Still More Theater Saturday - Final Wrap-up of the 2017 New York Musical Festival - Motherfreakinghood, Freedom Riders and Happily

This is our final post regarding shows that were part of the 2017 New York Musical Festival. The show mentioned below were all part of the festival and accordingly have concluded their present runs. We were given free tickets to these shows for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

 
 

Mom - Motherfreakinghood is a hilarious take on motherhood that anyone who has ever been a mother, had a mother or even known a mother can relate to. The show revolves around a group of three woman who meet at the obstetrician's office during their pregnancies, and become friends for life. It takes them through all of the ups and downs of having and raising kids including pregnancy, birth, babyhood, elementary school age, teenagers right through high school graduation.  It is filled with funny but terrifyingly relatable songs such as Ballad of the Post Partum, Hormones on Parade and Teenage Driver Hell Zone. The show goes beyond where others dare to show the realities of motherhood but it does so in affably funny way. It will have you wondering if the writer's have been spying at your house and why didn't you think of trying to make money by putting your life on stage. This is definitely not a show for children due to language and subject matter. However, for Mom's it should be a must-see especially if you just want to know that other people out there are going through the same things as you, and to be reminded that  there is a lighter side to it all. It will make you feel like part of the Motherfreakinghood.

 
 

For more about Motherfreakinghood visit www.motherfreakinghood.com
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Mom - Freedom Riders is about the struggle for civil righs and the pivotal role the Freedom Rides played in that struggle. While this is an important subject and certainly worthy of a musical, this particular musical is a little too earnest. It is very very serious from start to finish, and every song is like an anthem. However, even a show dealing with a subject as significant as this one needs a little levity in order to keep the audience interested. Otherwise, it just becomes a lecture.We never really get to know the characters in the show. The only ones that get developed at all are the famous ones like Diane Nash, Martin Luther King Jr. and John Seigethaler so the audience doesn't really have anybody to relate to.  This is a musical that has important things to say and that is admirable. However, perhaps a slightly different approach would serve to get things across in a better way.

For more information about Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights musical visit www.freedomridersmusical.com
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Mom - Happily the Musical is a musical in development that was presented in concert form at the festival. It is about a high school for fairy tale youth where they are given their role in life and trained to take it on. However, the current graduating class may not quite be ready, willing, and able to take on the life roles they have been assigned. This is definitely a relevant musical for today. It is all about being who you were meant to be and making your own choices in life.These are definitely not the fairytale characters you remember. However, they are characters that are worth knowing, Their story is  good one. Their songs are entertaining but not necessarily completely memorable. The final number Brand New World is pretty catchy, however and will probably stick in  your mind at least for a while after you have seen the show. All in all, this is a show with a message but it doesn't necessarily hit you over the head with that message which makes it that much more entertaining.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Photo credits: All Motherfreakinghood productions photos by Jeremy Daniel