When is a jukebox musical more than just that? When its story covers issues from the 1990s that remain problems today, like fentanyl addiction, rape, and gender and racial identity.
Canadian alt-rock singer Alanis Morissette’s smash 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” is the inspiration for the 2018 musical onstage in a Novato Theater and Marin Musical Theatre co-production through April 12. It reveals how a seemingly picture-perfect white suburban Connecticut family — mom, dad, son and adopted Black daughter with hidden plights — is truly dysfunctional. It takes place over one year, beginning with the mother writing a sanitized Christmas letter, followed by a darker one the next.
This community production, co-directed and choreographed by Katie Wickes and Jenny Boynton, is exciting from its loud start to its unexpected, haunting finish.
Susan Zelinsky, as Mary Jane Healy, the pill-popping supermom, carries much of the show on her slim shoulders. But Evvy Carlstrom-March, who portrays Jo, the lesbian lover of Frankie, the Healy daughter who’s unsure of her sexuality, has the cleanest vocal chops. Imri M. Tate as the rebellious teen Frankie, is easily the most animated.
Sean O’Brien as Steve, the frustrated dad who’s heavily into internet porn because his addicted wife has lost her libido, also has a strong voice.
Morgan Olson doesn’t need to sing. As a symbolic dancing shadow of Mary Jane, she’s graceful and eye-catching, whether twirling or flying from one mark to another on her toes or stone-facedly caressing MJ’s face and handing her opioids.
Music director Megan Schoenbohm and top-notch musicians keep the sound at a level that mostly doesn’t drown Morissette’s lyrics, which are potent, honest, biting, coarse, caustic and humorous. Occasionally, the chorus sounds mushy and the words are hard to discern; it’s the lone sour note in the passionate 2½-hour show.
Among the show’s many high points are Morissette’s classic tunes “All I Really Want,” “Hand in My Pocket,” “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know,” as well as “So Unsexy,” “Forgiven,” “Unprodigal Daughter,” “Predator” and “No.”
This examination of female introspection and angst boasts a book by Diablo Cody, who won a Tony Award. Glen Ballard composed some of the music with Morissette.
“Jagged Little Pill: The Musical” opened on Broadway in 2019 but closed soon after during pandemic shutdowns in 2020. Happily, it came back successfully.
Marin Musical Theatre’s Wickes and Boynton follow with another winner after their electrifying “Cabaret” last year featuring Carlstrom-March as Sally Bowles. This show, too, is worth a trip to Novato. It’s likely to make an impact on theatergoers coming from myriad places, both geographically and emotionally.
“Jagged Little Pill: The Musical,” a co-production of the Marin Musical Theatre Company, runs at Novato Theater Company, 5420 Nave Drive, Novato, through April 12. Tickets are $37 to $50 at novatotheatercompany.org.
Reach Sherwood “Woody” Weingarten at voodee@sbcglobal.net, https://woodyweingarten.com or https://vitalitypress.com.
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