I am pleased to report that I survived by first rap/hip-hop musical—Rob Zaleski’s one-man One Hump Heart at the Broadwater Studio. Even days later I am suffering no side effects of the sixty minutes I spent watching the hard-working Zaleski and listening to him as he rapped his way through the tale of a young man who needed to learn how to love himself so that he could love others and others could love him in return. It’s a simple story oft told but Zaleski chose to tell it to the beat of his own rapping.
Norman’s best friend is Ding Dong (his talking penis), especially after his girlfriend Tara walks out on him leaving him with a one hump heart. Newman, a version of Norman from the future, tries to advise present day Norman and help him overcome his obsession with Ding Dong and form other relationships. All’s well that ends well to a hip-hop beat. Zaleski’s rap is melodic and his enunciation is perfect so you understand what the characters (all played by Zaleski with a different vocal inflection) are saying at all times. And Ding Dong is a very funny and self-aware character.