholy of childhood
spinning into adulthood.
"Boy Detective" never just hands you the story,
but requires you to assemble it
clue by clue. As a result, what would
otherwise be just a sweet bildungsroman
becomes instead something much more moving
and complex as we confront
with Billy the maddening riddle of growing up."
- BrightestYoungThings.com
- actually - that entire review is written so well
and is so insightful that you
should probably go to their website and
read the whole thing HERE.
There is also another commentary piece from "AskMissA" over HERE.
In closing, these are two incredibly young and
spunky children who were just
birthed over at the Signature Theatre.
They have quite the journey ahead of them,
and I highly reccomend that you come and see them!
There are student tickets available -
read about that HERE.
""As brought to life by director Joe Calarco,
Smith gives a winning performance as Billy,
with a shuffling posture and shyness that vividly
demonstrate the dislocation of a child trapped in
a man's body. "
- TalkinBroadway.com
Contact the box office at 703-820-9771 or at Signature's website. And ps, sorry I haven't written on here in awhile,
but my computer has crashed
and burned, and in addition,
I've had my hands full,
as you can see. I promise
to get back on here more this fall, as Matt and I
have many things up our collective
sleeves to tell you about! xoxosgs
oduced, and we all know how happy that makes us both! Read the Washington Post article for the details 
