A Transparent Musical

Reviewed by Socks Whitmore
Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum
Through June 25

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Pride Month is upon us, and this year Center Theatre Group is kicking off the celebration with a colorful production from their season of works by gender-marginalized playwrights: A Transparent Musical, written by MJ Kaufman and Joey Soloway with music and lyrics by Faith Soloway, will be lighting up the Mark Taper Forum for the rest of June with an original story described as “delightfully queer, unapologetically Jewish, and radically joyful.” The show is based on the hit Amazon series Transparent (created and produced by co-writer Joey Soloway), which follows the drama of a messy Jewish family after the person they’ve called Dad their whole lives claims the name Maura (Daya Curley) and comes out to the family as a transgender woman.

Though inspired by the characters and themes of the original, the new musical is a standalone reimagining — from merging characters and plot lines to overhauling the Pfefferman’s family dynamics, it’s tonally and narratively a completely different product.

The story begins at the Jewish Community Center, or JCC. In this universe, the narrative centers heavily on the youngest of Maura’s children: Ali Pfefferman (Adina Verson). Ali is a book-loving slacker working at the JCC under the guidance of Davina (Peppermint), another transfeminine character, and alongside her annoyingly smart new coworker Ezra (Kasper), a trans man. Her sister Sarah (Sarah Stiles) is an overwhelmed mother with a disinterested husband, and their brother Josh (Zachary Prince) is a self-proclaimed sex addict wrestling to make any relationship work. As Maura socially transitions into life as her authentic self, she repeatedly clashes with her egotistical ex-wife Shelley (Liz Larsen) and struggles to connect with their kids. The musical also gives a nod to Transparent’s second season by weaving in a visit to 1933 Berlin and the Institute for Sexual Research, featuring a rainbow cast of Queerdos and a mysterious Pfefferman family secret.

From the get-go, the musical goes for an immersive feel. School banners decorate the venue’s “auditorium” walls, the opening announcement is delivered by the cast in character, and the actors traverse the aisles throughout the show. It’s also refreshingly intersectional, featuring Jewish music, dance, and giant Purim food costumes alongside honest portrayals of mental health and euphoric queer anthems. The TV show thoughtfully approached the ugly side of the Pfeffermans, but in this version, there’s a much stronger emphasis on laughter — from a hilarious pantyhose fight between Maura and Shelley to an absurd number delivered by Sarah while on psychedelics, the physical comedy and stand-out performances make for a delightful watch (particularly Sarah Stiles’s frazzled portrayal of motherhood and Liz Larsen’s domineering diva flair). The costumes by Toni-Leslie James are eye-catching and dazzlingly diverse, and there are some instances of pure queer magic that are truly resplendent and breathtaking.

One of the most magical things about the show is the opportunity to see the numerous trans actors in the cast spill across a professional stage. In addition to the lead roles of Maura and Ali, TGNC actors appear as rabbis, models, and Queerdos of all kinds. Witnessing Kasper’s Ezra and Peppermint’s Davina sing in duet is a moment of glorious Black trans kinship perhaps never-before-seen in a mainstage musical. Other numbers illustrate themes of trans isolation and loneliness, the confusion and love that come with trans family, and a deeply moving look at pivotal moments in a transgender person’s journey of self-discovery and identity. Some themes are more difficult than others—viewers should be prepared for a few frightfully visceral sounds and images, and a timely comment on the current reception of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming individuals in youth spaces and in public life.

Those who have not seen Transparent on streaming will not be remiss for watching the stage show first; in fact, they might be better off. If compared directly to its predecessor, A Transparent Musical is overly ambitious and lacks gravity —trying to cram four seasons worth of character development and complex dynamics into one two-and-a-half-hour musical is a nigh impossible task that may leave long-time fans a little disappointed. The roles of Maura and Sarah are especially snubbed, their nuance stiffed by Ali’s predominating narrative. Maura’s role in the show is scaled down from lead to supporting, her pre-transition flashbacks scrubbed and her social transition reduced to an unbelievable quick change. Sarah, who in the series presents as bisexual leaning sapphic, is completely unrecognizable and notably no longer queer. Though the overall production is a blast, the lyrics and dramatical structuring of the songs are severely underdeveloped, undermining important numbers like Maura’s rushed coming out song and Ali’s oddly placed “Who Am I.” To compete against the cishet-dominated fare of the greater theater industry, the musical should consider significant future revisions to tighten the packaging of a beautiful, one-of-a-kind story.

Though the writing may need another pass or two, A Transparent Musical offers a reminder of why queer and trans theater is so important, especially in an era of political unrest that threatens to erase it from the map. During opening weekend, members of the alphabet mafia were invited to a special Pride Night celebration where an all-LGBTQIA+ audience had the chance to scream and cheer for their community. The queer joy was palpable, as was the gratitude for this story’s very existence. May this June and ever after, have our theaters fill their stages with “a loud, proud celebration of deviance.”

Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown LA. Tues.-Sat., 8 pm, Sat., 2:30 pm, Sun., 1 pm & 6:30 pm; thru June 25. www.centertheatregroup.org/theatres/mtf/ Running time: two hours and 30 minutes including one intermission