The studio cast recording of 17 Again has all the vibes of a quintessential teen musical. Based on the film of the same name starring Zac Efron and the late Matthew Perry, this musical adaptation immediately transports the listener back to high school. With his family life falling apart around him, and wishing he could relive his youth, 35-year-old basketball player Mike O’Donnell is magically transformed back to his teenage self. Returning to school alongside his kids, he has to try to help them on to the right path as well as mend his marriage. 

The album is very high energy with a strong sense of drive and groove throughout. The title song encapsulates the prevalence of rhythmic momentum that continues throughout the show with hooky riffs and punchy musical phrases. Even the ballad moments like ‘Time for Starting Over’ are on the front foot, perhaps with the exception of the lyrical opening to ‘Love You Till Forever’ which allows us to bathe in its lyricism for a little while. As this song develops however, it increasingly moves from tender closeness to belting anthemic outpouring – a much more outward-facing moment than its original intimacy suggests. A similar pattern is heard in ‘Something So Perfect’, and these emotional but grandscale moments are indicative of a score that has various singalong themes, playing right into the heart of the teen-pop musical genre.  

The opening piano riff is an indication of the crystal-clear sound quality of the album, and the level of clarity and definition that follows. Each instrument cuts through to create a tight sound, adding further attack to the sound world. August Eriksmoen’s orchestrations are to be commended, continually enlivening the energy while providing colourful character flavours. Amid the foundations of rock and pop are infusions of other more stylised sounds appropriate to specific dramatic moments, such as the Celtic influence of ‘Tra La La’; the Strictly-inspired clubbing world of ‘Make the Most of Tonight’ and the ironically happy-go-lucky ska inspiration of ‘Happily Family’.

Vocally, the album features a feast of award-winning Broadway stars. Casey Likes and Drew Gehling are vocally well-matched as Young Mike and Older Mike, which really enhances the storytelling during their duet together in ‘The Greatest Prize’ when both versions of Mike reach the same conclusion about their life. This is an album that is set to have fans of teen musicals dancing in the aisles.

Album Details

Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner music, lyrics

Marco Pennette book

Cast Casey Likes, Drew Gehling, Eden Espinosa, Bryce Pinkham, Will Roland, Mallory Bechtel, Ann Harada et al

Album production Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner, August Eriksmoen

Orchestrations August Eriksmoen

Musical director Ben Cohn

This article originally appeared in the December 2023 / January 2024 issue of Musicals magazine. Never miss an issue – subscribe today