The NYC theatre scene has historically not been kind to vampire-themed musicals. Lestat, Dracula: The Musical and Dance of the Vampires all flopped despite multi-million dollar investments. Bunnicula, adapted by drag legend Charles Busch from the children’s book, was a bit more successful off-Broadway.
Things may be about to change, based on the reception accorded The Lost Boys (now having its World Premiere at Time Square’s recently refurbished Palace Theater) during the preview performance Reverend recently attended. Based on the 1987 movie, which was not a blockbuster at the time but gained a following on home video, it depicts a seaside California community besieged by flying bloodsuckers wherein a newly divorced, unsuspecting mother and her two teenaged sons find themselves. Mayhem ensues.
This new musical’s ace in the hole is two-time Tony Award winning director Michael Arden (Parade, Maybe Happy Ending), although actress Shoshana Bean runs a close second. Despite his recent Broadway misstep The Queen of Versailles, much of which I enjoyed during its Boston tryout, the out Arden has proven himself to be an innovative crafter of modern musicals. He does not disappoint here. Bean, meanwhile, is smarter and stronger in the single mother role played by Dianne Wiest in the movie, with some help from the musical’s more progressive book by David Hornsby and Chris Hoch.
After attending the musical, Reverend streamed and re-watched the original Lost Boys movie for the first time in nearly 40 years. It endures as a time capsule for several young actors who went on to have big careers including Jason Patric, Jami Gertz, the Coreys (Haim and Feldman) and, most notably, Kiefer Sutherland as lead vampire David. But one wouldn’t say it screams out for musicalization.
Perhaps because of this, I was impressed by many things about The Lost Boys new musical. First and foremost with any musical is the score. The composers here are The Rescues, a 20-year old group I had vaguely heard of, so I was most dubious about their songs going in. I was pleasantly surprised. If anything there were too many good but extraneous songs, some of which may have been cut or modified since.
Standouts that need to be retained are the opener (later reprised) “No More Monsters,” the rockin’ “Have to Have You,” Bean’s fun VHS-era homage “Be Kind, Rewind” and the climactic “If We Make it Through the Night.” More questionable but still good were “Wild,” “War” and the queer-positive but length-extending “Superpower.” Regarding the latter, let’s just say this 21st-century take gleefully runs with the fact that colorfully-dressed younger brother Sam (well played on stage by Benjamin Pajak) has a shirtless Rob Lowe poster hanging in his closet in the movie.
The best elements of The Lost Boys on Broadway are Dane Laffrey’s astounding scenic design (an additional Tony award is virtually guaranteed following his win for Maybe Happy Ending last season) and the flying effects or aerial design by Gwyneth Larsen and Billy Mulholland. Indeed, we see more of the vampires actually flying on stage than we saw in the movie, and the results are spectacular.
The preview performance I attended on April 8th ran nearly three hours, including a 10-minute interruption due to an unspecified issue. That was way too long for a fairly slight story, no matter how impressive the visuals. But most of the audience--including the three teen girls and their talkative, Kiefer Sutherland-loving mother seated next to me—seemed unbothered and received the show enthusiastically. (Of note, Sutherland is one of the musical’s many big-name producers.) Perhaps the vampire musical is about to rise from its longtime casket?
Reverend’s Rating: B
David J. Glass’s play Spare Parts is also marking its World Premiere through April 30th at Off-Broadway’s Theater Row. Literal vampires might not figure in this timely original tale, but there’s still some significant bloodsucking/manipulating going on.
An aging billionaire summons a genetic researcher and his young assistant to his compound to discuss how to extend the billionaire’s life, ideally for eternity. The financier introduces them to his queer personal assistant, who falls for the researcher’s also queer assistant. Romantic and ethical complications ensue.
I don’t want to spoil things by giving too much away but Spare Parts ends up being prescient and thought-provoking, to say the least. Of note, the playwright is an MD who also works as a biotech researcher and educator. Glass previously wrote Love + Science, which Reverend reviewed here: https://moviedearest.blogspot.com/2023/06/reverends-reviews-love-science-plus.html. He knows his medical/scientific stuff, which gives the play more credibility even as it remains speculative.
Spare Parts runs an intense, intermission-less 95 minutes. The cast comprised of two-time Tony Award nominee Rob McClure (Chaplin, Mrs. Doubtfire), Michael Genet, Jonny-James Kajoba and Matt Walker is excellent. I was especially pleased to see McClure (pictured above) play a more serious role, and intrigued that Walker is seemingly the playwright’s muse/stand-in since he previously headlined Love + Science as a similar character.
Michael Herwitz’s taut direction and Scott Penner’s futuristic, multi-functional set are also attributes to this memorable production that boasts at least one big plot twist. If you’re in NYC, catch it while you can.
Reverend’s Rating: B+
The Most Reverend Chris Carpenter is editor of Movie Dearest and chief contributor. He has been reviewing movies and theatre since 1996 and also contributes to Rage Monthly magazine (ragemonthly.com). He is a founding member and former Vice President of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Critics (galeca.com) and currently serves as a nominating/voting member of its New York-based Theatre Wing. Reverend Carpenter has been an ordained minister since 1995.
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