Merrill Mitchell plays Bri (front center), Melanie Carrié is Angie (left background), and Henry Ryeder portrays Dean (right background), all attendees of an AA group in Michael Levin’s addiction-recovery musical Sober Songs.
With sharp humor and raw vulnerability, Michael Levin’s Sober Songs, directed by Chris Mackin, dives into the tangled lives of six young adults navigating recovery and their gruff but compassionate sponsor, Cap. Through emotional ballads and witty dialogue, the musical delivers a candid, character-driven look at the messy highs and lows of sobriety.
Unlike many stories about addiction, Sober Songs doesn’t dwell on the downward spiral into alcohol and drug abuse. Instead, it focuses on the challenging, hopeful, and often chaotic reality of recovery. Centered around a local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) youth meeting in a Brooklyn church basement, the musical takes meaningful detours to a nearby bakery, a bustling coffee shop, a youth’s apartment, and even the Brooklyn Bridge, expanding the world beyond the meeting room while deepening our connection to the characters.
Bri listens compassionately to fellow AA group member Nina (Jocelyn Darci Trimmer, center), with Angie looking on.
Joshua Warner’s minimalist set—six folding chairs, two AA banners, and a lectern—couldn’t be simpler, yet it becomes the backdrop for some remarkable events. Levin, who wrote the music, book, and lyrics, has composed 24 songs spanning rock, folk, country, pop, jazz, and blues. In short, there’s something for everyone.
The lively opening number, “And I’m an Alcoholic,” performed by the ensemble, sets the tone: this dark musical comes with a comedic undercurrent as attendees share past misadventures under the influence. The audience becomes a fly on the wall as the cast transforms chaos into harmony, weaving painful memories into rhythm and rhyme. One of the sharpest lines comes from Bri (Merrill Mitchell, a soprano with a crystalline voice), who explains why many alcoholics avoid AA: “Denial stands for ‘Don’t even notice I’m lying.’”
Given that AA meetings promise a “safe space,” some of the stories are hair-raising—and hilarious. As Nina (Jocelyn Darci Trimmer) recounts in the opening number: “When I was failing a field sobriety test on the 405 … the cop got distracted by a phone call … so I got back in my car and drove off. Next morning, I found a police car in my garage. I’d taken his cruiser by mistake.”
Levin clearly has an ear for turning real-life stories into songs. He himself is a recovering alcoholic, proudly celebrating more than 32 years of sobriety. His personal experience fuels the musical’s authenticity and its central message: that second chances exist for those willing to be honest and seek help.
The multi-ethnic cast hums with energy: Melanie Carrié plays Angie, a former porn star with a sensitive heart; Trimmer brings guarded vulnerability to Nina; Jason Fio infuses Roque with raw edge; Mitchell gives Bri warmth and wit; and British actor Henry Ryeder makes Dean, a famous underwear model turned Broadway star, dangerously charming. But it’s Bernard Holcomb, as Cap, who anchors the show with toughness, compassion, and gentle humor, stepping in and out of the action like a modern Stage Manager from Thornton Wilder’s Our Town.
The show gains real momentum when Dean unexpectedly joins an AA meeting, prompting Cap to break the fourth wall and explain how the group reacted: “The group swept him up, not because he was famous but because he was a drunk. That’s what we do. Welcomed him. Got to know him. And something clicked.”
Nina speaks with Roque (Jasion Fio), an AA group member as well as a poet and a dreamer. Photographs by Shawn Salley.
Dean clicks with everyone—but especially Angie. Despite AA’s guideline against dating newcomers during their first year of sobriety, she ignores the red flags: “You don’t date newcomers. But that boy was so fine, I knew I had to make an exception.” Their romance adds tension, highlighting how love between two recovering alcoholics can complicate the fragile balance of sobriety.
Mackin directs the production with a steady hand, balancing moments of awkward romance with loneliness, despair, and surprising hope. Cap, despite being the group’s rock, faces his own unresolved past—multiple failed marriages, lingering guilt, and fear over whether he somehow caused his daughter’s sexuality. In a tender exchange with Bri, the show delivers one of its most resonant truths:
Cap: My daughter … she’s gay. Is that my fault?
Bri: It’s not about fault. It’s just an “is.”
Importantly, Sober Songs never romanticizes recovery or treats AA as a magic fix. Each meeting shows the hard work it takes to stay sober, symbolized by the chips Cap awards to those reaching milestones—whether 24 hours or 90 days drink free.
Blending biting humor, heartfelt ballads, and unflinching honesty, Sober Songs offers a deeply human portrait of recovery and resilience. Levin and director Chris Mackin deliver a production that confronts addiction’s pain while finding unexpected laughter, hope, and the promise of redemption.
Sober Songs plays through Sept. 21 at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd. St.). Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; matinees are at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets and more information, visit bfany.org/theatre-row.
Book, Lyrics, & Music: Michael Levin
Direction: Chris Mackin
Scenic Design: Joshua Warner
Sound Design: Travis Joseph Wright
Costume Design: Izzy Kitch
