Paula Citron — Theater Critic

This is not a musical in which the dance numbers stop so the circus performers can take over, or vice versa. Instead, the two disciplines become one. Every large ensemble scene combines dancers and circus artists in a single, unified theatrical vocabulary. The result is nothing short of mesmerizing.

Ultimately, the show’s chief asset remains the Neil Diamond songbook. The audience waits, of course, for “Sweet Caroline,” which arrives as the Act Two showstopper and returns as the encore — proof that some anthems are too powerful to resist. The theatre on this evening was filled with devoted fans, singing and clapping along. If you are a Neil Diamond admirer, this musical delivers exactly what you have come to hear.

Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally have written a tuneful, lively country score that feels authentically Nashville rather than Broadway parody. There are buoyant ensemble numbers, heartfelt ballads, and clever lyrics that rise above mere punning. Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography carries on the country feeling.