Reviews

BIKE SHOP Current Reviews: 2026

“Is a little gem of a musical”   www.encoretheaterreviews.com

 

Off-Broadway Review: BIKE SHOP: THE MUSICAL (Theater for the New City)

StageandCinema.com

Off-Broadway Review: BIKE SHOP: THE MUSICAL (Theater for the New City

PUT THIS IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE A show that takes its audience on a ride, and shifts gears from drama to comedy and back The oft-heard practical advice to authors hoping that their stories, novels, songs, plays, etc. will ring true is: “Write what you know.” Generally attributed to Mark Twain—who did pretty well for himself with his verbiage—it doesn’t have to mean taking the purely autobiographical route or mixing three quarts of truth and a couple of pints of pure fiction and fantasy. Well, let’s consider the case of Bike Shop: The Musical, about a woman who got a job as a bike messenger in her youth and found herself working in a Brooklyn bicycle repair/sales shop founded by a family member and teaching a spin class. Its story began as a monologue written and delivered by Elizabeth Barkan, who in real life—you guessed it—got a job as a bike messenger in her youth and found herself working in a Brooklyn bicycle repair/sales shop founded by a family member and, yes, teaching a spin class. About a decade ago, it was expanded into a one-woman play (she was the one woman). Now it has become a multi-character musical. Her real story was a jumping-off point, with some elements absent or added for the drama in the fictionalized tale and we can assume that in her actual interactions with other people, neither she nor they suddenly broke into song with verve and neatly rhymed lyrics. Singing, acting, storytelling (she also serves as narrator, directly addressing the audience) and bicycle smarts and bicycle parts are all in her “wheel”house. Miss Barkan, playing the likable lady who likes bikes, has co-written the lyrics and dialogue with Caroline Murphy and the melodies are by Youn-Young Park, with additional music by Ms. Murphy, Ms. Barkan, and Gerry Dieffenbach. Upon her bicycle, our initially perky protagonist, Bobby, proclaims herself to be a pro, singing that she is “Street-wise!” as she handles the handlebars and everything the traffic will allow. But trouble is ahead. When she switches her attention to working on other people’s bikes, she boasts about a different skill: “I Can Fix Anything.” And it doesn’t take much for us to imagine what will be potential truths, to add “anything but my fears” or “anything but my broken dreams” or “anything but myself.” Creditable performances are turned in by all in this emotional but not melodramatic tale of a woman with a supportive family. Well, at least they are supportive of her, but there are conflicts and old wounds among each other while they are more patient with Bobby. This is especially true when, early in the play, she is traumatized by a not-at-all incidental accident on the road, on the job, while rushing to deliver a package on time. The anguish causes her to put the brakes on working as a bike messenger and to retreat to the family nest. (In this case, the nest is the family-run business that gives the musical its title, and she doesn’t seem to have much of a personal life as a couple of decades go by.) Bobby toils in the shop alongside her widowed father (David Edwards) and her uncle (Joe Symon), who is a rabbi and fitness instructor. The latter has a very welcome comic relief musical number with high energy amid the drama and tensions, some of which are caused by the sudden return of another family member (Madeleine Doherty) who’s been away for years and has a new calling. Also coming back into Bobby’s life is a crush (Jim Newman) from decades ago, possibly rekindling romantic feelings. Like the father, he’s a military veteran, with his service having taken a toll. There’s tenderness and shyness in their cautious reunion, with the repair of his bicycle from the old days and supposed interest in the on-site spin class as convenient excuses to be at the shop for something other than shop talk. The songs, action, and dialogue are engaging and often warm, and can be very much on target but sometimes arguably too much “on the nose” in summing up points. Bobby buries herself in her work as avoidance—a safe space. Do we want to be told early on that she seems “Frozen” (a song) and hear the terse line of narration “People say I was hiding”—or do we want to come to that opinion ourselves as the plot unfolds, like those unnamed “people” she mentions? “Funny how a single moment changes everything you had planned” is a truism, but might emphasize a reality check that is too obvious, too soon, or too sad and painful to dwell on for some audience members who had a similarly woeful “single moment.” Some statements make (possibly irresistible) comparisons to those two-wheeled modes of transportation, such as “feeling like a wheel that couldn’t spin.” And sometimes there’s a touch more repetition than is needed to absorb a message or description. A song may go on a bit long and restate worthy observations and feelings, but thus reach an emotional peak soonish, without bringing the characters to a new place. All in all, Bike Shop and its company handle things well, with poignant moments, presenting characters who are sympathetic—even when not showing their most admirable traits or in the most fascinating situations. We can thank the guiding hand of director Gretchen Cryer, who, also as a gifted performer and wordsmith over the decades, has a rich history of making things authentic, vital, life-affirming, and engaging.

BIKE SHOP Past Reviews as a Solo Show: 2012 – 2016

“Bike Shop’ Sings Cycling’s Praises on the Stage”  Suzanne Rozdeba – NY TIMES

Reviews “I sincerely applaud Elizabeth [Barkan] for having the courage to mount such an ambitious and uninhibited performance. I also applaud her creativity and admire her obvious commitment.” BSNYC Culture Desk

BIKE SHOP was featured in Times Square Chronicles!! – The music is beautiful and flows seamlessly in and out of the story, almost making one feel as if the music should be underscoring the entire musical. Elizabeth heroically breaks all of the “traditional musical theater” rules, backed up by a three part bicycle band who support her with what is obviously love and friendship melded with excellent timing and phenomenal sound effects.”

Bike Shop, the musical, captures retail from back in the day “The show is sweet, and funny, and [Barkan] plays a variety of roles, the most amusing of which is a slightly crazed Spinning Rabbi, a great big valentine to bikes and their riders.” Grace Lichtenstein

BIKE SHOP, The Musical – Passion, chutzpah, and bikes? The talented Elizabeth Barkan comes full circle in this heartwarming and witty musical proving that the cliché is true: If you fall off your bike, get back on.

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Courtney Marie in Musicals, Off-Broadway: Elizabeth Barkan in a scene from “BIKE SHOP”  A musical about life in a Brooklyn bike shop… what will they think of next? Walking into BIKE SHOP, created, written by and starring Elizabeth Barkan, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The stage is set with bicycles from NYC Bikes in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and designer Mark Marcante re-creates the hustle and bustle of a bike shop, furnished with tools, workbenches and equipment, to bring the story to life. To lyrics by Caroline Murphy and music by Youn Young Park, Barkan makes her entrance (on a bike, of course) as the energetic and adorable Bobby who shares her passion with us for her career as a former bike messenger.

Barkan doesn’t hold back as she expresses herself through song and dance to share her personal journey. The opening number “Streetwise” is a burst of exhilaration and adventure and pumps the audience up for what’s to come. In addition to the hilarious and entertaining moments, the climax is a literal bump in the road that causes her story to turn somber and results in Barkan hanging up her helmet and retreating to her family’s bike shop as she works on healing emotionally after a tragic accident. The audience is left with one question on their minds: Will she ride again?

Under Gretchen Cryer’s meticulous direction, Barkan wears many hats as she portrays the characters of her wise grandmother, the witty Uncle Rabbi, and others with much finesse. Her charisma and willingness to take risks is not only admirable but stretches her already impressive range of talent to new levels. Her voice is lovely and full of emotion as she belts out ballads such as “I Fix Things” and “Can You Feel the Music.” Barkan is accompanied by The Bicycle Band, which features Dennis Bulhões on drums, Phil Smith on bass and musical direction/piano and additional music by Gerry Dieffenbach, to create a dynamic sound. While the gentlemen are extremely talented and add dimension to the performances, there were moments where it was hard to hear Barkan over the music.

Choreography by Sue Samuels incorporates elements of Barkan’s training as a Certified Group Fitness and Indoor Cycling instructor for an authentic treat. It is incredible to watch Barkan sing and dance on a spinning bike, as she keeps balance and poise the entire time. Those who spin will understand how difficult a task it is to multitask (and maintain your breath) while riding a bike, but Barkan makes it look effortless.

The honesty in which the story is told is heartwarming and a lovely reminder that just like falling off a bike, we must dust ourselves off and get back in the game after a setback. Barkan explores the depth of her emotions as she hides away to deal with it all. Her Irish grandmother (who founded the shop) comes to her and reminds her of all the chutzpah she possesses. In the end, the twist on the uplifting personal success story is a fun and innovative one, as passion and strength re-emerge. Join the ride! 

www.theaterscene.net/musicals/bike-shop-the-musical/courtney-marie/

Watch Your Fixie Become a Star of the Stage in ‘Bike Shop: The Musical’ Home2014JuneWatch Your Fixie Become a Star of the Stage in ‘Bike Shop: The Musical’

Liz Barkan’s one-woman bike-themed off-off-Broadway musical is not autobiographical. Well, OK, it kind of is. The part about owning a bike shop is true. The part about being a bike messenger is true. The part about being Jewish is true. Let’s go with semi-autobiographical, even though Barkan insists, “None of the play is autobiographical.” The show is “Bike Shop,” and it’s about—you guessed it—a bike shop. Barkan plays Bobby, a bike messenger grappling with the heavy weight of having accidentally murdered a young girl while delivering a package. After the accident, Bobby holes up in her family-run bike shop, opened by her Irish immigrant grandmother back in 1936. Characters—all played by Barkan—file in and out of the store: Bobby’s father, a Vietnam vet; her uncle, a self-proclaimed Rabbi; and a mysterious man, a fellow messenger who helps Bobby get back on her bike. Courtesy (Photo courtesy Liz Barkan) “The bike is a… what’s the word?” Barkan asks, considering her choices. “A metaphor! The bike is a metaphor!” Barkan attended the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, and just after graduating, landed a job as a bike messenger in Manhattan for Elite Couriers – “the caviar of the bike messenger world,” Barkan says. She carried everything from giant fish to cinderblocks to chicken noodle soup. Was it like that god-awful white-knuckle Joseph Gordon-Levitt flick, Premium Rush? “No,” Barkan says. “I’m from the Quicksilver time. I was Kevin Bacon.” By the time Barkan was 21, she had been a bike messenger for three years and, having picked up racing as well, had become a member of the Century Road Club. Suffering from burnout, she and a friend decided to open a bike shop in Fort Greene in 1990. They gradually stocked more and more bikes until they had a profiting business. But keep in mind that this was Fort Greene in 1990—Barkan says they got held up on a regular basis. “Kids would come in with bats,” she says. “It was bad. I’d be running down the street screaming like a crazy lady with a bat running after them. ‘You little bastards! Get back here!’” She and her partner decided to liquidate the business before something really bad happened. After turns as an aerobics instructor, then a spinning teacher, Barkan began writing her one-woman play. “The reason I did it,” she explains, “was because people would ask, ‘What do you do for a living?’ And I’d say, ‘I teach fitness, but I used to be a bike racer, and before that I owned a bike shop, and before that I was a bike messenger. People would say, ‘Wow, you should do a show about that!’ After five or ten times hearing that, I thought maybe I would.” (Photo courtesy Liz Barkan) (Photo courtesy Liz Barkan) A friend of Barkan’s, Crystal Field, was (and still is) the Artistic Director at Theater for the New City in the East Village. When Field caught wind that Barkan was working on a play, Field approached her and offered to produce it, on one very specific condition: it had to be a musical. Barkan says, “Crystal told me, ‘I hate one-person shows, but I like you, and you have a great voice.’ That was enough.” “Bike Shop” begins its two-week residency at Theater for the New City on June 20. Show-goers are encouraged to ride their bikes to the show, then park them on stage to be part of the set. Throughout the show, Barkan, backed by a three-piece band, tinkers with bikes while she performs. “The bikes are the star,” she says. “I’m just one of the props on stage.”