Thoughts on Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals’, From a Gal Who Really Likes Starkid Musicals
Thoughts on Ateneo Blue Repertory’s ‘The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals’, From a Gal Who Really Likes Starkid Musicals
Feature art by Abigail Manaluz
I have to admit: my love for Starkid musicals goes way back in high school, when my Harry Potter obsession was at its peak. It was at a time when JK Rowling wrote the follow-up for Harry Potter, The Cursed Child, and the release of its prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Out of frustration with their lackluster quality, I watched numerous Harry Potter-inspired internet videos on YouTube and stumbled upon A Very Potter Musical (and the two more sequels that followed). Obviously, my Harry Potter fascination has died down due to the author’s problematic stance, but there is one thing I cannot deny: every Starkid musical, even their early Harry Potter ones, is a gem. While they mostly write and produce parody musicals like Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, their Wicked-ification of Aladdin, where Jafar is a misunderstood vizier, and Holy Musical B@man, which features a hilarious Superman vs Batman showdown way before Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman, they have written their original stuff throughout the years. While their early ones, Me and My Dick and Firebringer, are not my cup of tea, I respect their artistry.
With that said, I know full well the history of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals. To give you a briefer: In 2019, Starkid first staged the musical in Los Angeles, far from their usual spot in Chicago. They first launched a Kickstarter campaign, just like what they do with their other productions, stage the musical for a limited time, and release the full proshot on their YouTube page. In all honesty, this was the first Starkid original work that I genuinely loved. It has all the silliness that I grew to love from their musicals. The music written by Jeff Blim was entertaining and catchy, an aspect I liked from his previous musical for Starkid, Trail to Oregon. They are like earworms that you cannot get out of your head, which is important for this musical. Each punchline from the musical has a satisfying setup that makes for a great comedy musical.
Original production of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals / Courtesy of Starkid Productions
The musical invites us to the world of Hatchetfield and how one day, a meteor struck the town and turned everyone into musical creatures, which sounds like Invasion of Body Snatchers but with musical numbers, or like that musical episode from Buffy. Only a few people weren’t affected: Paul, the titular guy who didn’t like musicals, Emma, Paul’s love interest, Ted, Charlotte, Bill, his coworkers, and Professor Hidgens, Emma’s eccentric professor from college. Chaos ensues, and musical mania promises a fun time in the theater. The reach of Starkid Productions has been slowly expanding throughout the years, and several theater productions have staged this musical ever since, including Repertory Philippines (for their Adult Workshop). This is why it was no wonder to me that Ateneo Blue Repertory decided to stage this musical.
Picture by Kyla Camomot / Courtesy of Ateneo Blue Repertory
Their production of Guy was promising and entertaining. I remember being extremely excited when this was first announced, and the production did not disappoint. Even before entering the theater, the ticketing booth immerses you in the full Hatchetfield experience, where if you tip the staff in the merchandise area, they’ll sing to you a song from the musical that’ll make you la-dee-dah even before the show starts.
Yet, of course, I was worried about how they would deliver the jokes because doing dramatic plays is easier than comedic ones. You have to know when to deliver the jokes and calculate their landing. While some of its moments have noticeable pauses in between dialogue (a directorial decision not present in the original production), these pauses add a great comic effect in each scene. I was also worried that I might be too attached to the actors who played these characters in the original production that I might nitpick the actors in the Ateneo Blue Repertory production. Alas, the actors were wonderful in their respective roles. Kevin Maroon and Mary Mangubat are exceptional in their lead roles. Ian Beriña is a standout in his multiple roles. Young as the performers might be, their passion and love for musicals were evident in their performances, and that’s what you really want from a musical, especially when watching a musical you’ve known for years. They stand out in their roles, and I cannot wait to see them in more productions.
In conclusion: Ateneo Blue Repertory offers yet again another banger of a production that showcases its members’ prowess in performing. There’s a simplicity in their production that adds charm to all of it. The only nitpick that I would point out is how I wish they had staged this in Doreen Blackbox Theater instead, for the material would benefit a smaller staging, yet they still made it work despite having a wider staging. Knowing that this was mounted by young thespians gives me comfort that their future careers, as well as the future of Philippine theater, will flourish.
