Painfully relevant in the face of a national unemployment rate of 9.6 percent, "I Got Fired" is not only a passionate response to our economic times, but an inspiration not to settle for a boring job that doesn't fulfill your passion.
Varney wrote the book, music, and lyrics and smartly inserts himself as the protagonist. He gives a tour de force performance with powerful, soaring vocals that defy his bookish, bespectacled looks. The characters are not necessarily who they appear to be: not Keith (Varney), a jack-of-all-trades temp concealing his ambition to be a composer; not Jenny (Kelly Karbacz), a lollipop-doling new employee who sings of ambition and greed in "Kathy's Office Down the Hall"; and not Mike (Michael Thomas Holmes), a sheepish techie who lets out a few guttural growls in "Mike Calls In Sick."
Despite too much telling rather than showing and stereotypical, insensitive caricatures—such as Maria (Robyn Corujo), the spicy Latina, and Chen (E.J. Zimmerman), the antisocial Asian who doesn't grasp English turns of phrase—"I Got Fired" is a well-executed, funny production. Director Steve Bebout navigates the small TBG Theatre stage efficiently with practical, roll-away props, and the talented cast all earn their stage time. Whether you've been recently let go or not, chances are you'll enjoy this smart show, and it may lead you to take a hard, honest look at your work situation.
Presented by the Moonshine Project as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival
at TBG Theatre, 312 W. 36th St., 3rd floor, NYC. Oct. 2-14. Remaining performances: Thu., Oct. 7, 1 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 10, 5 p.m.; Thu., Oct. 14, 1 p.m. (866) 811-4111, www.ovationtix.com, or www.nymf.org.