Alterations Needed on "The Black Suits"

 

 A Review

By David Cano

 

 

As a fan of original musicals, I was very excited to have seen The Black Suits at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, a perfect venue to re-create the intimacy of garage-band performances. While I found myself rooting for the would-be rock stars, I found their character arcs gave the actors very little (or just dull subjects) to sing about.

Though the young cast has enough charm and talent to keep the preposterous plots (I have anxiety!... I am joining the Marines!... I’m dying my hair for attention… I eat too many snack cakes!) moving forward, they were not always able to keep the some of the moodier songs from falling flat. The lyrics did have moments of wit and inspiration, however, I left the Douglas feeling cheated upon realizing my favorite song and scene was the odd second act opener about a ceramic frog (toad?).

To single out a cast member’s talent would be unfair, though the better moments of the show occur early and toward the end of the first act when the actors are having fun singing, dancing and genuinely enjoying their craft and the few moments of the production that are visually and musically effective. Who doesn’t love a shopping montage and people dancing in their skivvies?!

The book needs serious retooling, especially the shaky second act (was there really a need for the pot-smoking old-neighbor-lady to kiss a teenage boy? Did she need to be more pathetic? Gross, and no!). Giving the two female characters more substance and less desperation would be nice too, especially for young female audience members. Unfortunately, I think the solution is to remove those characters completely, along with the intermission, and condense the show to focus more on the band’s bond and struggle. Furthermore, the final revelation that “the artist is just as important as the song” seemed less of a moral and more of a selfish wish from the musical’s creators.

Though the show seemed to unravel throughout, it did wonderfully depict the real yearnings that a teenager craves for discipline, friendship and the need to belong and feel loved. The device that their rock band is the only way these teens know how to express their deepest feelings (My dad abandoned me! My mom forgot to feed me!), while not new or terribly clever is still a relevant and fun way to tell their stories. Ultimately a story about friendship and unity, this not-so-great musical about a not-so-great rock band’s dream of success and winning 1st place at a battle-of-the-bands competition is less rock and more droll, relying too much on the strength of its cast and their desire to not have life imitate art.

The creators of The Black Suits would do well by smoking many cigarettes, taking out the planetarium Band-Aids and pursuing vigorous song editing and book rewrites. I’d personally love it if they got rid of that tired “the power went out” theatre trope, but, you know, whatever.
The Black Suits could be an excellent Off-Broadway show, with its cast of misfits and its need for a small venue. It is a must-see for lovers of the original musical and for those who love a work in progress. I fear though that it will only be I and the sleepy blue-haired season ticket holders at the Douglas who see this not-quite rocking musical’s potential.

"The Black Suits" is currently running at the Kirk Douglas through November 24, 2013.
http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/The-Black-Suits/