Playwright: John C. Russell. At: About Face, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. Phone: 866-811-4111; $20. Runs through: March 8
All of us who were intelligent—not to mention "different"—in high school crushed on kids who weren't as smart as we were and who were socially unavailable to us ( the in/out crowd ) . But, oh, were they beautiful and charismatic. Stupid Kids looks at two of "us"—the queer punkish poets Kimberly and Neechee"and their in-group friends Judy and Jim who only have eyes for each other. Fueled by drugs and drink as much as by angst and rebellion, all four kids are trouble.
Things haven't changed much in high school when it comes to hormone-driven emotions. Proving the point, yet also bringing Stupid Kids up to date, About Face utilizes four members of its Youth Theater to "shadow" the actors playing Jim, Kim, Judy and Neechee. Via brilliantly integrated video, projected text-messaging and spoken words, the shadow cast delivers an additional running commentary of how present-day high schoolers view the era and ethos of the 1980s. For instance, lesbian Kimberly and gay Neechee are in the closet at first, even to each other. "Why doesn't he [ Neechee ] just come out already?" the Shadows say at one point, but later admit it's not so easy, not even today in the big city. As if in reply—but not really—Neechee says, "I look out because in is too tiny. Inside my lone-loner-lonely self, I can love you."
As Neechee's rather poetic language suggests, Stupid Kids is not a typical teenage-angst realistic drama. It's not Rebel Without A Cause although numerous direct parallels are there ( Sal Mineo/James Dean = Neechee/Jim ) . Instead, Stupid Kids is a highest-energy, heavily stylized, often satirical, incredibly physical high school graphic novel told in bold, richly-imagistic and rhythmic language and considerable choreographed movement. It has the potential to be ludicrous or a dazzling showpiece. Gratefully, it's a dazzler as co-directed by new About Face artistic director Bonnie Metzgar and Megan Carney, choreographed by M. K. Victorson, and aptly rendered in an environmental setting by a large, praise-worthy design team.
The lithe and intense company includes Patrick Andrews ( Neechee ) , Tony Clarno ( Jim ) , Erin Neal ( Kimberly ) and Whitney Clair White ( Judy ) . They are shadowed by Sura Antolin, Joey M. Boran, Scott Jaburek and DiDa ( sic ) Ritz. All work in an ideal ensemble fashion and display good comic chops when needed. Andrews and Clarno also are noteworthy for their athleticism and dance training, which is apparent in the choreographed sequences.
My only quibble is that the stylization of Stupid Kids ( the script calls for it ) and its frenetic drive wear thin at moments, especially when coupled with relatively little character development. There are emotional repetitions when you want them to get on with things. Even so, Stupid Kids bursts with talent and enormous creativity.