Boyband Breakup: The Musical

Boyband Breakup is a musical sketch show about the chaotic, on-stage collapse of multi-ethnic boyband, the Groove Guys. But who causes the breakup?! Sing along to parodies of your favorite boyband songs from Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Boyz II Men and New Edition as the mystery of who breaks up the band unfolds live on stage.

The show takes place at the first concert of the Groove Guys's 10 year reunion tour. Watch the personalities and media personas of each member come to a head as the band reminisces and relitigates their past, in full view of the audience during the concert. With flashback sketches to the good old days and brand new song releases (parodies of your favorite boyband songs from Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Boyz II Men and New Edition), the show unfolds like a M**der mystery as we try to answer the question: who killed the institution, the backbone of all art, the least harmonious most harmonizing music that defined a generation? Who ended the boyband?

Written by Izaak Sunleaf and Ja-Ron Young and very loosely based on their experiences being profiled as a multi-ethnic musical group, the show explores perceived identity vs real identity - particularly along the lines of race and class - in the dumbest, funniest, most irreverent way possible; with song parodies that slap!

Starring:

Ja-Ron Young is a New York based comedian, writer, actor, and 8 hour sleeper. Originally from Philadelphia, Ja-Ron moved to New York to study theatre and fell in love with Stand Up Comedy 6 years ago. Ja-Ron was a finalist in the New York Comedy Club Competition and The Trial By Laughter Festival, and has been featured in The Cinderblock Comedy Festival in Brooklyn, The Diverse AF Festival at Caveat, & Caroline's March Madness. He co-produces “6pack At Britpack,” a sold out, monthly show, which was named “one of the best underground comedy shows in New York City” by Insidehook.com. Ja-Ron is a regular at New York Comedy Club, The Lantern Comedy Club and The Grisly Pear Comedy Club. He’s also a writer and actor in the Unusual Culprits sketch group and a writer for the experimental Sketch group BoogieManja, in NYC. More at: https://www.jaronyoung.com or follow him on Instagram at @jlyoungcomedy.

Izaak Sunleaf is a writer and comedian whose work has been featured in SF Sketchfest, Toronto Sketchfest, Philly Sketchfest, and Greener Pastures. He is the co-writer and co-producer of “Conventional: a convention center themed sketch show” and “Boyband Breakup: The Musical.” He is one-half of the cross-country comedy duo, Serendipity Comedy Duo. Previously, Izaak was a producer and co-head writer for movie trope sketch comedy show, Turner Classic Sketches; writer and actor for multiple BoogieManja teams in New York; an improviser on the Armory improv house team, Goliath; and a writer for Blackout Improv, a comedy troupe focused on social justice and arts access for black performers. More at: www.izaaksunleaf.com.

James Koroni is an award-winning Queer Iranian American comic. Koroni’s worked with Pharrell, Daniel Arsham, Madonna, Misterwives and Liza Koshy, GIPHY, MTV, Heineken, 7UP, PETA, and the ACLU. More at: www.JamesKoroni.com.

Rob Chen is an NYC based actor and storyteller who has made appearances on shows like Law & Order: SVU, The Sinner, and Billions. He is the creator of The Blu Room Show, a one man show that celebrates and empowers AAPI identity. He also writes hip-hop and pop songs under the alias Blu Hyku. He enjoys eating dimsum with his friends and dancing bachata. You can follow him on TikTok and IG @robchenhere.

Devin O'Neill is a NY-based performer/writer/director and only child (yikes!). Her short film, We Broke Up, won the 2021 Raindance Script Competition. In 2022, Devin wrote and directed, “Kourtney Kardashian Alone Without a Phone” for Bustle. She has performed all over NYC, her improv team, The Cast, was featured in the New York Times, and her two-woman play “Opening Night” received critical acclaim at its NYC Fringe Festival debut. You can catch her as a writer/performer on Boogiemanja Characters, a performer on UCB House Sketch Team Villain! or directing Boogiemanja Sketch Team EZ Pass. She has a long-haired dachshund named George and she really wants to tell you about him. More at: www.devinoneillcomedy.com.

Directed by:

Reva Grimball is a lesbian comedy writer and performer. She is a Saturday Night Live Scholarship recipient and was part of The Onion's Diverse As Fuck writing program. She writes for Cracked.com, Gold Comedy, The Dump podcast, and the Drunk Bathroom Girl series. She produces the independent sketch comedy collective BoogieManja and sings with her musical improv team The Understudies. More at: revagrimball.com and on Instagram/TikTok @revagrimballcomedy.

Vocal Production by Andy Bell
Choreography by Tracey Windsor and James Koroni

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