Review: ‘Jukebox musical' hums with its distinctive choral sounds

When you first hear the remarkable singing in “Brick: An A Cappella Musical,” you scan the lineup of singers to find out where all those sounds are coming from.

In place of a band, vocal arrangers Adam Hogston and Joe Mokrycki create instrumental sounds with voices: percussion, bass, melody line, rhythmic movement and harmonies — a choral accompaniment to solos and duets. The sound is amazing, from the opening number of “Effington” through the finale, “Evaporated.” Kudos to music directors Laureen Pickle and Kevin Smith, who make those arrangements literally sing.

The dozen songs are by Ben Folds (formerly of Ben Folds Five). SkullDuggery Theatre founder Andrew McGreevy wrote and directed this “jukebox musical,” in which a plotline was invented to go with Folds' tunes. Folds' biggest hit, “Brick,” tells the story of a young unmarried couple dealing with an abortion.

McGreevy's characters take the names of characters in Folds' alt-rock songs, and lyrics once thought of in one way are sometimes transformed.

But the shifts are largely seamless in this story of Ben (Eric Grant-Leanna), a single man on a road trip. Ben wanders into the village of Effington, likes the warm welcome and settles in.

Annie (Jen Martinez) gives him the tour, and he soon finds himself falling for her. That's not OK with war veteran Spencer (Queno Martinez), who runs the local garage and has feelings for Annie. This sparks the show's central conflict, though variations on a relationship theme run throughout.

There's crew-cut Coach (Joe Blackstad), who has neglected his marriage to Sheriff Judy (Elizabeth Webb) in favor of the football team. Sweet-natured lesbians Chloe (Patricia Lilyhorn) and Bailey (Emily Jane Thompson) run a restaurant and dream of adopting a son (Brock McCullough). Sara (Sasha Olson), a psychic who gets vibes about future events, has a thing for Zak (Zach Cook), a lanky musician.

The Reverend (Eric Salonis) is unattached, and Fred Jones (Brendan JD Reilly) appears to silently doze through most of the show. Emaline (LeAnn Tipler) is a woman from Ben's past. Six nonspeaking roles bring the cast total to 19, a tight squeeze in the tiny, 30-seat venue.

The people of Effington have a secret, which will cause Ben to reassess his choices when it's revealed. Strong acting throughout is led by Grant-Leanna and Jen Martinez in lead roles. Blackstad and Lilyhorn are particularly memorable as the coach and the gentle-spirited cook.

While the overall plot structure is fairly solid, the writing ebbs and flows. Reilly scores with dialogue reflecting on the nature of great love, while Webb zings with a bit of wisdom about men's and women's emotional coping skills. Other scenes (retelling a dream, Lookout Point) meander and could tighten. With two intermissions, Thursday's opening pushed three hours, which causes even some of the dozen well-sung songs to feel long.

While the story line tills some emotionally rich turf, it's the individual performances and that distinctive choral sound you won't soon forget. “Brick” is well worth catching, distinct from any other piece of locally created theater in memory.

Word to the wise: Arrive on time. Doors will lock promptly at show time, since there's no way to seat late arrivals without disruption.

Contact the writer:

444-1269, bob.fischbach@owh.com

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