Jill Ripa

The joy radiating from everyone in the audience produced an infectious energy, especially the children’s laughter throughout the night. They got quite a kick out of Beast, played by Fergie L. Philippe. If you get a chance to see this touring production, I would highly recommend it. The story will soften your heart, and the magic will take your breath away. There’s nothing so joyful and energizing as watching a stage full of talented and skilled performers pour their hearts out through each step and with each note of such a heartwarming, spectacle-filled, magical production as this!

Hannah Shankman, playing Fanny Brice, gave a stunning portrayal of the role with expert comedic timing balanced with several vulnerable and poignant moments. Her voice powerfully filled the auditorium with those big belting moments the well-known songs required, taking us with her on the emotional roller coaster of her story.

The technical aspects of having that first strike happen on the Majestic’s beautiful ceiling was a perfectly jolting start. From there, the technical aspects of the show continued to impress. The set, designed by Lee Savage, was inventive, especially when the actors “ran” down the hallways in stylized comedic fashion as each new room came into place. The towering windows of the mansion added to the ominous murder mystery feel of the show. The detail in each room as it was creatively revealed brought us straight onto the board and into the game. The sound design by Jeff Human, led the show perfectly through its varied moods and paces.