Now through Saturday, Nov. 18, Eli Bauman presents the return of “44 – THE unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL (As Told Through the Hazy Recollection of Joe Biden)” to The Bourbon Room Hollywood, 6356 Hollywood Blvd on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bauman directs his reimagined satire of the Obama campaign with the cast led by musical stars NBC’s “The Voice” T.J. Wilkins as Barack Obama and Grammy-nominated R&B sensation Shanice as Michelle Obama. “44” almost entirely takes place during Obama’s first term.
“I deal with the run-up to 2008 during the first 20 minutes of the show, but the rest is 2009 to 2012,” explained Eli. “That span encompassed this wild cultural and political moment where Obama’s Idealism collided with the Old Order. I make sense of things by being wild and having fun. So, I immediately tried to find the comedy in the moment. Making ‘44’ the story of Obama from [Joe] Biden’s memory was a clever way around that,” he mused.
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Bauman is the son of Mary and Jon ‘Bowzer’ Bauman, best known as a member of the band Sha Na Na and “Bowzer’s Rock & Roll Party.” The entertainer, Columbia University grad, and Julliard alum spoke fondly of his son.
“My wife and I have been together for 52 years, and this is our 41-year-old son’s creation born entirely in his brain. One day, he called me up and said, ‘Hey, what do you think of this idea — a musical about Barack Obama?’ And I said to him, ‘That’s a great idea! Makes sense to me,’” Jon said.
“Eli is a writer, and I’m amazed and proud of what he has in him. He was influenced by shows of solid entertainment and you’re able to see that. The pacing is great, it appeals to a wide variety of people, the most blended audiences you’ll see, and it’s been like this every night. That’s the part I love the most,” said Jon.
While Anthony ‘Brew’ Brewster directed the head-bobbing music for “44” with his band House of Vibe as “The Andrew Jackson Five,” the culturally diverse cast of 12 belted out hearty renditions of “Red States Blue States,” “How Black Is Too Black,” “My Turn,” and “Drill Me, Baby,” while the blistering “White House Love” kept the capacity crowd on its feet, lusting for more.
For tickets and information, visit www.44ObamaMusical.com
Links: https://bit.ly/3QSetPc
