[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical, by Alison Zatta and Valen Shore through December 11 at The Actors Company.
Wow. This show is truly amazing! Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical was 10 years in the making. Written by Alison Zatta and Valen Shore, it’s clearly a labor of love. An homage to all our teenage dreams of boybands, with every part played by the ladies who love them, the *NSYNC boys are back in time for the holidays!
The show follows the real story of *NSYNC. Chris Kirkpatrick, he of the fabulous braids, was the originator of the band all those years ago in Florida. He was 23 and the rest of the group he put together was much younger, Justin was only 14 when they started, which is really hard to believe when everyone was lusting over them all. Chris also wrote most of the music and arranged the songs and organised rehearsals and tours. It really was his band. But after only three albums, Justin decided to leave while he still could to start his solo career and the band went on a permanent hiatus. Which brings us to the show. Chris is holding his annual Christmas party and Justin is a no show.
We follow Chris as he laments the break up of the band, with flashbacks to their beginnings and fantastic musical numbers about particularly important moments. Beginning in a Starbucks in present day where the ladies in line recognise Chris, but just cant seem to place him. The show covers the casting of the band, the firing of one of the original members, a friend of Chris’s. Even their sleezy first manager who they fired for ripping them off has a couple of numbers and is gorgeously slimy and evil. Each song is a pivot in the story, kind of A Christmas Carol of *NSYNC folklore.
Everyone is absolutely amazing and commits to this really extraordinary production. It’s simple and stripped back. It’s really just the cast in the space making us believe…but they are so incredibly good that we feel totally transported back to the 90s and MTV.
I loved this show. How fantastic that these incredibly talented writers followed their own dreams of creating a show like this. It may have taken 10 years to get them here, but from my perspective at least, it was worth the wait.
Every song is amazing, truly. The perfect blend of worship and candor and musicality. Of course it’s utterly hilarious, but there’s far more to it than the joke of women playing the guys or Justin’s curly wig.
These characters are genuine and three dimensional and engaging. The heartbreak is real and this honors not only the band members, but also their transformative music and the deep love of the fans.
It’s a love letter really. And a sweet tender thank you to the man who started it all and the band that inspired so many others, but who ultimately still stands apart from the rest.
If you see one Holiday show this year, make it Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical.
They only have one more weekend, so tell them ”You Want Them Back,” before they go “Bye Bye Bye.” Sorry, I just couldn’t resist!! I bloody loved this show!!!!
Cast:
Riley Rose Critchlow, (Lance), Elizabeth Ho (Joey), Emily Lambert (Lou), Valen Shore (Chris), Nicole Wyland (Justin) Alison Zatta (Marky Mark).
When:
Through December 11
Tickets:
https://www.chriskirkpatrickmas.com
Where:
The Actors Company
916 N Formosa Ave, West Hollywood CA 90046