Colma: The Musical Synopsis & Summary

The title of the teen musical comedy Colma: The Musical incorporates a colloquialism regionally specific to the San Francisco area: "Colma" references a northern California town once established as a necropolis and still used as a burial place. That burg serves as the setting of the picture, but here director-cinematographer-editor-choreographer Richard Wong expands the meaning of 'Colma' to characterize the small town as a place of utter boredom and spiritual death for its young residents. The teenagers at the center of the picture continue to suffer from that malaise: Rodel (scripter H.P. Mendoza, Maribel (L.A. Renigen) and Billy (Jake Moreno). The three rebel against the status quo by periodically breaking into peppy musical numbers - songs original to the film, done in the inimitable style of '80s new wave rock. The premise of the picture has each teen grappling with the pain and sorrow of a recent romantic break-up, while they attempt to figure out what to do with their lives, given perceived limited options; as the foremost character, Billy takes a part in a local theatrical production and accepts a job working for an oddball proprietor of a men's store. He also finds a new girlfriend in thesp Tara (Sigrid Sutton) but can never quite manage to shake off the lingering memories of his last paramour (Kat Kneisel). The picture packs in thirteen new songs and waxes crisp and snappy, despite its occasional sad-eyed undertones. - Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide