‘First-Year Musical: The Kids Are All Right’ Review: A ’70s Throwback With Humor and Heart

Each year, Harvard first-years create a musical from scratch. “The Kids Are All Right,” directed by Lana M. Schwartz ’27, continued the 29-year-old tradition from April 11 to April 14 at the Agassiz Theatre. From its writers, directors, producers, and designers, to its performers, this year’s First-Year Musical is staffed entirely by the Class of 2027. “The Kids Are All Right” was a fun blast to the past that embodied the ’70s through groovy music, tons of quirky characters, and a classic feel-good story.

At the River Rock Hotel & Cabins in the summer of 1978, event planners and best friends Sam (Ryan F. Irving ’27) and Jamie (Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff ’27) arrange a music retreat in a desperate bid to win investors after sinking the business’s funds — and their careers — through their mismanagement. Attracting a host of colorful aspiring musicians who are all hoping to make it to stardom, the retreat soon dissolves into a battle of the bands when artistic disagreements and romantic clashes strike.

The book, by Hannah E. Alexis ’27, satisfied genre expectations with ample ’70s references and cheesy jokes, balancing humor with sincere emotion and romantic plot lines with character depth. While Sam and Jamie’s mutual crushes on Dani (Leyna C. Blume ’27) severed their friendship, Dani’s empathetic personality did not outweigh her career ambitions, elevating her from a simple love interest to a layered individual in her own right. In one standout scene, she asserted her right to independence and how she didn’t owe either man a romantic relationship.

While the book sacrificed complexity to host subplots surrounding an ensemble of characters, those side characters were pure fun to watch. From a Kiss-esque rock band and a duet-turned-couple to a shy disco songstress, the characters brought the dynamism of the era to life with the help of costumes that evoked iconic musicians by Hayden A. Brackeen ’27. Additionally, live news scenes that folded neatly into the story clarified any unclear events while marking zany newscaster Calder (Riley B. F. Jackson ’27) a comedic highlight alongside swaggering British rocker Ronnie (Gemma I. Dean ’27).

However, the ensemble plot left some story threads unresolved for two couples, Jane (Chloe M. Chao ’27) and Deena (Tahraji N.L. Milsap ’27), and Adler (Justice L. Sirotek ’27) and Carson (Soren N. Cowell-Shah ’27). While the awkward charm of the first pair outshone the main romantic plot and the break-up of the second couple served as the fallout of a key fight scene, neither got together by story’s end. These relationships seemed to be an oversight within the show’s happy ending.

For a story about ’70s music, however, the music by Grant S. C. Shueh ’27, Ava E. Della Pietra ’27, Kendall D. Brady ’27, and Sage W. Shurman ’27 was perhaps more important than the plot. Highlighted by an excellent band, the groovy sound and catchy lyrics heightened the drama as songs alternated between dialogue and music or transitioned from solos to ensemble-wide numbers. At times, however, the pace faltered with songs that didn’t pack a lyrical punch or deliver any crucial insights. Yet the clear, hopeful melodies of soloists like Deena and Jules (Jacqueline E. Metzger ’27), coupled with powerful multi-voice harmonies, imbued the characters’ dreams with realism.

In fact, music was at the center of the set by Sophia M. Rascoff ’27, which featured a cabin-like wooden frame around the band. Combined with bright rainbow steps, the set embodied its time and place with clever simplicity. Inventive uses of stage curtains, mobile set boxes, and vivid lighting by Alice S. Guo ’27 and Gunnar Sizemore ’27 added variety while heightening the emotion of interpersonal developments, such as the climactic argument between Sam and Jamie and a moment of musical connection between Jane and Deena.

The resolution was predictable, yet sweet: At the battle of the bands, the two factions came together to help each other, winning the judges’ sponsorship as one. It was clearly this collective strength throughout the show’s team that made “The Kids Are All Right” so funny, heart-warming, and entertaining. And judging by the first-years’ theatrical talents, one thing is for sure: The kids are (more than) alright.

“The Kids Are All Right” ran at the Agassiz Theatre from April 11 to April 14.

—Staff writer Isabelle A. Lu can be reached at isabelle.lu@thecrimson.com.