Berkshire on Stage

Memories of being 13 are often painful. Trying to fit in, struggling with physical changes of adolescence, and hoping to be popular works out for very few.  We see all these difficulties come to life in 13 The Musical at Cohoes Music Hall. The Playhouse Stage Company brings 33 young enthusiastic actors to tell the story by Dan Elish and Robert Horn with music and lyrics by celebrated Broadway composer Jason Robert Brown. The original Broadway production opened in 2008, most notably with Ariana Grande. All members of the cast and band were composed entirely of teens. The movie came out in 2022.

A positive memory of my 13^th year was my Bat Mitzvah, a Jewish rite of passage into adulthood that Evan (Charles Fava) is facing and calls the Jewish Superbowl. Eager to invite his friends, Evan learns that his parents are divorcing and he is moving with his mom from New York City to rural Appleton, Indiana in 1999. He is NOT happy. In a completely new environment, he must make new friends and figure out who is cool and worth befriending.

Evan meets a wonderful quirky girl, Patrice (Haley Hammer) who warns him about the cool guys who will not speak or interact with her. She is her own person, refusing to conform to the teen social norms of her school. Nevertheless, Evan meets the ever-popular Brett (Dakota Timmany), and his two sidekicks, Eddie (Chance Scott) and Malcom (Vincent Rinaldi), and is convinced that their friendship will guarantee their coming to his Bar Mitzvah along with their friends and will ensure his popularity.

Archie (Isis Axford), a wise-cracking boy with Muscular Dystrophy and friend to Patrice, is another teen who is avoided by the cool crowd. Unlike Patrice, he seems to have more confidence and displays an ability to laugh at himself. He, too, befriends Evan.

A convoluted story evolves hitting on every adolescent theme. Evan’s desperation for a well-attended Bar Mitzvah celebration leads to his being used by the cool kids to get them into an R-rated movie where Brett can invite the hottest girl, Kendra (Aurora Garcia). Everyone refuses to attend the Bar Mitzvah if Patrice is invited. Evan reneges on her invitation. The boys are intent on getting ‘the tongue’ on their dates. Kendra and her friend Lucy (twin sister Italia Garcia) are pitted against each other with each wanting to date Brett. Archie has the nerve to also want to date Kendra, and he is not above using his disability to get what he wants.  Patrice falls for Evan. Evan asks her out, but then ignores her at the movie, while trying to orchestrate Brett’s date with Kendra, as Archie tags along. Derisive terms for girls and Jews and the disabled are used. The Rabbi helping Evan with his Torah portion is the voice of reason and asks the ultimate question, “Why is it so important to be popular?”

Music and dance throughout the performance keep the show light and entertaining. While none of Brown’s songs are particularly memorable, each song is enjoyable, moves the plot along and highlights some particularly good voices, of which there are many in this large cast. Axford as Archie amuses us with ‘Get Me What I Need.’ Hammer’s strong belt as Patrice moves us as she sings, ‘What It Means to Be a Friend.’ Lucy, Molly (Alaina Gardner), Cassie (Valentino Discanio-Miano), and Charlotte (Lucy Pelton) sing a Bye Bye Birdie-esque ‘Telephone Hour’  number of ‘It Can’t Be True’ as a wonderful quartet. Likewise, Malcolm, Eddie and the Boys sing a rendition of ‘Bad Bad News’ with Luke Buff as Richie demonstrating a beautiful, strong voice. One of the final musical numbers sung by the whole company , ‘A Little More Homework,’ is tremendously effective as each character describes what it means to turn 13, after Fava does a beautiful rendition of Evan’s Torah portion. Brandon Jones as Musical Director does fabulous work. Sound Designer, Ray Stokes, effectively uses orchestra tracks enabling the music to sound like a live band.

Even more complicated is the choreography and musical staging done by Gabi Bazinet-Douglas. With over 30 youth on stage we see hip hop, tap, acrobatics, cheerleading and contemporary dance, with numerous musical numbers. So many of these kids are triple threats and filled with boundless energy.

Director Lance Douglas has a monumental job with so many cast members and moving parts. The scene and set changes are swift. What is difficult to understand is the set’s backdrop. We see shelves of possibly a living room wall unit in the 90s with several television sets, the Millenium Falcon, Teletubbies, disco lights and a huge screen where videos are shown periodically through the show.  The stage left wall is covered with a collage of posters and signs, yet it is difficult to discern a theme. At different points a teen playing electric guitar comes in and out of the screen and seems to be an alter ego of Evan, sometimes repeating what he says. Scenic Design is by Jacob Bell and Properties Design is by Gabby Mason.

Lighting Design by David Heguy is bright and colorful with some flashing lights into the audience, especially at the conclusion of the musical.

Elizabeth Bazinet as Costume Designer outfits the teens in age-appropriate fashionable clothing, baggy outfits for the guys, and short, cute skirts for the girls. Patrice is dressed differently in more artsy clothing with a more hippie vibe.

13 The Musical still does not make me want to go back to Jr. High. But, watching a stage full of young actors having so much fun, with talent to spare, makes me miss my childhood performing in school shows and community theater. It is almost as exciting to be able to watch the future of musical theater. You will leave the theater smiling.

Playhouse Stage Company presents “13: The Musical”, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, directed by Lance Douglas, from August 21-30, 2026, at the Cohoes Music Hall, 58 Remsen Street in Cohoes, NY. CAST: Charles Fava as Evan, Haley Hammer as Patrice, Dakota Timmany as Brett, Chance Scott as Eddie, Vincent Rinaldi as Malcolm, Isis Axford as Archie, Aurora Garcia as Kendra, Italia Garcia as Lucy, Alaina Gardner as Molly, Valentino Discanio-Miano as Cassie, Lucy Pelton as Charlotte, Luke Buff as Richie.

CREATIVE TEAM: Musical Director Brandon Jones, Sound Designer Ray Stokes, Choreographer Gabi Bazinet-Douglas, Scenic Designer Jacob Bell, Properties Designer Gabby Mason, Lighting Designer David Heguy, Costume Designer Elizabeth Bazinet.

Tickets for 13: The Musical are on sale online at www.playhousestage.org, by phone at (518) 434-0776, and in person at the Cohoes Music Hall box office at 58 Remsen Street in Cohoes. Youth tickets start at just $20, with $30 tickets for Seniors ages 65 & up, and $40 tickets for adults. More information about Playhouse Stage Company and its productions can be found online at www.playhousestage.org.