The Boy From New York City

A Musical Comedy in Two Acts by
Robert Hansen and Julie Gordon Shearer

Thirteen-year-old Michael Ross fears he may have caused his parents’ impending divorce but he doesn’t dare to ask. Instead he tries to keep a low profile and not make any mistakes.  But it’s hard when he feels alienated from his friends,  his grades are dropping, his confidence is ebbing, and his girlfriend, Jenny, seems more interested in Steve—Mr. Cool of the sixth grade.

The Boy from New York City Promo Picture2Enter Angelo, an overconfident, teenaged guardian angel on his first mission: to help Michael confront his parents with his worst fear.

Angelo dispenses a mixture of sound advice and flashy magic with a shortsighted view of the consequences. Michael discovers that a guardian angel can be a mixed blessing when he stands to lose his after-school job, his girl, and the chance to graduate to junior high school!  But he learns he can cut his fears down to a manageable size by putting them into words. And when he asks his father the dreaded question, the answer is reassuring.

The play treats the subject of divorce sensitively, and the songs eloquently express the frustrations, hopes, and humour of children on the verge of adolescence.

The Boy from New York City Grow Up Song from Julie Gordon Shearer on Vimeo.

CAST: Ten main character, five secondary characters, expandable to 30 or more.

Child roles suitable for children nine to 16. Adult roles can be played by children or adults.

To review a script or score, contact Julie Shearer.

Prior Productions: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Bethesda, 2011; Mill Valley (CA) Middle School, 1992; Coral Springs (FLA) Middle School, 1987; Wendler Junior High School, Anchorage, Alaska, 1987; Westborough Junior High School, SF, 1985, 1986; Children’s Theatre Factory, LA, 1985; Roosevelt Middle School, SF, 1985; Bay Area Youth Theater, Berkeley, 1984.