“His name is Obama, Barack-alack-ah Obama – he’ll charm the pants of your mama,” is one of the lyrics included in a new musical about the first Black president of the U.S.
Through this Saturday, “44 – The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL” is playing at a theater just a few blocks from where the Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago, Ill., next week.
As the title suggests, the musical chronicles the rise of former President Barack Obama starting from his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Here’s just some of what you can expect from the satirical show.
A “Benjamin Buttoned” version of current President Joe Biden (who is sometimes sleeveless and muscled) narrates the show and tells the story of Obama’s time in the White House as he “kinda sorta” remembers it. There’s a considerable amount of Not Safe for Work (NSFW) content, including the joyous main chorus of “motherf***ing Obama,” as well as a scene where a frustrated Obama sings “f*** you, Ted Cruz,” to the Texas senator who filibustered by reading “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also makes a filibuster-related appearance in which he raps while wearing a massive chain. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vents her frustration at Obama, singing “it was my turn” and cursing the nation for being “x-chromosomal phobic.”
Meanwhile, former First Lady Michelle Obama encourages (and sometimes scolds) Obama as he wrestles with questions such as “how Black is too Black,” and encounters “Brother Abraham Lincoln,” a character who describes himself as “America’s first Black president.”
During the course of “44” plenty of others show up too, including former VP candidate Sarah Palin, Alex Jones, former President Bill Clinton, Fox News hosts and more. According to the musical’s website, its writer, director, composer and lead producer Eli Bauman was inspired to write the musical in 2016 – “when a certain Reality TV star was vying for the Presidency” – even though he had no experience writing musicals.
“If any buffoon with zero qualifications can become President, then why couldn’t I, also a buffoon with zero qualifications, write my first Musical?” said Buaman. After working for four years, the former Obama campaigner had written 50 songs and had a first draft of the play. It began its run Aug. 7 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, which the Chicago Sun-Times reported was a former Episcopal church constructed in 1885.
So far, the Chicago Tribune has called the show a “hilarious spoof R&B musical stocked with top-drawer singing talent and comedic invention,” while the Sun-Times said it “magnifies Barack Obama’s presidency to almost Biblical proportions,” and noted that Bauman’s choice not to mention former President Donald Trump allows theater-goers to slip back into memories of the Obama era.
Of the cast, the Sun-Times said Chad Doreck “nails Biden’s essence of general astonishment, like a grandfather who just learned about the calculator app on his phone,” and that “The Voice” alum T.J. Wilkins’ “Obama dances and sings with a silkiness and magnetism the former president can only wish he shared.”
Those who aren’t able to make it to the Epiphany Center for the show can check out the cast alum and clips from the show here.