44″ The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL, is presented in its entirety for the first time at the global premiere by Eli Bauman, Monica Saunders Weinberg, MB Artists, and Michael Donovan. Eli Bauman (“NBC’s Maya & Marty”) wrote the musical satire’s text, lyrics, music, and additional songs with Jon “Bowzer” Bauman (Sha Na Na).
T.J. Wilkins, from NBC’s “The Voice,” portrays Barack Obama, while Shanice, an award-winning R&B performer (I Love Your Smile, and Flex & Shanice on OWN), plays Michelle Obama. The official opening is on November 3, 2022, and performances last from November 2 to fifteen. The Bourbon Room Hollywood will host the short run (6356 Hollywood Blvd.).
History was altered with Barack Obama’s victory. And as is evident, racism was completely eradicated. The biography of Obama that you won’t find in history books, however, is 44 – The Unofficial, Unsanctioned Obama Musical, which is now illegal in most states. Additionally, 44 is Obama’s story as told by Joe Biden, sort of, in his memory.
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Sarah Palin screaming “Drill Me Baby” like Ozzy Osbourne, President Obama singing “How Black Is Too Black?” over a smooth Motown beat, and of course, a 90’s R&B Slow Jam where Mitch McConnell declares his unquenchable passion for his beloved musket. 44 is a melting pot of music that delivers everything you’ve come to expect from a musical about the Obama Era.
“In 2016, when a certain Reality TV star was vying for the Presidency – I am of course talking about “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, Rick Perry – I thought back to my time working on the Obama 08 campaign. I knocked on thousands of doors, registered hundreds of voters, and was invited inside the home of an undecided voter to partake in an afternoon orgy (I politely declined, mainly due to the heat, but did convince her to vote for Obama). But most of all, I was inspired – inspired to do more, to do better, to believe in something…,” recalls Eli Bauman, creator of 44 – The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL. “Then eight short years later, wondering how everything had so quickly gone down the toilet, I reached inside the bowl and found inspiration again. If any buffoon with zero qualifications can become President, then why couldn’t I, also a buffoon with zero qualifications, write my first Musical? Sure, I was a 34-year-old who hadn’t written a song since high-school, and who didn’t know how to play an instrument, and who couldn’t read a line of music to save his life… but why shouldn’t I hope for a change? So, I figured, f**k it. Four years and fifty songs later, I had my first full draft of “44.” And I still can’t read a lick of music.”
The cast of 44 – The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL, directed by Wilkins and Shanice, features Larry Cedar from HBO’s “Deadwood,” Chad Doreck from Off-Altar Broadway’s Boyz, Kelley Dorne from Musical Theatre West’s Bright Star, and Kevin Bailey from Broadway’s Annie Get Your Gun and The Lion King’s Original Company as John Boehner. Larry Barton plays Roger Ailes in Musical Sarah Palin is portrayed by Jane Papageorge (Kiss Me Kate, The Old Globe; Scary Musical, NoHo Arts Center), and Herman is portrayed by Dino Shorté (The Upshaws, Netflix; Wanda at Large, Fox), Annie; ICT’s The Legend of Georgia McBride) as Lindsay Graham, and Michael Uribes (Skylight Theatre’s Bronco Billy – The Musical; A Noise Within’s Man of La Mancha) as Ted Cruz.
44 – The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL will play at The Bourbon Room Hollywood. Tickets start at $25.00 and are available at 44ObamaMusical.com or BourbonRoomHollywood.com.