Earth Sucks! A Cosmic Rock Musical is an ambitious production in a tiny space that invokes memories of good high school plays full of talent and potential. Theater availability and production values aside, there are many things worth praising in this original musical.
Musician and award-winning playwright, Jonas Oppenheim, who has written and directed more than 20 other productions that have played nationwide, wrote the book, music and lyrics and directed the production as well. "It's all good. And fun!," Oppenheim says he got the idea from the Carpenters'version of "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" and David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" concert and wrote the score while playing in his former New York Band, The What. "I love astronomy and I love rock and roll," he says. "It was time to try something different."
PHOTO BY EMIKA HONDA  Lucas Revolution and sock puppet as alien rock star, Fluhbluhbluh. |
The concept of this comedic space odyssey revolves around a bored, astronomy-loving teenager, Echo Bell (Emily Stern, yes, the daughter of shock jock Howard Stern), who falls in love with a fugitive alien, Fluhbluhbluh (Lucas Revolution), lead singer for a space band. Their love and their music are all that stand between evil pop diva Ulinia Swords (Nakia Syvonne) and the destruction of the universe.
The music and lyrics are a mélange of music genres and combine comedy, irony and wistful longings into the lean plot as when Echo's dad, Max Bell (Christopher Fairbanks), wonders about life, love and the universe in "Max's Lament." Not only is Fairbanks a fine actor, but as a singer he expresses the universal pathos of the human condition as we second guess what choices we've made in our lives.
Echo sings the title song, "Earth Sucks," where she ticks off everything that's wrong in her life–school, the mall, her rocker boyfriend, Swayze (Rawn Erickson II), her missing mother and her distant dad who happens to work for NASA. Echo's dream is to tour the galaxy with an alien rock and roll band. The song, "I Need My Space," is Echo's lyrical way of breaking up with Swayze, whose only reaction is, "Can we have sex now?" Her best friends and backup singers, Jenn and Jen (Alicyn Packard and Jennifer Fenten), lend a contemporary "Marvelous Wondrettes" ambience as they clutch their cell phones, gush over loser guys and seem confused about Echo's discontent.
Echo and Fluhbluhbluh have a couple of sweet duets together, one where Echo asks him to teach her his language, "... Means I Love You." Max Bell is the calm in the eye of the storm swirling around him, an excellent counterpoint to the campy freneticism of teenage angst. Also worth mentioning is Scott Palmason, a versatile actor who plays two roles, Posse (one of the teens) and Mr Swordo, Ulinia's bullying sidekick.
The band members are Rawn Erickson II, John Hanson, Duncan Mackay and PJ Wyderka, who are active players in the L.A. music scene.
The outstanding talent is Nakia Syvonne as the evil diva who struts around ala Grace Jones in a skin-tight, silver space-tard and platform boots instructing galaxy citizens to "Obey!" and "Kill!" And they do. Can she ever deliver a song!
All in all, if you can get past the sardine-can seating, Oppenheim has created a delightful other-worldly diversion with a message or two tucked in for good measure. Enjoy the ride!
If people want to go the extra light year and sponsor a student, they can buy "Superstar" tickets for $50 that will provide a second admission and refreshments to an "earth dollar-deprived high school student," compliments of the show's production company, Citizens of Earth Productions, that has partnered with the Virginia Avenue Project, a non-profit organization that uses the arts to help at-risk youth realize their potential. The tickets are available online at www.plays411.com/earthsucks.
Earth Sucks! continues at Art/Works Theatre through November 2, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. at 6569 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90038. For reservations call (323) 960-7744 or go online to www.earthsucksmusical.com.
