The show is at its best when Zimmerman presents songs and scenes that dramatize his plight in original, unsentimental ways. For instance, "Talkin' Dirty" humorously details how learning to lip-read leads him to mistake common words for erotically charged ones, like "steaks" for "sex." Equally striking is "The Incredibly Ponderous Overture," which begins with a long period of unnerving, yet somehow exciting, silence and manages to say more about deafness in five minutes than hours of dry dialogue could.
As original as the score is, however, it can't make up for the book, which is all over the place. Zimmerman tells his story in a fractured form, with scenes from different time periods presented out of chronological order, which leads to confusion and a devastating loss of momentum. The section in which he witnesses the fall of the World Trade Center towers could easily have been cut. It plays no key role in his character development, and it led me to incorrectly believe that the noise of the buildings' collapse caused the initial damage to his ears.
Nevertheless, "Jay Alan Zimmerman's Incredibly Deaf Musical" has earned the right to be taken seriously as a work of worthwhile, though flawed, art. Grading it on the inspiration curve is surely not what Zimmerman wants, nor what the show deserves. It deserves to be seen; he deserves to be heard.
Presented by Geoff Cohen and the New York Musical Theatre Festival as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival at the Duke on 42nd Street, 229 W. 42nd St., NYC. Oct. 2–10. Remaining performances: Fri., Oct. 8, 9 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 9, 9 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 10, 1 p.m. (212) 352-3101, (866) 811-4111, or www.nymf.org. Casting by Cindi Rush.