17th Play - 7/17/23 - Tiger Beat by Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin

I’m not 100% sure how I found this play - probably just the wonderful rabbit hole that is New Play Exchange - reading recommendations from one playwright and then going from one play to another. But I couldn’t resist a girl group!

Summary: "Tiger Beat follows the Girls Next Door, a pop group rising to fame in 2003 pop music. As the band juggles choreography, awards shows, and crushes on teen heartthrobs, Asian American singer/songwriter Tess navigates her identity within the framework of the entertainment industry. This play with music ​is a coming of age story about pop stardom, questionable 2003 fashion choices, and finding one's identity through art." (New Play Exchange)

Loved: I love that this play celebrates the pop music industry at the same time as it pokes at it and calls it out. You can tell by the way it's written that the playwright loves her pop music, especially from 2004, which is when this play is set. The beginning is light and fun and poppy, just like what I think watching a Britney Spears music video would be like. I loved that the band members actually really care about each other and are 100% supportive of Ashley, who likes women (even if the public can't know that), with no apologies for that. The playwright includes in the script subtle microagressions that Asian Americans frequently face. It’s one thing to talk about why microagressions are harmful, it’s another to be present while it’s happening to a character that you care about. This is why I love theatre - it puts you in the room where shit is happening. As a white person who might have completely unintentionally spoken that way prior to being educated otherwise, it feels like the education you learn from sitting in a theatre comes in a more powerful, comprehensible way. Also, at a time when people are talking about hate in this country for some Asian Americans as a result of COVID, we see that even the well intentioned people in this play are not doing very well at allowing Tess to feel like an American. *** SPOILER *** There is a very strange “break” in the play, right before the end, which gets very metatheatrical. Without giving too much away, I appreciated the humorous way that the writer affectionately but provocatively pokes at the American theatre in this section, in having all the white people worried as to whether they've done anything wrong to the Asian American character. I also loved that this play is a great lesson about the pain and challenges of fame. I want all my students who “just want to be famous” to read this play and think about the cost it requires. Overall, the characters the playwright has created in this play are pretty interesting, especially Tess, and I had a good time taking the ride to pop stardom with the band, all the while thanking my lucky stars that I am not seeking any kind of fame.

What I didn’t Love: This play was developed in 2019 and had its first production in 2020. Since that time, we've learned a lot more about microagressions and things that we shouldn't be saying to people, even with the best of intentions. So, I think some of the things that Tess is faced with seem a little bit more on the nose now than they would have then. Anyone who has done any kind of anti-racist work will completely spot the problematic moments; they might have been more surprising lessons back in 2019. That being said, there are many people who may have not learned those lessons who would benefit from seeing them in this play. Maybe it would play better in Columbus (where Tess grew up) than Chicago? I also would like to get to know the other girls a little bit better - I love that Ashley is queer and Poppy loves to drool over pop stars, but it would be fun to get to know more about them. Vivian, their manager and Tess's older sister, has the thankless role of manager to the band, and gets little respect from anyone in the play. The girls go behind her back, the network dismisses her complaints that the band's contract isn't good enough, etc. I felt bad for poor Vivian, who does all the work and gets none of the glory. Could we get to know her a little bit better? There is one scene that attempts to give us some empathy for her, and that works, but I want more. This play is a one act - I think it could potentially be two acts and then we could go deeper with the characters. I didn't dislike the "Deus Ex Machina" scene break from the pop music action right before the ending, but it certainly was a bit jarring and didn't quite fit in a play that was pretty realistic up to that point. Is it necessary? Maybe it’s part of another play? Lastly, I think the ending would land more powerfully live instead of on the page, where you could see the real change in Tess performing fully “herself.” I didn't really love the very last moments when "a crowd of people filter in." This crowd is: “a multitude of people of all backgrounds. Mostly women, mostly people of color. A high number of Asian and Asian Americans.” I appreciate the idea of this. But, from a producer standpoint, HOW DO WE DO THAT?!, is what is happening in my brain. I think maybe a video could work? But this is not going to be an inexpensive show to produce because of the musical numbers, and that's just going to make it harder.

Overall: I really enjoyed following this very young girl band in their adventures in the music industry, and was righteously outraged by the things they had to do for the label, the way they were treated differently (or ignored) because they were women, and also the way Tess was treated and othered by the industry. If I ever had any dreams of fame (long gone, trust me, ack!), this play would remind me how hard and false fame is. I feel like that lesson was more pronounced than any of the lessons this play presents the audience. Being yourself and being famous are not compatible is the main idea I came away with. And I really believe that is true. I'd like to get to know the other girls in the band a little better, and I'd love to see Vivian get more than a couple of lines to redeem her from just being the annoying parent to the band. But overall, I really liked this play. It was fun and clever, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this playwright!

Here’s a link to Google Sheets with more info about the play: Play a Day Sheet

Want to learn more about Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin? Check out her website: www.kaelameishinggarvin.com