Idol: The Musical aspires to be The Full Monty for the Gen Y crowd — a look at a group of small-town misfits, who see in American Idol winner Clay Aiken a hero and role model. They also believe that a win on American Idol will somehow improve their lot in life. Actually, the members of this gang of community college almost-grads have already auditioned for the show and not made it through the first cut. But, during the course of this interminable, amateurish, headache-inducing musical — with music and lyrics by Jon Balcourt, book and lyrics by Bill Boland, additional book and lyrics by conceiver and producer Todd Ellis, and direction and staging by Dan Tursi — the opportunity to audition to be the opening act for Aiken's tour presents itself.
Will these nine friends be able to pull together an act that will ensure their 15 minutes of fame? Frankly, we cease to care almost as soon as the musical begins and the gang assembles for its nightly meeting, presided over by prudish librarian Emily (Stephanie Robinson). They gather around a huge cutout of Aiken, wearing monks' robes and singing, accompanied by prerecorded music, one of the show's strangely intricate and discordant melodies. If ever a musical called for bubblegum pop, it's Idol: The Musical.
Like the music, the writing lets the company down consistently. The characters are all stereotypes — from Goth girl Cass (Kierstyn Sharrow) to erudite bookworm Cicaida (Kaitlin Mercurio) to mama's-boy nerd Connor (Philip Deyesso, who impresses). Some of the numbers in the show are simply embarrassing. Emily strips down to a bustier as she sexualizes a clay bust of Clay. Beanpole basketball player J.D. (Joe Walker, also associate choreographer) also gets a moment to (almost) bare it all as he sings about his real dream — becoming a Chippendales dancer.
An unexpected turn of events means that the gang can never audition with its incredibly inept moves and dreadful Jackson 5-inspired costumes, but that's okay. They all learn an After School Special-inspired lesson: You just need to be yourself. Awww....
Presented by BiPolar Productions
at the 45th Street Theatre, 354 W. 45th St., NYC.
Aug. 12. (The show closed at its opening performance.)