'Between the Lines' brought out the inner teenage girl inside of me

by Jenna Clark

Once upon a time, I saw ‘Between The Lines - A New Musical’ at the Tony Kiser Theater in New York City. This play follows Delilah (Arielle Jacobs), a teenager trying to find her way in the world amongst high school bullies and her parent’s ugly divorce. In the midst of all life’s chaos, she seeks refuge in her favorite fairy tale from which she meets a love interest, Prince Oliver (Jake David Smith) who grows to consume all of her time and interest until she is forced to build the courage to change her story instead of escaping into that of another. 

As someone who also used fictional characters to cope throughout my teenage years, I was hooked to the plotline within the first ten minutes of the show. I feel like everyone at some point in their life has used a form of entertainment whether that be a book, movie, or film to escape from their reality. With that being said, I believe most people would feel connected to the storyline to some degree. 

If I am being honest, I had zero idea of what the play was about when I walked into the theater. I had never read the book (now, I definitely want to) or even heard of it before. The only knowledge I had about the play was from a Spotify ad that stated that it was directed by the director of Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical, Jeff Calhoun. Once I heard those words I was sold on seeing the show as I loved Newsies and saw it a handful of times. 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the musical numbers. My favorites were “Another Chapter” and “A Whole New Story.” Jacobs’ vocals blew me away in both numbers. She has such a powerful, yet calming voice that made its way throughout the theater. I was also surprised by the amount of “Disney-esque” sounds that made their way into the score. I always find those appealing. 

Me at ‘Between the Lines’

I was fascinated with Prince Oliver (Jake David Smith) and thought Smith’s comedic timing was impeccable. He had the crowd intrigued and laughing throughout the whole play. The way his character interacted with the set was definitely unique and added to the viewer experience. It felt as though I was inside the book with him. 

I was blown away by the interactive set and glittery costumes. I love anything sparkly, so I was definitely in my happy place while the actors shimmered and shined across the stage in their ballgowns and other regal attire. 

This production based on the book by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer left me feeling seen, heard, and inspired. With the current state of the world, I often find myself feeling lost and disheartened. I left the theater feeling like I had the power to change my story, thoughts about the world around me, and my place in it. It takes a special story to leave an impression like that on someone. Many people feel alone in their emotions, but this show does a stellar job of portraying how a lot of people share similar feelings and that we are indeed not alone even during what seems to be our toughest moments.

For an “off-Broadway” production, this show had the “Broadway” feel with amazing performers, stellar music, and an intriguing plot. 

This play should make it on your list of “must-sees” the next time you find yourself in “The Big Apple.”