Stage Door: The misunderstood, exquisitely sung "Superhero"
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 6:20PM by Nathaniel R
Don't let the title fool you though it's not at all deceptive. Tom Kitt's (Next to Normal) newest musical both does and doesn't involve superpowered do-gooders. This anguished but gorgeous intimate drama is, more specifically, about a teenage boy who loves comic books (new find Kyle McArthur who has been with the show since its developmental process). The boy is still reeling from the death of his father two years before the play begins. He loves to draw superheroes which we see projected on to the stage at times. His widowed depressed mother (Kate Baldwin), struggles to connect with this typical juvenile obsession ("What's Happening to My Boy?") especially since they really need each other given the sorry fate life handed them.
Early in the musical the boy becomes obsessed with a mysterious neighbor who he is convinced is either a superhero or supervillain -- the jury still being out...
The intimate mother/son duet gets far more interesting and thematically juicy when they befriend this strange neighbor played wonderfully by Bryce Pinkham, who is initially distant and offputting but thaws beautifully as the drama progresses.
The boy begins to baldly idolize the man as both a comic book figure and a possible new dad ("My Dad the Superhero") while the mother very gingerly takes steps into a new romance.
I've heard complaints that the new musical is too simple and blunt when it comes to its story, themes, and metaphors but have these critics ever read a comic books? The superhero genre does not list subtlety among its chief selling points. This is the land of broad strokes so if you're looking for nuance and shading the best place to find it is the emotionally evocative songs and in the exquisite vocal work of the cast (Pinkham and Baldwin sound so right together you'll want them to co-star repeatedly). I've even heard complaints that the show is boring but I have no time for these gripes either. If the strained ache of a relationship between mothers and sons, and nervous awkward widowed dating doesn't interest you you deserve nothing but generic jukebox musicals!
Is it weird that I feel as protective of this show as the mother feels about her lost son?
Perhaps some personal history is in order to explain my deep devotion. Superhero now has the unique personal distinction of being the musical I've seen performed the most times in its initial life. Two years ago when yours truly was a fellow at the Eugene O'Neill Center's National Critics Institute this project was in development there at the concurrent musicals development program. Our group was able to see it twice there (with Kelli O'Hara and James Snyder as the adult leads). Most of my group didn't like it but I was an instant convert and found myself regularly defending its to-me obvious merits. I'd never seen a musical in multiple stages of its creative process before, so it was remarkable to watch it mutate while the book (by John Logan) was still in flux and the songs (by Tom Kitt) weren't yet locked. Cut to two years later and they've honed in on Superhero's best attributes, reduced one kinda-lame subplot considerably, and cut the only two songs that weren't terrific.
Yet, despite the name composer, star cast, and the quality of the score, it doesn't look like it's going to transfer to Broadway. I wish I could heroically rescue it (Broadway Man!?!) but instead I'll have to retain hope that this underappreciated show will eventually find fans who will understand its fragile beauty, and thrill to the push and pull of its escapist genre paired with the hard mundane reality of grief. Reader, I teared up all four times I saw it and eagerly await a cast album. They MUST record one. It runs through March 31st at Second Stage.
Reader Comments (3)
I thought it was fine. Actually I quite liked it. BUT I was perplexed that they stopped doing interesting staging/choreography after like the first few songs and they definitely stopped after Act 2.
And the other ensemble members not part of mom/son/superhero felt wasted to me a little.
If you've got an NYC Library Card you can use their Culture Pass system to get a free ticket to this show -- lord knows I'm not much on musicals but I am big on free shit so I'm going to see this this weekend on your rec, Nat!
I hope they release a cast album because I need to hear the rest of this music. I live in California and have no chance of seeing this.