‘How to Dance in Ohio’ brings a fresh perspective on queer visibility to Broadway
How to Dance in Ohio, finds inspiration in the 2015 documentary of the same name, which follows a group of autistic teens and young adults preparing for a spring formal dance.Based on events at the real-life Amigo Family Counseling Center in Columbus, Ohio, the stage production premiered regionally at Syracuse Stage in 2022, starring seven autistic performers, each now making their Broadway debut.How to Dance in Ohio takes two monumental steps forward in bringing visibility and a range of breakout performances among its lead performers, who dismantle stereotypes with humor, vulnerability, and vocal nuance on par with the industry’s leading talent.Jacob Yandura and Rebekah Greer Melocik’s score lacks the soaring melodic hooks of Dear Evan Hansen or the driving force of Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen (transferring to Broadway next spring).
Still, under Sammi Cannold’s direction, each character finds their moment to shine.Alicia Keys finds inspiration from her real-life upbringing in Hell’s Kitchen for a new musical showcasing her Grammy-winning songbook.In collaboration with Cannold, choreographer Mayte Natalio keeps group sequences shifting and dynamic — it is called How to Dance in Ohio, after all — staying true in style to service the story and allowing whimsical nuance, like Conor Tague’s overly enthusiastic Tommy, to shine through.The musical takes one step back in its parental portrayals, which feel like unnecessary broad strokes on a painting already taking shape.
Facing an uphill battle with seven separate storylines, there’s not enough time to develop family relationships except for Marideth (Madison Kopec) and her widowed, financially struggling father (Nick Gaswirth).
