Maya Johnson

A typical high school love story, "Less Than Perfect" follows Char as she grapples with her feelings for her best friend Ann (or Jazz as Char calls her) as homecoming approaches while simultaneously struggling to find her place, herself, and her purpose like so many of her peers around her. While a queer love story, the focus of this musical is on the love story and not being queer like so much of the LGBTQ+ media today. This musical is a story about growing up, finding one's place, and learning that things will always be "less than perfect" but that sometimes "less than perfect" is as perfect as it's ever gonna get.

It follows the story of two teenagers in high school, predominantly Finley who struggles with depression and suicidal ideation. The play emphasizes how something as insignificant as a bad test grade can send Finley into a mental decline or how something as small as a hug from their best friend, June, can pull them out of it. Throughout the play, June attempts to reach out to help Finley, becoming more and more desperate as her friend slips away from her. It encompasses how little things can have major impacts on teen mental health, both in positive and negative respects, and the struggle that those close to people with suicidal tendencies or ideation go through in trying to process and help their friend’s situation.

So many things left unsaid. Just two people hurting in different ways and doing what they think is best to help.