Like the movie, it tells the story of Jimmy Livingston, a boy born without immunities who is forced to live in a plastic bubble room.
[3] The original movie Bubble Boy was a commercial and critical failure that didn't turn out the way that Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio wanted it to.
[4] The first production was in February 2008 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza's Scherr Forum and featured a cast of high school students.
[5] It was directed by Sherry Coben and featured Shaun Fleming as Jimmy, Alex Paul as Chloe, Allison Martone as Mrs. Livingston, and Jordan Stidham as Slim.
The rest of the cast was made up of local high school students, including Jonathan Rado and Sam France from the band Foxygen.
Design team for this production was sound Jessica Paz, lighting Tom Rowe, costumes Elizabeth Barrett Groth and props, projection artwork and set Deb O.
[11] The album received positive reviews; British Theatre identified the "gorgeous" score and lyrics, adding: "I guarantee these are tunes you’ll find yourself humming after a single listen.
It was directed by Dustin Williams and featured Andy Spencer as Jimmy, Melanie Brook as Chloe, Gabrielle Mirabella as Mrs. Livingston, Jacob Dickey as Slim, Hubbard Farr as Mark, and also included James Vessey-Potter, Jeff Price, Bev Owens, Kyle Blanchard, Kelly Malone Dudley, Bryan Paul Kopsitz, and Marianne Virnelson with musical direction by DaShay Glover, costume design by Christine Yepsen, lighting and sound design by Dustin Williams, and stage managed by Em Terlizzi.
[14] The writers, Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, were in attendance to workshop the show with Wolfbane and to speak at local schools about the arts.
Dropped off by Slim, Jimmy sees a redneck Sheriff and Deputy harassing an Indian ice cream man named Pushpahp and comes to his defense.
Jimmy and Chloe, miles apart and feeling lost and alone, sing about the things holding them back from true happiness ("There's a Bubble Around My Heart").
He has a moment alone with his father, who's been silent the entire show, and then finally speaks up ("You Can See the Moon Today"), inspiring Jimmy to take off for the wedding ("One More Mile").
When Jimmy arrives he stands up to Mark and tells Chloe how he feels, finally breaking out of his bubble suit ("I'd Rather Spend One Minute Holding You").
Ken Jaworski of The New York Times called it "a likable and lightweight show...with a sweet ending that is entirely in line with the rest of its good-natured story.
"[16] Marina Kennedy of BroadwayWorld.com called it "a completely entertaining show that incorporates humor into a bizarre situation with a strong sense of humanity at its core.