Based on a Totally True Story

Kevin tells me it's important to post our blog before a review comes out so I'm writing before Based on a Totally True Story opens tonight. No matter what THOSE reviews say, mine is telling you right now that this show is fantastic. It's a fast-paced story (partially autobiographical) about two gay men dating, living in new york, and both trying to really make it as writers.

We learn that the main character, Ethan, is a comic book writer (for The Flash), playwright, and soon to be screenwriter. The show starts out with Ethan telling a whimsical horror story that he has just written as a play. He told it so fast that I missed a lot of it, partially because a weird beeping noise behind me, but the gist of it is that a giant monster comes out of the sea and kills the two children in the play.

We rewind a little bit in time to go through how Ethan met his boyfriend, Michael, at a coffee shop called Java Boy. The two start dating and the playwright gives all of these great examples of their dates - very relevant to nyc. Ethan learns from a producer, Mary Ellen (played hysterically by Kristine Nielsen from Miss Witherspoon last fall), that he should adapt his play into a screenplay. After several phone calls "suggesting" changes to his screenplay, and many arguments with Michael, Ethan finally finishes. Meanwhile, his Dad has just told him that he's having an affair with him Mom. So the basic picture is that Ethan has a LOT going on in his life and he's trying to juggle it all equally. He gets some good news that the screenplay has sold - but right about at that point, things start to unwravel in his life. I don't want to give too much away - but the show has a really great ending. Not picture-perfect happy, but uplifting.

In a nutshell it's a great show if you live in NYC, because you'll get all of the little references. Having said that - I think it works for everyone else as well, not just us ny'ers. Our audience (the sunday matinee crowd) was primarily 50+ and there was laughter abounding. The set was really nice - very basic with only a table and a few chairs on stage at a time. The digital projections added a nice touch and the geometric carpet patterns were lovely as well.

So if you're looking for a nice 2 hours at the theatre - I really say check this play out, it'll put you in a great mood!