‘The Lonely Few’ Didn’t Shake Me to My Core, but It Still Rocked
The new rock musical turns MCC theater into a Kentucky juke joint.
If you’re looking for the best off-Broadway deal, “The Lonely Few” is offering two-for-one tickets: a new musical and a rock concert in one. While the show doesn’t bring much new to the table besides its unique format, you can’t help but have a fun, rocking night at the theater.
The New York premiere of “The Lonely Few” at MCC Theater invites audiences into the world of a rock band in Kentucky. Some audience members sit on stage at small tables, a performance stage on one side, and a bar on the other. The band members address us as if we’ve come for a live music performance rather than a theatrical production — “How are you feeling? It’s Saturday night!” are some of the first lines we hear from Lila (Lauren Patten), the band’s frontrunner.
We are immediately immersed in the small Kentucky town where the play is set and the band, The Lonely Few, is rocking out. The experience is loud, fun, and mesmerizing. Even though I was sitting in the mezzanine, I was transfixed by this band’s stage presence and couldn’t help but sway and tap my foot, feeling a part of their gig. The energy was infectious, from the other audience members on stage grooving along to the production board operator next to me, rocking out.
The story starts in the band’s opening number, but it wasn’t until they finished their set and used plain dialogue that I started to understand the backstory of the band. Lila has an alcoholic brother, Adam (Peter Mark Kendall), who she’s been taking care of ever since their mom died. Dylan (Damon Daunno), the guitarist, is a nerdy to-be dad, a stand-up guy who has dreams of getting out. JJ (Helen J Shaw) is the baby of the group, spunky and hilariously delivering every line in a Gen Z-coded way. Then there’s Paul (Thomas Silcott), the caring drummer who owns the bar they’re playing at. They’re their own little family.
The momentum begins when an outsider appears: Amy (Taylor Iman Jones), a Black and queer singer stopping by during her solo tour, who knows Paul because he used to be married to her mom. There’s an immediate zing between Lila and Amy, and soon we learn Amy’s opener has dropped out and she needs some band to fill the slot.
Who will it be? Surprise: it’s The Lonely Few.
“The Lonely Few,” in its many plot points that go like this, feels inevitable. Even though Lila tries to put up a fight, it’s obvious The Lonely Few will join Amy’s tour. Even though Lila and Amy have moments of challenges, it seems like there’s no other option but for them to end up in love.
This predictability didn’t bother me, though. Instead, the clichés encouraged me to focus instead on what made this love story different — an interracial queer couple, the use of rock and roll, love for music, and the struggles of living and performing in a more conservative community.
Music is what brings Lila and Amy together, and Zoe Sarnak (music and lyrics) and Rachel Bonds (book) do a smart job of using it to build the romance between the two. I particularly loved a moment when Amy asks Lila to share what her “real” music sounds like, and Lila started to sing a cappella, beating on her chest to keep the beat, and Amy filled in with a vocal background track, filling the song to make it whole.
Musical and rock concert clash, however, in trying to do both rock and “role” — meaning, the band’s songs attempt to do storytelling that we can’t always make out. It was only halfway through the opening number that I realized each band member was introducing themselves and their backstory. When you go to a musical and expect songs to advance the plot, it’s frustrating to not get what characters are saying. That’s where the clichés actually help the story; it’s less important that we get every word of each song if we understand, directionally, the main points of the plot.
It allows us to just enjoy the music, too. Each band member gets their moment. Patten is a strong lead, with powerhouse vocals that exude a raw, emotional cry. Iman Jones brings confidence and stage presence, with a controlled and beautifully rough rage. Silcott plays a nurturing and soft father figure for Iman Jones; when they duet, his voice is like a home base, keeping the melody as she riffs and carries the vocals to new heights.
Shen brings youthful energy in incredibly fun costumes (Samantha C. Jones), including fiery thigh-high boots that got specific attention from audience members on stage. Daunno is goofy and sweet — I swore I could make out a few of his iconic yodeling vocal flips, which he used a lot when playing Curly in the 2019 “Oklahoma!” revival.
Seeing these moving, exciting rock and roll performances — where the actors really get to shine — makes “The Lonely Few” a fun, energizing night at the theater.
So while the show doesn’t take many risks, but rather relies on structural and romantic clichés, it still offers a unique way of viewing and interacting with a musical. It’s not revelatory, but it’s heartwarming. And it’ll get you dancing in your seat.
“The Lonely Few” runs through June 2nd at MCC Theater. Here’s more about how and why I went:
How I found out about it: I had seen “The Connector” at MCC Theater earlier this year and followed their Instagram when I was writing my review.
Why I went: Damon Daunno, my hero. Daunno played Orpheus in one of the earlier runs of “Hadestown” before Broadway and also Curly in the “Oklahoma!” revival. I really, really love his voice. When I came home from this show, I listened to his version of “Epic II” from “Hadestown” about 15 times in a row. I also love him on “People Will Say We’re In Love” from the “Oklahoma!” revival (it was in my Spotify top 20 songs last year, unfortunately!).
How I got tickets: My old reliable, Theater Development Fund (TDF). Their off-Broadway shows are usually $25-$40.