LIFT – Location, Tickets, Reviews
Following a sold out run in London, Craig Adams and Ian Watson’s LIFT has made its way to New York for its U.S. debut.
Directed by Beautiful Soup Theater’s founder Steven Carl McCasland, this musical follows eight strangers: a ballet dancer, a secretary, a French teacher, a lap dancer, a businessman, and a pair of American tourists, as they all board a lift (a.k.a. an elevator) at Covent Garden train station.
The production delves into the characters’ deepest thoughts, bringing to life a myriad of potential events that could unfold . . . if only they dared to act on their contemplations and reach out to one another, before the fifty-four-second ride is over.
A gritty musical with minimal spoken dialogue (nearly every word is soulfully sung), LIFT is flecked with just a touch of crude humor. It tells a melancholy tale about secrets, missed connections, suppressed feelings, and the infinite directions life can go. In sum it’s a thoughtful new musical with an intriguing story and some strong performances; the French teacher and lap dancer are standouts.
Give it a chance if you’re eager to discover a new musical and excited by the prospect of spending just $18 to do so.
LOCATION
Richmond Shepard Theatre
309 East 26th Street
New York City
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RUNNING TIME
1 hour and 30 minutes, no intermission
TICKETS
$18 (click here for tickets)
DATES
Performances through November 24, 2013
REVIEWS
Reviews
Emerging Musical Theatre
Beautiful Soup’s production, directed by Steven Carl McCasland, features some lovely voices and some nice moments of cheeky humor. I can easily see Lift becoming a chamber musical cult favorite, since the music lends itself to lots of impressive solos and troubled characters. But even this production cannot overcome a lot of the holes in the plotting itself, leading to scattered moments of true musical connection with a lot of crowds rushing in between.
The Front Row Center
With a bit of Rent, a touch of Once and a hint of A Chorus Line, Lift tells the somehow connected yet painfully disjointed story of strangers, acquaintances, colleagues, and, most endearingly, unrequited lovers.
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written by Craig Adams and Ian Watson
Directed by Steven Carl McCasland
Featuring Kimberly Faye Greenberg, Netanel Bellaishe, Erin Elizabeth Eichhorn, Spencer Kurtti, Randall Glen Taylor, Samantha Mercado-Tudda, Morgan DeTogne, and Jeff Van Damme