In 1995, an Alannis Morrisette album was released and became one of the best selling records of all time. Nominated for nine Grammy Awards, it won five, including Album of the Year. The new musical Jagged Little Pill uses these songs (plus others in her catalog) to create a story embracing the spiritual anxiety of that material. Like its source, this new incarnation is thoughtfully dense with a definite point of view and gets right up into your face.
All these years later, this personal expression of youthful anger has been transformed into an explosion of outrage directed at our society; both past and present. This musical is much more than another visit to #metoo, however. The messages are more urgent than that considering the times. A disgusted generation growing up in an America where a man brags about assaulting women and then is elected President of the United States. The person held accountable for that event? The dumb schlub who giggled along side him.
Diablo Cody wrote the book for Jagged Little Pill and there is a great deal of story told here. Some may find the plot overstuffed with crises. I found the deluge of emotionally jarring material to be reflective of today’s torrential onslaught of societal unfairness and misguided morality. Ms. Cody covers so much ground from gender and race issues to the opioid crisis and sexual assault. In framing her story around one family, these larger dynamics are afforded a personal, more intimately considered touch.
Mary Jane (Elizabeth Stanley) is the perfect mom on the outside who carries some secrets. Her generation’s idea of sweeping crap under the rug is indicted for its dishonesty. Husband Steve (Sean Allan Krill) is a workaholic which has lead to a severe disconnection with his family. Their perfect scholar athlete son Nick (Derek Klena) has just been accepted to Harvard. Adopted daughter Frankie (understudy Yana Perrault) is black and experimenting with her sexuality. She is largely invisible to them other than superficially.
Similarities certainly exist with the musical Next To Normal but this show surrounds its main family with numerous outside characters. Mom has her judgmental Spin Cycle circle. The kids have their peer relationships as well. Frankie has a girlfriend named Jo whose mother is diligently working to pray away her gay. When Frankie meets Phoenix (understudy John Cardoza), a surprising spark occurs. The character of Jo gets the show’s biggest number, “You Oughta Know.” Lauren Patten stops the show cold just as Alannis did when you first heard her wailing on the radio. “And I’m hear to remind you of the mess you left when you went away…”
Thankfully, Jagged Little Pill avoids recreating the album which would be impossible and unnecessary. Instead these songs are used to allow characters to express emotions and thoughts. Very few songs are solos. What struck me is the generation who listened way back when are now the parents at the theater. Having them and the children communicating through that same songwriting voice is quite interesting. The younger generation seems significantly more pissed off though. Mom says, “all I want is peace and comfort.” Her daughter follows with “all I want is justice.”
Like life, everything is not gloomy all the time. There are many solidly written lines which deliver humor. “Happy families only live in orange juice commercials and Utah.” When daughter Frankie proclaims, “I have agency over my body,” mom hilariously asks, “what does that even mean?” But it is the poignant observations and difficult truths which deepen this story. One line struck me as particularly sad and extraordinarily perfect. Mom admits “one day I’ll look back and feel something other than relief.”
What is the formula for a highly recommended musical? A well-told story creatively staged. A familiar score given gorgeous and muscular rock orchestrations (Tom Kitt) to bring newness along side the inherent familiarity. A very talented ensemble infusing their characterizations with believable emotions. Technical flourishes (set, lighting and projection designs) that continually dazzle. A choreographer (Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui) with something new to say (the dream sequence in the second act is an absolute stunner).
Director Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin, Hair) at the helm has made all of that happen. There is a massive amount of everything in this musical. The balance between earnest and heartfelt storytelling remarkably contrasts with the visual and auditory volume of the show.
There are people who will probably find this show’s call for protest, honesty and change too youthful and naive for their tastes. Our sickly damaged and defective world practically begs for screaming. Hope for the future squarely rests on young adults to rise up and bring sanity and morality back into focus. That is a hard pill to swallow. A jagged one. It’s like rain on your wedding day.
Jagged Little Pill is being performed on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre.