Long Beach Playhouse (Long Beach, CA) production reviews
From The Orange County Register (11/3)

"Though Suburb takes place in an imaginary suburban town not far from a big city we must presume is New York, this new off-Broadway musical seems like the kind of show nearly everyone can relate to. Who among us - at least, us baby boomers - hasn't wrestled with the issues it raises: Are we as mature as our parents were at the same age? Are we ready for the "adult" responsibilities of owning a home or raising a family?

In its West Coast premiere at Long Beach Playhouse, some of Suburb's songs, dealing with clichés such as commuting, mowing the lawn and having a barbecue, beg the question as to whether this subject is as relevant today as it might have been 30 years ago or more - especially in the age of telecommuting.

The show's co-authors, composer Robert S. Cohen and lyricist David Javerbaum, make it relevant - first, by showing that some concerns of young marrieds are universal; second, by having a key character make a decision that allows for the chance to work at home.

With only four main characters, a chorus of four and a pianist set discreetly to one side, Suburb is the kind of small, compact musical easily adaptable to any size stage. In the Playhouse's 98-seat Equity-waiver Studio Theatre, director Martin Lang gets good work from his cast and
pianist (Rob Woyshner in the performance reviewed).