Photo Flash: New Dark Comedy Musical In Concert A GIRL I KNOW Presented at Feinstein's/54 Below

The weekend started with a blast for an impressively sold house at Feinstein's/54 Below as a throng of curious and interested people filled the basement nightclub for a concert production of a new movie musical titled A GIRL I KNOW. The dark comedy written by composer & lyricist John Riley and librettist/lyricist Kate Queen is touted as being in pre-production in Los Angeles with Marcel Walz in the director's seat. Mr. Riley, who served as emcee and storyteller, confessed that the evening was a bucket list event for him and that he and his family had flown in from Seoul for the occasion. Detailing the quarantine creation for the audience, Riley proved to be a charming host with a dry brand of humor that lent itself well to the darkness of his story, that of a beautiful serial killer with a penchant for victims who happened to be philandering husbands. Naturally, there was a source to her pathology, and naturally it led back to her alcoholic mother. As is the way with tales from the dark side, there were death-crossed lovers, gruesome murders, and a serial killer seeking detecitve who happened to be besotted with the killer he sought, unknowingly, of course. In the name of not giving away any spoilers, this reporter will make the discreet choice to say that Mr. Riley's songs have good lyrics and great melodies, and they were presented in the best light by a cast of actors secured through Jamibeth Margolis casting. As the protagonist with a pathology Chloe Lowery used her voice to blow the roof off the basement, presenting a particularly thrilling Bassey/Bond moment with the number "Familiar Faces " and all of the men serving at the merry murderess's whims were in extraordinary voice, with Andrew O'Shanick acting as the love interest, Roe Hartrampf as the detective on the hunt, and Cody Gerszewski filling in as various victims and history lessons. As the tipsy matriarch whose life informed the leading lady's life choices, Stephanie Lynne Mason was most effective, though it was after the presentation of A Girl I Know that Ms. Mason stole attention from the musical about murder with another John Riley composition named "Flying Blind" - it was the triumph of the entire evening.

Creating a concert version of your musical is difficult, and reviewing them isn't so easy either because they are works in progress, they need support, they need room to grow, they need time to bake. Critiquing a concert staging of new musical is a bit of an exercise in futility because it is only when the musical (especially a musical movie) is completed that the picture is clear enough to judge. So, as this reporter observed a few sentences ago, the songs are good, and they were especially good in these voices... the rest, we will all have to wait for the smoke to clear in Hollywood before we can, actively, make a judgement call.

For now, please enjoy these photos of the company of A GIRL I KNOW at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Find great shows to see at the 54 Below website HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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