Hollywood Fringe 2024: I Love Sorority Rush!
In the sci-fi musical I Love Sorority Rush!, a transgender misfit in a second-rate sorority comes face to face with his more socially successful female self from another dimension, who is so embarrassed by her alter ego’s very existence that she decides to murder him. The story amusingly spoofs college social life – being in, being cool, being popular – but along the way the central plot thread gets almost lost.
Evan (Dahlya Glick), a non-binary college senior in a second-tier sorority, is helping freshmen get through the hell of sorority rush when a backstage mishap triggers a science project, opening a door to a parallel universe. Through the portal arrives Eva (Arielle Else), the apparently perfect female version of Evan – attractive, popular, self-confident. Only problem: Eva tells Evan that, because she cannot stand the thought of lame versions of herself existing in alternate universes, she plans to kill Evan….
Buoyed by some bouncy songs (nimbly performed live by composer Ted McManus), I Love Sorority Rush! hits the right comic tone for a show in which a college science project accidentally allows a protagonist to face their alter ego. It is an intriguing confrontation, with Eva providing a social yardstick by which Evan cannot measure up, aggravating Evan’s own feelings of being a social outcast who failed to get into the best sorority.
Unfortunately, Eva’s murderous intent, which should drive the plot, is pushed into the background. Although alarmed, Evan does little about it: even after surviving a bomb attempt (how is not explained), Evan does not bother to seek help from the police; instead, Evan just keeps focusing attention on sorority rush. Likewise, Eva seems more concerned with getting into the swing of sorority rush than committing murder; also, there is the matter of why she announces her intentions to her victim instead of simply killing Evan. Eventually, Evan does fight back, leading to an epiphany about the social standards that elevate someone like Eva at the expense of someone like Evan.
It’s a nice message; unfortunately, by this point, Evan seems less lacking in social grace than common sense. It’s hard to sympathize with someone, even an underdog, who is too preoccupied with sorority rush to worry about self-preservation.
I Love Sorority Rush!
Rating Scale
1 – Poor
2 – Mediocre
3 – Good
4 – Great
5 – Excellent
I Love Sorority Rush! features some amusing jabs at college life, but the central premise of a socially awkward underdog targeted for murder by an alternate version of themself from a parallel universe gets lost in the jokes and songs.
I Love Sorority Rush! concludes its run at Hollywood Fringe Festival with a final performance on Friday, June 28 at 9pm on The Broadwater Second Stage, 6320 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. More information here.
Credits: Book by Spencer Ryan Locke. Music by Ted McManus. Produced and directed by Spencer Locke; co-produced by Maverick Campbell. Ted McManus: musical director and live accompaniment (keyboard, synthesizer, guitar).
Cast: Dahlya Glickra, Arielle Else, Keira Weiss, Shelby Miguel, Tira Mansbacher, Ruju Dani, Addison Robbins, Ali Appelbaum, Phoebe Jennings Johnson, Kaitlyn Rayne, Malee Callahan.