Arts ATL Scene – Nobody Loves You Review
March 30th, 2017
Nobody Loves You
through April 30, 2017
Horizon Theatre
This yet-to-get-to-Broadway musical has been a delight to audiences wherever it has played. Gaby Alter and Itamar Moses are life-long friends who got together to create this book, score and lyrics, and they did a really fine job. The Horizon is one of the very first regional houses to have the privilege to present the work; and the creators came here to get it just right before it goes nationally.
The story is kinky. Imagine a TV show named Nobody Loves You. They bring on selected people who are searching for the Mr/Ms right for them. They have little control over anything once they sign on for the show. Everything seems to be under control of the emcee and the producers.
Brad Raymond is the show emcee, and he is spot-on for such a role. A young nerdish type, Jeff (Patrick Wade) is hardly enamored of the show. But, when he believes his significant other has tried to get into the show, he wants to do so as well, in hopes that the riffs between them may be resolved. Little problem, in that his lady isn’t in the show.
But, the contestants include Samantha (Leslie Bellair) and Dominic (Austin Tijerina) who may or may not make it to the final cut. Austin also is a laugh riot when he comes on as Evan, and wheels in to do his numbers. Then we also meet up with Christian (Ben Thorpe) and Megan (Jennifer Alice Acker) who become the object of attraction, but maybe not necessarily to each other.
Jeanette Illidge is Jenny part of the production staff, while Wendy Melkonian comes on both as Tanya (the one who dumped Jeff) and Nina who is the show’s director. As the show goes on, the contestants are to chose their roomies, run through various tests and exercises, and discover others faults, lies and high points..
Heidi McKerley directed the production which features 19 numbers, done with great aplomb and with a live band backing them up with Alli Lingenfelter on the keys and conducting. The show is fast moving, both funny and sometimes pretty sexy. It isn’t one for the tots, but if you think that so much TV is tripe, then this is one you have to see. It will make one reflect on some celebrities and politicians when you hear some of the lines.
More info and tickets at HorizonTheatre.com