7 / 10
Miller is terrific, gently leading both her fellow musicians and the audience through some tricky pathways — and delivering powerful vocals with soulful runs and an easy command of many musical traditions. There’s a muchness to Animal Wisdom that is both admirable and daunting.
9 / 10
Animal Wisdom could afford some cutting. The first half is filled with a hodgepodge of random observations. We’re told that you must not verbally deny a ghost that you know is in the room; Coca-Cola works better than sacramental wine, and “what they don’t tell you about dying is that you lose chronology. ” All of that is often repeated and it can try your patience. But by the second half, director Keenan Tyler Oliphant takes us to church and it all comes together in a moving crescendo.
Signature Theatre is presenting the off-Broadway premiere of Heather Christian’s Animal Wisdom, which will be led by Kenita Miller. Read the reviews in our roundup.
Signature Theatre will present the off-Broadway premiere of Heather Christian’s Animal Wisdom, which will be led by Kenita Miller. Learn more about the production here!
