Brett Cullum — Theater Critic

The book is full of mysteries, unspoken judgements, and a vicious sense of classism mixed with ruthless self-preservation, and there is not a lot of this present in this interpretation, brought to life by Kait Kerrigan's book, Jason Howland's music, and Fitzgerald-inspired lyrics by Nathan Tysen.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has the distinction of being the first staged musical for Disney, and it remains one of the best to get this treatment. This new tour triumphantly amps up the tech, brings in great musical performers for the leads, and raises the bar on the dancing with the ensemble. It’s something to behold, and I can’t imagine anyone not having a wonderful time revisiting this story of two oddballs finding each other in a fairy tale setting.

The songs, the cast, and the staging all save this show, but the book brings it down a bit. A BEAUTIFUL NOISE needs a little more drama, a little more angst to really work as a satisfying theatrical experience. But man, hearing these artists bring these songs to life kept me smiling all night long. If you're a fan of Neil Diamond, this is worth it. If you don’t know who he is, you probably won’t know anything more after the curtain call. But the music? It’s “SO GOOD, SO GOOD!” And “I’m a Believer!” in this cast. And just to be reminded of Neil’s immigrant rally cry in “America” seems worth the price of admission.

omeone in my group wondered if this might make a better play than musical, because it feels odd to have dancing and singing about themes like Anti-Semitism and outright racism. It’s an odd juxtaposition, and it feels more tragically operatic than a pop music piece that we are used to on the stages these days. And that’s what makes PARADE important, alive, and vital. It refuses to take the easy road or find the easy answers. But it also refuses to not give you beauty to admire in the midst of all of this. A gorgeous punch in the stomach, and a musical you will be thinking about for weeks after.

It seemed the role of real-life vaudeville comedienne Fanny Brice was destined for only the “greatest stars by far.” Others would be left in their wake. So, I went into this tour of this Broadway version of FUNNY GIRL starring Katerina McCrimmon, wondering if I would be disappointed. I wasn’t. In fact, I was blown away and felt like I was discovering someone who well could be the next big thing.

It’s not your typical toe-tapper, nor is it a straightforward play. It is a “jukebox musical” featuring the spectacular songs of Bob Dylan, married with a weighty book by acclaimed playwright Conor McPherson. I would term it as a musical play, a narrative where songs are woven in, yet they do not carry plot points or move the story forward. Instead, Dylan's songs are inner monologues of the characters or emotional counterpoints to events happening before you. I would say it is haunting, revelatory, and a triumph of emotional narrative. It is not a flashy musical with special effects and huge dance numbers, but rather a somber meditation on Depression Era America and deep cuts of Bob Dylan’s songbook. It’s brilliant, and it will make you think. It’s akin to watching ghosts sing Americana arias, something you will never quite shake.