Nothing Bad: A Werewolf Rock Musical at Studio/Stage as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival starts out as a real estate presentation. Audience members are presented with a Residential Application as part of their theatre program and residents of Perfection, California mingle with them, extolling the virtues of the community. This concept disappears after the opening number “Nothing Bad Ever Happens Here” and there are a few other inconsistencies such as a biker gang, a notorious bar and a drive-in showing movies not to the liking of the Mayor (Lyndsey Wegner). If she’s the Mayor and the town is so perfect those bad things would not exist. Playwright Erik Blair needs to find a dramaturge and refine his show’s vision. There are a lot of fun things present in this tale of a 1950s style town facing its demons. Dan Sugimoto also needs to clarify his songs—the score is more bubblegum pop than rock but that fits the mood of the piece just fine. The show’s title is just a big misleading.
Lexi Eiserman and Mathew San Jose
Lexi Eiserman, as Lilly White the Mayor’s perfect daughter, carries the show on her petite shoulders. After another boring date with her boyfriend, the perfectly perky and naïve Chris Cross (Jake Saenz), Lilly begins to discover her dark side when she encounters Jake (Mathew San Jose) and his pack. Mayhem ensues around Lilly as her inner Beast (Danielle Philapil) emerges. Blair’s script needs some trims as well as a clearer vision and his direction needs tweaking. There are some good voices in the cast and it’s a fun outing. Tyler Angier oozes dangerous sexuality as bad boy Luke and Renee Wylder embodies the typical blonde and clueless cheerleader.
http://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/4168?