Bradley Adam Stein (center, as Jamie) with Allison Farrall, Brooke Donald, Adrian Graham-Chesnavage, Kiley Ernest, Dean Whitfield, Isabelle Pickering, Courtney Simmons, Asia-Ligé Arnold, Nicholas Miles, Garrett Matthews, Jake Stibbe, Garrett Matthews, Liz Gutridge, Whitney Chantél, and Mateen Kane. Photo by Wilson Freeman.
Sometimes life asks you to grab it by the balls, tuck them between your legs, put on your best frock and step into the spotlight. That paraphrased line from “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” cuts to the heart of what the musical challenges audiences to do: to be brave, to trust others, and live your unabashedly most authentic self.
…truly sings under the characteristically smart and loving direction of Sean Elias.
Jamie New (Bradley Adam Stein) is not content to accept the fate given to him on his career aptitude test: forklift driver. Jamie wants to be a drag queen. The problem is that he can’t admit it to anyone at the school yet.
Countless musicals have been written about self-discovery but “Everybody’s Talking…” comes from its realization that that journey is one we can never complete on our own. While homophobia and closed-mindedness dominate in the Sheffield imagined by writer Tom Macrae and musician Dan Gillespie Sells, it is also a place where we can allow ourselves to be surprised by people who are just waiting for the opportunity to prove they can be better. The Iron Crow production truly sings under the characteristically smart and loving direction of Sean Elias.
Back at the New household we learn that it is Jamie’s birthday where his wonderfully supportive mother (Iron Crow powerhouse, Hana Clarice) has splurged on a pair of red, sky-high heels as his sixteenth birthday present. At his mother’s and her best friend, Ray’s (Asia-Lige Arnold), urging, Jamie is encouraged to strut his stuff. His mum is even proud to admit to the shopkeeper that the shoes were for her son.
All is not well with the New family. Jamie’s father is less supportive. We learn via dance and flashbacks that Jamie’s father (played by Iron Crow resident company member, Jason Stibbe, who also plays Jamie’s homophobic bully, Dean) once found Jamie dressed in his mum’s frock and has rejected Jamie since.
The seemingly simple set by Chris Miller is largely composed of school desks that are moved around and covered with props to signify other locations. It reminds us that for school kids like Jamie, the classroom and the personal life are never fully disentangled. The mood is further served by abstract LED lighting fixtures created by Thomas P. Gardner.
Pritti (Courtney Simmons) is a hijabi Muslim-Arab girl with a Hindu name.She’s an outcast too like Jamie, she tells him. It is her idea that Jamie go to prom as a drag queen. That plan is solidified when Jamie has an encounter at Victor’s Secret with shop owner Hugo, aka the legendary drag queen, Loco Chanelle. Hugo, played with fabulous dexterity by Nicholas Miles, even manages to get Jamie his own spot on a drag show at local club Legs 11. For extra fun, there’s a drag trio that includes queens played by Garret Matthews, Dean Whitfield, and Stephen Foreman. Too bad we don’t get nearly enough of them.
It is here that we should mention the fabulous costume work of J. Ethan Henry. What’s there not to like about a show that has prom dresses and gowns for drag queens? Those kids and queens get to “sashay away” to the wonderful choreography of Arthur Cuadros.
Based originally on a documentary about a young English boy who wanted to become a drag queen, “Everybody’s Talking…” has become something of a contemporary standard in the United Kingdom but has been slow to make it stateside. According to Iron Crow, this is its East Coast debut. There’s a bit of “Kinky Boots” and certainly a good bit of “Billy Elliot” while still feeling fresh and relevant. It revels in the idea that drag is both a profession and a culture.
One thing is certain: the Crow is certainly flying. “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” manages to sit on the summit of what has been a monumentally strong season for the Iron Crow Theatre Company. It is an overall strong cast with phenomenal chemistry. It also brings in some newcomers who would surely be welcomed as season regulars on the Baltimore stage. Courtney Simmons, who plays Pritti, has a gorgeous, soulful voice and sprightly sincerity that is enchanting to watch. Bradley Adam Stein proves to be a young “triple-threat” with his acting, dancing, and singing. Like Miles in the role of Loco Chanelle, these are characters that could be reduced to flattened stereotypes when handled by less competent actors and yet in this production they are brilliantly realized.
Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 15-minute intermission.
“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” runs through June 30, 2024 presented by Iron Crow Theatre Company at The Baltimore Theater Project, 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
