A friend of mine, Michael Federico, has written a really funny play called Talent Show 1989 that I'd highly recommend.
Here's a photo of Michael (he's the head-banger on the right): 
But don't take it from me--I'm biased.
The Chronicle recently gave Talent Show a great review:
"Every performance in the show has something to recommend it, particularly Kathryn West's gin-sipping Devereaux and Spencer Driggers' too-cool-for-school rapper Danny. When you can produce laughter doing little more than setting up instruments, you're doing something very right. For summer entertainment, no one could ask for more."
The Austinist liked the play, as well:
"Ah, junior high. That barely pubescent period when we all drowned in social misery – grotesquely flailing our arms and nashing our brace-ed teeth – hopelessly succumbing to that ridiculously awkward ocean of pre-teen despair.
"Ah, and how ripe it is for comedy. That’s the story from the Getalong Gang, one of Austin’s newest young performance collaboratives, as they present Talent Show 1989. Its part actual talent show and part love-story-ala-80s-movie, with multiple romances simultaneously budding, crashing and careening toward the inevitable happy ending.
"It’s also freakin’ hysterical. This is due largely to the well-crafted script by Michael Federico. Exploiting the undying earnestness of junior high school students, he intertwines a number of plotlines capturing the characters at their most vulnerable. Whether he has them putting it all on the line to act out their “dramatic” thespian masterpiece – complete with incest, alcoholism, depression and suicide – or announcing their hidden, forbidden lust to the world through a piece of performance poetry, Federico captures just enough honesty in the insanity to have it all ring true. Oh god, we really were that lame."
If you want tickets to see this really great show, you must act fast--the play ends this weekend! Ticket info can be found here.
Here's all the 411 from the Getalong Gang's myspace page:
Talent Show 1989: Singing! Dancing! The deep and enduring shame of puberty! This new comedy by Michael Federico whisks us back through the highs and many, many lows of junior high. An aspiring hair metal band, a one-man magical duo, those slutty drill team girls and more all take the stage in this adolescent cavalcade of awkwardness and hilarity. So spray your bangs, tight-roll your jeans and join us as we “embark upon a sojourn of talent!” Featuring the acting/singing/dancing chops of Kathryn West, Mark Pickell, Andrew Cannata, Noellia Hernandez, Aspen Taylor, Mike Federico, Spencer Driggers,& Zenobia Taylor and premiering at the Play! Theater May 25 - June 4.
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