“Daddy Issues: The Musical,” written and directed by Ethan Cvitanic, is an original comedy debuting at the Madnani Theater, revolving mainly around a fictional talk show of the same name. The talk show is hosted by the borderline predatory Dr. Corey (Adyr Villavicencio), who seeks to “reunite troubled gay sons with their estranged fathers” and scouts Ivan (Jake Farnum) in prison, where he is serving time for prostitution. Ivan Is estranged from his father Dominic (Curt Wilson) and Dr. Corey lies to both of them to get them to agree to be on the show.
This comedic musical had more comedy than music, and the music was often too quiet to really hear. Music playing from the speakers was so quiet that the actors’ singing voices were quiet as well, barely over a hushed speaking volume. This was unfortunate since the physical performances and acting chops of Farnum and Wilson were on point, but it all was marred by the awkward quietness in the theater during any of the songs. People shuffling in their seats, the projector fan whirring, a couple nearby whispering in the audience – all were much louder than the music. This made the songs almost impossible to comprehend. While one might be able to get the gist of each song, the lyrics and jokes within them were largely lost. Perhaps a reassessment of the sound system would do the production good.
While there were a handful of other moments that were definitely funny, the show hinged on the success of the fictional talk show and host. After Dr. Corey finds Ivan in jail and asks him to be on “Daddy Issues,” the rest of the show takes place on the talk show and the audience is expected to play the “studio audience.” The issue with this gimmick is that in a real live taping, talk shows and sitcoms go to great lengths to keep the audience’s energy high and condition them to respond to the events on stage. In this production, Dr. Corey did a pantomime version of warming up the crowd, but expected a realistic response from a cold audience. This worked against Villavicencio, playing Dr Corey, whose performance relied heavily on the participation of the audience.
What did work in “Daddy Issues” was the irreverent and sometimes absurd comedy. The dopey security guard for the talk show, Chester (Austin Nation), was a huge hit with the crowd. Throughout the show, tongue-in-cheek messages from “corporate sponsors” were a delightful bit. Also, Farnum’s comedic timing was great, and his physical performance was impressive as well as hilarious. Hopefully with time and more shows under its belt, “Daddy Issues: The Musical” can become the show that it aspires to be.
“Daddy Issues: The Musical” continues through Feb. 9 at the Madnani Theater, 6760 Lexington Ave., Los Angeles, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $20. For tickets and information, visit TheStageCrafts.com. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.