Playwright Project debuts new musical starring Obsessive Compulsive boy

This month the Bloomington Playwrights Project will continue its Off Broadway/On-Ninth Series with a “quirky” new musical titled, “The Boy in the Bathroom.”

The musical revolves around David, a character dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder , who refuses to leave the confines of his 8-by-8 bathroom. In fact, from beginning to end, David is always onstage, reluctant to leave the bathroom and trapped by the troubles of his own mind.

IU student Evan Mayer, who was chosen to tackle the role of David, describes his continuous on-stage presence as extremely “intense.”

“I had fun developing the character because he is very complex,” Mayer said. “I spent a lot of time trying to understand the disorder but also how to display it artistically.”
Only when another character, Julie, appears is David motivated to try and conquer the disorder.

Gabe Gloden, managing director of the BPP, said he thinks the audience will be surprised at the result.

“People will expect comedy, but it’s also very touching,” Gloden said.

Director Chad Rabinovitz agreed and said he was originally drawn to this musical because it was so unlike standard “jazzy, flashy numbers.” Instead, he said he found it “compelling.”

“Most scripts are always about the music,” Rabinovitz said. “The story isn’t that good. But when I read, ‘The Boy in the Bathroom,’ I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of the best stories I’ve ever read.”

The audience can also expect a striking set-design, where the walls and carpet onstage travel out into the rows of viewers.

“You are literally walking in and sitting in the homes of these people,” Gloden said.
 
The show will begin this weekend. The first night, however, is already sold out.

“I want to show the audience something they can’t see anywhere else in the world, something unique,” Rabinovitz said.