This weekend I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Ghostlight Theater’s production of “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals.” This 2018 oxymoron of a musical was first produced by Starkid Productions during the first Trump administration, and it’s obvious. With a focus on police brutality, government incompetence and a whole song called “America is Great Again” sung by a group of antagonists, this show is very much a product of its time.

However, “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals,” still manages to find relevance today. Although their prediction that pot would be legal nationwide did fall short.

Starkid’s original production was filled with iconic performances from the likes of Lauren Lopez, Joey Richter and the unforgettable Robert Manion.

So how does Ghostlight’s cast hold up? Well, the comedic heart of the show lies in its lead: Will Bevensee. Every action Bevensee does is worthy of a laugh. Every line lands and the physical humor is on point. Even when he’s walking on and off stage during a black out, Bevensee still finds a way to make the audience laugh.

He also brings an air of innocence to his performance of Paul that makes this performance feel fresh and not just a repeat of Jon Matteson’s original. In fact, most of the cast gives a more heartfelt performance than the original.

Tatyanna Ramlogan, who plays Emma, delivers a darkly funny yet emotional monologue about living in her sister’s shadow, which sparked a strong reaction from the audience.

In the finale of the piece, while the rest of the cast is singing and dancing, Ramlogan lets out a series of screams that, in a show full of unsettling moments, takes the cake as the most haunting of all. Ramlogan is able to balance the comedic and horrific moments incredibly well while still giving a performance that is consistently great.

Other standouts include Allie Wahl and Rory Janney, who imbue two of the more forgettable roles of the original with so much character that you can’t help but be invested in them.

Wahl specifically had one of the audience’s favorite moments of the night: when her character Charlotte is shot dead while singing the high note in Defying Gravity. Janney as Bill gave a performance that never dropped the ball either. Even when they are not the focus of the scene, Janney is in character delivering some of the funniest moments that audience members might miss.

Janney also has amazing chemistry with Felix Lee Marcoe, who plays everyone’s favorite sleazeball, Ted. Marcoe delivers a performance that is fall-out-of-your-seat funny. Richter’s performance in the original as Ted is equal parts slimy and hilarious, and Marcoe does not disappoint. He delivers a performance that is so downright rotten, yet oozing with charisma. In a role that very easily could’ve been a repeat of Richter’s, Marcoe strikes a perfect balance between giving an homage to the original performance and creating something entirely new.

And of course, one would be remiss without mentioning Athena Psihudakis as the remarkable Dr. Higgins. Psihudakis is able to channel Manion’s performance in a way that is much more than an imitation, instead expanding on the original character. Just by watching, one can tell this performance comes from a deep place of love for the source material. Yet she still manages to make the role uniquely hers through her hilarious physicality and golden comedic timing.

The final cast members I need to mention are Bella Carstea and August Carter, who steal every scene they are in. Carstea absolutely kills it as both Mr. Davidson and General Macnamera. Her performance of “What do you want, Paul?” is when the show starts making the transition from good to great. This is in no small part due to Carstea’s command of the space. This follows through with her performance as Macnamera.

Carstea and Bevensee bounce off each other like rubber, and whether it’s serious or silly or somewhere in between, seeing these two on stage together is a guarantee for a good time. This holds true for Carter, who might be the only actor who always gave me a laugh. Carter might be having the most fun out of anyone in this show. They bring an unmatched intensity into every scene and have a role that can come off as cheesy when underplayed to a level that even Jeff Blim would be proud of.

However, the show does suffer from a couple of glaring issues. Firstly, the pacing in the first act feels rather slow. While it works well to establish the characters and their subplots, the first half hour feels like an hour. This is in complete opposition to the second act, which flies by.

This includes Bill’s death, which is preceded by “Not Your Seed” as performed by Drew McManus.

What is meant to be a big emotional moment is helmed by an unremarkable song. Now, these are issues that are present throughout the original and are in no way the fault of the cast and crew.

One issue I have is that at some points, you wish you were watching the original. Specifically, some of the more iconic moments that went viral online, and were able to leave the theater kid stratosphere, fell a bit short. While these moments are few and far between, it can really be felt in the first half.

The show is at its best when you are not thinking about the original, which is freely accessible on YouTube.

One must say, however, that the show itself works. Ghostlight has managed to produce a hilarious show and an enjoyable experience from beginning to end despite its flaws. I must both thank and congratulate the cast and crew, as I very much look forward to seeing what they do in the future.