# Anyone else see/hear about 44 - the (Obama) Musical? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** theater-stage-dance\ **Created:** [September 8, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859 "2025-09-08T17:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/1 "2025-09-08T17:57:20Z")
We saw this over the weekend. It is in Chicago for previews before heading to NY. I believe it had had a prior stint in Chicago and then a stretch in LA. Anyone else see it? Or hear about it and care to express opinions as to its chances on Broadway? I’m not usually a fan of musical theater - went at my wife’s request. But this was better than most. The music was engaging (and the band terrific!) It was quite long. I was a tad taken aback by the great number of time “fuck” was said. The first song was “Motherfucking Obama.” That and its reprise probably accounted for at least 50 “fucks.” Add in another song “Fuck You Ted Cruz”, and total fucks were well over 100 in those 2 songs alone. I don’t consider myself a prude, but I just wondered if that was warranted, and how it would appeal to Broadway audiences. The audience when I attended was at least 75% Black. Many jokes/references were to other Black performers/celebrities whom I was unfamiliar with. Like, when singing “How Black it Too Black,” he’d make a certain motion or dance step that apparently conveyed something that I was oblivious to. Didn’t really detract from my enjoyment - just wondering about the intended audience. The Biden character was hysterical. But it was a tad challenging to laugh at that portrayal when I was so disappointed at his running this last time. It was very comforting to be able to enjoy a celebration of Obama and to be reminded of what an amazing individual and President he is/was. But overall, it was somewhat depressing to think of the possibilities, had we followed Obama with Hillary… Then we stepped out of the Studebaker Theater onto Michigan Ave., right across the street from a pretty large and loud protest against Trump and his ICE/National Guard efforts. Quite the contrast. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/2 "2025-09-08T18:27:31Z")
I would either love this show or have to run out of the theater crying. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/3 "2025-09-08T19:31:46Z")
I wonder if Mike Pence has bought his tickets yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/4 "2025-09-08T19:36:30Z")
The play ends with/ Obama’s re-election. Only one somewhat veiled reference to Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/5 "2025-09-08T19:55:31Z")
Sounds like it would make an interesting companion piece for David Henry Hwang’s _Soft Power_, whose second act is a satirical mini-musical à la _The King and I_ about Hilary’s 2016 presidential campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/6 "2025-09-08T20:54:53Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I was a tad taken aback by the great number of time “fuck” was said. May I commend to your attention _Avenue Q_ and _Book of Mormon,_ both huge hits, among others. The bridge of profanity on Broadway has been well and truly crossed. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/7 "2025-09-08T22:15:31Z")
Oh, I enjoyed BoM very much. Yeah, I remember that Hakuna Matata parody. But I did not recall the fucks quite as prevalent as in this show. May have exceeded Pulp Fiction or other QT films! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/8 "2025-09-08T22:35:34Z")
I hope wardrobe can source enough tan business suits for the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/9 "2025-09-08T23:11:17Z")
Just a clarification, this show is not coming to Broadway. It will play at an off-Broadway theatre in Union Square next month. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/10 "2025-09-09T00:15:49Z")
Funny. I assumed the shock was due to Obama’s milquetoast persona. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-hear-about-44-the-obama-musical/1022859/11 "2025-09-09T11:36:43Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I hope wardrobe can source enough tan business suits for the chorus. There was a tan suit joke! 😃 > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Just a clarification, this show is not coming to Broadway. It will play at an off-Broadway theatre in Union Square next month. Thanks for the clarification. I shoulda checked.