A Rousing New Musical at AMT Imagines Life and Love in a Very Different Timeline

It’s another day in our matriarchal society. The legendary New York Jets are working towards their seventh Super Bowl win. Teachers are the heroes, and command the salary they deserve. A gay woman (Ashanti J’aria) is the president of the United States, and her partner (Kira Sarai Helper) is a general in the women-led military. Over 90 percent of the population identifies as gay, while marginalized straight people are fighting to exist and be heard. (The TV series “Straight Eye for the Gay Guy” is one attempt at mainstream recognition). The heterosexual community dreams to be accepted for who they are and to not be judged on who they love. But over on FUX news, “conservative” pundit Lou Smalls (Josh Powell) casts aspersion on the “breeders” (the straight community) while his purple shirt-wearing shadower Pastor Jake (Jake Foster) nods along, claiming that the Bible forbids “a man to lay down with a woman”.

Enter theatre book writer Jake Tanner (Mike Ferlita) and musician and lyricist Robert Lyons (Matthew Liu). The two gay creators are desperate for a Broadway hit, and joining forces with producer Robin Bird (Kelli Maguire) and agent Maggie Burns (Gina Milo), are commissioned to tackle a long-held taboo. They are to create the first heterosexual musical—and the theme will be (gasp!) straights in the military. Can you imagine, men and women on stage—together?! Welcome to Upside Down.

Jake and Robert’s journey to accomplish their momentous task starts with them going undercover at a straight bar. Robert is comically and ostentatiously dressed as straight icon Elvis, while Jake meets straight Tennessee torch singer Tammy (Brogan Nelson, who sings a spirited “Tennessee Rag” and “Midtown Boy”). Jake asks for Tammy to be his beard while he poses as hetero, and in turn Tammy asks him to help her get rid of her rich stalker, creepy mama’s boy Eugene (Patrick Brady, who sings the hilarious “Without Mom.”)

Struggling to write music about straight relationships, Robert composes a love song to his Alexa device (“My Female Ideal”). “You only speak when spoken to!” he croons to it. Meanwhile the “engaged” Jake and Tammy encounter bigotry when they go to a bakery and are rejected—the place won’t make wedding cakes for straight couples. As Jake learns more about the plight of the heterosexual community, and spends more time with the magnetic Tammy, he begins to feel things he didn’t expect. And as the musical gets closer to opening night, the powers-that-be get wind of the “offensive” content, and threaten to shut it down…

Upside Down is a positive triumph from Al Tapper (Book) and Tony Sportiello (Lyrics). It combines old-school Broadway flair with modern wit and sensibility, and is a joyful adventure from the first note to the coda. It holds a mirror to our society at a crucial time, and makes us stop and think about the absurdity of exclusion, while being endlessly ebullient and entertaining throughout. The ensemble’s singing and dancing is chef’s kiss, and all in the company get turns to show their stuff. Shining moments abound from Lauren Gemelli (Rachel/Mandy), Stephanie Maloney (Waitress), Stanley Martin (Ross/Roger), and Bernie Baldassaro (Midtown Boy). The group numbers are nothing short of astonishing (including an incredible tap-dancing sequence), and the tunes are collectively catchy and memorable. You’ll want to come right back for another evening in the Upside Down—and probably wish you could live there.

Upside Down is directed and choreographed by Taavon Gamble, with musical direction by David Wolfson. It runs at the AMT Theater through April 5, 2025.