It’s a Heated Rivalry at This Fringe: But This One’s a Sure Bet

Image via Blake Eirmann

★★★★★

You can’t mention Heated Rivalry at this Fringe without acknowledging the sheer volume of Heated Rivalries on. The rivalry between Rivalries is so fierce, even, that it’s quite easy to mix them up. And while I’m not going to be publicizing this (outside of this publication, of course), I’ve since discovered that I was actually invited to review a different production of Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody than I ended up seeing. The difference, as I’ve now discovered, is found in the word “unauthorized.” There is an Unauthorized Musical Parody and a Musical Parody. And while I doubt the un-unauthorized Heated Rivalry Musical is authorized, either—oh, I lost my train of thought! I’m so confused! Back to the point. I saw a show. I loved it. Five stars! 

In the production I watched—Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody!—we watch our beloved Shane and Ilya cycle on (human) Peloton bikes, play (very little) hockey, and get directed by an on-stage Intimacy Coordinator with her own solo. This production from Quick & Funny Musicals, an Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles musical comedy team, is absolutely electric. From head writers Andrew Young (who also plays Scott Hunter onstage) and Molly Moseley, Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody! is clearly a parody that was inspired by love and respect for the source material. 

Impressively fitting six full-length episodes into one hour, this production is jam-packed with fan-favorite moments from the series, including the song “Couldn’t Get The Rights,” which sits just far away enough from “All the Things She Said” by t.A.T.u. Each musical number is impressively performed and hilariously written by a variety of cast and creatives, with the result being an obviously collaborative collection of real talent. 

I couldn’t recommend this show enough, but if you still aren’t convinced, don’t just take my word for it; take my friend’s, too, who hasn’t seen the original. I left attributing my love for the production to my familiarity with the original series, assuming that knowledge was required to really enjoy it. She disagreed, insisting that she ‘got the idea’ and even felt let in on the inside jokes. And isn’t that the greatest compliment we could give? 

So, there may be several Heated Rivalries at this Fringe, but how many can boast that kind of endorsement?

Elena Cebulash