Displaying items by tag: TJ Wilkins

As someone who has worked on dozens of productions, both producing and technical directing, before committing to a project, I ask myself: “Why this show? Why now?” 

With 44 The Musical, written, directed, and co-produced by Eli Bauman, I struggled to answer those questions. The show, based on Bauman’s “experience” with Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, largely came across at best nostalgia and at worst a cash grab, rather than a meaningful theatrical retelling of history.

It’s telling that this production is the vision of a lone, first-time writer-composer-director. The end result did not feel like the product of collaborative creative voices or one that received (or followed) constructive feedback. The musical does have potential. But it feels like it lacked revisions and, more importantly, experienced outside eyes to transform it from a draft into a polished piece of theater.

Satire can be a powerful tool in art, but only when it pairs humor with meaning. 44 The Musical certainly delivers laughs, but too often without a clear purpose, leaving its comedy feeling flat rather than insightful.

A Disjointed Story

The structure of the show is one of its weakest points. Act I offers little resembling a plot, instead playing like a loosely political cabaret. By Act II, the show insists that a story had been there all along: this story centers on Obama’s struggle to pass the Affordable Care Act, being opposed by a cohort of absurd Republicans. This narrative also features a brief detour into the aftermath of Sandy Hook. Much like real life conversations around gun control, this segment led to no change – and in theatrical terms, added little beyond unnecessary emotional whiplash. It left me asking “Why did we go there?” and felt more like an exploitation of an all-too-real issue than rich political commentary.

The finale, which I won’t spoil in detail, invents a moment of self doubt for Barack which, if it had actually happened, would have surely been used to discredit Obama and prevent his second term. Although creative liberties can be necessary, and often successfully entice audiences into historical events, 44’s second act plot largely lacks any grounding in truth and relies on being merely entertaining and outrageous to keep the audience from holding it to fact and actual history.

Missteps in Representation

Perhaps most concerning is the way minority characters – mainly the female and black figures – are written. Satirizing Sarah Palin is predictable and surely not anything new for the audience of an Obama musical. The only other major female characters in the show, however, were also largely satirized, reducing their very real political achievements. Rather than being Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is reduced to a bitter also-ran, only deviating from this archetype to be the Bill Clinton-wrangler. Most egregious was Michelle Obama’s representation, stripping her of her intelligence, accomplishments, and public persona. Instead, she is framed as a foil – the blacker counterpart to her husband – whose primary motivation is sex with Barack. Although the script does Michelle a disservice, Shanice’s vocals and presence were exceptional, bringing depth and charisma even with so little to work with, compared to the real woman she was portraying.

Credit where credit is due, the musical did justice in representing the very real struggle of Barack’s struggle to balance embracing his racial identity while combating stereotypes that could have squashed his political career. While one can ask whether Bauman was the right voice to write that struggle, the number “How Black Is Too Black?” certainly brought that struggle to the stage.

The Cast Shines

If there is one reason to see 44, it’s the cast. Every performer brought talent, humor, and physicality to the material, truly making the show.

Barack Obama (T.J. Wilkins) embodied the president’s cadence, lanky charm, and understated humor without resorting to mimicry. His rendition of “Remembering Me” was a rare moment of genuine emotional depth in a show otherwise driven by parody.

Joe Biden (Chad Doreck) anchored the show as both narrator and Obama’s loyal sidekick, delivering physical comedy that energized the stage. The Voice of the People (Summer Nicole Greer) also offered powerhouse vocals.

The cohort of Republican antagonists (Mitch McConnell, Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, Lindsey Graham, and Ted Cruz, played by Larry Cedar, Summer Collins, Dino Shorté, Jeff Sumner, and Michael Uribes, respectively), referred to as W.H.A.M. – White Hetero Affluent Men – were also particular standouts. Their performances struck the balance between over-the-top caricature and recognizable reality, making them consistently hilarious and surprisingly sharp. They gave the show some of its most effective satire.

Joy Amid Flaws

Before the curtain rose, co-producers Eli Bauman and Monica Saunders-Weinberg addressed the audience, asking only that we leave having felt “something in short supply these days: joy.” And despite my criticisms, I can honestly say I did feel joy watching this cast at work.

Still, joy alone can’t sustain a new musical. Satire can be a powerful tool in theater, but only when it pairs humor with meaning. 44 The Musical certainly delivers laughs, but too often lacks direction, leaving its comedy feeling shallow rather than resonant. To have a life beyond its current run, the show will need sharper writing, stronger dramaturgy, and above all a clearer purpose — without meaning, satire risks becoming little more than noise.

44 The Musical will be at the Studebaker Theater through September 21st. Tickets are available at https://buytickets.44theobamamusical.com/.