44 The Musical begins with Summer Nicole Greer as Voice of the People delivering a song neutrally listed in the program as “M.F.O.” The capital letters stand for—get ready for this—“mother-f***ing Obama,” a phrase she repeats innumerable times, shortly joined by a chorus. Or are she and the chorus boisterously blurting “mutha-f***ing Obama”?
In the script both versions of the vulgarity are included, although from the stage the distinction is never clear. This continues as the cast reprises the foul encomium throughout the two-act proceedings—as well as at the curtain call for what start to finish must accumulatively amount to 100 times minimum.
One of the first queries raised of 44 The Musical is just who of the United States people is represented by the melisma-expert Greer’s Voice of the People? It may be safe to say that those who admire the former president’s rhetorical dignity—recently so evident on the election stump—aren’t likely to add their voices to Greer’s invocation. It may be that potential 44 The Musical admirers come down to whether they’re able to respond heartily to the incessant two-word salutation.
So, what is it that’s just arrived off-Broadway trailing reviews from Los Angeles and Chicago like cans tied to a just-married jalopy? It’s promoted as a satirical revue, which in the Trump era would be just what the psychotherapist ordered. And it’s just dandy that Eli Bauman, who wrote, composed, directed and co-produced (with Monica Saunders-Weinberg), leaves Trump out of it, aiming to reflect exclusively on the Obama administration years. That’s if only he’d gotten around to the satire part of the bargain.
Onto the elegant Julio Himede set (featuring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln portraits) he cannonades Barack Obama (T.J. Wilkins), Michelle Obama (Shanice), Joe Biden (Chad Doreck), Mitch McConnell (Larry Cedar), Ted Cruz (Michael Uribes), Hillary Clinton (Jenna Pastuszek), Sarah Palin (Chelsea Morgan Stock at the performance I saw), Lindsey Graham (Jeff Sumner), and Herman Cain (Dino Shorté).
What does he do with them? Precious little in the way of caustic spoofing. He sidles up to the Obama marriage, suggesting Michelle’s FLOTUS resistance, which is fair enough. But where are the trenchant digs at all aspects of the Obama pros and cons personnel? For example, Lindsay Graham carrying a parasol only begins to reach any kind of sardonic jab.
Sometime during the first act and again in the second, McConnell and Cruz sit down to a meeting of WHAM (White Hetero Affluent Men), but even though Sarah Palin shows up, the pokes are only sketched lamely. Incidentally, Palin does a striptease or something close to it, during which she croons, “Katie Couric can suck my (censored).” Does anything else need be said as to the production’s level of humor?
Not surprisingly, just about every character follows VOTP’s dirty-mouth example throughout. No matter whether song or patter, the f-word or s-word spew over and over, this to the extent that Bauman’s script eventually turns into a foul-mouth badminton match. The way he sees it, no matter who you are, you’re no one if you don’t curse.
In a program note, Bauman (a former Obama staffer) writes that he’d never written a song before starting this project. Perhaps he even surprised himself with an r’n’b/r’n’r score that is adequate but less than overwhelming, although conducted effectively by Anthony “Brew” Brewster.
There is one stand-out song, “Red States Blue States,” including these words, “There ain’t no red states, there ain’t no blue/There’s only the United States, that’s me and you.” A true satirist, though, wouldn’t reduce the actual Obama to “ain’t”s but would reflect on his instantly recognizable speech patterns, his unmissable oratorical style.
The winning element through that particular number is Wilkins’ wow-ee performance. Gifted with a voice that might remind some listeners of a 21st-century Luther Vandross and Teddy Pendergrass, he also has the moves to enhance it. (Yes, this is the guy who won season six of The Voice.)
Wilkins is supported by a troupe up to the task, but for all their efforts they’re hardly able to raise the level of the material by more than fractions of an inch. One undeniable scene stealer: Doreck with his hyperkinetic Biden. He’s a triple-threat presence regularly transcending the shenanigans he’s assigned.
Watching 44 The Musical with jaw dropped, a dazed reviewer gets to thinking about Michelle Obama’s observation that “When they go low, we go high.” No going high about these made-up Obamas. They and their musicalized pals and detractors go limbo-bar low. If the former first lady was as uncomfortable in the White House as so frequently hinted, her fears of what she’s been put at risk for are only confirmed by this scruffy property.
44 The Musical opened November 6, 2025, at the Daryl Roth Theatre and runs through December 7. Tickets and information: 44theobamamusical.com
