My twin momma group from when our kids were about four months old just celebrated our 18th birthdays. Seeing all of our now giant babies hang out together it’s hard to believe we once gathered in each other’s living rooms talking about our little beings as we supported each other through the early days of parenting. I thought about an exercise we used to do to get us to talk about two good things and a hopeful thing about our kids called “two stars and a wish” as I sat down to write my review of “Freak the Mighty” (I was invited as media to the August 15th evening show) making its world debut at Seattle Repertory Theatre through September 6th (If you get a chance to see it I definitely recommend you go, it is a gem of a show that will likely sit with you for a while)
My first star for this new musical is for its incredible casting. We watched Netza Jimenez play Maxwell Kane in such a compelling and vulnerable way, I wondered how any one else could ever play this character like this again. The same could be said for Cornelius Kittrell who plays an instantly lovable Kevin with incredible vocabulary that is displayed early on with a quick and complex song peppered with difficult words. I think we might have even spotted him walking by us as we pulled up to park on our way to the show (which put me in even more awe of actors and how they can go from just walking from their normal lives like we were to becoming a whole character on stage). The chemistry between these two and the harmony and interplay they have with the rest of the cast (who are also very talented) is magical and it really draws the audience in.
The second star for this musical is for the story (which I’m sure I read in Junior High School when the novel by Rodman Philbrick came out) and how it was presented so artfully on stage. I heard a lot of chat about the plot as I lined up for the bathroom at intermission and “the second half gets a little darker” someone warned. (And yes it does get darker and it’s a little scary but also this is really well done) There is so much underlying message in this story about loneliness and friendship, grief and growth, the ability to change and the heartbreak when we don’t that you could feel it hit like arrows into hearts in the crowd. There were a lot of tears around me and my eyes were not dry either.
These two things alone make for a really great play that we talk about at parties and say “wasn’t that so good?” And it was so good-so genuinely good. I guess if I had to have one wish for this musical the only thing I would want is one big shiny song that stands out to give it more universal reach. There is so much meaty story here and so much hope and so much try. But the songs, even though catchy and melodious, felt so specific, I couldn’t bring them home with me, even though the story is still sitting in my heart. I have a bit of a humming in my head of “I am just a freak that’s what I am” but it doesn’t feel like the ballad that should sum up the depth of all the feelings of a musical like this, the all encompassing feelings that get stirred up that we need to belt out or play on repeat on the ride home, maybe the kind of “let it go” type number that would fuel it past our city and beyond.
But also does this show need to be something that it’s not?
Maybe this play is exactly what it needs to be. Not a big commercial event. Not one that we will have toys and t-shirts made up to commemorate our visit. No “Freak the Mighty” souvenirs. Maybe this is just a play where you turn to your neighbor with your eyes leaking and say “what was that we just witnessed together?” and a play that helps us remember that community is such a necessity for life and friendship is the bravest thing we can do on this planet for ourselves and for each other.
(PS. the world could use more plays like Freak the Mighty. It’s in Seattle through September 6th)
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)