Not many people want to re-live their teenage years: hormones raging over the latest crush, zits popping up here and there at the most inconvenient times. Just the thought of being so uninhibited, and yet so self-conscious and vulnerable, is enough to make me wince with embarrassment. Thankfully, the new musical comedy ’13,’ about growing up and figuring out who you are, is not painful to watch, even if it does stir a few memories. It’s actually one of the most entertaining shows I’ve seen in a long time, largely because of the inventive staging and talented cast of teenagers, who deliver an energetic and polished performance from start to finish. ’13,’ with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (‘Parade’) and book by children’s author Dan Elish, tells the story of Evan Goldman, whose mother moves him from New York City to Appleton, Indiana, just before he is about to turn 13. Confused and dislocated, Evan thinks he can improve his situation–socially and emotionally–by inviting all the popular kids to his bar mitzvah. Directed by Todd Graff, ’13’ is fast-paced, and the young actors–themselves in throes of teenage life–don’t miss a beat. The spirited musical feels like a modernized combination of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ and ‘The Wonder Years,’ though not quite as deep as the latter. Even the setting might be a take on Sweet Apple, Ohio, where rock star Conrad Birdie turned his biggest fan Kim McAfee’s world upside down. And certainly, the cleverly choreographed cell phone scene in ’13’ is a contemporary play on the famous telephone/gossip scene in ‘Bye Bye Birdie.’ Evan, played by Ricky Ashley, is sort of a Kevin Arnold (‘The Wonder Years’) character in that he likes the idea of being popular but he has more in common with the less-cool kids. Evan’s journey towards manhood is greatly affected by his relationships with two of these offbeat friends–the sweet, toyboyish Patrice (Sara Niemietz) and the geeky Archie (Tyler Mann). Archie has muscular dystrophy and uses his handicap to blackmail Evan into getting him a date with head cheerleader Kendra (Emma Degerstedt). Niemietz’s mature and beautiful voice awes the audience during her solo ‘What It Means To Be A Friend,’ while Degerstedt dances with grace and sophistication. As Evan, Ashley sings with ease and is often center-stage, leading a dance number, but in an understated way, clearly working as a team with the rest of the cast. All 13 performers have a chance to shine and are always ‘on,’ making quick costume changes and engaging the audience in a fun, interactive production. A six-piece live teenage rock band, set up in a ‘garage’ on the upper level of the set, adds to the lively atmosphere. In one of the best scenes, the band plays behind a screen onto which a film is projected. Some of the ’13’ cast members act out the horror film ‘The Bloodmaster’ in front of the screen, creating a 3-D moving picture. Meanwhile, Evan and his friends sit in red movie-theater seats on the ground level of the stage, facing the audience but presumably ‘watching’ the film that we see play out above them. While there is no doubt about the artistry of this production, the oversimplified story doesn’t quite fit the bill. Though Mann does a good job mastering Archie’s awkward movement on arm-brace crutches, his illness isn’t really dealt with beyond the physical–he can’t dance and he falls down towards the end of the play, which arouses Evan’s sympathy. We don’t really learn much about his disease or what he’s going through. Some of the dialogue, also, is a little forced, such as when Evan tells Patrice, ‘Thank you for being honest, for telling me how you feel. I’m just figuring it out.’ This seems a bit too ‘grown-up’ for a 13-year-old, although some of the young actors portraying these characters seem mature beyond their 14 or 15 years. The show runs through February 18 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave. For tickets ($55 to $65), call (213) 628-2772 or visit CenterTheatreGroup.org.
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