Okay, so you missed this terrific show during its brief Off-Broadway run in 2012 and then perhaps missed it again when it showed up at your regional theater. Well, don’t let this new opportunity to see this totally disarming musical entertainment pass you by. Why it remains relatively unknown beats me as it is a joyfully and artfully crafted musical play. The current and extended-run revival at the Westside Theater is a winner in all respects. This is a small-scale farcical musical with a heart as big as the Valentine that plays an important role in this story—call it an ode—to a pathetic but lovable mensch Josh Cohen. He’s a guy who just can’t get a break, make a good living, or find the right woman. It is the work of David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, who not only collaborated on the book, music, and lyrics but also share the honor and rewards of playing the role(s) of Josh Cohen; that is as a past and a present Josh Cohen and often appearing together at the same time. Confused? Good. Because so is the disheartened Josh who can't understand why he is so unlucky in love and why his life seems to be nothing but a torrent of rejections and disappointments. But while you may suspect, or perhaps already know, that this is a two-person show about one person, it actually has a slew of peripheral characters. They are amusingly portrayed by the five excellent on-stage musicians, each of whom also has the task to keep up with the many changes of wigs and costumes. The soft-rock score, by the way, is very likeable but mostly notable for its witty lyrics. The amazing news is that the collaborating, originating, leading Cohens are still being played by Rossmer and Rosen and that Kate Wetherhead (percussion and ”A Lot of People”) and Hannah Elless (drums and “A Lot of Other People”) are also back from the original company. They now share stage with also multi-talented Louis Tucci, Luke Darnell, and Elizabeth Nestlerode who play a variety of instruments and also portray “The Rest of the People.” It is amusing to see how they populate the compact setting of a New York City bachelor apartment created by designer Carolyn Mraz to withstand the flow of traffic. Of course, it is virtually empty, or rather emptied. The audience arrives to see a hooded burglar already in the act of removing everything that can be carried, including a poster of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The only items left for Josh to find on his return are a Neil Diamond CD and an empty case of a porn video. We do see the band split on either side of the setting and ready to engage in the action as needed. Key to the show’s bright and brisk tempo is director Hunter Foster who keeps the action flowing—basically a series of short skits that progress through the mostly funny narrative as supplied by guitar-strumming Josh (Rossmer) and by the antics of the more pro-active Josh (Rosen). His actions reveal the plight of a very nice, morally upright, if maybe a tad too chubby, guy who is simply looking for love. But his future is suddenly changed by an unexpected letter. This leads him on an adventurous quest that contributes to a moral dilemma for Josh and as elaborated through the show’s various musical textures. Much of the charm of this slender but totally satisfying musical stem from the easy rapport established between Rosen and Rossmer, who, both dressed identically in plaid shirts and jeans, interact as the same Josh, but with one year and one mustache separating them. Their affection for each other is as winning as our affection for their ninety-minute creation.
