CITY KID: THE MUSICAL A gang of exuberant teens, once occupied by stoops, basketball and stolen beers, now follows their charismatic leader Slick (Thomas Hobson) as he tries to conquer the Jefferson Street drug market currently dominated by a rapper thug (Senyo “DNA-1” Amoaku). Slick’s leonine girlfriend (Marliss Amiea) hates his crush on innocent pixie Anna (Arielle Paul), as does John Keefe’s newbie geek Jimmy, who hasn’t even learned how to walk cool. The songs Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff have composed for Adrienne Anderson’s formulaic but rousing musical have the layered discordance of a busy street corner; the impressive 18-person ensemble whoops and croons over a very ’70s funk and groove sound that director Steve Tomkins updates with Groovaloo choreographer Bradley Rapier’s athletic combinations of strutting, backflipping, breakdancing and getting krunk. Though a homeless man (Alex Jorden) — who serves as the ghost of tenement future — warns the kids against chasing empty dreams, Act 2 is headed for tragedy and a few too many ballads and exhortations to “Be somebody!” But when the crew is up and dancing, the energy is higher than the Empire State Building. HUDSON BACKSTAGE THEATRE, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; thru Nov. 25. (323) 960-7863. (Amy Nicholson)