The unauthorized musical parody of the popular gay hockey romance series Heated Rivalry has arrived in New York City, offering a blend of shirtless scenes, raunchy humor, and unexpected heart. The production, currently playing at the Culture Club in West Chelsea, has quickly won over audiences despite initial skepticism.
A Spirited Send-Up
Walking into the venue, one might notice remnants of the former McKittrick Hotel, which housed the immersive experience Sleep No More. The space now hosts folding chairs for fewer than 200 guests, arranged around a small stage. The show opens with a faux-earnest number about three suburban women who put their husbands to bed with iPads and “Ambien margaritas” to indulge in their favorite televised “boy aquarium.”
The parody, written by Dylan MarcAurele and directed by Alan Kliffer, follows the years-long flirtation between feuding hockey players: innocent Japanese-Canadian Shane Hollander (Jimin Moon) and brusque Russian Ilya Rozanov (Jay Armstrong Johnson). The show is framed as a fan-service romp but also mocks the story’s sillier elements, such as Shane’s thumb-twiddling submissiveness, which MarcAurele portrays as borderline delusion.
Standout Performances
Moon and Johnson deliver winning performances, fully in on the joke without reducing the project to mere mockery. Johnson’s Ilya plays mostly straight, making his song about an outcast childhood tragicomically funny. Moon’s Shane shines in a Liza Minnelli-inspired number, crooning, “This fuck felt different from the last fuck. This fuck, he asked if I would stay.” The cast also includes Cherry Torres and Ryan Duncan, adding to the show’s charm.
Director Alan Kliffer, known for his work on Titanique, credits his improv background for the show’s audience participation moment, where a front-row guest plays a jogger. The production fits into a growing Off-Broadway renaissance of queer, comedic works, including Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary!
Audience Reception
Fans of the series and newcomers alike have embraced the show. One audience member, a romance author from Connecticut, noted that the series and parody offer “queer joy” rather than tragedy. Another fan, a public relations specialist, said the show plays in the background “pretty much every time we hang out.”
Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody runs at Culture Club in New York until September 7.
