By Richard Tarbox
In 2018, StarKid Productions (the scrappy theater company that first made a splash with their pop culture parody A Very Potter Musical in 2009) produced their 11th production, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals. This sci-fi/horror/comedy musical lampoons the 1956 film The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but this time, instead of turning red-blooded Americans into allegorical communists, the aliens are out to create a hive of musical theater enthusiasts.
The blue-goo-filled aliens crash land on earth via a meteor, in the nondescript town of Hatchetville, quickly assimilate the locals, and now they’ve got their sights set on Paul, the titular “guy.” And why doesn’t Paul like musicals? You see, as a teen, Paul saw his high school’s production of Brigadoon and just didn’t care for it. Girl, same.
Paul and a dwindling band of office coworker holdouts seek help against the horde from a scientist and the military, but how long can they last before they are all indoctrinated into the singularly sensational chorus line of their Schmigadoon future?
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (the title is kind of a spoiler) sits alongside other horror/comedy stage musicals, like Bat Boy, Ride the Cyclone, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Rocky Horror Show. It’s very likely that if you love those musicals, you’ll love this one too. StarKid has released their full production on YouTube, and I heartily recommend checking it out.
So it’s easy to see why the folks at Greenbelt Arts Center would want to join in the fun. The moment I walked in, I was greeted at the door by the director of the show, AJ Fontaine. Throughout the performance, I watched Fontaine beam rapturously at the cast from the audience and even sing along with the songs. It’s incredibly clear how much this show means to them, and much like in the show, the enthusiasm was infectious.
That joy was shared by the cast, who seemed to enjoy the silliness of it all (though sometimes to the detriment of focus and pace), throwing themselves into the extensive choreography (by Summer Moore) and the comedy, with big laughs coming from over-the-top character moments and improvised asides. As Paul, Joe Maxwell is a standout, with his “nervous guy” persona built on a masterful combination of facial expressions and precise comic timing. Maxwell is supported by his band of survivors, with strong comedic performances by Morgan Rapsky, Michele Onwochei, Maura Campbell, and Kirby Povilaitis. Ethan Fontaine plays the local scientist, among other ensemble roles.
It’s important to note the enthusiasm for this production — from the cast, the director, and the audience. I felt a real sense of community and support from all present at the show. I stress this because there are some serious challenges with the technical approach to The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, starting with the space itself. Greenbelt Arts Center is configured as a three-quarter thrust, meaning there are three separate audience seating areas — one in the center, one to the left, and one to the right. Much of the blocking and choreography seemed to be staged for the center section. I sat stage left and many times what I was looking at were profiles or even backs of actors. The stage is largely bare during the show, with set pieces brought on and off for specific scenes, so there was plenty of opportunity to stage the actors in a more open configuration that would work for all seating areas.
The space is also in a basement, which presents the very real issue of a lower-than-typical lighting grid (Silver Spring Stage shares a similar challenge). Lighting was generally simple — lights up for the scene, lights down for the transitions, with a few moments of color or isolation for effect — but the low ceiling and seating configuration meant there were several moments where lights were shining directly in my eyes.
Perhaps most problematic is the sound. The musical is presented with pre-recorded backing tracks, and none of the actors are using microphones. And while it’s not fair to hold actors at different levels to the same vocal standard, the reality is that volume, diction, and pitch issues were pervasive during the show, partially from the lack of mics, but also because faces were turned away from two-thirds of the audience much of the time. I’ve since watched the StarKid version online and realized there was so much critical and clever exposition in the opening number alone that was completely inaudible from where I was sitting. These issues arise not just during most songs, but also during book scenes, including offstage voices as news reports that should have been pre-recorded.
Additionally, Greenbelt Arts Center is a very intimate space (I estimate about 100 seats), and offstage areas are separated from the audience by sheets of plywood. Considerable backstage movement and chatter were audible during the show, sometimes louder than the actors on stage.
The original nature of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals was intended to be low budget and DIY, and that aesthetic completely works when you have strong performers who can create clear and understandable characters, but also when you can successfully navigate the limitations of your technical resources and build a show that works in the space you have. I’d be very curious to see a different production at Greenbelt Arts Center to see the space used to its best advantage, but I’d also be curious to see this cast and team in a venue with better support for musicals like this. I think removing the significant challenges presented by staging, lights, and sound would let the joy and enthusiasm of this show and this team shine through.
My advice? See it. It’s fun. Support new musicals. But maybe watch the original production online first so you can familiarize yourself with the story, songs, and characters beforehand, so you don’t get lost when you can’t see or hear what’s going on. Or maybe arrive early and get a seat in the center section.
Running Time: Approximately two hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission.
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals plays through June 20, 2026 (Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM), at Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD. Purchase tickets ($27 general admission, $24 senior/military, $14 students/children) online. For more information, phone the box office at 301-441-8770 or email boxgac@greenbeltartscenter.org.
The program is online here.
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Blim
Book by Nick & Matt Lang
Originally produced by StarKid Productions
Directed by AJ Fontaine. Produced by Marianne Virnelson. Music Director: Mimi McGinniss. Costume Designer: Alexina Costen. Set Designer: Alan Duda. Sound Designer: Michele Onwochei. Choreographer: Summer Moore. Lighting Designer: Nicolai Adams.
Cast: Maura Campbell, Cormac Coleman, Ethan Fontaine, Maximo Gomez, Gabrielle Johnson, Joselin Loza, Natalie Mawhood, Joe Maxwell, Michele Onwochei, Kirby Povilaitis, Morgan Rapsky.
Richard Tarbox values theater as a celebration of shared storytelling and artistic intentionality. He seeks to uplift and educate with his writing. He is also a theatermaker, perhaps one you know, but under a different name.
