Reviews: Critics Sounds Off on THE LONELY FEW at The Geffen Playhouse

Geffen Playhouse production of the world premiere musical The Lonely Few is now on stage. The production has book by Rachel Bonds (Sundown, Yellow Moon; Michael & Edie), music and lyrics by Zoe Sarnak (A Crossing, Galileo), and directed by Trip Cullman (Choir Boy, Significant Other) and Ellenore Scott (Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night). The Lonely Few is produced in association with FourthWall Theatrical (This American Wife, Jagged Little Pill).

The cast includes Joshua Close (Fargo, Solace) as Adam; Damon Daunno (Oklahoma!, Hadestown) as Dylan; Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill, Fun Home) as Lila; Ciara Renée (Frozen, Waitress) as Amy; Helen J Shen (Man of God, Hair) as JJ; and Thomas Silcott (Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, Becky Nurse of Salem) as Paul.

Lila (Lauren Patten, Tony Award winner for Jagged Little Pill) is getting by in her Kentucky hometown-scanning groceries at the Save-A-Lot, caring for her erratic brother, and living for Friday nights, when she plays a gig with her band The Lonely Few. And that's enough. Or she thought it was, until Amy, an established musician ragged from the road, passes through and offers her a shot at something much, much bigger. But is Lila ready for the life she never dared to imagine? A world premiere musical by Zoe Sarnak and Rachel Bonds, The Lonely Few is a love story between two women searching for a sense of home.

This play was commissioned as part of The Geffen Playhouse's New Play Development Program thanks to the generosity of Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald. Major support for this world premiere production provided by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Production Fund.

Let's see what the critics had to say!

Charles McNulty, LA Times: The Lonely Few cries out for clarity and compression. But it's an endearing new musical with some untapped potential. Love stories, even queer ones, can't help being a little old-fashioned at their core. But this one still has more originality to discover.

Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly: This is more headbanging rock show than proscenium-bound musical, a factor created, celebrated, and enforced by Wickersheimer's design. We are club patrons, a part of the action, and Bond's book is adept at never pushing us too hard outside that space. Though there are scenes in convenience stores and hospital rooms, we're never jarringly removed from the performance space that we inhabit alongside the characters.

Andrew Child, BroadwayWorld: The show has a lot of promise and it's one that I'm happy I caught in this early incarnation as it seems to have the makings of a great new musical. Can't wait to jam along with the cast recording.

Alan Koolik, Theatrely: The Lonely Few is a moving production that will certainly benefit from continued revisions to its book and score. It will resonate with anyone who has ever pursued their dreams or fallen in love. With its incredible cast, immersive setting, and enjoyable tunes, it's a show that music lovers will be sure to enjoy.

Emilie St. John, 2 Urban Girls: The actor's use of the entire room kept the audience engaged as if we were attending a concert which was refreshing. I was tapping my toes throughout the performances and found myself misty-eyed as Lila and Amy found their way to each other. It was a very touching story and highly recommended for all to see.

Laura Foti Cohen, Larchmont Buzz: The band's genre-defying songs, by Zoe Sarnak, are powerful and emotional, moving the story forward while standing on their own as potential hits. "I'll Be Gone" displays Lila's sense of freedom. "21-30" offers insights into aging. From love to loss and back again, the music leads. This is a soundtrack album I would buy.

Kevin Taft, We Live Entertainment: There's a lot of great stuff here, so much so I can see this playing Off-Broadway to sold-out millennial and Gen-Z crowds. The book could stand to go a bit deeper with its subject matter which hits on topics often dealt with in books, movies, and shows of the past. Incidents and developments occur without much surprise, so the audience just sort of waits for the characters to get to these moments. But it's how they are played out that gives it the tonic that makes it special.

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