Editor’s Note: The announcement of the Bucks County Theater’s Playhouse Youth Company’s performance of “ALiEN8” attracted attention here at U.S. 1 for a few reasons. First, the musical theater work was co-authored by area playwright David Lee White, best known for his stage and education work for Passage Theater Company (he is also an occasional writer for U.S. 1).
Another reason was that the work first saw the light of day during a 2017 summer theater education project at McCarter Theatre in Princeton. And, in 2021, U.S. 1 announced the recent publication of the play by Youth Plays, a California based publishing house. When a full production of the work was announced in the region, it seemed fitting to give the work a critical test and have the opportunity to report the following:
Despite decades, perhaps centuries, of dire predictions about theater’s longevity, I just saw convincing evidence its future is assured.
The proof was on stage every minute “ALiEN8,” a musical by Kate Brennan and David Lee White, was being performed at New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse last weekend.
It came in the form of talent displayed by 17 youngsters who participated in the Playhouse’s summer training program. These kids, chosen by audition, had five intense weeks of free classes and training that included preparing for a weekend of performances on the BCP stage.
From what I saw in “ALiEN8,” all 17, major part or small, sang beautifully in pure tones, exuded stage presence, and followed Kara Jönsson’s direction flawlessly. You could see the earnestness in their effort. Beyond that, you see a next generation taking advantage of the careful preparation Jönsson, BCP director of education Michaela Murphy, and assistant director of education Ellen Gallos provided them by noticing their poise, their confidence, and their trust in their material and each other.
“ALiEN8” was successful as a show, but more importantly, it was a triumph as a showcase for the young people who are considering careers in the theater. Murphy, Gallos, and Jönsson demonstrate how deftly they can pass on their craft and how adroitly they can mold the young and willing into a top-notch ensemble that, in spite of their fledgling status, showed professionalism that indicated a will to continue learning and to do good work.
The troupe is called the Playhouse Youth Company, and I for one am curious to see how each of its members will develop and hope for a funder who might want to keep the ensemble together to advance and perform as a group.
“ALiEN8” was enjoyable in several ways. Brennan and White take a contemporary issue, unconditional acceptance, and find multiple way to bring their points home while never getting preachy or heavy-handed with their musical’s moral.
The show takes place in small Missouri town that is prone to tornados, having had seven of them within the last century, as noted by a high school student who keeps track of weather data. The latest tornado comes on the night of the high school prom and wipes out a third of the town’s homes. Some students attending the prom are unaware of their family’s safety or whether they have a place to live. One girl, Anna (Sofia Garcia), a serial runaway from her strict home, leaves the school to go into the storm, but rather than heading to parts unknown ends up rescuing another being so androgynous no one can tell its gender.
The being introduces itself as “8” (Bridget Parker) and initially communicates by hand gestures, arms motions, fluttering fingers, and an occasional stomped foot or other sign of frustration to express how he or she feels.
“8” is an alien. He/she never reveals where he/she is from and never seems threatening or unkind in any way. He/she is a quick learner, picking up English with dispatch and mastering the cello during a weekend when a student, Hayley (Helena Badiali), who is jealous of “8,” locks him/her in the school’s music room.
“8” is obviously different, and his/her being something other than conventional, upsets some in town while drawing out the empathy and friendliness of others, particularly a trio of students and the two teachers, one a counselor actually (Jessica Holliday and Riley Malone), that make the biggest effort to make school meaningful to their students.
Difference or individuality is an important theme in White’s script. “ALiEN8” hones in on the security people seek in their home environment and how cruel it can be when a trait or choice, such as being transgender, fosters more mockery than recognition, tolerance, or even matter-of-fact indifference.
“ALiEN8” delves into and expresses popular points of view while depicting some who aren’t ready to accept anything but the expected. To White and Brennan’s credit, “ALiEN8” has its say without becoming cloying or overly critical towards people who have some room to grow in terms of letting others be who they are vs. fitting into a mold.
“8” is the clearest target of those who prefer conformity, but the town, small though it is, contains others who can do with some understanding or at least some peace as they live their realities. One is a newcomer who often mentions their non-binary identity. Another is a someone who was born a boy but is so drawn to the feminine, they dress and interact as a girl.
“ALiEN8” deals with some tough topics, such as intolerance, parents using religion or some other standard to insist on their vision of normality, bullying, jealousy, unwillingness to understand, and suicide.
The young man who tracks storms thinks the frequent tornadoes are a sign that the town is displeasing the heavens. He specifically notes the prom tornado hits on the anniversary of a sad occasion, one that affects several of the students, including a few such as Emily (Maya Micsion) who feels guilty about how she treated the girl who took her life, and especially when Emily seeks an intimate relationship, destined to be requited, with the suicide’s sister.
Brennan’s score often touches sensitively and deeply on the thoughts and revelations characters are experiences. “ALiEN8” features a telling song about motherhood and the intuition mothers have, sung movingly by Anna’s mother, Janet (Cassidy Summerville). Holliday and Malone show great vocal range and true storytelling ability in numbers they do individually and together. Garcia has the most responsibility as Anna and handles her acting and singing with admirable aplomb.
Every member of Playhouse Youth Company acquits him, her, or themself well. In addition to those mentioned, that company includes Mia Alicea, Kailey Bredeson, Jessica Dailey, Atticus Fiorito, Izzy Hoskins, Liam Quinn Jackson, Athena Matthes, Makayla McClintic, Michael Murphy and Jacob Rabinowitz. The band, led by Kyle Duke, includes Brendan Adames, Vinny Angeline, and Jake Noble.
Izzy Hoskins is a lot of fun as the rock star mom of one of the more accepting students. The entire cast is excellent at doing, and even spoofing, the gestures “8” makes before he/she masters English. Some characters use those gestures — use, not appropriate! — to add to their communication repertoire.
Using chairs that are moved around a usually bare set, with occasional desks and other furniture rolled in, Jönsson creates a wide world, or a whole town, on the BCP stage.
Jönsson is also to be congratulated for making a production with young performers flow so smoothly and play so fluently and for dealing straightforwardly with sensitive material rather than try to create a lesson from it. Jönsson had her characters live their lives and speak or sing their feelings without getting oversized or moralizing.
“ALiEN8” appeared only for one weekend at the Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania, which this Friday begins a monthlong run of “Dames at Sea” featuring the Adelaide from 2017’s “Guys and Dolls,” Lesli Margherita.
For more on “ALiEN8,” see the September 22, 2021, U.S. 1 Story “Playwright Launches Passage Theater Season.”
