POP PUNK HIGH a Musical Extravaganza a Parody and Plethora of Music Styles and Ethos of Early 2000s

POP PUNK HIGH is an original musical comedy that travels back to senior year in high school in 2003.  Before reaching this entertaining musical parody looking back to when Avril Lavigne reigned as the post grunge Pop Punk Princess, the prelude entertainment came from a punk rock band "Fat Heaven."  "Fat Heaven" was loud & proud with 2 male guitarists and a fabulous female drummer.  Their lyrics (except for "my head, my, head, my head") were undecipherable under their stentorian sounds.  Before exiting the stage a guitarist asked the audience "Do you think we suck?  We can take criticism."  I thought this was hilarious but I believe he was serious.  My head needed a break between "Fat Heaven" and the main event; the new musical comedy POP PUNK HIGH.  The clever & witty lyrics were something to really give a fuck about - big shout out to the composer & lyricist.  My favorite number was "My Life Sucks" sung by Derrick who pines for the hottest girl in the school who rules.  The choreographer did a fantastic job with an ensemble cast that was a total blast from the past.  The high school seniors, class of 2003 were styling in their skinny jeans, band t-shirts, knit hats and converse sneakers.  The plot needed some revamping. A doppelgänger for Avril Lavigne appears as an aberration & appeals to Derrick to solve her murder.  Someone murdered her to assume her identity and if Derrick helps solve the mystery she'll grant him 3 wishes.  Derrick a.k.a. pencil dick wishes to be an expert on skate board and guitar player all to impress Amanda who doesn't know he exists.  His 3rd wish is for a huge shlong.  The dick jokes went on too long and needed to be axed.  Tim, Derrick's best (& only friend) asks him why he didn't wish to stop global warming.  Touche'!  Tim is winning as the loyal friend & valedictorian who ends up with the handsome school jock and aspiring poet.  The musical gleefully captures the carefree high school years in the early 2000s.  It  drew the aesthetic of this epoch as expertly as Avril's eye-liner.  There were some smudges that needed to be rubbed off including a soft shoe number by Derricks parents who tended to peek in on him when privacy was crucial.  For all the high jinx and high energy (a cast on speed washed down with Red Bull) POP PUNK HIGH delivers an amusing look back at the era, a decent sound track and a rollicking good time.    Too bad Tim wasn't granted her wish for Green Days but this parody had plenty of American Idiots.