“Hey, Morgan! – A Night of Narrative Song,” written and directed by Matthew Fogel and Isaac Laskin, with music by Fogel, Laskin and David Richman (who did musical direction and produced the 12-song CD), had its two-week premiere at The Attic Theatre Center in L.A., with sold-out shows and extra seats added for the final two overflow audiences.
The show is the fictional story of Morgan Farkas (Martha Marion with a voice of pure gold), born in the Tony Hills of Brentwood into an archetypal Jewish family — a millennial Holden Caulfield (although he might not like her fake nose), in a show that might be called “The Catcher in the Rye Bread.” Amidst the laughs in the literate and lyrical script is a touching exploration of the meaning of home: the place where you are left alone; the place you have to leave; the place you want to get back to; and, in the second half of life, the place you finally find (and make do).
The other actors were Adam Shapiro, who played eight roles — including Frankenweenie, Morgan’s boyfriend at Camp Echo; Dr. Robert Michael Liebman, who fixed Morgan’s nose; and Joseph Howard Levy, Morgan’s no-good but good-enough husband; Shapiro captured his characters with a raised eyebrow or a sideways glance. Meagan English played another five characters, memorably Morgan’s mom and (minutes later) Morgan’s young friend. Isaac Laskin masterfully held the entire show together with both narrative and song. The actors were backed by a great band: The Farkases – Sean Douglas, Ryan Harrison, Doug Randall, David Richman, Dylan Ris.
The only criticism I have of the show is that it was too short; it was really funny though.
The video below is the minute-and-a-half Overture (with the narrator’s back to the audience, the stage dark except for his red sweater) that glides seamlessly into the light and the opening song — “Michelle Obama.”
Photo Sharing – Video Sharing – Photo Printing
. . . So I wrote this show I now present to you:
It’s about my roommate Morgan, from 13 to 32.
It’s a tale of light and darkness,
About a girl named Morgan Farkas — and
The men she loved,
The fears she kept,
The jobs she held,
And ohhh —
[Chorus] Certain girls are born to greatness,
Others don’t know what their place is.
Some do light PR and become a wife.
But whether you’re Michelle Obama,
Or selling tickets at the Cinerama,
A story lives inside of you — a tale in every life.