Who hasn’t dreamed of hearing the words “Pack your bags, hold the mail and hail a cab”, in order to embark on an adventure. Let’s travel to the never ending love map of right turns, wrong turns, and U-turns in a brand new musical revue, Love & Other Destinations. 

Written by composer Brad Ross (Little By Little) and lyricist Michael Cooper (It Shoulda Been You, Marguerite), the revue premiered for four days in a one-hour digital movie musical format for its first developmental steps on the Theatre Program at the University at Albany’s Department of Music and Theatre in New York. 

Produced by Kevin Duda Productions, partnering with The John Orser ’55 Theatrical Endowment, Broadway and New York talent, and featuring theatre majors and musical theatre minors from the program, Love & Other Destinations is a unique and ravishing musical experience performed by talented students, that will touch and move even the biggest love sceptics in the audience. 

Exploring the triumphs and tragedies of love in all its forms, from first rendezvous to final goodbyes, Love & Other Destinations travels, with an appealing setlist, through those unexpected destinations and detours taking you along the paths to love and its unfortunate events. Well-thought out with musical numbers following the relationships pace and alternating songs and interludes, the revue is a delight throughout. The first song explores the preparation before a first encounter, followed by the catchy title number ‘Love & Other Destinations’, performed by the whole cast. The revue tells the joy of debut and proposal moments in ‘Why’d We Have to Fall in Love’, the many bumps endured during relationships in ‘Double Standard’, marriage and parenthood in beautiful and poignant ballads and serenades with ‘Until the End of Time’ and ‘Bigger than Me’ in particular. Two surprising but sparkling choreographic numbers from the domestic pets’ point of view in ‘Your Cat’ and ‘Man’s Best Friend’ but also soul-searching and closing times in ‘In Another Life’ and ‘Someone Else’s Arms’. They totally succeed in celebrating love in all of its diversity and inclusion. 

Most scenes are filmed by actors on their iPhones in their homes, dorms and within their communities. The various shots are planned to create the illusion that actors are in the same room when, in reality, they are sometimes hundreds of miles away. Every little detail is taken care of and no false note occurs.

This project features orchestrations by Robert Elhai (Tony-nominated for his work on Disney’s The Lion King). The sixteen-strong cast recorded their vocals at home and it was all mixed at Flux Studios in New York. Tampa-based musical director Jenny Kim-Godfrey prepared the actors on Zoom to record their vocals and the music was recorded by four Broadway musicians. UAlbany Theatre’s resident lighting designer Andi Lyons and resident costume designer Reneé M. Bell collaborated online with actors regarding lighting and wardrobe choices and one of the performers, senior Theatre major Liv Larson, served as the choreographer and assistant director.

This contemporary collection of musical travelogues, which can be performed with two actors or an ensemble as seen in this dazzling try-out revue, will no doubt be an unmissable musical experience to watch on stage. 

***** Five stars 

Reviewed by: Alexia Irene

Whilst this production is sadly no longer available to view online, the creative team plans to continue developing the show with professional actors. So watch this space, Besties!

For more information on the show, please click here.