“How are you gonna get where you’re going when you don’t know how to be where you are?”
On Friday, February 6th, I attended Brooklyn High School of the Arts’ production of In Transit, which seeks to answer this very question. In Transit is an a cappella musical, meaning that every sound in the show is made entirely by human voice. The audience was packed with friends, family, and teachers, all in excitement to see what stories might unfold between destinations.
In Transit follows a subway beatboxer, Boxman (Jose Rosario), as he connects the stories of several New Yorkers navigating the ups and downs of life in NYC, as well as the chaos of the MTA subway system. Jane (Charlotte Harrison/Olivia Potorti) is an aspiring Broadway actress who has found herself bound to corporate life. One night, she meets Nate (Jariel Martinez), a struggling ex-banker who is broke, working two jobs, and particularly unlucky when it comes to MetroCards. They immediately hit it off, even sharing a subway kiss, but eventually lose touch when Jane calls Nate only to find that his phone number has been disconnected.
Meanwhile, Jane’s agent, Trent (Finnian Sandifer) and his fiancé Steven (Emmet Mckeown), are deep in the midst of wedding planning. Trent however is still figuring out how to break the news to his religious, traditional mother (Tatiana Rivera) that he and Steven are a little more than just roommates. On the other hand, Nate’s sister, Ali (Ava Russell/Ivette Taveras) has recently taken up marathon running, but still can’t seem to run far enough from her breakup with Dave (Tori Mims). The show weaves together the intersecting lives of these characters and several others as they move between the stations of their lives, confronting love, heartbreak, success, and failure.
The auditorium was transformed into a subway station, complete with posters advertising various delays, a graffiti-covered subway booth, moveable train chairs, and even an appearance from a pizza rat. The characters and ensemble were dressed in everyday attire, portraying the various personalities and professions of the city. A fan-favorite costume was the MetroCard dress, worn by subway booth worker Althea (Xzayla Wilson) during one of the musical numbers.
From unexplainable subway delays, to smelly train cars, to heated exchanges between Ali and her phone’s Siri, the actors kept the show humorous and relatable with plenty of witty moments. I particularly enjoyed watching Boxman, who, alongside Assistant Boxman (Mars Polanco), created dynamic sound effects and intricate beatboxing throughout the show. During certain songs, Boxman used a loop pedal, layering both singing and beatboxing to create captivating a cappella harmonies that acted as the songs’ backtrack.
Overall, In Transit truly highlighted the community and interconnectedness of NYC. More importantly, the story served as a reminder of the importance of enjoying the journey, not just the destination. It is always incredible to see people come together to recognize and celebrate the talents of those we share classrooms and hallways with every day. I would like to congratulate Ms. Adler, Ms. Allocco, Ms. Smith, and the entire cast and crew of In Transit on four spectacular performances.