Reviews – Broadway Musical Blog

Reviews for SOME LIKE IT HOT are In…

December 11, 2022December 24, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

Though critical praise for the stage adaptation of Some Like It Hot may not have been red hot, it was mostly warm. Director Casey Nicholaw and writers Matthew López and Amber Ruffin's adjusted the plot and casting to feature black and non-gender binary artists, which most critics felt leant a refreshing new layer to what might otherwise have felt like a dated comedy. Full of a lot of (perhaps too much) tap, great (even if sometimes over-the-top) performances, pretty solid songs, and fabulous design, Some Like It Hot puts entertainment first sprinkled with a couple satisfying ahas on top.

Reviews for A Beautiful Noise are In…

December 5, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

Critics found A Beautiful Noise noisome. Bio jukebox musicals have succeeded in the past because of the interesting lives of the source (Beautiful: A Carole King Musical), phenomenal star performances (Tina - The Tina Turner Musical) and/or creative storytelling and weaving of the songs into the story (Jersey Boys). A Beautiful Noise seems to have struck out on all counts; despite a fantastic song list, the show stands as proof that music and sequins are not enough to make for good musical theater.

Reviews for KPOP are In…

November 27, 2022December 3, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

KPOP opened on Broadway to mixed reviews. Those who'd been lucky enough to witness the immersive Off-Broadway production found the remaking for Broadway lacking. Less of a jukebox musical than a concert, they found very little in the way of connective tissue between the story and the songs. Fans of the K-pop genre will at least be happy with the vocals and chroeo, although they might be better off saving their money to see the real idols instead.

Reviews for & JULIET Are In…

November 18, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

It was a mixed bag of reviews for & Juliet, the new modern jukebox reimagining of how one of Shakespeare's most famous women might have gone on. Featuring a score of well-known hits by Max Martin that any millennial will know and love, and a silly and simple plot - this is jukebox fluff at its fluffiest, with a basic blend of feminist confetti thrown on top. Love it or hate it, the show is "Larger Than Life," which you'll either see as "F****n’ Perfect" or worthy of a skip.

The Reviews for KIMBERLY AKIMBO are In…

November 10, 2022November 12, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

A story about a girl with a disease that'll kill her hardly seems like fodder for a fun musical, but Kimberly Akimbo just opened to wonderfully rave reviews. At the center of the show's success is the immeasurably talented Victoria Clark, who steps into the shoes of a diseased 16 year old with subtlety, honesty and humor. Director Jessica Stone assembled a talented ensemble and encouraged all to lean into the comedy to the perfect degree - creating a beautiful production that's both touching and hilarious.

The Reviews for ALMOST FAMOUS are In…

November 4, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

Yikes. Critics didn't care for Almost Famous, the latest film-to-stage adaptation to hit the Great White Way. With pandering over-the-top jokes, a not-at-all-adapted for the stage story, and abysmal lyrics, set and staging, the only saving grace were standout Broadway premiere performances by Casey Likes and Solea Pfeiffer. Overall, critics wished this production had leaned in to truly adapting the show for the stage, rather than creating a semi-original half-jukebox musical rehash of the film.

The Reviews for 1776 Are In…

October 7, 2022October 8, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

The Roundabout Theater Company's revival of 1776 opened to lackluster reviews. Though applying exciting casting with a fully female, transgender and non-binary cast, critics felt the rest of the changes made for this revival, from new arrangements and orchestrations to staging and acting was heavy-handed, muddy, over the top and cartoony. Though select performances and songs stood out and no one begrudged the casting updates in principle, many seemed to be wishing this mounting had been a new diversely cast musical exploring the founding of our country, rather than a heavy-handed reworking of an old musical, revolutionary for its time.

The Reviews for INTO THE WOODS Are In…

July 11, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

The Encores! transfer of Into the Woods opened at the St. James Theater to absolute rave reviews. The simplicity of the staging allows for the hilarious and heartbreaking performances from this star-studded cast to shine and Sondheim's wonderful score to soar. The critics are in full agreement on this one; you'd be a fool to miss this mounting of Woods.

Reviews for MR. SATURDAY NIGHT are In…

April 28, 2022April 28, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

The stage musical adaptation of the film Mr. Saturday Night that just opened at the Nederlander Theater is exactly what you'd expect. Billy Crystal turns in the kind of stellar live performance only he can in a so-so show with a pleasant score. Light on drama and heavy on punchlines, fans of Crystal will go home happy and the production is likely to run as long as he headlines.

Reviews for A STRANGE LOOP are In…

April 27, 2022On Broadway, ReviewsLeave a Comment

Critics are heaping boundless praise on the newly opened Broadway version of A Strange Loop. The bold and highly original production, which wow'd audiences Off-Broadway in 2019 and took home the Pulitzer last year, has lost none of what made it extraordinary on its journey to the Great White Way. In fact, the change to cast professional-newcomer Jaquel Spivey as Usher has critics applauding even more loudly than before. Entertaining, brash, heartfelt and uncomfortable, A Strange Loop is truly a one-of-a-kind experience and at the top of most best-of lists for this season.