Safety Not Guaranteed at Signature Theatre is the
Wild Ride Rock Musical We All Need Right Now
Safety Not Guaranteed
Signature Theatre
Jordan Wright
March 21, 2026
Gunnar Manchester (Kenneth) and Mia Pak (Darius) in Safety Not Guaranteed at Signature Theatre. (Photo/Daniel Rader)
Intrigued by a classified ISO ad in the local Ocean View Examiner that reads, “Someone to go back in time with me. Must bring your own weapons. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED.”, a group of young interns from a California-based marketing company hunt down the writer. Bored with their dead-end jobs creating clickbait on strict orders from Jeff the manager, the group’s aspiring journalist Darius follows clues to unmask the writer and solve the mystery.
Based on the movie by the same name, the musical follows a madcap, ill-planned odyssey into the ad writer’s bizarre query. That’s the premise. The thrill is the blind faith adventure and the oddball characters who buy into it. It’s not hard to imagine what could very quickly go very wrong.
Tyler Dobies (Arnau), Mia Pak (Darius), and Preston Truman Boyd (Jeff). (Photo/Christopher Mueller)
Set to a fantastic score and backed by a kickass band, our heroine Darius, who knows a good story when she sees it, and her newly revealed ad writing guide, Kenneth Calloway, a grocery store stock boy and hipster intellectual, lead us on one of the strangest odysseys ever set to an indie-rock music score. Think rock operas like “Tommy” and “Hair” coupled with the fantasy-driven, dark comedies, “Ride the Cyclone” and “Freaky Friday” the musical. The Mission: Go back in time and alter a disastrous moment in their youth to have a happy ending. Wouldn’t we all?
When a particle accelerator, a time machine, a Moog synthesizer, a laser and a suspected bomb feature into a love story, you know you’re on a wild ride. I loved every aspect of this musical – clever lyrics, catchy tunes (16 numbers played by a 5-piece onstage band), a terrific cast, quirky characters, unique story lines, eye-popping set design, dynamic lighting effects, rock concert sound and superb staging all rolled into one crazy fun musical.
Mia Pak (Darius) and Gunnar Manchester (Kenneth) with Preston Truman Boyd (Jeff), Erin Weaver (Liz/Others), Tyler Dobies (Arnau), and Joshua Morgan (Tristan/Others). (Photo/Daniel Rader)
With Preston Truman Boyd as Jeff; Mia Pak as Darius; Gunnar Manchester as Kenneth; Tyler Dobies as Arnau; Joshua Morgan as Tristan & others; Erin Weaver as Liz and others.
Directed by Oliver Butler with Music & Lyrics by Ryan Miller; Book by Nick Blaemire; Based on the motion picture written by Derek Connolly; Scenic Design by Arnulfo Maldonado; Costume Design by Shahrzad Mazaheri; Lighting Design by Jason Lyons; Sound Design by Eric Norris; Music Direction by Jeff Tanski; Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements by Bill Sherman; Choreographed by Lisa Fagan.
Highly recommended. Go! And take everyone you know!
Through April 12th at Signature Theatre in Shirlington Village, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call the box office at 703.820.9771 or visit www.SigTheatre.org.