Frank Rizzo — Theater Critic

There's the spirit-lifting energy of an arena concert, the humor and sass of a special sisterhood, and a ton of biographical exposition easily received in rap and snap - and which might evoke another recent historical musical. Just as Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' made us hyper-aware of 'who lives, who dies, who tells your story,' this show now gives voice to these Tudor #MeToos, presenting a feminist - both proto and post - version of 'herstory.' As one character says, 'History's about to get over-throned.'

There's the spirit-lifting energy of an arena concert, the humor and sass of a special sisterhood, and a ton of biographical exposition easily received in rap and snap - and which might evoke another recent historical musical. Just as Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' made us hyper-aware of 'who lives, who dies, who tells your story,' this show now gives voice to these Tudor #MeToos, presenting a feminist - both proto and post - version of 'herstory.' As one character says, 'History's about to get over-throned.'

Those expecting a traditional take on Charles Dickens' classic holiday perennial may be in for a shock at the new Broadway version of 'A Christmas Carol.' Or at least they might be terribly perplexed by this dour production, whose additions only subtract from the potency of the transformative tale. While there have been many adaptations - from solo shows to musicals to ghostly imaginings - most stick pretty close to the storyline and character arc of the tightly crafted original. But this import from London's Old Vic - here starring Campbell Scott - would certainly have Dickens scratching his noggin.

McCarrell's believable boyishness, sweet vulnerability, gangly posturing and off-handed humor is appealing, and he manages to keep you engaged even if you've long lost interest in the details of the plot. His singing is sure, and in 'Good Kid,' the best number in the musical, he shows in a heartbreaking way the pain of trying to fit in before he discovers that 'normal is a myth.'

McCarrell's believable boyishness, sweet vulnerability, gangly posturing and off-handed humor is appealing, and he manages to keep you engaged even if you've long lost interest in the details of the plot. His singing is sure, and in 'Good Kid,' the best number in the musical, he shows in a heartbreaking way the pain of trying to fit in before he discovers that 'normal is a myth.'

The ensemble attempts some long-form storytelling, too, using incidents from the lives of selected audience members. Some of these sequences prove more satisfying than others, but it's always entertaining in watching the struggle, sweat and strain of the refrain. With the pulsating beat always driving them on, there's no place to hide. But when everything falls into place, it's sublime.

It's a simple yet still visually appealing show with a seemingly stripped-down stage, set in a blue-black void (scenic elements by Takeshi Kata) and dreamily illuminated by Ben Stanton. There's no Vegas glitz here even if there may be the urge to head to a casino after the show. (Old habits die hard.)

It's a simple yet still visually appealing show with a seemingly stripped-down stage, set in a blue-black void (scenic elements by Takeshi Kata) and dreamily illuminated by Ben Stanton. There's no Vegas glitz here even if there may be the urge to head to a casino after the show. (Old habits die hard.)

The retooling done since its out-of-town tryout in D.C. - along with a host of others plot twists and character tweaks - gives the latest film-to-musical adaptation fresh snap, surprises and (gasp!) even heart. Sure, the narrative becomes a bit of a cluster-muck in the second act - but mostly it's just screamingly good fun.

Garish, lurid and brash, 'Ink,' the British import now on Broadway in a Manhattan Theatre Club production, is the theatrical equivalent of its subject, the UK's Daily Sun - the newspaper that reshaped British journalism and propelled Rupert Murdoch's ascent to media mogul. Like the tabloid, it feels unsubstantial, rushed and icky.

Don't be fooled by the placid backyard setting, neighborly small talk and father-son joviality at the start of the Roundabout Theatre Company's blistering revival of Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons' starring Annette Bening and Tracy Letts. There are plenty of secrets, resentments and disillusionments ahead, poised to rip this sunny Middle Americana facade to shreds.

Driver, a mesmerizing presence in TV's 'Girls' and the latest 'Star Wars' trilogy, lives up to expectations of the showcase role originally played by John Malkovich. Driver is riveting here, and audiences will identify with Anna's dilemma of both wanting him to leave and needing him to stay. In many ways, 'Burn This' is Anna's play, but any actress would find it hard to compete against the monologues-as-arias that Wilson gives Pale. There are no such showcase moments for Anna, though Russell can be a spellbinder, too, as she tells the story of being in a room filled with pinned butterflies. The metaphor suits Anna all too well. Russell, whose stage credits are slim but who's proven her chops onscreen in 'The Americans,' creates a vivid, if less flashy, performance. Still, she's a force in her own right as she summons a quiet strength beneath her fragility, a sense of groundedness under her shifting emotions and a shaky will to move on despite the hole in her heart.

But polished performances, slick choreography (by Sergio Trujillio) and a slate of 31 Motown tunes should satisfy audiences who might not be looking for probing storytelling, as long as the show delivers well-performed hits. That it does, as it centers on the story of the classic quintet of performers singing 'Cloud Nine,' 'If You Don't Know Me By Now,' 'My Girl,' 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me' and the title song, among others - including some songs that weren't the group's own.

Director Scott Ellis' production doesn't try to make much sense of a narrative that includes Damon Runyon-style gangsters in a far-fetched subplot, and instead sticks with a playful spirit in the hopes that audiences will ride out the nonsense as long as the show delivers on entertainment. And it often does, especially when it dances to Warren Carlyle's choreography, whether it's in the frisky 'Tom, Dick or Harry' or in the sizzling Act 2 opener 'Too Darn Hot,' featuring Corbin Bleu and James T. Lane in impressive solo turns.

Director Scott Ellis' production doesn't try to make much sense of a narrative that includes Damon Runyon-style gangsters in a far-fetched subplot, and instead sticks with a playful spirit in the hopes that audiences will ride out the nonsense as long as the show delivers on entertainment. And it often does, especially when it dances to Warren Carlyle's choreography, whether it's in the frisky 'Tom, Dick or Harry' or in the sizzling Act 2 opener 'Too Darn Hot,' featuring Corbin Bleu and James T. Lane in impressive solo turns.

Choosing to recreate the spirit of the television variety shows that Sonny and Cher - and then Cher sans Sonny - headlined in the '70s is a choice that lands as flat as the jokes in Broadway's latest jukebox bio, 'The Cher Show.' Its attempt to celebrate the resilience of its 'bad-ass' star and her half-century career of highs and lows rarely rises above that TV series' taste for cliches, corn and cheese. Despite an icon with attitude, an armful of pop tunes and a can-do cast, the script never quite finds a satisfying style - or a genuine heart - as a winning stage musical. As Cher might say: Broadway's a bitch.

This original musical has laughs, tears and joy - not to mention jaw-dropping star-turns - in a clash-of-cultures hoot that earns a big Broadway corsage. It seems like a dubious musical mash-up: Broadway narcissists-turned-activists take over a middle-American town to help a lesbian teen who just wants to bring her date to the prom. But with a tuneful score, a playful book, and performances that remind you what Broadway heart and chutzpah are all about, this cause celebre of a show turns out to be a joyous, funny, and sweet production that should appeal to several generations of musical fans.

After an earlier production in Australia and with the addition of a largely new creative team, the producers (led by Global Creatures) of this $35-million Broadway epic, based on the classic 1933 film, have re-envisioned the story in striking theatrical terms, using dazzling projections, super-sized puppetry and lush underscoring to create one thrill ride of a show. Topping the list of visual wows is the magnificent, moving and oh-so-expressive title character who, alas, is not eligible for a Tony.

Two games are performed live with an actual snooker whiz, Ahmed Aly Elsayed, as Dylan's competitor. There's in-the-moment drama as the audience follows on large overhead projections as the game is played, with tensions broken by the laughs derived from the hush-speaking commentators. The second game brings even more fraught nerves as its conclusion is entirely up to the skill of Schnetzer - with an alternative ending if things don't go exactly as planned. But either way, the game - and this improbable comedy - ends with a solid shot in the corner pocket.

But they could also be talking about the actress who portrays her. Playing a part that is as daunting as it is dazzling, Condola Rashad steps into the starring role in a blaze of glory and claims it as her own. Rashad's depiction of the wide-eyed, visionary youth of fierce determination, unwavering faith and beguiling innocence - not to mention a beatific smile that radiates to the balcony - makes you a believer, too

There's a different 'band of brothers' on stage in 'Bandstand,' the earnest and often-entertaining musical that, set immediately following WWII, never quite achieves its noble ambitions. Despite the fluid staging and evocative choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler ('Hamilton'), an uneven book, undistinguished dialogue and only-serviceable tunes keep the show from meeting its deeper, darker and good-intentioned aspirations.

Young women and girls in search of a new Broadway role model need look no further than the title character in 'Anastasia,' the sumptuous fairy tale of a musical that should please the kids, satisfy the sentimental and comfort those who thought the old templates for musical comedy were passé. The broad strokes of the familiar - a romantic young couple, a villain in hot pursuit, comic supporting characters, an endearing family member - can still be irresistible when combined with taste, craftsmanship and a willing suspension of disbelief.

'Wrong' isn't interested in the relationship between its characters and the ones they portray in the play-within-a-play. It's more lowbrow, interested in the gag and shameless in how it gets it: sometimes incredibly inventively, but sometimes going for the low-hanging fruit. (A special nod goes to sound designer Andrew Johnson who created the various bonks, splats, and crashes.)...It's clear from the beginning - even before the beginning with its pre-show shtick - that wrong will be just right. But it takes a while before the laughs come at full speed.

Subways are for singing, at least in the world of 'In Transit,' the charming a cappella musical of metropolitan life that's rapturously harmonious, even when the times aren't. The likable, lightweight tuner, which had a run in 2010 at 59E59 - and an even earlier version as 'Along the Way' at 2003's New York Fringe Festival - evokes musicals and revues that celebrate the buzz of being young, hopeful and ever-striving in New York. Okay, so the storylines go back to the days when you still used tokens. But what gives 'In Transit' its new swipe is what's not there - the orchestra - and what is - glorious, pitch-perfect voices, set to Deke Sharon's rich and expressive arrangements.

Choreographer Denis Jones is the star player of the production, keeping things playful by finding dance opportunities with wheelbarrows, firecrackers and Christmas garlands - and nearly stopping the show with the exuberant 'Shaking the Blues Away,' which evokes the best of MGM musicals. Terrific also are Alejo Vietti's costumes and fab Easter hats, which embrace '40s swank, showbiz glitz and stylish down-on-the-farm casual. (It's Connecticut, after all.)