3 out of 5 stars

“I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical” isn't what you might think from the title. It's essentially a revue about the travails working in musical theater, affectionately roasting one aspect after another from the backstage perspective of four young hopefuls (played, with empathetic vigor, by four young hopefuls). Starting with opening numbers and auditions, the satire covers lots of ground: annoying audience habits, obsessive actors' rituals, and, finally, closing numbers and encores. The songs by creator Alexander S. Bermange are tuneful vehicles for the jokes, but soon begin to sound overly familiar -- as do some of the punchlines. — Adam Z. Horvath

At Soho Playhouse as part of the International Fringe Encore Series, through Feb. 28, 2026; sohoplayhouse.com. (Review date: Feb. 15, 2026)