Jack Perry is Alive and Dating is a must-see musical experience for every gay and his girl. Bryce and I were invited to see the show opening night and I have to say I was pleased at how the actors managed a clever balance between poignant emotional moments and humor.
The story follows Jack Perry, a single Manhattan gay man with a jaded outlook regarding his love life. Jack is joined by an awesome cast of characters including his best friends Val (Melissa Joyner), Logan (Charles Baskerville, Tad (Jake Lowenthal), and Henry (Josh Sauerman). Through 90 fast paced minutes we see the single gay man navigating through the dating world, facing the ghosts of lost relationships, and following his heart through a text message all over Manhattan looking for the one thing he keeps pretending that he doesn’t want: Love.
The actors work together to bring the production to life, each playing a plethora of different characters and jostling around the set moving the props like chess pieces. This only adds to the grounded lighthearted humor and musical numbers.
Jack Perry is Alive and Dating‘s biggest success is that it finds a way to relate to everyone. Straight couples can relate to the protagonist’s best friend Val and her great relationship with her husband Henry, gay couples can relate to Logan and Tad and their rolodex of conquests, and singles both gay and straight can find a bit of themselves in Jack though his frustrations, late night subway rides, and of course, his hope.
Jack Perry is Alive and Dating is now playing at the Mcginn/Cazale theater as part of the 2011 New York Musical Theatre Festival through Saturday, Oct 15th. The venue is intimate and the play is charming. My favorite part was when the lead pointed right at me and Bryce when he was talking sarcastically about “happy couples”.
My only thought was If only he knew.
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