Search - Alan Menken, David Spencer :: Weird Romance: Two One-Act Musicals (1992 Original Cast)

Alan Menken's Best Yet

Jolt99 | The Philippines | 09/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Clever, poignant, funny, inspiring, and absolutely singable: "Weird Romance" is Alan Menken's best-- and sadly, least well-known-- work to date. Amazing stuff. (Credit must also go to David Spencer, whose lyrics are pure genius.) Someone please, PLEASE tell me, where can I find the score?"

A WONDERFUL MENKEN SCIENCE FICTION STAGE MUSICAL!

Thomas Kinnee | Chico, CA. USA | 09/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alan Menken is one of our greatest, most versatile musical theater composers, and this show is truly among his best. It is a unique musical based on two science fiction love stories, and (unlike other sci-fi musicals including Menken's own Little Shop of Horrors) it takes a serious (but not solemn) approach to the material instead of the usual mocking campy approach. The stories, which deal with cloning, mind-transference, holography, and high-tech reincarnation, are both fascinating and deeply poignant without ever getting heavy or self-important. The only way I got to actually see this show was to produce and direct it myself at our community college, and the experience of putting it on stage is one of my most treasured theatrical memories. Whether you're a fan of good science fiction, of unusual love stories, and/or of high-quality small stage musicals, get ahold of the CD of the original New York cast from 1992. The more people who discover this show, the more chances that it will return to professional productions. A short-run semi-staged New York revival was produced last year by the show's lyricist David Spencer, and it had a top-flight cast and was well enough received that it may lead to more fully-realized professional revivals. The show deserves it!"