Directed by Dave Solomon with music directed by Michael Borth, the show is a two-person musical revue conceived by Mendez (Godspell, Dogfight, Everyday Rapture, Grease) and Holland (orchestrations and vocal arrangements for Godspell), with music and lyrics by Holland. Show time is 9:30 PM.
You're Gonna Hate This, which features an eclectic mix of tunes that examine various aspects of hatred, also stars Mendez and Holland, who will duet on most of the songs in the hour-long evening.
In anticipation of the loathsome evening, Playbill.com asked Mendez and Holland to pick songs that they hate to love. Here are the duo's guilty-pleasure songs and reasons why they made the list.
Click here for the Playbill.com coverage of You're Gonna Hate This, including two exclusive audio tracks from the show.
Lindsay Mendez: "Seasons of Love" (Rent) I have spent many a shower singing this and being the "Season's soloist"…who hasn't?
Michael Holland: "The Golden Boy" (Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé, "Barcelona") A love-gone-wrong epic! The synth strings are a product of their time (1988, though a newly re-orchestrated version was released last year), but you haven’t lived till you've heard an aging Spanish diva attempt gospel riffing – amid about 800 other stylistic U-turns in this audacious, tasteless, brilliant curiosity. Oh, and the careening lyrics are by Tim Rice (you again?) because, well, why not.
Lindsay Mendez: "The Way You Make Me Feel" (Michael Jackson) Yes, "Center Stage"… That is all.
Michael Holland: "Right" (Joe Jackson, "Heaven & Hell") From his brilliant and largely overlooked (surprise!) concept album/song cycle examining the Seven Deadly Sins, Joe dives headfirst into anger on this exhilarating cut.
Lindsay Mendez: "MMMbop" (Hanson) Okay, okay, I know…! But, the little girl inside me still comes alive when I hear that song. I haven't heard it in forever. But it makes me guilty to think about…so it seemed appropriate.
Michael Holland: "Let It Die" (Foo Fighters, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace") Talk about hate to love. I'm assuming this is an indictment of/tribute to Kurt Cobain, and the genius of Dave Grohl's vocal exploits both sides till it bleeds. Don't you wish musical theatre could be this smart and ballsy? No? (Sigh.)
Lindsay Mendez: "Give Me One Reason" (Tracy Chapman) No matter how many coffee shops I hear this in, I can't help but bounce to the funk of it and live in it a bit. Plus, Tracy is giving me that deep voice… Come on.
Michael Holland: "Pure" (Gary Numan, "Pure") Having abandoned his 80s alienated android persona, Gary has subsequently embraced his inner crankiness: in this case, the Virgin Mary gets an earful. Wish this was mastered better, but it's a cool reintroduction for those who only know him from "Cars" (or worse, think he's the guy who did "Short People").
Michael Holland: "Endgame" – Original Studio Recording (Chess) A great big argument set to music. I picked the original studio version because it sounds like ABBA beating up an orchestra, and what's not to hate to love about that?