“EMPIRE RECORDS: THE MUSICAL”: Performances are underway for “Empire Records: The Musical.” Presented by McCarter Theatre Center, by special arrangement with Bill Weiner, and directed by Trip Cullman, the musical runs through October 6 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Above: Temporarily unaware of the record store’s financial problems, the employees relish the relaxed atmosphere that their workplace offers. (Photo by Daniel Rader)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

McCarter Theatre is presenting the world premiere of Empire Records: The Musical. Directed by Trip Cullman, the exuberant production begins with a high energy level that it steadily maintains, even as it breathes to allow for character development that is by turns comic and poignant.

Adapted from the 1995 coming-of-age comedy film, the show follows the exploits of the titular record store’s idiosyncratic but fiercely loyal employees, who form a tightly knit community. The employees’ determination to preserve their community leads them to take extreme, at times comically ill-conceived and dangerous, steps to prevent the store from entering into a franchise agreement with a corporation.

The lyrics and the often bouncy, pop rock-infused music are by Princeton native Zoe Sarnak, who often frequented the Princeton Record Exchange while growing up in town. Sarnak lets the score evoke the sense of sampling a variety of 1990s recordings, while establishing different sounds or styles for the varied characters.

Listeners whose musical tastes are less aligned with the score’s pop rock vocabulary may find it somewhat overpowering, but most of the audience is palpably and enthusiastically drawn in by it.

Carol Heikkinen, the film’s screenwriter, also pens the musical’s book. Heikkinen retains the main story and most of the character arcs from the movie, while taking the opportunity to develop other characters more fully, and thicken the plot while giving it heightened focus.

This is the case right from the beginning. While the film opens with a character’s frantic excursion to and from Atlantic City, the show immediately sets the store as the focal point.

Cullman and Choreographer Ellenore Scott establish a sense of the characters leaving their (often complicated) homes to unite in the store. Starting at the rear of McCarter’s Berlind Theatre, the actors move down multiple aisles to congregate on stage.

The employees open the store for a day, inviting in customers — and us — via the bouncy opening number “Welcome to the Empire” (one of Sarnak’s most memorable tunes). Scott lets the choreography suggest steps that might be seen at a school dance, establishing the characters’ youthfulness and generally relaxed attitude. In the course of the bustle, a mysterious figure in black enters but immediately makes a hasty, surreptitious exit.

David Rockwell’s scenic design helps to make the show’s world vivid. The store’s exterior, whose window is covered with colorful posters for bands such as Chicago and Radiohead, flies up to reveal an interior furnished with records, listening booths, and — by way of reinforcing the 1995 time setting — a pay phone booth.

Lighting Designer Adam Honoré punctuates the set with colorful neon signs for each musical category. This reinforces the store’s party atmosphere, and evokes several musicals that include scenes in Times Square. Honoré lets the lights change color to support a variety of moods.

“Welcome to the Empire” does everything that an opening number should, establishing the locale, mood, and story. The score is inspired by pop records, but it promises to function as theater music. Throughout this segment we are introduced to most of the characters’ aspirations and problems.

AJ (portrayed by Liam Pearce) faces an incessant struggle to get the store’s neon sign to light properly. He is in love with Corey (Lorna Courtney), and is trying to figure out the most opportune time to tell her. Accompanied by a gentle acoustic guitar, he (later joined by Corey) sings a central ballad, “One Thirty Seven.” The song subtly recalls an obsession with time that pervades Rent and other 1990s works.

The studious Corey is focused on making the most of the scholarship that enables her to attend NYU, but she is not above having a crush on singer Rex Manning (Damon Daunno), who is scheduled to appear at the store for a signing.

Costume Designer Paloma Young outfits the loutish Rex with an artfully sloppy shirt and a rather ill-fitting vest, letting him look flamboyant without appearing particularly stylish or glamorous. For the employees, Young reinforces the show’s celebration of individuality, giving each character their own style and colors (appropriately dressing the ambitious Corey in a comparatively formal outfit).

Like Corey, the free-spirited Gina (Samantha Williams, whose vocal power is especially strong) is eager to attend college; however, a tense phone conversation with her family reveals that her tuition funds have been jeopardized, and she sings the barbed “Another Hometown Story.” Later, academic plans threaten the close bond between Corey and Gina. The increasingly complicated friendship is encapsulated in a moving duet, “Girls Like Me.”

The suicidal Debra (Analise Scarpaci), whose acerbic personality veils inner pain, also has a confrontational relationship with her family, specifically her stepfather. Scarpaci’s sturdy but sensitive voice shines in “Scissors,” a solo somewhat musically evocative of Sarah McLachlan. The contrastingly more comical Mark (Eric Wiegand) cherishes aspirations (if not the requisite skills) to start his own band.

Joe (Michael Luwoye) is the store’s gruff and long-suffering, but kindly paternal, manager. He is fond of his employees, but is compelled to confront the store’s increasingly severe financial troubles. An exasperated question put to the employees is a cue for a flippant, uptempo ensemble number, “The Future Generation.” Here, Cullman and Scott often place the employees in a higher vertical register than Joe, indicating that he is starting to lose control of the store to his staff.

Empire Records’ financial problems lead Joe to the desperate step of pursuing a franchise agreement with a national chain, Music Town. It adds a funny layer that the individual store has “empire” in its name, while the corporate chain is a “town.”

This would mute Empire Records’ individualistic, Bohemian atmosphere, and compel the employees to adhere to far more stringent codes of dress and conduct. (The employees’ attitudes may strike older audiences as youthfully naïve against the realities of having a job, but the writing draws us into accepting the mindset.)

As such, the franchise agreement is vehemently opposed by all of the employees. However, only Lucas (Tyler McCall) takes the absurdly risky step of taking the store’s profits and entering into a scheme that exponentially worsens the situation.

Lucas is not the only thief. The employees nab a shoplifter, who identifies himself as “Warren Beatty” (Sam Poon). Fight choreography is designed by Rocio Mendez.

Despite all of these problems, everyone at the store is focused on “Rex Manning Day,” the (fading) celebrity’s visit. He is accompanied by Max (Taylor Iman Jones), a representative from his label. We learn that Max has a history with Joe; and only reluctantly works with the rather sleazy Rex (noticeably, the musical goes to greater lengths than the film to characterize him as a sexual predator). Joe, Max, and Rex are given a (for Max, uncharacteristically reflective) trio, “Who I Am and Who I Was.”

The uniformly talented cast is ably rounded out by ensemble members Hoke Fraser, Alex Lugo, Poon, Leah Read, and Maximilian Sangerman.

The attractive musical arrangements are by Sarnak, who co-orchestrates the show in collaboration with Music Supervisor Bryan Perri. The orchestrations offer a satisfying balance of acoustic and electronic instruments. (Disclosure: this reviewer’s studies at New York University coincided with Perri’s, and we briefly collaborated there.)

The vocal arrangements and blending of the actors’ voices are particularly lovely in “Words Are Right, Words Are Wrong,” a number in which AJ, Corey, Mark, Lucas, Joe, and Max pay tribute to Debra.

Music Director Daniel Green adeptly conducts, and plays keyboard for, a band consisting of keyboards, guitars, cello, bass, and percussion. The balance between band and vocals is aided by Sound Designer John Shivers.

An epilogue looks beyond the film’s plot to reveal the store’s future. Imposing more recent and contemporary times on the 1990s story feels like a bit of an intrusion, though there is some insightful commentary about cycles of changing technology.

As a film Empire Records was poorly received by critics; in a typical negative review, Variety described it as a “soundtrack in search of a movie.” Viewing the film 30 years later, its plot feels a bit thin, introducing arcs that could be developed more fully.

The musical fixes this. Characters and story arcs are more fully developed; and story time is used more effectively and efficiently. There is a much steadier rhythm, both musically and story-wise, with the songs now directly connected to the plot.

Arguably, Empire Records was a story in search of a musical, as the fun and heartfelt plot notably benefits from being conveyed via a live stage. Empire Records: The Musical starts McCarter’s season on a high note, and one looks forward to seeing how it develops from here.

“Empire Records: The Musical” runs through October 6 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Content advisory: the show depicts sexual situations and other mature themes (including attempted suicide) that may not be suitable for all audiences. For tickets or additional information, visit McCarter.org.