Photo by Joan Marcus
From "On The Town" to "42nd Street," many musicals over the years have payed homage to the city that never sleeps - NYC. A fresh new show at Broadway's Circle in the Square is now following suit and offering up its own unique musical love letter to the Big Apple... and there isn't a musical instrument in sight! Our #ShowOfTheWeek is the Broadway premiere of In Transit.
Billed as "Broadway's First A Cappella Musical" and boasting four talented writers - James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan & Sara Wordsworth and Oscar & Grammy winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Disney's "Frozen") - the production also features vocal arrangements by Deke Sharon, the a cappella mastermind behind the "Pitch Perfect" movie franchise. Thanks to these much-loved teen flicks, a cappella has never been hotter and makes the timing of this Broadway venture perfectly pitched too.
The score is perhaps one of the strongest elements of this production and I for one have a huge appreciation of the discipline and effort to arrange and master 11-part harmonies for the entire 95 minute duration of the show. What a mammoth feat undertaken! I am happy to report that it all pays off, especially thanks to a number of interludes in the show where the ensemble cast are given well-deserved moments of rest and "Boxman" (Steven 'Heaven' Cantor or Chesney Snow, depending on which performance you attend) steps to the fore and stuns us with his (in)human beatboxing skills.
Whilst the intricacies and complexities of an 11-part harmony may blow our minds, the narrative of In Transit is relatively simple in comparison. Over the course of the musical, we meet several New Yorkers who are all metaphorically trying to get from point A to point B in one way or another and their lives frequently intertwine. The New York subway system is both a fitting symbol of these journeys as well as an appropriate setting for many of the scenes. The subway also offers up a barrage of cannon fodder for comic relief moments, where we as audience member nod (or laugh out loud) in recognition. Who hasn't seen a rat dragging a slice of pizza across the platform before?!
You are likely to identify with at least one of these characters' journeys - whether it is Ali, who needs to move on from a broken relationship, or Trent who must face coming out to his conservative mother, or Jane who slaves away at a job she has no interest in and continues to dream of landing a dream job on Broadway - there are many well-worn, New York and universal scenarios to choose from. These subplots come together and create just the right mix of emotionally moving and comically satisfying arcs.
Sadly, original cast member Telly Leung has had to take a leave of absence from the show for personal reasons and has left his character of Steven in the very capable hands of Colin Hanlon, but we caught up with Telly beforehand to get the insider scoop on being part of this a cappella adventure. He will be returning to the production from January 31. Read our interview HERE.
In Transit is a bustling 95 minute journey on a subway cart full of typical New Yorkers, who are opening up to us in intoxicating song about their lives. Like them, we all have our own destinations in life and getting to them also proves a bumpy ride. It truly was a pleasure for me to be a fellow passenger and share their journeys that evening.
Click here for tickets to In Transit, currently booking through to June 25, 2017 at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre.
Erin Mackey and the Cast of In Transit More Production PhotosOriginally published on