Right before the holidays, I got to go checkout The Other Josh Cohen at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The plot of the black-box show is summed up pretty concisely in their press release:
“Enter the quirky world of Josh Cohen’s New York City apartment … as it is getting robbed. Thus begins the hilarious rock-and-roll romantic comedy about good guy Josh, caught in a lifelong battle with bad luck. Broke and alone, all hope seems lost—until a mysterious letter arrives that changes his life forever. Two actors play the hapless-yet-warmhearted title character—one eventful year apart—in a 90-minute, life-changing laugh fest that will leave you feeling better about the world.”Sth Dhonau, Brett Ambler. The Other Josh Cohen. DCPA Cabaret. Photo by Mcleod9 Creative
While the show is cute with catchy music and a feel-good vibe, I had some issues with the writing and the story. Spoiler Alert: For one thing, what ends up making Cohen happy at the end of the show is a girl and a relationship.While everyone deserves love, it’s almost 2022, and I kind of wish the end message had been that you don’t need material possessions, money, or a significant other to complete you; rather, it’s something you have to do yourself. As it stands, the message of the show was more “hang in there; you’ll find someone.” While love, connection, and feel-good stories are definitely needed right now, I wish he had found happiness without relying on another person.
Another sticking point in the narrative was that Josh Cohen from the past year was sloppier and took care of himself less than the narrator, who had lived through the whole story before. A big part of that narrative was about how he was chubby before and had gotten in shape. While gaining pounds during a rough time is also certainly relatable right now, for that very reason, I wish there was a slightly less fat-phobic message in the show.
However, that all being said, none of those issues with the writing should detract from how well the show was executed. The actors all had to play several roles, all except the Josh Cohens, who starred and barely got any breaks from stage time. Unlike some other shows I’ve seen in a similar vein, it was never confusing to tell who was whom or what role was being portrayed. And the music and cool, immersive set and show got the audience members excited.
Brett Ambler, Seth Dhonau. The Other Josh Cohen. DCPA Cabaret. Photo by McLeod9 Creative
The Other Josh Cohen is directed and choreographed by Joel Ferrell. The cast includes Brett Ambler as Josh Cohen, Seth Dhonau as Narrator Josh, Nicole deBree as Several People, Valerie Igoe as A Lot of People, Aaron Vega as A Bunch of People, with Brian Bohlender and Susannah McLeod understudying. The Other Josh Cohen creative team includes David Nehls (musical direction), Lisa M. Orzolek (scenic design), Charles R. MacLeod (lighting design), Meghan Anderson Doyle (costume design), Maximillion Peterson (sound design) and Piper Lindsay Arpan (Assistant Director & Choreographer). Stage management includes A. Phoebe Sacks (Stage Manager) and Stephanie M. Holmes (Assistant Stage Manager).
Nominated for six Drama Desk Awards and the Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, this hilarious, endearing and hummable musical was hailed by Jesse Green of The New York Times as “a spontaneously charming musical that is just right for right now.” Photos courtesy of Mcleod9 Creative
