CRIME DOES NOT PAY
Downstage and Forte Musical Theatre co-present a thrilling true-crime musical.
1 Local Music David Rhymer and Kris Demeanor have spent the last half-decade writing Crime Does Not Pay. The piece blends Downstage’s love of socially conscious theatre and Forte’s penchant for show tunes.
2 What about Bob The musical follows the life and work of Bob Wood, the illustrator of the then-controversial ’50s comic book after which the play is named. With its gritty portrayal of sex, drugs and death, the publication was eventually censored by the Comics Code Authority. This sent Wood on a lengthy bender that ended in murder. “That kind of raises the question about whether his mind was polluted by the imagery that he witnessed and whether exposure to that sort of imagery impacts who you are and how you feel about things,” director Simon Mallett says.
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On the Same Page The set has been built to look like two pages of a comic book, upon which we see projections of artwork from local comic illustrator Tyler Jenkins. “Sometimes it’s to help convey a sense of place; other times it’s to help tell the story visually,” Mallett says of the projections. They’ve also included some of Wood’s original work. “It’s not shocking by today’s standards, but in the ’50s it was certainly quite out there.”
4 It’s Not for Everyone Crime Does Not Pay’s press release warns of “profanity, sexual innuendo, scenes of domestic violence, and references to suicide.” While Mallett insists viewers won’t find it offensive, he adds that it’s not as jovial as most musicals. “I think that there are a number of challenging things in the play around censorship and around artistic responsibility, but also around the cyclical nature of abusive relationships…. The conversations that come out of that are certainly worth having.”
5 It Is for Everyone While audiences may be challenged by its content, the theatre companies have worked to make the show as inclusive as possible. One-quarter of the show’s tickets are available for free and there is a “relaxed performance” on March 7, which provides a less stuffy theatre environment for patrons on the autism spectrum or those with disabilities or sensory sensitivities. The changes are subtle—toned-down audio, easier access to exits and fewer strobe lights—but they make the show all the more inclusive.