NouNou On Broadway Broadway Capsule Reviews by David NouNou To comment, please e-mail us at editor@stagezine.com to tell us whether you agree or disagree. We love to hear from readers. All shows are reviewed at press previews or post-opening press night performances. To list Off-Broadway shows, please e-mail editor@stagezine.comLATEST BROADWAY OPENINGS‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman. BACK TO THE FUTUREHaving seen Back to The Future: The Musical last year in London, I have to concede that this version is far superior to the British production. Reason being that other than Roger Bart playing Doc Brown, an American actor, the rest of cast were all British with the most abominable American accents. In addition, the actor playing Marty McFly was way too old for the role, thus making the part cringeworthy.The plot is simple and the cast is minimal. It follows the premise of the movie; however, most of the charm and innocence of the piece is gone. Instead, it is loud and all over the place. Substance has been replaced with needless and uninspired dance numbers.To be sure, as long as tourists keep coming to New York, Back to the Future will be their favorite staple and can keep it running well into the future.Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadwayhttps://www.backtothefuturemusical.com/new-york/ ‘& JULIET’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy. & JULIETThere is an infectious vitality to this musical that is off the charts. It has a great and actually funny irreverent book by David West Read and a catchy score from start to finish by Max Martin & friends. No spoiler alert here, but the score includes Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” and “Oops…I Did It Again”, Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and “Roar” as well as the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” and more surprises.As Shakespeare wrote it, Romeo takes his poison and dies. Juliet awakens from her drugged coma, learns from Friar Laurence of what happened, and stabs herself to death. The end. Well, not in this version. Juliet (Lorna Courtney) wakes up and figures things out for herself. Why should she kill herself? And it was selfish of Romeo to kill himself and not wait for her. She intends to live her life. Thus, the merriment unfolds.The surprises keep coming, the fun rolls along, and remember in this version it is Juliet, not Romeo.Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 West 43rd Street, (212) 239-6202 wwwAndJulietBroadway.com ‘MJ’: Tavon Olds-Sample & Myles Frost & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy. MJWhat can one say about a sanitized bio-musical about a person who was bigger than life? Absurd, nonsensical, dreary, extremely defensive and offensive—depending on which side of the stage the viewer is on—are some of the adjectives that can be used.This is not so much about Michael Jackson, the man or the artist. It’s more about what his estate allowed to be shown on stage. Abused early on as a child by his father and how he was a victim of the media and their malignment of him. It doesn’t touch on any of the shenanigans or stunts that he pulled or any of the sexual allegations with underage boys. What you have here is tortured, soul-spouting biblical gibberish about perfection and how he has to feel everything until it is right. All his demands are not because of his ego but the drive towards perfection. One has to sit through all the estate approved drivel till you finally get to the music. Lord knows there was plenty of it and they were great. From the early years with Motown, to Thriller with Quincy Jones, till his Dangerous Tour in 1993. All the narrative is told to an MTV reporter who is interviewing him.There are three different Michael Jacksons: Early Motown Michael (Christian Wilson) is perfect in voice and movement. There is “Thriller” Michael (Tavon Olds-Sample), impressive in voice and manner, if a bit too terrified of his father by that point. Also, there is present-day Victimized Michael (Myles Frost) who looks more demonically possessed than he does MJ. The burden is on him to do all the moves, songs and mannerisms which are done extremely well but one never knows if he is singing or if they are just pre-recorded tracks. However, the talking part is spot-on.What makes the proceedings all the more stilted is that the entire show is set in a rehearsal hall, and a pretty dreary one at that. Pity it wasn’t done as a songbook revue of his phenomenal portfolio and left out the written words. Tourists can keep the show alive for a while; they’ll never know the difference that it is not Michael Jackson but a passable simulation.Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52nd Street, (800-755-4000).https://mjthemusical.com ‘SIX’: Anna Uzele (Catherine Parr, center) with (left to right) Adrianna Hicks (Catherine of Aragon), Andrea Macasaet (Anne Boleyn), Abby Mueller (Jane Seymour), Brittney Mack (Anna of Cleves) & Samantha Pauly (Katherine Howard). Photo: Joan Marcus.SIXBroadway has reopened with a lot of fanfare and shows announcing at the onset “we’re reopening Broadway.” Most of the shows that are reopening are musicals that have survived the Broadway closure of 19 months, and new shows that have opened are the proverbial canaries that are sent down the coalmine to see if it’s safe. Ironically, the show that was ready to open the night Broadway totally shut down back in March 2020 was Six. So, the only show that has the right to claim “Broadway has officially reopened” is Six. It has definitely been worth the wait.Here is an original musical that I had the great pleasure to see in June 2019 in London with my partner. My first thought back then was that it would be a crime if this show didn’t transfer to Broadway, to which my partner replied “would it be as meaningful to American audiences as it is in Britain?” Let me give you a resounding yes. Never has English history been as entertaining as is demonstrated in Six.The six queens are all brilliant with their own unique individual identity, so it is difficult and unfair to single out one over the other. They all deserve equal kudos and all have rich, vibrant voices and effervescent stage presences. Toward the end of the show, the question is asked what was so great and memorable about Henry VIII? Let me end it with these Six exquisite queens. Long may they reign on Broadway.Lena Horne Theatre, 256 West 47th Street, (877-250-2929). https://www.sixonbroadway.com ‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICALOpulent, lush and eye-popping are mere words when it comes to describing the new rendition of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 movie of the same name. With an updated songbook, the show has a hit list on steroids. Included are songs by Adele, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Rhianna as well as LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade.”The plot sticks to the movie minus Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Parisian courtesan Satine (Karen Olivo) has to choose between love and the idealistic, Christian (Aaron Tveit) or the rich and evil Duke (Tam Mutu). Both Ms Olivo and Mr. Tveit are great performers and have excellent voices. However, there is little chemistry between them. Danny Burstein as Harold Zidler, owner of the Moulin Rouge, is a delight and full of spunk.Besides the spectacle, this musical will be attracting a new generation of audiences, the younger pop audiences who can identify with the music and relish the unabashed joy taking place on the stage. Moulin Rouge! will be open to the public for years to come. It will be the next tourist attraction in NYC for years and years.Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street, (877-250-2929).https://moulinrougemusical.com/‘HADESTOWN’: Eva Noblezada & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy HADESTOWNAlthough it has come late in the season, we have the winner for best musical. Hadestown is a towering theatrical journey to hell. It’s sort of a metaphor for the times in which we live.Based on the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice, and his journey to hell to rescue her back from the dead, this tale is set in New Orleans. Our Orpheus (Reeve Carney) is the sweetest and gentlest of souls who works in a café and Eurydice (Eva Noblezada) is a wandering waif who crosses Orpheus’ path and he falls madly in love with her. To narrate all that happens or will happen is Hermes (the remarkable Andre DeShields). He is like the emcee in Cabaret.What makes this journey bearable is the remarkable score by Anais Mitchell. It is jazz- infused, rhythmic, pulsating and palpable. From the opening song “Road to Hell” to the closing number in Act I, “Why We Build the Wall,” the music and lyrics are all arresting and haunting. “Why We Build the Wall” is a chilling reminder of where we’re at today, but in actually it was written years before the ongoing nightmare we live with today. The score is phenomenal throughout till the end, the reprise of “Road to Hell.”The cast is superb, headed by the indefatigable Andre De Shields, a theater legend. His Hermes is the velvet protector of the lost. Director Rachel Chavkin has outdone herself here. Her Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 overloaded the senses to distraction, but here she has brilliantly modulated the proceedings and is greatly abetted by the overwhelming set by Rachel Hauck.The nightmarish story is not necessarily uplifting, but the theatrical experience is priceless.Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 West 48th Street, (212-239-6200). www.Hadestown.com ‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’: The cast. Photo: Manuel HarlanHARRY POTTER & THE CURSED CHILD Viewing this originally two-part, nearly six-hour play—now condensed into one show—is not watching a mere play but experiencing a theatrical adventure that comes once in a blue moon and has the audience sharing and cheering simultaneously. Whether you have any knowledge of Harry Potter by having read the books or seen any of the movies, it really doesn’t interfere with the proceedings. The creators have brilliantly managed to write in all the characters fresh for members of the audience who have not come in contact to with the Harry Potter phenomenon.Added to the Harry Potter franchise are newcomers Albus Potter, son of Harry and Scorpius Malfoy, son of Drako. The twist here is where once Harry and Drako were mortal enemies, 25 years later their sons on their way to Hogwarts become the best of friends. Their journey is thrilling. From the ties between fathers and sons, sacrifices friends make for each other and friendship between enemies and setting aside differences and uniting for a cause is the wonderful foundation of this glorious journey.The acting by the entire cast is flawless, especially from Anthony Boyle as Scorpius and Sam Clemmett as Albus; they anchor the rest of the cast. Especially gratifying is the Herculean direction by John Tiffany. The special effects are so unobtrusive that they never get in the way; it is the dialogue, the scene setups and the acting that propels this mystifying and enchanting evening in the theater to the finish line.Lyric Theatre, 214 West 43rd Street, (877-250-2929). https://www.harrypottertheplay.com/ ‘HAMILTON’: The cast of the monster hit ‘Hamilton.’ Photo: Joan MarcusHAMILTONHamilton is epic and groundbreaking. Totally original and accessible, one can only hope that because this musical works in the grand scheme of theatricality, other creators will not take it upon themselves to cheapen the brand by capitalizing on the astounding and distinguished hard work that Lin-Manuel Miranda has achieved by doing cheesy hip-hop knockoffs. A predecessor comes to mind, the dreary and dreadful Tupac Shakur musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me. Mercifully that show had a super quick demise.Hamilton is an American history lesson done in the most entertaining of ways. Unlike its predecessor Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, which also originated at the Public Theatre and transferred to Broadway (that one was a sloppy mess and really did not know which way it was going and had no place on Broadway, hence a quick exit), Hamilton meets all expectations and surpasses them because of Mr. Miranda’s brilliant book, music and lyrics. The book is smart and the score is memorable. It is far superior to his previous endeavor, the Tony-winning best musical In the Heights.The acting is solid by the entire cast: Mr. Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Phillippa Soo as his wife Eliza, Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, Renee Elise Goldsberry as his sister-in-law, Angelica, Christopher Jackson as George Washington, and Jonathan Groff a marvel as King George III.One must take into account the brilliance of the book and the score that has been put into hyper drive by its director Thomas Kail. The stage is always abuzz because it works with Andy Blankenbuehler’s distinctive choreography. The fluidity of direction and choreography is seamless and the action is nonstop. The heart races when one thinks of the genius of Lin-Manuel Miranda and the ability to create such a masterpiece.Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 West 46th Street, (877-250-2929).http://www.hamiltonbroadway.com‘ALADDIN’: James Monroe Iglehart. Photo: Cylla von TiedemannALADDINTheatergoers, be ready to welcome the next decade-long-running musical with open arms. If you have been hungry for spectacle and glitter, you have a feast in Aladdin. If you are tired of the labored, vacuous, threadbare and uninspired musicals, bring the whole family for a joyous magical carpet ride. For no one knows how to entertain and perform magic on stage like the Disney folks; and they are displaying a veritable smorgasbord for the senses.Is it all perfect in Ali Babaland? No. The book at times is trite and some of the lines are hackneyed. The leads: Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) and Jasmine (Courtney Reed) are not awe- inspiring, but they don’t have to be; they just have to look good in their parts and be serviceable. The supporting players’ “friends” are at times hammy and should be reined in. Despite minor missteps, there is a Merman/Channing diva amidst all this. We already have Mama Rose and Dolly; we can now add Genie to the roster. James Monroe Iglehart deliciously embodies him. He has the force and drive of Ethel and the zaniness and heart of Carol. What more do you need?This is a show to be enjoyed as a spectacle and as a magical ride just for the sheer fun of it. When you go to Disneyland, you don’t go to nitpick some of the shortcomings of a ride, you ride them with an abandonment of a child in the body of an adult.NEW AMSTERDAM THEATRE, 214 West 42nd Street, (866-870-2717).http://www.aladdinthemusical.comORIGINAL MUSICALSMORMONS ON A MISSION: (left to right) Rema Webb, Andrew Rannells, Josh Gad in ‘The Book of Mormon.’ Photo: Joan MarcusTHE BOOK OF MORMONIt seems that each decade Broadway generates a landmark immortal musical. In the 1950s, it was My Fair Lady ; in the 1960s, Fiddler on the Roof ; and in the 1970s, A Chorus Line, etc., (you get the idea). Well, the New Millennium has finally gotten its groundbreaking musical and it is, without question, The Book of Mormon. I know some of you will say, “Well, what about The Producers ?” And I say that show was highly overrated and nothing earth shattering or original, as it relied heavily on its star power. If you want original, nothing compares to The Book of Mormon. The score, book, direction, acting, choreography, and design are all brilliant, and oddly enough, its roots are embedded, like the classics mentioned earlier, in the traditional but unconventional Broadway musical manner of starting with a great book and score and building on it from there.From the first episode of TV’s “South Park,” I have been a huge fan of Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Their sense of humor is unique and fascinating. Nothing is sacred to them, and the word fear is not in their vocabulary. Irreverence is their mantra. Teaming up with Robert Lopez, who co-wrote Avenue Q, was a match made in Broadway heaven, for what they used was their brain, talent, and ingenuity to create a work of art and genius. No multimillion dollar budget and over-inflated egos; just sheer power of the word and the music. Throw in clever and inspired direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw and a hugely talented cast, headed by Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad, both of whom are sublime, and the lovely Nikki M. James and Rory O’Malley are wonderful in what should be Tony Award-winning supporting roles. Hell, throw in Tony Awards for everything, starting with Best Musical, Best Musical Book, Best Score, and Best Direction on down the line.EUGENE O’NEILL THEATRE, 230 West 49th Street, (212-239-6200).www.BookofMormonBroadway.comLONG-RUNNING MUSICALSTHE SHOW ON EVERYBODY’S LIPS: Amra-Faye Wright (center) & company of ‘Chicago’. Photo: Jeremy DanielCHICAGOChicago has now become the sixth- longest show on Broadway, and for good reason. Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb and John Kander helmed one of the most inventive books and scores of a musical. In its original 1976 version, the story got lost in its gaudiness. The look and feel was reminiscent of Pippin, another Bob Fosse musical. It was not the hit it should have been. For economic purposes and what was supposed to be a limited engagement at City Center, the new 1996 version, stripped down to essentials by Ann Reinking and Walter Bobbie, stuck to the story, score, and choreography and turned it into a goldmine, and an occasional A-list artist to goose up the box-office does not hurt, either.THE AMBASSADOR THEATRE, 219 West 49th Street, (212-239-6200).www.chicagothemusical.com‘WICKED’ PAIR: Witches Glinda and Elphalba in ‘Wicked.’ Photo: Joan MarcusWICKEDIf there were a Tony Award for the use of the color green, this show would have won it hands down. The story traces the paths of Glinda and Elphalba, the Good Witch and the Bad Witch, respectively, before they became the legends they now are in The Wizard Of Oz. The show is so overdone and cutesy that one longs for a cigarette break and an intermission, and I do not even smoke. However, tourists and children will enjoy the mayhem on stage. All that green will envelop them in a haze of hallucinogenic euphoria.GERSHWIN THEATRE, 222 West 51st Street. (212-239-6200).www.wickedthemusical.com DISNEY FAMILY CLASSIC: The cast of ‘The Lion King.’ Photo: Curtis Brown. THE LION KINGJulie Taymor has taken the beloved Disney movie and turned it into a family entertainment for all times. The popular Elton John and Tim Rice score from the 1994 movie is intact, as well as all the lovable characters. The stage dazzles with the lush sets, costumes, and masks. Even a new generation of children and adults can enjoy this opulent musical without having seen the movie.MINSKOFF THEATRE, 200 West 45th Street. (866-870-2717) . https://lionking.com/Home
