The West Coast premiere of a new musical comedy that hits all the right “notes.” Found isn’t just based on a true story, it’s based on hundreds of them! When the lost and broke Davy happens to find a peculiar note meant for someone else on the windshield of his car, it sparks an outlandish idea to collect the hilarious and revealing notes and letters that surround us every day. Along with friends, Denise and Mikey D, they’re quickly swept up into a wild, comedic mission to share them with the world. Inspired by Davy Rothbart’s popular Found magazine, featuring scores of actual discarded notes and letters that have been “found” in the real world by everyday people, this original musical comedy is a raucous exploration of human connection and the beautiful weirdness in all of us. “CRITIC’S PICK… Mad Lib lunacy… delightfully weird… [dispatches from the magazine] are cleverly, often hilariously, woven into the story as sardonic commentary on the proceedings… lively, likable and melodic.” — Charles Isherwood, The New York Times. Feb. 20 through March 23; IAMA Theatre Company at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013; $35; For reservations and information, call (866) 811-4111 or go to http://thelatc.org.
Postponed – Found
Critics
LemonMeter
Reviews: 7
Reviews
At times, the show is outright hilarious, especially when the cast, under Moritz von Steulpnagel’s direction, underline the absurdity of some of the notes. You can’t help but wonder what the people who wrote these notes are like, and it’s great fun to watch the cast hypothesize with you. But the production’s strengths are undercut by two huge, structural issues with the book.
The production makes great use of the unique space, both physically thanks to the lively choreography (Kathryn Burns) and auditorily thanks to the smart music direction (Frank Galgano and Matt Castle). Any shortcomings of the main storyline in terms of originality are made up for by the emotion and humor of the found letters and notes. They’re a lovely, heartfelt glimpse into the human experience, and it is impossible to not be taken in by the charm exuding from every aspect of this production.
The songs and choreography are bouncy and fun, and the idea is cute in a “Mad Lib” sort of way. Laughs abound amidst toe tapping and a generally upbeat production. A big hit in New York has crossed the continent to entertain West Coast audiences. Although a little long – with a first act which tends to drag – FOUND picks up the beat in the second act for an enjoyable and at times hilarious evening.
But the real charm is seeing a musical brought to life with this much gusto in a space this small. Yes, you get ahead of the love story and, yes, it feels a little thrown together but there's such joy to it that you'll find yourself forgiving those faults.
This is a good one to see with friends and maybe a drink or two, after all, it's set in a bar.
Pieces of paper? Pieces of paper found and picked up or gathered off the streets, or gleaned from under the windshield wipers of vehicles, or pried off laundry room bulletin boards, or wherever they were posted or tacked or stapled on whatever? This proletarian treasure became a gold mine for Davy Rothbart, creator and founder of Found magazine. These missives, gathered and selected, turn out to be treasure that illuminates the lives of everyday people. They are funny, or sad, or even sort of tragic. Seems like perfect fodder for the new “kick-ass” musical, Found: A New Musical, with book by Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree and music and original Lyrics by Eli Bolin.
Found: A New Musical is determined to find its way. After a run off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company in 2014, this reworked West Coast premiere — now playing at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Downtown L.A., stumbles through its first act with vague ambitions, disconnection, and cloying clichés, only to return post-intermission leaning into its quirkiness, discovering its heart, and, ultimately, coming into its own.
Audiences in search of something excitingly original where musical comedies are concerned need look no further than Found, the latest from IAMA Theatre Company, as original (and entertaining) a new musical as original new musicals get.
At times, the show is outright hilarious, especially when the cast, under Moritz von Steulpnagel’s direction, underline the absurdity of some of the notes. You can’t help but wonder what the people who wrote these notes are like, and it’s great fun to watch the cast hypothesize with you. But the production’s strengths are undercut by two huge, structural issues with the book.
The production makes great use of the unique space, both physically thanks to the lively choreography (Kathryn Burns) and auditorily thanks to the smart music direction (Frank Galgano and Matt Castle). Any shortcomings of the main storyline in terms of originality are made up for by the emotion and humor of the found letters and notes. They’re a lovely, heartfelt glimpse into the human experience, and it is impossible to not be taken in by the charm exuding from every aspect of this production.
The songs and choreography are bouncy and fun, and the idea is cute in a “Mad Lib” sort of way. Laughs abound amidst toe tapping and a generally upbeat production. A big hit in New York has crossed the continent to entertain West Coast audiences. Although a little long – with a first act which tends to drag – FOUND picks up the beat in the second act for an enjoyable and at times hilarious evening.
But the real charm is seeing a musical brought to life with this much gusto in a space this small. Yes, you get ahead of the love story and, yes, it feels a little thrown together but there's such joy to it that you'll find yourself forgiving those faults.
This is a good one to see with friends and maybe a drink or two, after all, it's set in a bar.
Pieces of paper? Pieces of paper found and picked up or gathered off the streets, or gleaned from under the windshield wipers of vehicles, or pried off laundry room bulletin boards, or wherever they were posted or tacked or stapled on whatever? This proletarian treasure became a gold mine for Davy Rothbart, creator and founder of Found magazine. These missives, gathered and selected, turn out to be treasure that illuminates the lives of everyday people. They are funny, or sad, or even sort of tragic. Seems like perfect fodder for the new “kick-ass” musical, Found: A New Musical, with book by Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree and music and original Lyrics by Eli Bolin.
Found: A New Musical is determined to find its way. After a run off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company in 2014, this reworked West Coast premiere — now playing at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Downtown L.A., stumbles through its first act with vague ambitions, disconnection, and cloying clichés, only to return post-intermission leaning into its quirkiness, discovering its heart, and, ultimately, coming into its own.
Audiences in search of something excitingly original where musical comedies are concerned need look no further than Found, the latest from IAMA Theatre Company, as original (and entertaining) a new musical as original new musicals get.