‘Beau the Musical’: This honky tonk’s got secrets and they’re coming out

By Bobby McGuire

In the crowded landscape of the New York theater scene, where intimate stories can either soar or shrink, Beau the Musical at The Distillery at St. Luke’s feels like a perfect fit. Conceived and written by Douglas Lyons, this heartfelt, country-infused musical asks an odd but compelling queer question: what if you and your grandfather came out together in a honky-tonk? And while it occasionally drifts into after-school-special territory, Beau is a solid, well-staged, and ultimately moving evening of entertainment.

The story follows Ace Baker, a queer singer-songwriter played with earnest charm by the terrific Matt Rodin. Ace has a past, and we see it in flashbacks: a sensitive tween stealing cigarettes from his well-meaning mom to pay off his school bully, who then surprises him with a kiss, kicking off a three-year, deeply-in-the-closet relationship.

Amid this teenage turmoil, Ace makes a stunning discovery: his granddad, Beau (the always wonderful Jeb Brown), presumed dead, is actually alive and kicking in Memphis. Ace hightails it for a reunion that becomes life-changing for them both.

Jeb Brown in "Beau the Musical." — Jeb Brown in “Beau the Musical.” Photo by Valerie Terranova.

The narrative unfolds with raw intimacy inside designer Daniel Allen’s exquisitely executed immersive Tennessee roadhouse set—complete with a functioning bar, because why not? As an audience member, you’re not just watching the drama; you’re a patron right in the thick of it. Director-choreographer Josh Rhodes works magic in the space John Doyle-style with a cast of eight supremely skilled actor-musicians who also serve as the show’s band, delivering Lyons’ and composer Ethan D. Pakchar’s score with genuine conviction.

MORE OFF-BROADWAY REVIEWS
In her new solo play, Jen Tullock embodies 11 lives shattered by one memoir

Now, if I’m being a little picky, the country score sometimes flirts a little too hard with a generic Broadway sound, lacking the gritty authenticity the setting promises. And while the evening’s 100 intermission-less minutes move at a decent clip, it’s a bold ask of any bladder that’s taken advantage of that very convenient, on-stage bar.

Matt Rodin in "Beau the Musical." — Matt Rodin in “Beau the Musical.” Photo by Valerie Terranova.

Yet, these are minor quibbles. Like Off-Broadway shows of yore, Beau in this space understands its own scale and brings to mind the original incarnations of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and, more recently, Dead Outlaw—both Off-Broadway musicals that saw great success downtown before transferring to Broadway, where their messages got lost in the mezzanine. Let’s hope Beau stays where it is. For a musical about coming out and feeling comfortable in your own skin, Beau feels right in this intimate, immersive production.