The Play's the Thing

Who are The Bengsons? Look, I know who are they are but why are they continuously given an opportunity to spill their guts and invite us into their personal lives? Who thinks they deserve to have their stories told on stage? After 100 Days at NYTW in the fall, I couldn't help but think, "who cares?" The story, music, and performances weren't good enough to warrant an 80 minute "musical." But if you wanted to pass it off as a performance piece, so be it. Maybe it just was not for me. But now The Lucky Ones is running at Ars Nova, and I was convinced this time things would be different. This wasn't going to just be Abigail and Shaun Bengson singing their songs, there was going to be a big cast and a real book! This was going to be a more traditional musical, right? Less of a performance piece? Well. The Lucky Ones , like 100 Days , is autobiographical. This time it focuses on the dysfunction and tragedy in Abigail's family during her childhoo...