Tribulation: The Musical (FringeNYC)
About the show
Part of FringeNYC: It's the end of the world...and you still need a job. In Tribulation: The Musical prophets, whores, and middle managers alike all struggle to prevent the Apocalypse, in this hilarious, irreverent take on the Bible's Book of Revelation. More…
Categories: Musical/Opera, Comedy, National. Written by Book and Lyrics by Molly Miller, Music by Brad Kemp. Directed by Tyler Samples, Music Director: Charlie Worth. Choreographer by Tyler Samples, Music Director: Charlie Worth.
FROM THE ARTIST:
Stepping away from sketch and improv, young members of Chicago's comedy scene have created a deftly scored, savagely funny book musical. Affectionately blasphemous (but not exactly heretical), Tribulation: the Musical explores the realities that the rent is still due even when the world has literally ended, and that sometimes a crappy desk job can save your life.
"This religious satire is a smart comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously...'Tribulation' is brazenly outrageous, unafraid to offend. The story isn't exactly unique or fleshed out, opting for the absurdity of the situation...Molly Miller and Brad Kemp's show is one that works well for comedy outlets. As a full-fledged stage musical? It's a harder sell. But there is potential deep within." Full Review
"The show has some genuinely funny moments…Not all of the humor succeeds, however…Act one is disjointed, partly because there are a lot of threads to 'Tribulation.' And even though act two manages to tie up every one of these loose threads, it does so in a way that feels unsatisfying...This final battle between kind of good and definitely evil ends so quickly it barely has time to fizzle." Full Review
"A show with such an outlandish setup needs to be grounded somewhere, if not in its plot then in having its characters behave like actual human beings, or at least something resembling them. That's not what the script offers, though, giving a cast with impressive comedic credentials little to work with. Instead, we're given a lot of cookie-cutter gags without satisfying depth that are aggressively jumped on and rehashed into oblivion." Full Review
"Filled with overblown unlikeable stereotypes and predictable jokes, the script and score are long and redundant, incessantly peppered with puerile profanity and juvenile talk about sex acts and body parts. While the heavy-handed humor and blatant direction by Tyler Samples might work as a short sketch in an improv comedy club, it gets old in a full-length two-act musical." Full Review
"The week’s lineup also had to include the kind of unsalvageable amateurish flop the Fringe is known for. In 'Tribulation: The Musical,' hapless young insurance company employees try to fight off the apocalypse with the help of a slacker Jesus. The end of days feels like the end of theater. Enduring this witless show, you have to wonder about the selection process. It might simply be first come first served." Full Review
for a previous production "Writer Molly Miller knows when to duck away from expectations and when to lean into them...Characters that would come off as one-note in another show are developed into three-dimensional human beings…See it for the songs if nothing else, especially 'Someone You Hate Dies,' an instant classic. Composer Brad Kemp, choreographer Lauren Lopez, and musical director Charlie Worth pull off an amazing job of creating immersive, polished numbers in a relatively small space." Full Review
See it if like the college heave ho effort of young less than experienced actors with some sterling efforts thrown in
Don't see it if don't want everything to musically sound the same along with lame humor
See it if You don't worry about the apocalypse
Don't see it if You LOVE your work ethic
See it if you're endlessly entertained by end of the world scenarios
Don't see it if you can't deal with woefully ineffective air conditioning.
See it if you like musicals that are sexually explicit, silly comedies, about the end of the world.
Don't see it if like intelligent musicals with great music.
See it if You like sketch comedy and the zaniness of improv.
Don't see it if You don't like jokes about sex in plain language.
See it if You are looking for something that is witty, engaging and will make you laugh. You'll tap your toes to the songs as well.
Don't see it if You are not down with smaller productions, or want something dramatic sans humor
See it if You're looking for a laugh
Don't see it if You're hoping for some serious theatRE.
See it if you like smart sketch comedy AND musical theater, you enjoy satire about religion, you like silly fun catchy songs
Don't see it if you don't like sex based humor or foul language, you only want to see super polished musical theatre
See it if you like irreverent musical comedies with great vocal power and a strong female lead.
Don't see it if you might be offended by jokes about the rapture.
See it if you like great harmonies and good voices, you grew up in the church and have a sense of humor about it
Don't see it if you can't handle profanity or sexually suggestive dialogue, you're looking for a grounded, relationship based musical drama cuz THIS AINT IT
See it if You like Rick and Morty and other self-aware genre shows.
Don't see it if You don't like dick jokes. Seriously then, don't.
See it if you want to watch something smart and hilarious with a great cast and music you will be humming to in the shower for days after.
Don't see it if you dont have a healthy sense of humor
See it if you are interested in postreligious ideas about God, Jesus, Devil, apocalypse, and human purpose
Don't see it if you think religious topics and obscenity don't mix.