“Label•less” is a new, very creative, and much-needed musical, written and directed by Lea and Drew Lachey, currently playing at the Duke on 42nd Street. It is not structured in the musical theater tradition, yet its structure is quite effective. It is a bold, dynamic musical that catches and maintains your attention as it addresses the horrible labels that we put on each other — labels connected to race, stereotypes, body-shaming, bullying, economic status, disabilities, and sexual orientation. It features 18 talented young actors who tell stories, dance, and sing about the labels they have endured and how those labels affected their view of themselves and the world around them. Their delivery is absolutely captivating.
The musical stunningly uses rock, pop, R&B, and rap to get the stories across. This musical makes you realize that when people are labeled, those labels have severe consequences for their mental health. Imagine what you would feel if someone always said cruel things to you because of the color of your skin. If people constantly let you know they viewed you as less than them.
For the young Black men and women in the cast, racism and discrimination was a constant reality. Class discrimination was an experience relayed by another cast member — think of how you would feel to be going to college and working at a local business that your fellow classmates frequented, only to have them see you clean up and make you feel that you were now lesser than them. Imagine being a queer man, living in Alabama and keeping your sexual orientation a secret from your family until the age of 20, only to hear from your family that now “the family name ends with you.”
This 100-minute musical, performed with no intermission, takes the audience on a journey of pain, suffering, self-doubt, and shame as we hear the stories and witness the mental anguish that labeling imposed on each individual. However, it also leaves the audience with hope as the young actors offer each other support — to be that shoulder to lean on.
As you listen to the stories, you will hear things that sound familiar, whether they have been your own experience or that of someone you know and care about. What you will realize is that this labeling is wrong. Sadly, however, labeling is something that we tend to automatically do as a society, not thinking about the mental health consequences we are bringing upon the person who is being labeled. This production sends out a clarion call to be more aware of the harmful labels that we put on each other. It sends out a loud and clear message that we are all human beings and we have more in common than our differences might indicate.
Other subjects include the treatment of women as second-class citizens and as sex objects. One young woman relates walking down the street and two men following her, with the accompanying catcalls and disrespect. Her fear turned into anger when she was able to escape them and go into a local business.
Every story that is shared will pull on your heartstrings. The hope of this musical seems to be starting a conversation and realizing that we as a society can change our future if we want to.
This musical is brilliantly crafted. While the stories are riveting to hear, they are followed up immediately by songs that beautifully continue the tale in their own way. Songs including “Rise Up,” “I Was Born This Way,” and “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The songs are accompanied by powerful choreography by Lea Lachey. You feel the pain that the storyteller is experiencing at the time.
I must also say that this cast has some of the most amazing, thrilling, powerful voices you will hear on the stage. With each performance, they grab you by the throat and take your breath away. The energy in this cast is sublime.
This spectacular ensemble includes Micah Day, Nasir Butler, Justin Daxt Bobbs, Aaron Gillis Jr., Diana Hutchinson, Cayla Nichole Harris, Abby Docherty, Kiwi Villalobos, Paola Marcias, Colton Smith, Antonio Davis Jr., Ethan Eisaiah Rualo, Kaylee Bays, Kendall Maley, Nate Promkul, Lauren Maria Abraham, Iz Lachey, and Bianca Mio.
The production features costume design by Jen Irvine, lighting design by Aaron Space, sound design by Colle Bustin, and production design by Brave Berlin.
For tickets, visit labellessmusical.com.
