Rachel Weinberg

THE OUTSIDERS is a beautiful homage to boyhood and friendship. Of course, the show has a clear focus on Greaser friendships on the whole. But I think this touring cast particularly nails the brotherly love — and friction — between Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darryl. Rogers has a rich singing voice, and he captures Darryl’s deep frustration nicely. Ross has engaging comedic timing as Sodapop — he brings a nice sprightlyness to the character. And when he sings “Soda’s Letter” in the second act, he also shows off his a buttery voice.

Ducat’s boundless energy makes ELF extra cheery in this national tour. On the whole, I thought Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin’s book was more distinctive than Matthew Skylar and Chad Beguelin’s songs. Meehan and Martin capture the film’s “sincere with a wink” energy in the spoken dialogue. Beguelin’s lyrics are functional, but mainly forgettable.

Beyond that, Diaz’s book, Michael Greif’s direction, and Camille A. Brown’s choreography often feel chaotic. The plot flits frequently between the story lines, never grounding us in specific moments or characters. I enjoyed hearing Keys’s big hits, but many of the other songs are awkwardly placed. Unfortunately, HELL’S KITCHEN lacks the vibrancy and specificity of its New York City setting. Hard-core Keys fans will probably still want to see this — but you’ll have to be in it for the songs, not the story.

Whether you’re a millennial like me who grew up watching the original Disney film or you’re looking to take young kids to their first musical, this is a wonderful choice. It’s a visual marvel full of Disney magic. This talented cast bring these canonical characters to the stage in a way that pays homage to the source but also allows their personalities and talents to shine.

Whether you’re a millennial like me who grew up watching the original Disney film or you’re looking to take young kids to their first musical, this is a wonderful choice. It’s a visual marvel full of Disney magic. This talented cast bring these canonical characters to the stage in a way that pays homage to the source but also allows their personalities and talents to shine.

The show’s fun, feminist-lite narrative about reclaiming the ROMEO AND JULIET story is cotton candy fluff, but it has a SIX-like sensibility that makes it clever, too. & JULIET poses the question: What happens if Juliet lived? In a battle of wills (pun intended), the pompous, SOMETHING ROTTEN-esque Shakespeare (Corey Mach, nailing the machismo and charming schtick) and his wife Anne Hathaway (Teal Wicks) duke it out about an alternate version of the classic story. Anne wants to reclaim Shakespeare’s quill and rewrite a story that gives plucky Juliet (Rachel Simone Webb) some freedom and the chance to decide if the airheaded Romeo (Michael Canu, who hilariously and note-perfectly supplies spacey, vapid boy band energy) is truly who she wants.

SOME LIKE IT HOT is full of daffy, high-energy musical numbers and laugh-out-loud funny one-liners from López and Ruffin’s book.This touring cast came well prepared to deliver director and choreographer Casey Nicolaw’s vision at a fast clip. While the farcical antics and slapstick jokes aren’t entirely new, this is a quintessential good time. Likewise, Shaiman’s musical has a nice pep in its step and Wittman and Shaiman understand how to write fun, accessible lyrics. I was particularly charmed that Shaimand Witman’s “Let’s Be Bad,” originally written for the TV show SMASH, made its way into the show as the second act opener.

It wouldn’t be a HARRY POTTER play without magic...and CURSED CHILD really delivers. The three hours fly by because the show is so packed with stage wonders. Notably, director Tiffany and illusions and magic designer Jamie Harrison have preserved the key magical moments from the original, two-part Broadway production. While the magic elements no longer encompass the entire theater — as they do on Broadway — the action within the proscenium remains plenty magnificent. Among other tricks, I was especially dazzled by the Polyjuice Potion transformations, transfiguration, and, of course, Harry’s iconic invisibility cloak. Harrison’s illusions work beautifully with Christine Jones’s sprawling, gothic set, Katrina Lindsay’s costumes, and Steven Hoggett’s movement patterns. Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward’s video designs also play a pivotal role in the show’s depiction of the Time-Turner’s powers. 

Hard-core BACK TO THE FUTURE fans will definitely enjoy the visuals — Marty and his scientist friend Doc Brown have their quintessential adventures in a souped-up DeLorean from set designer Tim Hatley; Finn Ross’s video designs help give the illusion of Marty time traveling at the iconic 88 miles per hour. Marty travels back from 1985 to 1955; when he accidentally interferes with his parents’ meeting, he must find a way to bring them together — or erase himself and his siblings Dan and Linda from existence. Likewise, Marty knows he must return back to 1985 so he can save Doc from plutonium poisoning. While Marty calls his situation “heavy,” it’s all in good fun.

It’s a “brand new day” for THE WIZ with new material from Amber Ruffin in this Broadway-bound engagement, but the production is well-trod territory. While I don’t take issue with the 1974 musical’s source material (Broadway is no stranger to riffs on THE WIZARD OF OZ), but the production choices — and the new additions to the book — don’t make this a unique or refreshed interpretation. From the gray tones of Kansas to the technicolor fairy-tale transformation into Oz (set by Hannah Beachler and costumes by Sharen Davis), this WIZ follows a well-worn path. That’s not to say the production isn’t enjoyable, but this Yellow Brick Road isn’t taking audiences on a novel adventure.

It’s a “brand new day” for THE WIZ with new material from Amber Ruffin in this Broadway-bound engagement, but the production is well-trod territory. While I don’t take issue with the 1974 musical’s source material (Broadway is no stranger to riffs on THE WIZARD OF OZ), but the production choices — and the new additions to the book — don’t make this a unique or refreshed interpretation. From the gray tones of Kansas to the technicolor fairy-tale transformation into Oz (set by Hannah Beachler and costumes by Sharen Davis), this WIZ follows a well-worn path. That’s not to say the production isn’t enjoyable, but this Yellow Brick Road isn’t taking audiences on a novel adventure.

Is MJ THE MUSICAL a fun and entertaining musical that treats audiences to many of Michael Jackson’s iconic hits? Yes. Does MJ also demonstrate why bio jukebox musicals are tricky? Yes. In the musical, MJ emphatically tells fictional MTV reporter Rachel that he wants to be remembered for his music. But can the art be separated from the artist, or are the two intertwined in all their messy, complicated ways? I don’t have an answer to that question, but I think MJ struggles with making the struggles and demons of a complex person — the real-life Michael Jackson — seem simplistic.

A SOLDIER'S PLAY is a solid and well-structured play by Charles Fuller that explores the deep-seated roots of American racism. Centered on a Black regiment in 1944 Fort Neal, Louisiana, the play takes the form of a murder investigation when Captain Richard Davenport arrives on the scene following the death of Sergeant Vernon C. Waters. While Fuller's 1981 play is no doubt an indictment of the racist systems embedded in the American military-and the country as a whole-the piece now feels prescient, rather than revelatory. I imagine that it must have been quite radical when it debuted over forty years ago, but now it reads like a reinforcement of the truth. It's an effective one, and audiences who enjoy the procedural format will appreciate the play's series of interviews and flashbacks. Director Kenny Leon's production keeps it moving at a brisk pace, but neither material nor staging are groundbreaking.