NEW YORK—“It’s a child’s world; the adults just live in it” is the audience’s first impression of a set staged as a giant kids’ playhouse, awash in bright colors, crayon scribblings and drawings on the walls, with lots of toys, stuffed animals, and picture books. The trials the new parents face, and what they must leave behind as they attempt to adjust to their new roles, form the basis for this mostly entertaining show “That Parenting Musical,” now at Theatre Row.
Joys and Woes
Mom (McKenna Ogrodnik) and Dad (Dwayne Washington) are a happy, well-adjusted couple who unexpectedly find parenthood thrust upon them, when Mom becomes pregnant with Child 1 (Max Crumm) and then Child 2 (Vidushi Goyal) in quick succession.
In one scene, Child 1 gets to the age where he can begin to explore his new surroundings and discovers “The Most Dangerous Thing in the Room” (think electrical sockets and wires). In another, the concept of sibling rivalry is explored via the torch song “Second Child Blues,” wonderfully delivered by Goyal.
Several “Dad Jokes” sequences sprinkle over the story, all of which are complete groaners (“the pastriarchy”??), but are still pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh, at least a little.
Topics covered include the joy of temporarily being free from the children when going on a “Date Night,” while at the same time worried about something happening to the little ones left without parental oversight. Coupled with this is the realization that parents cannot protect their kids from everything, no matter how anyone might wish it so. Also explored is the idea of having a “safe space” for a few moments of quiet, before being forced to face reality of chaos.
The parents face the realization that children grow up quicker than expected, so it is important to enjoy the early moments when possible. The question is just what type of parents they want to be: a well-liked “cool” friend or someone to confide in and depend on.
The musical keeps coming back to the concept of change. There’s the loss of certain freedoms and the pain others’ seeing an old friend in a different light. This is something Mom finds out firsthand when her hard-partying Single Friend (Natalie Bourgeois) says she is no longer fun to be around. Yet Single Friend’s attitude deftly turns on its head when she is recruited as a babysitter for Child 1, and the adult and toddler realize they are kindred spirits.
An Uneven Production
The score, while not always memorable, is nonetheless enjoyable, particularly thanks to the myriad of its musical styles. Offerings ranging from blues, rap, doo-wop (“Dad Jokes”), spiritual (“Sing”—a definite high point in the show), and operatic (“Toddler Travel Travesty,” which calls to mind a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta). The songs elicit responses from laughter to wistful or poignant musings.The cast standout is Brian Owen, who first appears as a rhyming narrator, introducing some of the segments but also takes on multiple roles, all funny in their own way. While the rest of the company makes less of an impression, they each get their own moments to shine.
The only place where things falter is during the extended opening number (“Power Through”). It rapidly goes from being funny to over-the-top to cringeworthy. The creative team tried to cover far too much ground—from Mom’s pregnancy announcement for her first child to her second birth—way too fast. Thankfully, the show’s narrative gets back on track quickly, with material that continues to get better as the story moves along.
Direction and choreography by Jen Wineman is very strong. She brings together the actors and the different narrative threads into a cohesive format. Aside from the opening number, no message, scene, or musical piece goes over the line into parody or overstays its welcome. Credit must also go to Tim Mackabee’s set and Tina McCartney’s costumes.
Relatable on numerous levels (whether or not one has had firsthand experience with parenting), “That Parenting Musical” explores the joys and frustrations of parenting, while hopefully gaining some wisdom and experience they can pass on to others.
