There are some terrific songs and performances in Torrance Theatre Company’s The First Gentleman, but the musical itself feels like it’s getting its World Premiere about 20 years too late.

The First Gentleman may be set in 2026, but it might as well be 2004 (the year before the screenplay on which David Howard’s book is based was written) when West Virginia governor Kathryn Cassidy (Amanda Webb) first scores the nomination and then wins the election to become the United States’ first Madame President.

Not only does this mean that Kathryn, her husband Russell (John Dellaporta), and their 15-year-old son Steven (Cody Dulmage) will be moving from Charleston to Washington DC. For the first time ever, the country will have not only a female POTUS but its very first FGOTUS as well.

Steven’s transition to high school life in DC may include the ubiquitous presence of Secret Service Agents Nelsen (Patty van Empel) and Tuner (Guy van Empel), but it’s one made considerably easier with pretty blonde Leah (Abby Probst) as a classmate and potential girlfriend.

Steven’s father, on the other hand, finds himself confronted with making decisions heretofore assigned to First Ladies, e.g., picking China patterns under the guidance of staffer Lilian James (Cindy Shields) while his wife is busy in the West Wing making decisions affecting not only the nation and the world.

All of this adds up to a first act that had me rooting for more of the same after intermission while also feeling that a concept that might have worked just fine way back in 2005 when The West Wing was nearing the end of its run feels somewhat of a downer in 2026 given America’s unwillingness to elect a woman President not once but twice in the past ten years.

And things get even more problematic when Act Two has Kathryn’s presidency put into jeopardy by a video sent via flash drive (?!?) to a TV news station (?!?) at a time when both flash drives and broadcast television have become about as passé as horse-drawn carriages or pay phones or Blockbuster Video.

In other words, what might have worked as a movie in 2005 does not work nearly as well as a musical in 2026, not to mention that what happens in Act Two has little to do with John being the very first First Gentleman and more to do with Steven feeling the pressure of being a U.S. President’s son no matter his parent’s gender.

What does work in The First Gentleman are composer Bret Simmons and lyricist Howard’s songwriting gifts, the duo delivering the same kind of hummable melodies and clever lyrics that made their The Importance Of Being Earnest: A Wilde New Musical a hit a few years back.

  Also on the plus side are the performances elicited by director Glenn Kelman, in particular Dellaporta’s amiable turn as fish-out-of-water Russell and Webb’s tough but tender Kathryn, with Dulmage’s breakout performance as Steven being the rarer-than-rare case of an actual 15-year-old playing his own age.

Cindy Shields once again proves a bona fide scene-stealer whenever she’s on stage and never more so than in the song-and-dance showstopper “Top Of My Game Tonight,” her real-life hubby Perry plays smarmy like nobody’s business as news anchor Cliff, and Dulmage’s real-life high school classmate Probst shows off the evening’s loveliest vocals as his on-stage love interest.

Tree Henson is a hoot in multiple brief but zippy cameos, “Another World” gives Cindy, Linda Borg (Abby), and Jackie Siegle (Connie) the chance to show off 1960s girl-group harmonies, “Under The Microscope” showcases the vocal talents of Jeremy Palmer (Stanley) and Tim Blake (Ken), and Geoff Lloyd (Bill) and David McGee (Leo) do Macchiavelli proud in the conspiratorial “P-O-W-E-R,” with Abby Carson’s high-note-hitting Janice, Kylie Christensen, Emmanuel Paredes (Sherman), Adam Schwartz (Adam), and Charlotte Sojka (who alternates with Probst as Leah) completing the multi-tasking cast.

Christensen earns bonus points for choreographing dance sequences that fit the talents of the Torrance Theatre Company ensemble, and cast vocals are under Jared Scott’s assured music direction.

The First Gentleman looks and sounds pretty darned snazzy thanks to the combined talents of hair, wig, and makeup designer Michael Aldapa, video editor Ted Coonradt, sound designer Jorge Macias, costume designer Diana Mann, and lighting designer Katy Streeter.

Gia Jordahl is artistic director  and Cary Jordahl is tech director and production manager. Lenore Booth, Winter Hagstrom, and Julia Bacon are stage managers.

With a rethought second act, The First Gentleman just might work, even if its premise seems considerably less within the realm of possibility than it might have twenty years ago.

At the very least, it showcases an enthusiastic and hard-working cast and quite a few catchy songs, and kudos to Torrance Theatre Company for taking a chance on an ambitious new musical to close out their 2025-2026 season.

Torrance Theatre Company, 1316 Cabrillo Avenue, Torrance. Though June 27. See website for detailed performance schedule.
www.torrancetheatrecompany.com

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Tags: Bret Simmons, David Howard, Los Angeles Theater Review, Torrance Theatre Company