Review: THE NOTEWORTHY LIFE OF HOWARD BARNES at BDT Stage

Seeing new musicals is something I relish. With no frame of reference, it allows me to take in every aspect of the show more profoundly. The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes at BDT Stage is the latest contemporary musical to be picked over by yours truly.

Let me start off by saying that the show is technically a solid production coming out of BDT Stage. The cast is delightful and the creative elements are well-rounded. Standing on its own, the show itself rough around the edges. Somewhere in there is a plotline, though perforated. I wasn't completely sold on the idea that everyone around this one random guy has essentially decided to play some kind of sick joke by convincing him his life is now a musical and all of this is orchestrated by this Wizard of Oz type of Sondheim character. The suspense of disbelief is rather unbelievable. There also isn't enough set up time toward the beginning of the show built in to really invest in the moment and the characters before going on this whirlwind journey.

Regardless of the show, however, the cast of Howard Barnes has a fun time playing around in the farcical tale. Melissa Morris as the ex-girlfriend of Howard, Grace, and Wayne Kennedy as the mastermind composer behind this "live" musical, Von Schwartzenheim, are both great in their portrayals. Each of them offered a sense of camp and comedy that among the chaos was consistent. Morris even had a more intimate, somber moment with scene partner Chas Lederer that gave a stark contrast to the rest of her work, really touting her skills as an actor.

Mckayla Marso McDonough as the new love interest, Maggie, gives a stage veteran's performance in the role. McDonough does a great job of taking the material and just running with it at full sprint. A strong vocalist, her singing was a particular highlight of the show. In the titular role of Howard Barnes, Chas Lederer is comfortable as the leading man. On paper, the character is, shall we say, less than noteworthy, but Lederer is a savior to the role, doing what he can to give him a sense of dynamics and stronger backstory. Lederer's softer vocals are also a nice touch to the role.

Overall, the latest production at BDT Stage is worth seeing if only for the energy and hard work of the cast (and the opening curtain speech by Patric Case). Though I was less impressed with the book of the show, the cast and crew are worth praising. The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes runs at BDT Stage through April 23, 2022. For tickets, visit https://bdtstage.com/shows/.

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