Safety Not Guaranteed Brings Time-Bending Rock Musical to Signature Theatre

What would you do if you spotted this ad in the back of a small-town newspaper: "WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED." That strange little classified — originally a real gag published in a 1997 Oregon magazine — sparked a beloved 2012 indie film, and now it has inspired a full-blown alternative rock musical currently playing at Signature Theatre in Arlington through April 12.

Safety Not Guaranteed at Signature Theatre

Safety Not Guaranteed, with music by Ryan Miller (of the band Guster, who also scored the original film) and a book by Nick Blaemire, made its world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2024 before landing at Signature's intimate MAX Theatre — a venue that suits the stripped-down, concert-hall spirit of the show far better than its cavernous BAM debut. Directed by Oliver Butler, the production runs approximately one hour and forty-five minutes without intermission, and it moves with the energy of a live rock show as much as a traditional musical.

The story centers on Darius (Mia Pak), a clever but disenchanted intern at a Seattle magazine who leaps at the chance to investigate the mysterious ad. She sets off on a road trip to coastal Oregon with her self-absorbed boss Jeff (Preston Truman Boyd) and a younger intern named Arnau (Tyler Dobies), eventually tracking down the ad's author — a guarded, conspiracy-minded young man named Kenneth (Gunnar Manchester) who genuinely believes he can build a time machine. What begins as a quirky investigative assignment gradually becomes something more unexpected: an adventure that forces Darius to reckon with her own past, her own regrets, and what she actually wants from her future. Woven into the main story are Jeff's attempt to rekindle a romance with an old flame named Liz (Erin Weaver) and a tender subplot between Arnau and a local librarian named Tristan (Joshua Morgan), both of which add warmth and humanity to the show's sci-fi premise.

At its heart, Safety Not Guaranteed is a millennial coming-of-age story wrapped in the aesthetics of the early 2000s — dry wit, Pacific Northwest gloom, grungy flannel, and a healthy dose of nostalgic pop-culture. The musical asks a question that resonates across generations: what are you willing to sacrifice in the present to revisit the past? The show's score captures that wistfulness beautifully, with Miller pulling melodic inspiration from the original film while expanding it into a full rock concert experience. A live five-piece band is visible and integral on stage throughout, blurring the line between theatrical performance and rock show in a way that feels genuinely distinctive. Standout numbers range from the devastatingly funny to the genuinely moving, with Boyd's rock ballad showcasing Jeff's arrested adolescence earning particular notice.

The production's design is minimal by intention. Arnulfo Maldonado's sparse, industrial set — all see-through metal and concert-stage utility — creates a grunge atmosphere that keeps the focus squarely on the performers and the band. The real visual star of the evening is Jason Lyons' lighting design, which has drawn consistent admiration across the board. Lyons uses illumination to transform the intimate MAX stage into something that feels vast and otherworldly, and his work during the show's climactic time-travel sequence is described as nothing short of transporting. Shahrzad Mazaheri's costumes round out the visual world with a wardrobe that feels authentically rooted in the Pacific Northwest indie aesthetic.

The performances bring a grounded naturalism to material that could easily tip into caricature. Pak navigates Darius with a dry, sardonic sensibility that is both funny and ultimately moving. Boyd finds genuine pathos beneath Jeff's blustery exterior. Manchester's Kenneth is unsettled and earnest in equal measure, making it genuinely difficult not to root for him. Dobies and Morgan bring an authentic sweetness to their subplot, while Weaver, a Signature favorite, adds texture and humor in her supporting turns.

The show is not without its rough edges — some songs slow the pacing more than they deepen the story, and the central romance between Darius and Kenneth asks audiences to take a leap of faith the script doesn't always earn. But when Safety Not Guaranteed clicks — and it clicks hard in its final act — it delivers something rare: a new musical that is original, kinetic, and genuinely funny, built around ideas that linger after the house lights come up. It's a show about nostalgia, presented with enough self-awareness to avoid wallowing in it, and it arrives at Signature at just the right moment to remind DC audiences why regional theatre matters.

Safety Not Guaranteed plays through April 12, 2026, in the MAX Theatre at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA. Tickets range from $47 to $98 and are available at sigtheatre.org or by calling the box office at 703.820.9771. The show contains adult language, theatrical haze and strobe effects, and is recommended for ages 13 and up.