Hollywood Fringe 2019
Supportive White Parents
Genre: Musical Theatre
Venue: Broadwater Second Stage
Festival: Hollywood Fringe
Low Down
Charming mini-musical about an Asian student who makes a wish.
Review
“Supportive White Parents” is one of this year’s Fringe Scholarship award-winners and has lived up to its promise.
This new semi-memoir musical comedy written by and starring Joy Regullano is a charming half hour.
After Joy (Regullano), a young college student, informs her Filipino parents (Earl Baylon and Giselle Tongi) that she is changing her major from microbiology to theater and east-Asian studies, she finds her parents are disappointed that their dream of having a doctor for a daughter is dead. They are nearly moved to beat the acting bug out of her with a pair of sandals. After wishing upon a shooting star, Joy gets a glimpse of how her life would be different if instead of her real parents, she had white parents (Gina D’Acciaro and Scott Palmason) who indulged her every whim at full throttle.
The show runs on Regullano’s charm; she’s just as delightful when her new white parents encourage her to enjoy the outdoors as she is concerned to discover they don’t believe in vaccinations. Each member of the supporting cast is spot-on. D’Acciaro and Palmason nail the absurdity of their unconditional love while Baylon and Tongi mine expectation and disappointment for comedy gold. Not to be outdone, Greg Smith as Garrett, Joy’s new bratty white brother, gets to shine as he raps, curses, and walks all over his parents to great comic effect.
The songs ( music by The Sam and Tony Show, lyrics by Regullano) are serviceable rather than outstanding, with some basic choreography by Ally Vega to match. Nevertheless, the direction by Frank Caeti is crisp and always moving the show along at a tight pace.
If you’re looking for a Fringe show full of charm and giggles packed into less than thirty minutes, give yourself the gift of “Supportive White Parents,” -ZACHARY BERNSTEIN