Just One Life

A timely tale for our times!

Great music, great politics, a sweet story. Had tears in my at the end singing Let's take a road trip. Thanks Dave and Zoe Says Go!

Just One Life - great show!

Very well written story with live music! Talented actors worked well together to tell a story about life and the choices we get to make. Especially loved the two talented main characters and thought they played well off each other. I might be biased, but Brooklyn Kellenberger brought the character of “Abby Lynn” to life and her vocals were beautiful! All the actors did a great job with alley stage - we never felt like we were on the back side. Interesting set up and it worked better than I expected. Would love to see the show again sometime! Great first Fringe!

Beautiful voices and band

The performers' music, both singing and playing, was great. I liked the topic and the gist of the story. Would have liked the story to have a little more depth in terms of the content regarding the need for Health Care for All. This was preaching to the choir, but other than demonstrating the evilness of the insurance industry (and I couldn't agree more), it didn't address all of the reasons that our elected officials can't seem to give the majority of Americans what we want and need: affordable health care for all, and health care as a basic human right. The insurance industry is certainly at fault, but so are our elected representatives and our Supreme Court, who allow lobbyists and PACs to have limitless influence and the populace to have none.

Big health insurance with romance: go figure!

Creativity 4; Production Value 5; Interest (subjective) 4 Loved the singing and the band (just looked them up to make sure I hear more of their work). The message was straightforward: big health insurance drives profits over patient welfare. Yes, it was a broad parody, but would have prefered a few nuances that can inform this discussion (maybe Jake could have had some more data to drive his point of view before he converted to the Medicare for all perspective).

Moving and thought provoking

The play gave a clear view of what many people in our country are currently experiencing, and it was sobering. The songs were well placed to help move the story forward, and humor often brought welcome relief, but, for me, the main impact of the show was seeing the outcome of the current state of capitalism in the US.

A Fun show!!

The two leads were very talented singers that really delivered a punch. A comic relief came from one of the Titan health's corporate executives. The humor was a great diversion from the serious message in the show. The musical assistance from the band created a very professional experience that went above and beyond my expectations. A great show. Well done!!

Thrilling modern fable with toe-tapping tunes

Just One Life is a compelling musical tale set in contemporary reality, laced with humor and romance. A brilliant ensemble cast brings it to life alongside a tight band performing playwright Dave Dvorak's insightful, uplifting songs. The young stars, Theo Janke-Furman and Brooklynn Kellenberger, were particular standouts — their singing was a highlight of the night. Highly recommended.

Live Music!

It is always a joy to see a live band in the theatre, and especially at the Fringe! The music itself was beautifully composed, performed, and balanced for the space. This composer could help write the next Bright Star, or Spitfire Grill - exceptional quality. Perhaps there could be a few more passes with some of the lyrics, but what a solid foundational talent. Speaking of talent, Brooklyn Kellenberg was a star - she brought true believability to her character Abby Lynn, and a voice that improved on the already amazing music. She delivered her dialogue with thought and purpose, even at some of the awkward writing. Theo Janke-Furman delivers a genuine and solid characterization of Jake. He and Kellenberg seemed to really play well off of each other, and gave us something to really root for. The show needed a bit more work in the writing department - much of the dialogue, especially for the insurance bigots, lacked flow, and were over-written. Granted, these types of people can tend to seem two-dimensional in real life, but I wished for a bit more eloquence and opportunity for the actors to fill in the blanks themselves. Did I spot the use of AI in the backdrops? If so... tsk tsk tsk. That is quite the irony. All that said - please keep making theatre, and keep improving. I can't wait to see (and especially HEAR) more!

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, let's go on a road trip

This was a cozy love story couched in a political satire with about as much subtlety as an afterschool special - although this didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, given how brazenly corrupt the American health insurance industry is (how *can* you be nuanced?). All the same, I had a pleasant time. As sweet as the romance is, the music is what elevates this piece to being something worthwhile. It felt like a cozy blanket on a cold winter's night, except when it was accompanying a surprisingly engaging MAGA-themed burlesque performance. The performances were charming and I thought utilized the space well. This didn't factor into my star rating, but I do want to address the potential use of generative AI in creating some of this show's assets, including its show image and in-story mural design. If that is the case, I'm quite disappointed in the show for going that route, especially given its subject matter and message. I hope the creative team will take this point to heart and not rely on AI in the future if they did here.

Good intentions, but needs work

The show has a simple, easy-to-understand message we can all relate to, the original songs are fun, and the two leads have lovely voices. However, the writing is full of cliches and needs serious tightening. The plot is, unfortunately, predictable and doesn’t offer anything new. If the script were workshopped a bit more, it would be much more enjoyable. Thank you for your activism, though.

Soul is in the music, not the visuals

Great music. Good acting and staging for the arena. The story was a bit ham-fisted and there was a plot point about how AI is making lives worse and I side eyed a prop piece that looks like it was made with AI (or at least wasn't credited to a real artist). This was a little disappointing.

PHENOMENAL is an understatement

The "Just One Life" musical was outstanding—professionally performed, deeply engaging, and strengthened by exceptional lyrics and music. Its creativity kept the audience connected throughout while bringing meaningful attention to an urgent issue facing this country. Thank you for creating such a powerful production and for bringing these important themes to the stage. I truly hope to see "Just One Life" performed on a larger stage and in cities across the country. BRAVO to the producer, musicians, performers, and stage crew...you are all truly talented! I give it 5+ Kitties!

Fringe Excellence

It’s a Fringe show! And they accomplished what most cannot - A fully-formed musical that’s highly watchable, has a topical plot, hummable songs, lyrics that advance the plot and fantastic talent in the two lead actors. This is what Fringe writers should strive for.

It leaves a lasting impression

Outstanding performance by all. This show has it all - clearly talented cast and musicians, compelling story, powerful music. We all have Just One Life - this musical will leave you wondering what more you can do to make the world a better place. Loved it.

A MUST SEE!! Especially loved the live music!

I am a long time follower (groupie?) of this band’s work and was pleased to see a handful of my favorite songs made it into this delightful musical. Boy meets girl and love wins over the corrupt and money-grabbing culture of a health care insurance company whose goals are profit over people. Acting, singing, and directing all A+. The cast received a standing ovation at the performance I attended.

One Life

Very fun found myself smiling at times. But also very real and true to what is going in today's world. Story brought hope and maybe if enough people believe we can make Health Care better for all. Music was great. Very serious subject but with a few laughs. Well done, well written, and real fun.

A Solid Musical Fringe Performance

Trying to tell a story and sing a musical in a 60-minute performance seemed rather ambitious, but the play works. The storyline was one that is relatable to many Americans with healthcare challenges and high costs. The music was good, but for me, the star of the show was Adam played by the incredibly talented, Philip Simondet. His stage presence and performance of "I'm a Patriot" stole the show me!

Sad but true

This is a very realistically sad musical. They do a great job at portraying the terrible world of healthcare we sadly live in. I think all the actors played their roles so beautifully, sang it so smoothly, and really captured what we all know is happening behind insurance. I work in the healthcare field and I have seen people struggle after struggle with insurance just to get a medication that could save them. It was a nice reminder that there are nice people in the world that sometimes just need a reminder to do good. Spread good always! It's a sad world and we can only do so much. Thank you team for speaking out! I loved the live band and the nice little taste of America's finest ass. IYKYK. ;)

The Truth CAN Win You the Girl

This is one terrific show! I'm so glad I rearranged shows for Wednesday night to see this, after seeing 3 minutes of it on Preview Wednesday! We get two shows in one, plus a wonderful band of my golden years, who added that something extra. The stagecraft was spot-on, especially with the murals at the far end of the room. I fell in love with the two young leads in the lovely musical romance - Brooklyn Kellenberger and Theo Janke-Furman. I want to see them on stage again -maybe at Lyric Arts or the Lakeshore Players - hint, hint! The other show within a show focused on the "evil empires" of the private health insurance industry - and don't forget the Medicare Advantage plans they offer in place of Medicare itself! The two characters who represented the greedy, heartless, profit-driven executives were played by Philip Simondet and Richard Di Vita. I have to give Mr. Simondet my "Bravest Fringe Actor" award for his musical strip tease number down to his skivvies - and complete with a stripper's tassles affixed to his nipples! And it was funny and entertaining!