REVIEW: ‘Asperger’s: A High Functioning Musical’ at the St. Lou Fringe Festival

    547386_324480667687889_1556463475_n

    Presented By: Highly Distracted Productions
    Written By: Erica Kenney

    The show that was arguably the most-anticipated performance of St. Lou Fringe 2013 lived up to its hype and had Fringe fanatics buzzing around midtown all weekend. Highly Distracted Productions’ “Asperger’s: A High Functioning Musical” made its debut at Kranzberg Black Box on Friday, and quickly became one of the festival’s “must see” acts. Friday’s performance made St. Lou Fringe history as the festival’s first pre-sale sold-out performance, with the succeeding shows selling out quickly after. Ask any friend or stranger about their favorite shows from the weekend, and “Aperger’s” will most certainly be on their list.

    The musical, directed by Ed Reggi, tells the powerful story about the struggles and triumphs of six young adults living with Asperger’s Syndrome. Mary Beth Black was the stand-out of a dynamic cast of rising stars who brought the lovable personalities of the characters to life, aided by the compelling music of Adam Rosen. Rosen (who lives with Asperger’s Syndrome) did a beautiful job using his musical gifts to empower those who are also living with AD, while bringing awareness to a disorder that is, sadly, often ignored or misunderstood.

    While the production serves its dramatic purpose, it is also infused with comedy; Reggi’s contagious sense of humor shines through the script that had the audience laughing out loud throughout. The characters’ quirky habits (Corey, played by Robert Michael Hanson has an adorable infatuation with ceiling fans) and musical numbers like “Take Only as Directed” lighten up what is, for the most part, a serious message. Between the cast, music and production, everything came together to make the premiere a hit at St. Lou Fringe and “Asperger’s: A High Functioning Musical” is sure to be around St. Louis for a long time.

    UPDATE: Back by popular demand, Asperger’s: A High-Functioning Musical will have three encore performances on August 16 and 17 at 8 PM and Sunday Aug 18 at 2 PM, at the Clayton High School Little Theatre, 2 Mark Twain Drive. Tickets are now for sale at https:AspergerMusical.BrownPaperTickets.com. Bring your Fringe Festival badge for a free treat.

    This review was originally published on KDHX.org