From the award-winning team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown is an emotion-filled story of a high school valedictorian struggling with life-changing decisions about sex, love, college and the impact the paths she chooses have on the rest of her life.  The new musical is being developed by Beth Williams, Laurel Oztemel and Broadway Across America, and is directed by Daniel Goldstein.

This is a unique opportunity for those who love theatre to be a part of the process that takes a theatrical piece from its early stages to the big stage.  Just as this musical is about Samantha Brown the person’s life journey; these performances at the Center are part of Samantha Brown the musical’s creative journey.

Tickets to the show are $30 and specially priced student tickets are available for $15 at the Samueli Theatre, Orange County Performing Arts Center.

KELLY: You’re not doing it right.
SAM: Doing what?
KELLY: You’re not in it.
SAM: What are you talking about?
KELLY: You’re not in the moment, Sam. Talk about what it felt like.
SAM: What did it feel like?

Alright, okay.  You got the 411 on the Musical.  Cool beans!  I can’t “review” this musical, but I surely can share with you “what it felt like”!

I am a huge musicals lover!  What a beautiful way to tell a story: through song and dance!  The most beloved of stories have allowed us to explore the world and travel across magical times.  However, as much as I want to say that I can relate to the Von Trapp children, Elphaba, or even Gabriella, I can’t.  Entertainment can provide us with a great escape from the world, but sometimes, I just want to be able to look at a piece of work and feel connected.  It’s nice to know that you aren’t alone in your experiences, whatever they might be.

Patrick and I went to see The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown on opening night, last Tuesday.  And I must say…it was the first time that I’ve ever been able to look at a musical and feel like I could have written the lyrics myself.  The main character, Samantha, is a high school senior that has just stumbled upon that daunting crossroad in life.  You know, that fork in the road that asks, “which path will I take in life?”  The one that the rest of us college students and grads are still sitting at, trying to read a map or at least ask for directions.

Aside from the big decisions, Samantha Brown is a hat tip to driving and road trips, which are just about as important to anyone’s personal development than actual college itself.  As silly as it sounds, I don’t know if I’d be who I am right now, in this moment, without the random road trips to nowhere with my best friends or driving alone on the open road, belting out a tune.  For the nice boyfriends that can do no wrong, the vibrant and pushy best friend, or the worried parents, all of us can find a piece of ourselves within the lyrics of these songs.  It’s such a simple story, but it’s a story that we all know so well.  And that is something that I’d love to enjoy with my friends.  How about you?

Only three nights left to see it!  Patrick and I will be back for the final showing on Sunday at 6:30pm to see how the musical has evolved throughout it’s two week run.  We’ll share with you the changes we noticed!  Are you going too?  Let us know!

“Let’s go.
Pick a road.
Pick a highway.
Any road is going my way.
Let’s go.
Live it up with no complicated philosophies.
No college, no career, No kids, no fancy house, no.
Let’s go.
Any road but the one we’re on.”

For more songs and lyrics from The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, visit: http://www.kerrigan-lowdermilk.com/

BIG THANKS to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for inviting us to experience this wonderful musical!