Photo courtesy of J. Stubbs Photography (https://jstubbsphotographyvb.com/)

*Note: As per the performance eligibility requirements laid out here, this production is not up for HRACT Award consideration.*

As both a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda musicals and “This American Life,” I was very happy to hear that Little Theatre of Norfolk was staging “21 Chump Street” as part of their “Vida Vibrante” weekend. This two day event included dance performances, vocal performers, a local improv group, topical panel discussions, and an art work display. Additionally, “21 Chump Street” was performed both days of the event.

One of the things I love most about community theater is how accessible it is. Just last year, I was able to see more than two dozen plays which each touched me, challenged me, and changed me in their own ways. Staging a 20-minute musical, with a “pay what you can” policy, puts accessibility on a whole new level. I applaud director Mallory Schmidt, the cast, and the crew for putting in the time and effort to put on this shorter show, and the entire team at LTN for making this new concept for what community theater can be happen.

“21 Chump Street” presents the true story (based on a story by Robbie Brown which originally appeared on WBEZ’s “The American Life”) of a teenager in a Florida school who is caught up in a sting operation. As befits a radio story, the play begins with the Narrator, played by Jessica McLean, establishing the characters and the stakes. She introduces Justin (played convincingly by Lucas Guzzo) as an honor roll student in his final semester of high school and Naomi (portrayed by the talented Nicole Andrewes) as the undercover cop sent into the high school to investigate the buying and selling of weed and other drugs. Over the course of the first song, Justin falls into instant love with the new “student” Naomi. Guzzo sells that attraction that feels so overwhelming and encompassing, the way it can when you’re 18. The undercover cop, Naomi, starts texting with Justin, which leads him to think he has a chance with her. He asks her to prom, which he says she answered, “I’ll think about it…”.  In an aside to the narrator, Naomi contradicts Justin’s statement, which is the first time that the play asks us to consider the relative reliability of each narrator.

Soon (and yes, everything is soon in a 20-minute production), Naomi, via a song sung beautifully by Andrewes, asks Justin if he can get her some weed. While he states that this isn’t his general scene, his love for Naomi propels him to get his cousins involved in his quest to supply her drugs.  Those cousins, played by ACT-y Award winner Salem Rogers, Kristen Martwinski, and Niara Ashburn, contribute greatly with their dancing and vocals. The dancing throughout was so fun and well done, feeling perfectly placed in the scenario (props to the choreographer, HRACT Award nominee Tré Porchia).  The last lines of the musical, delivered by a betrayed and crestfallen Guzzo, brought me close to tears.

The cast and crew did a beautiful job with this production. It was a well done musical covering an important topic. With the shorter nature of the work, it was digestible and focused on its message.  And congratulations to LTN on a successful inaugural “Vida Vibrante” – we look forward to many more to come!