"Most Likely Not To…" The Musical!

On February 29th, 2024, The Times Center officially hosted the first-ever SMA musical in collaboration with SMA My Way and Genentech! I wanted to write about my experience as an attendee and give a shout-out to Genentech and the team for kindly inviting Mom and me.

You can watch the full show here and you can find the album on streaming platforms! (Note: another SpinalMuscularAtrophy.net health leader, Allie Williams, performed in the musical.)

Musical theater with SMA in the spotlight

The story was all based around a high school reunion, specifically a 20 year one. It discusses the struggles of air travel, comparisons between disabled people, and my personal favorite, a romance!

Act 1: We meet Samantha as she's heading to her 20-year high school reunion. She is NOT excited and didn't want to go, but she got sent a free travel voucher. Who doesn't want that?! So, reluctant to go and catch up with old friends (and foes), her caregiver joins her and tells her that she’ll be with her no matter what.

I also have to add other characters, Shane, also with SMA, and his wife Hannah appear now and then to check in as they are going to the same reunion but are having a lot of trouble getting there. In the beginning, Shane and Hannah announce that thay are creating a travel vlog and they will be checking in to update us on their status.

Songs showcase frustrations with travel

Then as Samantha leaves, we get our first song, "A Travel Day" which discusses all of the chaos and exhaustion that comes with being disabled and traveling

Then we find out that Samantha is seated next to someone. We are unsure of who he is at first, but we later come to find that he is someone who had a crush on Samantha for years, but never told her. On the flight, he asked casual when asked where he’s going and lies to say that he’s visiting family, but does act quite flirty towards Samantha the entire flight.

Just as things are heating up, we get the next song, "Like We Care," a song all about the unfortunate reality of sitting in a plane seat with SMA. Your body hurts and you're incredibly tired, but who cares? Not the airlines! In fact, they care about everyone BUT you. This song hit VERY close to home.

Trouble with perceptions

Act 2: We hit an intermission for a few minutes, and then everyone is at the reunion! Shane and Hannah update us on the hiccups stating that they are having trouble with Shane’s chair and are waiting. A woman asks if Shane wants to go on their playground. Hannah rolls her eyes and says “This is my husband...he’s almost 40.”

Then we get into the reunion and break into the main song, "Take Me Back." This song discusses everyone’s fear and joy in going to the reunion. Then we see everyone at the party, a cheerleader, Samantha and a few other students. The class leader announces that it's been 20 years! How time flies!

In the midst of the party and reunion we see Samantha being nervous about running into her nemesis but her caregiver hypes her up saying that it's not about her! Sam agrees and of course the two cross paths. The interaction is not pleasant and Sam's nemesis shows pictures from school, seemingly innocent and then pretends to be shocked when, at the end, she has a photo of Sam on a red carpet covered in graffiti. Sam is understandably embarrassed and ashamed.

In the midst of this, James Ian and his bandmate preform a rock rendition of "Spaces." They say that they used to play this song in their band, Three Automatic Doors Down. They play this song to try to break the tension and to still have fun at this event

Moving forward