Book and Lyrics by Bill Augustin
Music by Andrew Abrams
Based on the 1999 Lionsgate Motion Picture
A musical that does not fit in either ‘Forgotten Musicals’ or ‘British Musicals’, being a new American Musical, based on the 1999 film ‘But I’m A Cheerleader’, starring Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty and RuPaul, which has become iconic in the LGBT+ community.
History
Bill Augustin (Book and Lyrics) and Andrew Abrams (Music) met at the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop in New York. It was here that they developed ‘Cheerleader’, a workshop production which went on to become part of the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop and NY Musical Theatre Festival. It was then presented (still in workshop form) at MTFestUK at the Turbine Theatre London in 2019 [I attended 2020 MTFestUK where I saw a workshop of the first act of ‘Soapdish – The Musical’, a Stiles & Drewe musical based on the film]. The world premiere as a fully staged musical was in February 2022, again at the Turbine Theatre (just next to Battersea Power Station).
Story
Megan, an all-American cheerleader seems to have the perfect life, and being seventeen is ‘swell’. That is until she finds out her friends and family suspect her of being a lesbian and send her packing to ‘True Directions’, a rehabilitation camp to set her straight. It is at this camp, under the strict tutelage of headmistress Mary Brown that Megan meets Graham, a sexy tomboy who shows her exactly what her ‘true direction’ is.
In A Nutshell
Is being straight really the only thing that’s ‘great’ ?
Is the world only pink and blue, or can Megan see ‘new colours’ ?
Production
Making the mistake of walking from the new Battersea Power Station Underground station, I reached the Turbine Theatre closer to curtain-up than I would have liked. My seat was halfway back, on an aisle, and so I had an excellent view. I was watching the last preview performance before press night.
I was pleased that the cast included several performers that I had seen and enjoyed before – Jodie Jacobs (Crow in ‘Bananaman – The Musical'), Jodie Steele (Heather Chandler in ‘Heathers’), and Alice Croft (Lori Craven in 2020’s ‘Soapdish’). The cast were in the main, playing at least two parts, save Alice Croft and Evie Rose Lane who were playing leads Megan & Graham, and Tiffany Graves playing Mary Brown. I particularly enjoyed Jodie Jacobs and Oliver Brooks doubling as Megan’s parents and Larry & Lloyd (the gay couple who help Megan see ‘new colours’). However, clearly working hardest was Jodie Steele who had the quickest changes between Kimberly (Megan’s fellow cheerleader) and Hilary (a campmate) with one having to take place on-stage.
The songs were a good mixture of styles, including cheers, ballads and even some sung by a trio of drag queens. The staging was simple but all the better for it. The script was very funny, and excellent acted by the entire cast. The relationship between the two leads was excellent, and the happy ending which set the film apart from the queer narratives that had preceded it, meant that I left the theatre on a high.
Very highly recommended.
‘But I’m A Cheerleader’ runs at the Turbine Theatre, London, until 16th April 2022.
Favourite Song
It has to be the final song of Act One, ‘Seeing New Colours’, as Megan struggles to deal with her new feelings.
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