How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes

How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes"It seems like a useful lesson to learn,” I whispered to my friend as the lights dimmed. We had gone to the New World Stages to learn How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes . “How do you think they do it?” she asked me. I shrugged. And after the show ended, I shrugged again. I didn’t know before I saw the, and after seeing it, I still am not sure.The story, the majority of which is told in flashback, is a haphazard tale of random and unlikely events taking place, propelling Miles Muldoon (Michael McEachran) into the spotlight, both symbolically and literally. A self-confessed coward, Miles works at the United Nations bookstore with his best friend Julie Lemmon (played by the lushly vocal Anika Larsen). He lusts after the sultry official Violet Zipper (Nicole Ruth Nelson) and yearns for a job as a diplomat, but does little to achieve either. When a herd of protestors outside of the UN hit him in the head with a melon, he suddenly possesses the ability to read minds and, with his newfound power, learns that a terrorist is planning an attack on the United Nations. Now, he has to choose whether to remain a coward and run away or to be the hero and save everyone. He also learns that his best friend is in love with him, and he has to figure that out as well. It’s a busy day.Self-conscious satire, reminiscent of Urinetown, pervades the performances, including commentary, vocals and backup dancing by a superbly talented Greek chorus (played by Stephen Bienskie, Natalie Joy Johnson and Kevin Smith Kirkwood). One almost expects the cast members to yell, “GASP!” when a shocking event takes place. The tongue is kept firmly in the cheek for the entire show, with the cast delivering lines like, “Julie, we don’t have time for a power ballad!” and the helpful fact, “The Greek chorus never does the heavy lifting.”While the script is quite clever, and the music catchy, the true victory this show comes from the performances by the cast. A small group of incredibly talented performers carry a great weight with this show, and not once do they stumble. As Miles, McEachran is a timid anti-hero, who is actually somewhat of a jerk. He is not that likeable at times, but he still manages to be endearing. It is when McEachran steps into the bulletproof vest and dark glasses of the terrorist that goes by the name “He,” that he truly takes over the stage. With a deep voice, a thick accent, and a fetish for cleanliness, he provides a new level of comedy to the show. When dancing with Zipper, he twirls both her and the Swiffer mop that he is currently using to scrub the floors. The effect is simply side-splitting.McEachran is joined on stage by Larsen, the sweet-voiced siren who serves as his Miles’ friend and hopeful lover. Larsen’s vocal skills are undeniable; she easily belts her songs at top volume. Her comedic skills are also finely tuned; as she plays the scenes where she is talking or fighting with McEachran and also speaking her thoughts that he can hear, she balances a quick transition between the two extremely different moods. Snelson is also skillful as Zipper, the sultry UN official who is in love with the terrorist He. A very physical actor, she brings motion and presence to each of her scenes, whether writhing in ecstasy on her therapists’ couch or dancing the tango with McEachran at the Spanish Ambassador’s ball.It is the Greek chorus, however, that truly steal the scenes. Whether functioning as a trio or alone, in smaller speaking roles, Bienskie, Johnson and Kirkwood are outstanding. Their vocals alone are terrific, and their comedic timing is even more so.Performed in a sleek, efficient set that resembles the United Nations but is easily shifted to other scenes, the show takes on current events in a lighthearted way, slipping references into the dialogue. The subway warning, “If you see something, say something,” and even a reference to Brangelina are mentioned in passing, but the grand finale consisted of the delightful guilty pleasure of seeing Condeleeza Rice performed in a spot-on imitation by a man in a wig. There are moments in the script that lack clarity, such as a random scene that includes McEachran’s parents, or when Larsen bursts into a power ballad about a power ballad, as a tribute to Celine Dion. While inexplicable, it is still comical.I am still not sure exactly how to save the world and find true love in 90 minutes. But I am sure that I had a great time watching someone else do it.