As it chronicles love, war, survival instincts and purpose in a rapidly changing world, 'Doctor Zhivago' is an earnest romance with an epic, operatic scope...the new Broadway musical covers ample ground, with nothing extraneous...Des McAnuff directs a thoughtful production. Yet in encompassing so much plot and philosophy so economically, the characters and their fates can sometimes feel oversimplified...Tam Mutu proves one of Broadway's strongest current leading men...A spirited Lara, Kelli Barrett shows off an impressive, wide-ranging voice...Simon gives them surging melodies with bold colors, and the score is filled with Russian-style grandeur...As it spans decades, the drama of the play can occasionally feel forced or reductive...The musical is true to the spirit of its age and presents unabashed emotion too rarely seen on the contemporary stage.