Playwright: Aaron Thielen ( book ), Michael Mahler ( music/lyrics ) At: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire. Tickets: 1-847-634-0200; www.MarriottTheatre.com; $50-$55. Runs through: Oct. 11
This world premiere musical is based on a popular 1999 movie and, in turn, an autobiographical novel by Homer Hickam. It tells of four teenage boyswith Homer as herowho rebel against limited expectations imposed by their elders and stifling small-town social conditions. The four are sons of coalminers in late-1950s hard-scrabble West Virginia, inspired by the "Sputnik Crisis" to become rocket scientists. Indeed, Hickam did actually make it to NASA.
It's a cliché story with bits of Billy Elliot, The Jazz Singer, Footloose and numerous other against-the-odds tales of adolescent triumph. Its character types are instantly familiar, which may benefit the show, even as much of the story is predictable, which is not a benefit. Beneficial or not, it's the story with which the musical co-authors had to work and the central question is whether or not they've turned it into anything bigger or better.
A professional colleague of mine, a fan of the movie, dissed the show at intermission, easily dismissing Michael Mahler's score. My colleague was wrong. Mahler's music often is magical and always is easy to like. It draws on influences as varied as the Welsh choral tradition ( identified with coal mining ), blue grass, rockabilly and tight harmony vocals without actually imitating them. It's contemporary mainstream show music, although David Siegel's lovely orchestrations make concessions to tradition by eliminating the brass section in favor of strings, reeds, acoustic bass, banjo and mandolin, and I say bravo! Mahler's lyric are much to be admired. Although written in standard rhymed formats, his lyrics almost always sound conversational rather than overly-poetic or forced, which is admirable.
Director Rachel Rockwell handles a large ensemble well, although October Sky is not a dance show, despite Rockwell's credentials as a choreographer. Indeed, dance opportunitiesor at least more elaborate musical stagingmust be developed if the show expects to have a future. This world premiere also is 15 minutes too long, with too many repetitions of the conflict between Homer ( a charming Nate Lewellyn, a good Welsh name ) and his father ( stalwart David Hess, earning sympathy in the least sympathetic role ), and perhaps one rocket test too many by the four lads. Also, the intermission doesn't work. Act I ends with a mine explosion but we don't learn its consequence, which is that Homer leaves high school to replace his father in the mine.
That's where the intermission needs to be. It would require shortening Act I, and it would naturally make Act II faster.
Everyone in this show is good. Besides Lewellyn, the four cute-as-buttons teens are Ben Barker, Alex Weisman and Patrick Rooney. Veterans supplying heartfelt supporting work include Susan Moniz, Derek Hasenstab, Terry Hamilton and Johanna McKenzie Miller.