A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet is a laugh-out-loud musical experience. If you haven't seen it, catch it before it closes. You will likely see this show in the future around the country as it's a witty, entertaining piece with small production elements that can be performed in theaters and cabarets just about anywhere. This low-cost production vs. high-quality material is a sure bet for many regional theaters throughout the U.S.
Meet two jingle writers (actual show writers Ben Fankhauser and Alex Wyse) who begin a creative relationship with pop-star Regina Comet (Bryonha Marie Parham). The writers’ challenge is to bring the singer back into "relevance" by creating a jingle for her fragrance. It's a hilarious, slapstick romp that got plenty of audience laughs. The songs and harmonies are well-crafted and inspiring. The feel-good ending - complete with sparkly shorts - will make you jump up and clap along. Superb direction and choreography bring electricity to the tiny stage. The creative lighting and special effects are a big WOW. It's 80 minutes of fantastic fun and excellent theatre all-around. The New York Times, ”It's a pancake" review, made me want to see it even more.
The most remarkable thing about the show is how it came to be and how it circumvented the “usual” musical theatre writing and development process that can often take a decade or more to bring a musical forth. Three things made this possible:
1. Laser-focus
The show has a laser-focused story and gets specific about relationships from the get-go. The comedic writing and deadpan grandmother jokes are classic kitsch. The writers picked a perfect subject, brought personal cultural scope, worked their craft, ruthlessly edited it, and since they are also actors in the piece, delivered the material with love and care. They brought an amazing colleague into the role of Regina who held them to task by asking questions about her character and bringing her creative thoughts to the development process. Additionally, the quarantine afforded the creative team the time and space to crank out this show. It’s a triple threat: laser focus on the topic, laser focus in the development process, and a song about lasers too!
2. Multi-hyphenate artist/creators
How do two Broadway veterans and friends make it through the pandemic with no performing work? They create and improve their art every single day. This first-time writing duo serves the story with catchy ear worms and very solid musical craft. One Hit Song and Say Hello are both excellent. Conflict of Interest and The Girl Beneath the Lasers are notable as well. The energy and commitment they bring to the piece is infectious. Being a performer is not enough in 2021, one needs to bring a full palette of skills to survive and thrive beyond 2021. Being a content creator is not only important in social media, you have to create art and opportunities for yourself and other artists. I'm curious to see if this writing team continues to write and what they might be up to next.
3. Savvy Producers
The artists went to producer Cody Lassen & Associates and shared their material for a potential themed concert at 54Below. He looked at the material and said, "Hey guys, this looks like an off-broadway show." They pivoted and built a producing team of investors, 50% of whom were new to theater investing, combined with experienced Broadway marketers. They aligned to become the first show to open after the Covid theater blackout. They capitalized the show on a thrifty off-broadway budget and called in some favors to lower the risk. To date, they have recouped their investment.
Good material, multi-hyphenate artists, and a feel-good, fun show with a nimble and creative producing team - I think that's the recipe to make a show like Regina Comet take flight. Keep an eye out for the cast album. If you're like me, you’ll want to hear some of those songs on repeat. And oh, it's not a flat pancake, it's fluffy with fruit and whipped cream. Just perfect for the world right now.
Lorene Phillips is a music educator, voice coach, and producer living in NYC. (@phillipslorene)