Review: Witnessing The Future Of Musical Theater At STARS IN MY EYES/FOOD ON THE TABLE At The Green Room 42

There are a lot of people who think that their city is the greatest city in the world. The thing is- if they're not talking about New York City, then they're wrong. It's not the architecture, or the history, or the food. It's the people. New York City is full of the most creative, coolest, and kindest people you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting. This past Thursday at The Green Room 42, I had the pleasure of hearing music by two of those people that make this city so great in Stars In My Eyes/Food On The Table. Hannah Fairchild and Megan Sperger are creating incredible new music, and I recommend getting in on the ground floor so that, someday, you, too, can say "I knew them when."

Showing off compositions from various works in progress, past creations, and standalone songs, Hannah and Megan both displayed a beautifully developed sense of creative identity, which is the most vital trait when trying to stand out from the masses. There are a lot of folks out there writing in the new musical theater style, so being able to create work with your signature on it is a sign of a mature creative. Hannah's works tend to have a folk/rock bent to them (which makes sense, as she also has a band with a sound in that world), but displayed an unexpected versatility across genres. Megan lives a little more squarely in the new musical theater world with complex, honest lyrics, and accompaniments that often countered them, i.e. uptempo emotional climaxes and comedic ballads. These two composers putting up their work together, alongside a wildly skilled group of singers, makes for a delightful night full of songs that make you go "I want to sing that!" whiich is probably the most important reaction a new composer can have.

Appearing with vocalists Jaclyn Salgado, Isaiah Rosales, Jessie MacBeth, and Michael Jayne Walker, and accompanied by Nitsan Shai on piano and music directing, Robin Luongo on cello, and Hannah herself on guitar, Megan and Hannah alternated throughout the night, exhibiting a work from Megan, then Hannah, and so on. By the way, if you weren't impressed enough already, both these gals write their own music AND lyrics, and excel in both arenas. We also got a little glimpse into their creative processes, which is especially fun with such exciting emerging writers.

Personal favorites included Hannah's "The Worst Thing That Ever Happened To Me," a standalone tune written from the point of view of one of the characters from the movie Gremlins. Hannah confessed that she wrote it while drunk, almost a boast in context, as the song had everyone roaring with laughter at the absolutely rib-tickling lyrics, and witty insertions of classic Christmas tunes in the accompaniment. Jessie MacBeth performed this, showing off one of the healthiest mixy-belts and unrestrained vibratos that I think I've ever heard, and easily hitting every comedic beat. Also on offer from Hannah were songs from two full length shows currently in progress, The Battle of Blythe Road and an untitled tarot card inspired musical. Both were clearly a part of a larger musical world, but also instilled with Hannah's distinctiveness, and I wanted to see more! Michael Jayne Walker was featured on "Food on the Table" from The Battle of Blythe Road and delivered a clear, almost impossibly high, belt that went straight through the stratospher, while perfectly embodying, as Hannah put it, "the worst guy in your friend group making a good point."

The majority of Megan's work was from a piece currently in development entitled The Forest, which she has been developing since college. A two person musical about what life looks like when you decide to start climbing back from rock bottom, Megan is writing The Forest as an honest look at depression and anxiety, and this look at the recovery, rather than the descent, is absolutely refreshing. She skillfully negotiates the line between characters who overshare and characters who are open and honest, something that composers much older than Megan struggle to do. These are characters that you want to root for from the first song, and Megan's clear love and respect for both characters shines through. This is clearly what she was put on this planet to create. Isaiah and Megan sang together in the show's opening number, "A Piano", and Isaiah's Eugene Levy-worthy eyebrows helped to make clear his commitment and love to the piece, as he skillfully navigated some tricky harmonies, making them seem easy as pie while he worked around a very emotionally charged piece.

Hannah Fairchild and Megan Sperger are musical theater's next best kept secret, but I'm pretty sure they won't stay that way for long. Hannah's ability to transcend genre and Megan's skill in crafting lyrics that speak to the soul, paired with melodies that make you want to keep listening, are emblematic of two artists truly hitting their stride; they are creating art that is authentically theirs while also appealing to an extremely wide audience. I'm planning on begging for sheet music to every solo in this show, and I have to imagine that there were more than a few singers in the audience that are also hunting down emails. Of course, they don't have to work very hard to find any contact info, as Hannah put together an amazing virtual playbill that had everyone's websites/instagrams linked, an excellent touch. I'll be a regular anytime these two marvelous ladies make music. There is no joy in life quite like making a discovery as special as this.

Learn more about Hannah Fairchild and Megan Sperger here and here.

Find great shows to see on the Green Room 42 website HERE.

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