What could be better than seeing a new musical written by one of your all time favorite playwrights? The answer: seeing an incredible new musical written by your all time favorite playwright, getting moved to seats on stage minutes before the show AND getting seated right next to THE Grace Hoover. Yes, that's right, I went to The Public this past Wednesday with one of my new friends from my internship but I ended up sitting next to one of my best Otterbein pals. On the Stage. Literal inches from Daphne Rubin-Vega. And I got a chance to congratulate Quiara after the show!
Miss You Like Hell was a beautiful story about a mother and daughter reuniting after years apart and spending the subsequent week trying to reconnect before... well, I won't spoil it for you :) The show celebrates the resiliency of women, the power of family and all the people we can meet in real life and online. I saw the show while it was still in previews, and I have to say I think there are still some areas for growth in the storytelling. It did, however, weave the stories of women of color, queer teens and immigrants in a way that was honest, beautiful and not over complicated. The show still really me sobbing uncontrollably at the end. Don't believe me? You can ask Grace.
Olivia, the daughter character, was beautifully and heart wrenchingly played by Gizel Jiménez. Not only did Jiménez have a soaring and beautiful voice she was able to portray a character dealing with anxiety and mental illness with strength, compassion and grace. Coming from a family that has a long and sorted history with mental illness her performance touched me in a way that I haven't experienced in quite a while.
I'm so glad that I could experience this beautiful show with friends old and new. It was an important reminder of the real life ways that policies effect those in our community and a compelling reminder of how complex family relationships can be. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to see it again once the show officially opens!