Out and About; ‘Jagged Little Pill’ Rocks the Dr. Phillips Center on Opening Night

- Michelle Snow
Dillon Klena, Teralin Jones, Julie Reiber, and Benjamin Eakeley in Jagged Little Pill
Dillon Klena, Teralin Jones, Julie Reiber, and Benjamin Eakeley in Jagged Little Pill (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

“Jagged Little Pill” kicked off its Broadway in Orlando run at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday night (March 19), and it was an interesting concept that took the songs of Alanis Morissette’s iconic 1995 “Jagged Little Pill’ album, and used them to tell the story of a family that was more than a little dysfunctional.

When Morissette’s album first came out, its lyrics spoke to a lot of people, so it was interesting how writer Diablo Cody, who won a Tony for her book of the show, used those same lyrics to tell this family’s story.

The Healy family live in upper class town in Connecticut, and consist of mom Mary Jane (Julie Reiber), dad Steve (Benjamin Eakeley) and elder son Nick (Dillon Klena), a white family who also adopted black daughter Frankie (Teralin Jones) when she was young.

But this happy family isn’t so happy behind the facade they show everyone.

Mary Jane is addicted to opiates from a car accident, while Steve works long hours and watches pornography instead of dealing with his increasingly distant wife.

Nick is the perfect child who is cracking from the pressure of being one, and Frankie is a hardcore activist whose best friend is actually her girlfriend.

While the show is high energy, it’s also very dark in places, as mom deals with the fallout from her addiction, and Nick and Frankie get involved in a fellow student’s rape at a party.

The company of Jagged Little Pill (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
The company of Jagged Little Pill (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

But where there is darkness, there is also light, and “Jagged Little Pill” does a good job of infusing a lot of humor into the show.

My favorite was a class scene where Frankie reads her latest poem, set to the lyrics of Morissette’s “Ironic,” and her teacher and classmates are pointing out the poem doesn’t actually demonstrate irony (as many of us have said upon hearing the song).

Though ‘Ironic’ was performed as spoken word, the rest of the album was sung by various characters throughout the show, the performers doing their best to emulate Morissette’s singing style with varying degrees of success.

Julie reiber in Jagged Little Pill (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
Julie reiber in Jagged Little Pill (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

Several performances stood out for me. Reiber, as Mary Jane, did a great job of conveying the character’s desperation, fear, heart, and fraility aw she battles her addiction while keeping it a secret as matriarch of the household.

Jones, as Frankie, shone in every scene she was in, both with her amazing vocals, and in the way she wore her characters teen angst and self-confidence like armor.

Jade McLeod also makes a strong impression in the supporting role of Jo, Frankie’s girlfriend. Of all the cast, she seemed to really nail Morissette’s singing style, and she really stands out in the roller coaster ride of what happens between her and Frankie.

Jade McLeod and Teralin Jones (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
Jade McLeod and Teralin Jones (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

“Jagged Little Pill” will not only be a hit with fans of the album, but also those who enjoy strong stories and inventive staging. I will warn that a few of the plotlines may be triggering, and are definitely not for anyone 14 and under.

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Tickets

Tickets start at $45 and are still available for the remaining performances of the show, which is at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts through March 24, 2024.

To purchase, or for more information, visit DrPhillipsCenter.org.

About Michelle Snow

Michelle is the owner and editor of CitySurfing Orlando. She also owns Zengrrl.com, is a freelance writer specializing in travel and entertainment, has authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida, and was head editor/writer at TheDisneyBlog.com for 10 years. She's lived in Orlando near Walt Disney World since 1995, and still finds there's so much fun to be had in Central Florida.
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