Music City Off-Broadway Reviews

And Music City has its darkness. When Act 2 takes surprising turns, don’t think about the military-industrial complex. Don’t think about a sudden unnamed war, laughably opaque as if to dodge controversy, beneath the shiny surface of the patriotis...

And Music City has its darkness. When Act 2 takes surprising turns, don’t think about the military-industrial complex. Don’t think about a sudden unnamed war, laughably opaque as if to dodge controversy, beneath the shiny surface of the patriotism that sells much country music. But it’s harder not to think of the script glossing over the gravity of 23's mother overlooking possible sexual harassment. It’s not a fault that Music City embraces country melodrama, but it pulls its punches whenever it’s tempted to spiral into darkness. From the darling mother/daughter duet “Clean” and the ensemble barnburner of “Sober as a Drunk,” Music City tests how much you’re willing to swallow the musical tonic to drown out its more questionable plot points.

Every little flourish and design choice has been carefully considered under Eric Tucker’s resourceful direction, which conveys so much with so little. Clifton Chadick’s much expanded set somehow manages to feel even more intimate than it did in t...

Every little flourish and design choice has been carefully considered under Eric Tucker’s resourceful direction, which conveys so much with so little. Clifton Chadick’s much expanded set somehow manages to feel even more intimate than it did in the tiny West End Theatre, with music memorabilia and Christmas lights occupying every inch of wall space. Although the script takes us to multiple locations (a recording studio, Tammy’s trailer, Stucky’s mansion), we never fully leave the mystical sanctuary of the bar. It is a testament to Tucker’s steady directorial hand that this fantastical violation of the rules of time and space never leaves us confused, but arrives like a live film with jump cuts and cinematic montages.

Clifton Chadick’s fun, chill bump scenic design, with floor-to-ceiling vintage posters, autographed album covers, signed guitars, and kitschy Christmas lights, transports you to Nashville from the moment you walk into the space (arrive 30 minutes e...

Clifton Chadick’s fun, chill bump scenic design, with floor-to-ceiling vintage posters, autographed album covers, signed guitars, and kitschy Christmas lights, transports you to Nashville from the moment you walk into the space (arrive 30 minutes early for the audience-participation open mic). Music City oversells itself early and earns you back late—and somehow, that’s enough.