Jaden Harris Shaw and Shak Kanish (Photo by Lauren McCarty
Reviewed by Julyza Commodore
Lee Strasberg Institute/Marilyn Monroe Theatre
Thru October 2
RECOMMENDED
Nicholas Scott and Shak Kanish (Photo by Lauren McCarty)
What if? A simple phrase that can lead to so much.
Melt, a play written by (and also starring) Shak Kanish deals with this for much of, if not the entirety of the show. Directed by Fabiana Medici and Chris Prinzo, the play is centered on two college students: a dedicated theater kid, Eli (Kanish), and a slightly brash hockey player, Ryan (Jaden Harris Shaw), who both audition for and get cast in a play opposite each other.
These are two young adults who come from two very different worlds. After Eli came out to his parents as gay, he was kicked out of his home and left to sleep in the theater on campus. On the other hand, Ryan’s identity and respect is directly linked to his accomplishments in sports. It even determines how much his father pays attention to him. He’s aware that he cannot afford to lose at anything, so when things begin to become more complicated, he begins to question why he chose to show up and participate in a play.
The story also swirls around their theater professor, Finch (Nicholas Scott), and his experience with a play he has written and a “what if” when it comes to a guy he had fallen for. Essentially, Finch’s play mirrors Eli and Ryan’s journey as they discover feelings for each other and an instant connection that they share, and whether or not they can fully explore it. One of the strengths of Melt lies in its strong dynamics among the characters and their internal conflicts, and how those dynamics impact all of them.
For instance, Finch is fighting to have his play brought to life in a way so authentic that he pushes his actors, Eli and Ryan, a bit too hard, resulting in chaos. Ryan is fighting feelings he has never felt before, and Eli, who believes he’s always right, slowly realizes that his judgmental, preconceived notions of Ryan might be ill-conceived.
The show’s moments of humor bubble around darker themes such as homophobia, homelessness and emotional vulnerability with a sadness that resonates.
All three actors do a wonderful job of embodying their characters, while Medici and Prinzo’s directorial pacing is just right. At the end, we get a glimpse of the play that they had been rehearsing as Eli sings about “What if’s.”
Musical accompaniment, with Surya Miele on piano and Rory Glassford on guitar, sets a hopeful tone by the end of the show in a play that suggests that emotional health depends on a blend of courage and vulnerability, saying what needs to be said if it’s something that matters to you. Because demons lurk in what remains unspoken.
The Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Institute, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd.; Wed.-Sat., 7:30 p.m.; thru Oct. 2 . https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/melt-live-in-west-hollywood-fall-2026-4863492/ Running time 90 minutes, no intermission
