A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL - Reviews & News Thread

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 9:24am

The story of the legendary Neil Diamond comes to life on stage in a gripping and uplifting new musical featuring his hit songs “Sweet Caroline”, “America”, and “Cracklin’ Rosie”. Directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and written by four-time Academy Award® nominee Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes). Good times never seemed so good.

With his first break into songwriting in the 1960s and his meteoric rise in the 1970s, and plenty of crushing disappointments and heart-stopping triumphs along the way, Neil Diamond has maintained an almost unthinkable level of superstardom for five straight decades. How did a poor Jewish kid from Brooklyn become one of the most universally adored showmen of all time? There’s only one way to tell it: a musical set to his era-defining smash hits that entranced the world.

Previews begin at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 2 prior to an opening night on December 4. 

Updated On: 12/1/22 at 09:24 AM

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 11:58am

It's at the Broadhurst. Kimberly Akimbo is at the Booth

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 12:15pm

Any news on rush/lotto?

[BETTY22]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 7:10pm

Do you think Neil will be in the audience? 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 7:13pm

Leading the cast are Will Swenson, Mark Jacoby, Robyn Hurder, Linda Powell, Jessie Fisher, Michael McCormick, Tom Alan Robbins, and Bri Sudia.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording also releases Wednesday on digital platforms; the OBCR thread will be bumped soon so we can share our thoughts, as per usual.

Who's bringing the noise?

Updated On: 10/31/22 at 07:13 PM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 9:03pm

I hope they continued to work on this since Boston because it was rough. Will Swenson (and the entire cast) deserves better. 

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 10:34pm

Is anybody excited about this? 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 11:02pm

I'm seeing it next weekend. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/31/22 at 11:11pm

Could not pay me to sit through this. But I think it has an audience. 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/1/22 at 4:43pm

A $55 lottery feels like so much to me. If I see this show it will be as inexpensive as I can find it.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/1/22 at 5:43pm

BCfitasafiddle said: "A $55 lottery feels like so much to me. If I see this show it will be as inexpensive as I can find it."

Curious about SRO since the show looks very well sold for their first two months? Hopefully cheaper than the $55 rush.

[hork]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 10:53pm

My 80-year-old mother (who is a big Neil Diamond fan) was there tonight and here’s what she said: “The first act was good but they butchered the second act. The music was fighting the singing. I think it’s going to be an embarrassment. People appreciated the music but damn.”

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 10:58pm

It’s kind of telling that there hasn’t really been a report of first preview etc. since typically this board is on it. You don’t get the vibe that this is a “must see”

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:01pm

If you were there tonight, deliver us more of your wisdom, O Jake...

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:14pm

I’m often quiet on here, but have been to the first preview of nearly every musical since the relaunch last year. Usually, I run into one or several theater friends, but didn’t see anyone tonight. It was clearly, and will clearly be for the next few months, a crowd full of Neil Diamond fans.

It’s definitely a unique take on how to do one of these bio-musicals. I think they often blur together, but I enjoyed that they tried something different here. The vocal arrangements are great, as you would expect from Annmarie Milazzo, the choreography was textbook Steven Hoggett, and of course, they use Sweet Caroline as the act 1 closer, with the house lights up as a full sing along. 

I grabbed this ticket last minute, and wasn’t expecting much but wound up pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. And at a succinct 2:20, the right length for this kind of show.
 

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:22pm

Ok. That’s a decent review and has def piqued my curiosity. It sounds like the 90 minute version might do gang-busters on Norwegian Cruise Lines, tho. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:28pm

hork said: "My 80-year-old mother (who is a big Neil Diamond fan) was there tonight and here’s what she said: “The first act was good but they butchered the second act. The music was fighting the singing. I think it’s going to be an embarrassment. People appreciated the music but damn.”"

 

I suspect that will get fixed during previews. I have this thing for sound and I will visit the soundboards after shows to chat and give my thoughts on the sound. Many times I end up talking to the sound designers. They usually take a number of performances to sit in different parts of the theater with audiences to adjust the sound. It changes once a theater is full of people.

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/2/22 at 11:32pm

Jakeevan942 said: "I’m often quiet on here, but have been to the first preview of nearly every musical since the relaunch last year. Usually, I run into one or several theater friends, but didn’t see anyone tonight. It was clearly, and will clearly be for the next few months, a crowd full of Neil Diamond fans.

It’s definitely a unique take on how to do one of these bio-musicals. I think they often blur together, but I enjoyed that they tried something different here. The vocal arrangements are great, as you would expect from Annmarie Milazzo, the choreography was textbook Steven Hoggett, and of course, they use Sweet Caroline as the act 1 closer, with the house lights up as a full sing along.

I grabbed this ticket last minute, and wasn’t expecting much but wound up pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. And at a succinct 2:20, the right length for this kind of show.
"

I was waiting for the Jordan Catalano report (if he was there) - I refer to him as “Jake” sometimes because of his profile pic - but this Jake’s review ain’t bad either! Glad you had a good time, and sorry for the misunderstanding. 

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 12:34am

EDSOSLO858 said: 

I was waiting for the Jordan Catalano report (if he was there) - I refer to him as “Jake” sometimes because of his profile pic - but this Jake’s review ain’t bad either! Glad you had a good time, and sorry for the misunderstanding."

I figured you were talking about Jordan, but wanted to throw my 2-cents in anyway. I've been to 6 of the 7 Broadway musical first previews this fall, and this one had, by far, the least "theater" audience. It is going to appeal well to the bridge and tunnel crowd. 

Like, I've discovered, several others on here, my day job is in the healthcare sector in Central Jersey, and colleagues who know I go to the theater a lot, who go see a show every once in a blue moon, have been unanimously asking me about this one for months. I think this has the potential to be one of the few commercial hits of the fall.

And yes, I'm sure the 90 minute version will do very well for Royal or Norwegian, and probably a Vegas sit-down too. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 12:41am

I was at the final preview of “Almost Famous” tonight. Seeing this soon, though. 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 11:30am

EDSOSLO858, I promise I’m not trying to be rude, but why do you seek out Jordan’s posts in so many threads? Let him freely post when he wants to post; we don’t need to set an unnecessary expectation of him or anyone else on here. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 12:03pm

ElephantLoveMedley said: "EDSOSLO858, I promise I’m not trying to be rude, but why do you seek out Jordan’s posts in so many threads? Let him freely post when he wants to post; we don’t need to set an unnecessary expectation of him or anyone else on here."

He’s become my most trusted source on these boards for reviews ever since our beloved WhizzerMarvin went absent. He also attends many first previews and is one of the most seasoned vets on here, so I always look forward to hearing his thoughts when shows begin perfs. 
I mean no harm to him, no pressure whatsoever. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/3/22 at 11:10pm

I saw it tonight and thought it alright. Swenson is the reason to see this, he’s really fantastic if very surprisingly underused in act two. Even though he looks exactly like Javier Bardem in “No Country For Old Men”, it’s hard to take your eyes off of him when he’s inhabiting Diamond. 

The show itself, though? It a paint by number bio musical that’s basically just some bullet points on the man’s life that they highlighted to some songs that everyone knows and yes, sang along to. For the entire show. Between audience choruses of “I know this one!” and “Oh, I love this sawng!” the music does sound fantastic. There’s even a few tunes in there I didn’t know he wrote. 
 

Judging by the age of the audience, the house was filled to the brim with an average age of probably 75 and most of them left the theater like they had just seen Jesus, so I think this show absolutely has a future. 
 

I’m sure the audience interaction (of which there’s a lot of) is going to help this show succeed but I do wish they’d at least make an announcement asking everyone to not sing along until the obligatory “Sweet Caroline” curtain call. 

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 11/7/22 at 11:19pm

I disagree, I think Robyn Hurder, Bri Sudia and Michael Mc Cormick are excellent additions to the cast, it's not all about Will. The entire "woke" ensemble is great. This is woke done right. Put people of every color and size and shape in the chorus, not just typical chorus girls. I loved it. I thought it was a great time at the theater. I was expecting to walk out during intermission (before act 1 started) and I'm glad I stayed because there are great dancing numbers in the 2nd act. Glad I went.

Updated On: 11/7/22 at 11:19 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/8/22 at 6:20am

Considering the older audience this show is aiming towards, they should switch up their schedule and do Thursday matinees come January. I noticed the weeknight shows have the best availability while matinees appear to have the highest ticket prices.