DR2 – Downtown Magazine

`What would you do if you finally got your chance to shine? Maybe it’s your first chance. Maybe it’s your last. In A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet, two writers and a diva get that chance when the diva, Regina Comet, hires two jingle writers to create a song for her upcoming fragrance release, Relevance. The musical is goofy, charming, and tons of fun in a joke-a-minute journey through the emotions behind the creative process.

Regina is a star in decline. In an age of Instagram, she’s lost too many of the nuances of the 13-18 demographic that used to be her fanbase. Audiences don’t get an exact age, but we get the feeling the new tween fanbase is made up of the kids or even grandkids of the fans who once flocked to Comet’s concerts. Desperate to draw the spotlight again, her managers convince her that her best shot at teens catching her scent is through a fragrance, which she names Relevance. But all is not well: her commercial efforts have fallen short and, in a last bid to make things happen, she hires out a songwriting pair— the cheapest option available— to pen a jingle that will blast Regina’s career back into outer space. The show follows the efforts of the two songwriters— never named but billed as Man 2 and Other Man— and Comet as the three claw desperately at the promise of relevance and success.

The characters put their heads together to create One Hit Song

At the heart of the show beats Ben Fankhauser and Alex Wyse, who play Man 2 and Other Man and co-wrote the music, book, and lyrics for the show. Inspired by their real-life friendship and a desire to carve out their place in New York City theatre, the show is a comedy-of-errors reflection of the pair’s real search for musical success. And it is clear that the pair are in on the joke. When Fankhauser’s Man 2 is struck by musical inspiration, he pushes aside the show’s music director and keyboardist Alex Goldie Golden and takes over the music mid-song. To play bumbling, struggling versions of themselves in a musical with hit after hit is, to borrow a modern phrase, quite the flex.

Bryonha Marie Parham likewise shines as Regina Comet, commanding her scenes in a role she fills with perfection and enthusiasm that perfectly matches the show’s sometimes serious, sometimes absurd tone. Comet, who could be a plot device with a solo, comes alive under Parham’s stewardship, aided by the actress’s input in the creative process.

A Commerical Jingle for Regina Comet is a welcome return to live theater— light-hearted, fun, simple, and straightforward. It is the perfect way to venture back out into public, into theater, and head home laughing.

A Commerical Jingle for Regina Comet is playing at the DR2 Theatre. Learn more and get tickets at reginacomet.com

Paddington Arrives in New York and Gets in a Jam — Uncle Luigi & Gemma

Gemma is full of laughter, love and, like any 3-year-old little girl, she is full of wonder. When Downtown had the opportunity to view Paddington Gets in a Jam, playing in New York City, December 3, 2019 – March 8, 2020, many young and old lined up for these tickets. But we knew that Gemma would remember this experience for the rest of her life. So off Gemma and her mother went to see everyone’s beloved, literary character Paddington Bear.

In Jonathan Rockefeller’s Paddington Gets in a Jam, Paddington is at home making his favorite marmalade jam, with the help of the Browns’ housekeeper Mrs. Bird, but they run out of sugar. Paddington goes next door to borrow some sugar, where he finds his ever-grumpy neighbor, Mr. Curry, in a panic, as he is expecting an important visitor. Paddington graciously offers to help Mr. Curry get the house ready for the visit, but in typical Paddington fashion, his good intentions lead to hysterical chaos.

“For over 60 years, readers have imagined what it would be like to meet Paddington, so our job is to ensure that Paddington is as ‘real’ as a marmalade-eating bear can be! This is a challenge in its own right. You won’t see puppeteers, which creates a daunting challenge in its own right, with choreography of the many, many props and puppeteer positions to enable the best puppet performance.

Our puppeteers are extremely talented miracle workers – it is an endurance test to hold your arms in the air for an hour, all the while crouched on a chair mounted on small wheels, saying your lines and picking up objects without looking.” https://theweekendjaunts.com/

Downtown asked Gemma what she thought of Paddington Bear and his Jam, and she said, “I really love Paddington, he tried to fix his Mommy’s vacuum. I want to take Paddington home.”

While the Broadway theater district may feature the most shows per area in New York, Union Square offers an abundance of Off-Broadway shows. One of New York’s most versatile neighborhoods, Union Square is home to Classic Stage Company, Daryl Roth + DR2 Theatre, Vineyard Theatre, and the 14th Street Y’s theater.

Last year, more than 75,000 people attended Off-Broadway shows at Union Square. With a diverse range of performances for all ages and interests, the neighborhood hopes to attract even more attendees this year.

With great confidence from our adorable roving reporter Gemma, we highly recommend that before Paddington leaves town for another city full of happy children, go online purchase tickets, and take everyone to watch one of society’s favorite bears come to life.

It’s the perfect way to introduce young ones to the theater.

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