Happily After Ever
Happily After Ever is a delightful and refreshing new musical audaciously conceived by Bob Chase based on the Biblical Book of Tobit. But while the Tobit story features boy meets girl by pure chance while he is performing an act of service, in this musical, the two female protagonists, after an arduous journey of self-discovery, fall in love. It was wonderful to hear Tobia, in the second act, ask Sarah to marry her. It reminded me of forty years ago when I saw the movie Julia in which Jane Fonda tells Vanessa Redgrave that she loves her. It is refreshing and glorious that same sex relationships (and marriages) which were considered outré – abnormal and in some places against the law – before the sixties are now mostly accepted and even celebrated in the Western world – at least we’ve made some social progress.
The music in this musical is sonorous, easy to listen to and enjoy. The band is first rate and the singers, both principals and ensemble, are excellent. Bob Chase is to be commended for his original remix of a well-respected old tale. His books and lyrics are thought provoking and flow rhythmically with the music. Happily After Ever is a work in progress in preparation for a sustained New York City run in 2024. I urge you to see it and support it.
