‘JUST IN TIME’: Jonathan Groff. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

JUST IN TIME
Book by Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver
Based on an original concept by Ted Chapin
Music supervision & arrangements by Andrew Resnick
Choreography by Shannon Lewis
Directed by Alex Timbers
Through September 6, 2026
Circle in the Square
235 W 50th St.
https://justintimebroadway.com/

Editor’s Note: Jeremy Jordan has taken over the role of Bobby Darin. Isa Briones is now in the role of Connie Francis, and Carrie St. Louis is now playing Sandra Dee.

By Scott Harrah

Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff gives his best performance to date in Just in Time, the new Broadway musical about the iconic Bobby Darin, the velvet-voiced pop singer of the 1950s and 1960s who died at age 37.  Mr. Groff brings the man who sang such classics as “Splish Splash,” “Mack the Knife,” “Dream Lover” and “Beyond the Sea” to vivid life in the best “jukebox musical” since Jersey Boys nearly two decades ago. One doesn’t need to be a Bobby Darin fan to appreciate the nonstop energy that Mr. Groff brings to the role.

Broadway via the Copacabana & Las Vegas

Scenic designer Derek McLane has turned Circle in the Square into a glorious retro nightclub that pays homage to the venerable Copacabana in Manhattan and the glitzy Las Vegas lounge stages of yesteryear. It’s a winning tribute to a bygone era when stylish ladies and gentlemen would gather in cozy, intimate nightclubs to sip cocktails, smoke cigarettes and marvel at the latest pop crooners of the day. Shortly after the show opens, Mr. Groff reminds us that he’s not the real Bobby Darin and we’re actually watching this spectacle “in the basement of Wicked.”

What’s more, the mellifluous orchestrations by music supervisor Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber bring all the ebullient brass and jazz-hot sounds of a “big band” orchestra to the Broadway stage. This lets audiences immerse themselves in the nostalgic glory of the classic songs being performed.

As an added treat, we see performances by two of Mr. Darin’s real-life romantic partners: The inimitable, golden-throated pop queen Connie Francis (Gracie Lawrence); and “America’s sweetheart,” movie superstar Sandra Dee (Erika Henningsen), who was briefly married to Mr. Darin. Both women, like Bobby Darin himself, lived very public, volatile lives and were scandalous tabloid fodder in their heyday and beyond.

An icon & his lady loves

Bobby Darin (real name Walden Robert Cassotto) had a short but dramatic life. Growing up in East Harlem, New York, he suffered from bouts of rheumatic fever as a child and doctors said he would only live to be 16, but he proved them wrong.

He started out as a songwriter for Ms. Francis. She was already a household name with such hits as “Stupid Cupid” and “Who’s Sorry Now?” Darin immediately took a shine to the star and she was also smitten with him, but her parents did not approve.

Goody-two-shoes matinee idol Sandra Dee also won his heart. After pouring on lots of charm and giving flowers to her demanding, overprotective mother (Valeria Yamin), Mr. Darin got her blessing and was allowed to date Ms. Dee while filming Come September in Portofino, Italy in 1960. She was just 18 and he was 24 at the time. They had a brief, passionate affair and later married. Ms. Dee and Mr. Darin had one child, son Dodd, before divorcing.

Scandalous family secret

Mr. Darin was raised by Polly Walden (Michele Pawk), his nurturing mother. His older sister Nina (Emily Bergl)  looks out for him as if she is his nanny. When Mr. Darin becomes successful, he hires Nina’s husband—his brutish brother-in-law, Charlie Maffia (Joe Barbara)—as his personal valet. All three family members have been keeping a scandalous secret from Bobby all his life and his world is shattered when he learns the truth

Outstanding performances

Director Alex Timbers skillfully directs the gifted cast, all of whom give outstanding performances.

The supporting cast are certainly worth noting. Gracie Lawrence is superb as Connie Francis, singing the nostalgic star’s songs with the right mix of zest and vulnerability. Ms. Lawrence’s take on the Connie Francis standard “Who’s Sorry Now?” is one of the show’s highlights. She also captures the singer’s demure presence and powerhouse presence with aplomb. That’s no easy task considering Ms. Francis was a superstar in the 1950s and 1960s, singing both pop chart-toppers as well as ethnic standards. Songs from her two albums Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites and Connie Francis Sings Jewish Favorites are still played at many Italian and Jewish weddings today.

Erika Henningsen also gives a knockout portrayal of Sandra Dee, another megastar from the era. Ms. Henningsen brings all the saccharine sweetness and melodrama to the character, and does so with consistent conviction. It’s quite a departure from her most famous Broadway role, originating the lead part of Cady Heron in Mean Girls. 

Michele Pawk as Polly Walden, and Emily Bergl as Nina, both bring plausibility to their respective roles, and each has a unique and crisp voice. Valeria Yamin is magnificent as Sandra Dee’s overbearing mother.

Noteworthy supporting cast

Other noteworthy supporting performances include the always-delightful Cesar Samayoa (How to Dance in Ohio and Come From Away). Mr. Samayoa really nails the part of 1970s music maven Don Kirshner, the man who discovered many pop and rock greats, including Bobby Darin. Gen X audiences will remember his 1970s TV show “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.”  Mr. Samayoa has an amazing voice and does a fine job portraying Mr. Kirshner as well as other small parts in the show. In addition, Joe Barbara is the ultimate New York tough guy as Charlie, Bobby’s personal valet and brother-in-law.

Jonathan Groff’s best role yet

Bobby Darin is the role Jonathan Groff was born to play. He won a Tony Award for Merrily We Roll Along and was nominated for a Tony for his portrayal of Mad King George in Hamilton. However, he is at the top of his game here. Mr. Groff has the charm, acting chops and beautifully textured voice to bring Bobby Darin back to glorious life. He sweats profusely and is a manic, energized force who keeps us riveted and mesmerized from the moment the show starts and he never lets up. Don’t miss Just in Time.

Editor’s note: Just in Time received six 2025 Tony Award nominations, including one for Jonathan Groff for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.

Published April 30, 2025
Reviewed at press performance on April 26, 2025

‘JUST IN TIME’: Jonathan Groff & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Gracie Lawrence. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Jonathan Groff & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Gracie Lawrence (Connie Francis) & Jonathan Groff (Bobby Darin). Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Christine Cornish, Jonathan Groff & Julia Grondin. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Valeria Yamin, Michele Pawk & Julia Grondin. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: Erika Henningsen. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘JUST IN TIME’: (left) Emily Bergl; (right) Caesar Samayoa. Photos: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman & Caesar Samayoa is courtesy of Polk PR.

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‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’: Andrew Rannells & Josh Gad. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!
Book, music & lyrics by Scott Brown & Anthony King
Directed by Alex Timbers
Through January 28, 2024
James Earl Jones Theatre
138 West 48th Street
(212) 239-6200, www.gutenbergbway.com

By David NouNou

Absurdity at its best.

The movies gave us the mismatched pairings of Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, the theatre gave us Lane and Broderick, and now the musical theatre has blessed us with Gad and Rannells. The mismatched pair of the 2011 heavenly musical The Book of Mormon have joined forces again to give us Gutenberg! The Musical! The title and the concept screams absurdity.

Bud Davenport (Josh Gad) and Doug Simon (Andrew Rannells) from Nutley, New Jersey have seen one too many Broadway musicals. They are now on a mission to write their own musical. They did a quick Google search on Johannes Gutenberg and couldn’t find much on him, so they decided to take an “historical fiction” approach. This means making things up to construct a musical. The setting is the medieval town of Schlimmer, Germany. Gutenberg had a wine press, which he converted to a printing press, so the masses could be educated. The possibilities for this new musical are endless. After all, isn’t this how musical comedy works?

Bud and Doug both sold all the possessions they owned to rent out a theatre to audition the musical they wrote for backers. This would enable backers to see the show and give them a contract to put this musical on Broadway. Bud wrote the music, Doug wrote the book, and they both wrote the lyrics. In addition, they are also going to play all the parts. Their idea of saving costs for this audition is to wear different hats that has the name of each character they are portraying.

The merriment is in their excitement of telling us, the “potential backers,” how they constructed their musical and how we should envision it. Schlimer is a rat-infested town which sounds absolutely abysmal, hence the set being sparse. The two play a multitude of characters which is customary for a musical to have a huge cast. It is the breakdown of the scenes and the “theatrical jargon” they use makes it all absolutely priceless.

All this might and should sound absurd to you, but in the hands of this dynamic duo, Gad and Rannells, you are with them every step of this ridiculous journey. Thanks in large part to Scott Brown and Anthony King who wrote the book, music, and lyrics to Gutenberg! The Musical! which seems like a page out of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, in this case taking a horrible idea for a musical and turning it into a gold mine. They are brilliant in showcasing how, in many cases, musicals can go so horribly wrong and still end up on Broadway.

Back to Gad and Rannells—what a terrific duo.  Years of working together on The Book of Mormon has given them expert timing in clowning and finishing each other’s thoughts and sentences. Their energy is boundless and their timing is better than that of a Rolex watch.

Director Alex Timbers has once again shown what a genius he is. From complex musicals like Moulin Rouge and Beetlejuice to comedian Alex Edelman’s one-man show Just for Us earlier this year or David Byrne’s American Utopia, Mr. Timbers keeps a watchful eye on everything. From sets and costumes, to dialogue, to score, to editing the material, which most directors nowadays forget to do, he is a perfectionist. He has tapped into Gad’s and Rannells’ chemistry, which shoots off fireworks.

For these troubled times, Gutenberg! The Musical! is the perfect antidote, to forget the world outside, and be happy in the world of musical absurdity.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 18, 2023
Reviewed at October 17, 2023 press performance.

‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’: Andrew Rannells & Josh Gad. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’: Andrews Rannells & Josh Gad. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’: Andrew Rannells & Josh Gad. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’ Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!’: Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells. Photo: Joan Marcus.

The post ‘Gutenberg! The Musical!’ a musical comedy gem appeared first on StageZine.

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Arielle Jacobs & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

HERE LIES LOVE
Concept, music & lyrics by David Byrne
Music by Fatboy Slim
Developed & directed by Alex Timbers
Broadway Theatre
1681 Broadway at 53rd Street
(212-239-6200), www.HereLiesLoveBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Sitting through Here Lies Love, one cannot help but see the parallel lives of Eva Peron in Evita—which coincidentally also played at this same theatre—and Imelda Marcos (Arielle Jacobs) in this musical. They both started with poor origins, became working women, married men who sought power, and they both were the women who stood behind their men and got them to the top. And yes, they were both corrupt and landed their countries into poverty while they both enriched themselves through greed. Imelda did to the Philippines what Eva did to Argentina, and both were “High Flying Adored” by their countrymen—to quote a great song title from Evita.

The similarities end here. Whereas Evita was a cohesive musical with a brilliant, straightforward narrative and score, Here Lies Love is literally all over the place. I mean it; it plays all around and through the Broadway Theatre. The orchestra section has been gutted out, and you have an empty dance floor with a runway jutting out through the middle of the theatre. The runway has a life of its own and revolves all around the floor, thus making the audience move around the theatre with it. For some strange reason, the creators of Here Lies Love felt it should be an interactive musical. If you have a bad back or can’t stand for 90 minutes, I suggest you sit in the front mezzanine. Even the people who are in the mezzanine or balcony are not immune to all this interaction; they are brought in to join in the revelry and made to stand up and participate in some dance moves on two separate occasions.

After all, this is a David Byrne musical, and like his Broadway concert mega-hit American Utopia, he wants the audience to participate and be part of the experience. Truth be told, he has captured the essence of Imelda Marcos and added a layer of theatricality to her. This layer is in large part due to the direction of Alex Timbers who made it possible to have Imelda presented as a theatrical extravaganza. All you have to do is remember Mr. Timbers’ Moulin Rouge and Beetlejuice and you know the excesses that he can present.

When so much is going on all around you, through sound effects, projections, a giant disco ball, glowing neon lights, a DJ, even helicopter sounds airlifting the Marcos, it is difficult to concentrate on the performances. Arielle Jacobs does a valiant and admirable job of capturing Imelda’s essence, and her voice is powerful. Jose Llana as Marcos isn’t given much to make him interesting amidst all the goings on. However, Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino manages to break from all the noise around him and give an excellent performance as Imelda’s first love and her political rival. Alas, Lea Salonga has a very small part near the end, as Aurora Aquino, Ninoy’s mother, singing the haunting “Just Ask the Flowers.” Ms. Salonga is still in splendid form and voice.

Here Lies Love is one of those musicals that one cannot just label as “gimmicky.” It all depends on whether you’re into the gimmick of audience participation or not.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 27, 2023
Reviewed at July 26, 2023 press performance.

‘HERE LIES LOVE’ Lea Salonga & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Conrad Ricamora. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Conrad Ricamora (left) & Arielle Jacobs (right) & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Arielle Jacobs, Jose Llana & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: The cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

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‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’: David Byrne (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA
Performed by David Byrne & cast
Production consultant Alex Timbers
Choreography & musical staging by Annie-B Parson
St. James Theatre
246 West 44th Street
(877) 250-2929, https://americanutopiabroadway.com/

Editor’s note: This review is from the 2019 production at the Hudson Theatre.

By Scott Harrah

Way back in my university days, there were many “cool” musicians that students at my large Midwestern college admired. However, there was one guy in particular everybody loved listening to: David Byrne of the Talking Heads. He was artsy, edgy and nerdy enough to appeal to the “left-wing liberals” I worked with on the college newspaper, but mainstream enough to be heard at virtually every party on campus. His videos were on MTV all the time and his songs were all over the radio. Everybody loved David Byrne. With his crazy big suits and David Bowie-style whine of a voice, he was that proverbial man all the girls wanted to be with (or so I was told) and all the guys wanted to be. Fast forward more than three decades later, not much has changed. David Byrne, looking great and in fine voice at age 67, is an indie artist for the masses, starring in one of the hottest shows on Broadway in David Byrne’s American Utopia.

Mr. Byrne still wears the funky suits, as do the other 11 musicians and performers on stage, most in their bare feet. The show opens with Mr. Byrne on a stage surrounding by industrial-looking metal curtains. He’s holding a plastic brain and talking about how babies have more “neural connections” than adults, asking if that means babies might be smarter and if we get “stupider” as we age. The stage is bare but what happens over the next 100 minutes is consistently amazing, inspiring and upbeat.

The 11 performers seen and heard with Mr. Byrne include a guitarist, a bassist, two singers who double as dancers, and a variety of percussionists. With clever, innovative and razor-sharp choreography and musical staging by Annie-B Parson, Byrne and company constantly move, with some singing while others play instruments. The show is based on a 2018 album of the same name and, although many of the songs will be unfamiliar to most, it doesn’t matter because American Utopia is all about the experience of seeing 12 people, Byrne included, performing live music without any prerecorded tracks. He even includes a short speech about how everything in the show is live when he introduces his performers.

Mr. Byrne truly delivers when he performs his biggest hits, including “Once in a Lifetime,” “Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place)” and the iconic “Burning Down the House.” He encourages people to get up and dance if they want, despite what fire marshals would say. At the performance I attended, audience members were bopping, clapping and singing along to “Burning Down the House,”a cherished golden oldie and his signature song.

Politics also play a role in the show. A native of Scotland who naturalized as a U.S. citizen years ago, Mr. Byrne says he appreciates immigrants and notes many of his cast are from all over the world. He also discusses working to help register voters in North Carolina in 2016. He notes that the average age of voters in the last election was 57 and most will be dead before the full effects of climate change wreak havoc. He explains that voter registration workers are camped out in the lobby of the Hudson Theatre and can register anyone in any state. In addition, he shines a spotlight on part of the audience, in the orchestra, mezzanine and balcony and states that this is 20 percent of the audience and in local elections, only an average of 20 percent vote. By avoiding voting, people are letting only a fraction of the public decide their fate, he notes. It is a chilling thought but also underscores the zeal and faith Mr. Byrne obviously has regarding today’s youth and their ability to make a difference.

Politics are also part of a cover Mr. Byrne does of Janelle Monae’s song “Hell You Talmbout” for which he said he had to get permission from the artist because he wasn’t sure she wanted a “white man of a certain age” singing the tune, a protest anthem that mentions famous victims of racist violence from Trayvon Martin to Eric Garner. For some reason, Mr. Byrne did not include his classic hit “Psycho Killer,” possibly due to all the mass shootings in America lately, and he knows gun control is such a divisive issue and might make the evening too heavy-handed.

Overall, American Utopia is a celebration of life and Mr. Byrne’s quirky perspectives about the world. Everyone in the cast is in perfect sync, whether they are dancing, singing or playing instruments, and the collective synergy of Mr. Byrne’s company is mind-blowing. Most of his performers were probably either babies or not even born yet when he was doing all his iconic MTV videos back in the 1980s. In a sense, the show is a tribute to the younger generation, giving them hope in these dark days of America.

For the encore, Mr. Byrne and company do a rousing rendition of the 1985 Talking Heads classic “Road to Nowhere,” but in the dynamic 100 minutes of American Utopia, Mr. Byrne shows us that by believing in ourselves and our nation and voting in leaders who care about the planet and ways to advance us as conscientious human beings, the road to the future does not have to lead to “nowhere.” David Byrne believes Americans all have a chance for a better tomorrow, and that’s a trenchant and encouraging notion everyone needs to know right now.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published November 1, 2019
Reviewed at October 30, 2019 press performance.

‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’: (from left to right): Daniel Freedman, Bobby Wooten III, Chris Giarmo, David Byrne (center),Tendayi Kuumba & Stéphane San Juan. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’: (left to right) Mauro Refosco, David Byrne (center) & Gustavo Di Dalva. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’: The company (left) & (right) David Byrne. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’: David Byrne (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA’ : (from left to right): Jacquelene Acevedo, David Byrne, Mauro Refosco, Chris Giarmo, Angie Swan & Bobby Wooten III. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Aaron Tveit. Photo: Matthew Murphy

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL
Book by John Logan
Based on the 2001 Twentieth Century Fox film Moulin Rouge!
written by Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pierce & directed by Baz Luhrmann
Music supervision, orchestrations, arrangements & additional lyrics by Justin Levine
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh
Directed by Alex Timbers
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 W. 45th Street
877-807-9130, https://moulinrougemusical.com/

By Scott Harrah

Baz Luhrmann’s iconic 2001 film Moulin Rouge! was perhaps the first “jukebox musical” of its kind for Hollywood, released the same year as the ultimate jukebox phenomenon Mamma Mia! on Broadway. In this brilliant stage adaptation, book writer John Logan and director Alex Timbers keep the same storyline but have added many new songs. Set designer Derek McLane has turned the Al Hirschfeld Theatre into a gorgeous replica of the legendary Montmartre nightclub in Paris, complete with a red windmill and glitter galore, like a brothel on steroids.  Moulin Rouge! The Musical “can, can, can” and will give mega-shows like Hamilton and Book of Mormon some stiff competition as far as having hard-to-get, expensive tickets, and the show has already broken box-office records since previews began earlier this summer.

Baz Luhrmann’s brilliantly busy film was always more about style than substance, so if the show’s narrative seems paper-thin and hollow, it’s only because this adaptation is staying true to the film. However, to really enjoy the musical, forget about Nicole Kidman’s Satine, Ewan McGregor’s Christian and John Leguizamo’s Toulouse-Lautrec because the geniuses behind this glorious stage version have completely recalibrated and retooled this reboot for a 2019 audience. Everything about the show is interactive and decadent from the moment one steps inside the Hirschfeld, with men and women sporting corsets and high heels bumping and grinding on stage before the show even begins. The show starts with a proverbial bang, with four sassy ladies belting out “Lady Marmalade,” the cover of the LaBelle song that Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Pink and Mya and Missy Elliot took to the top of the pop charts when the film opened 18 years ago.

Here, we have the golden-voiced Tony winner Karen Olivo as Satine, and her interpretation of the aging Parisian cabaret courtesan is much darker and less glamorous than Ms. Kidman’s but is equally heartbreaking.  When she descends upon the stage from a swing that comes down from the ceiling, belting Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” amped up by powerful mikes, it’s as thrilling as seeing Beyoncé, Madonna or any pop superstar making a grand concert entrance. Ms. Olivo’s lush vocals are one of the musical’s greatest assets. Aaron Tveit—who has come a long way indeed since Catch Me If You Can more than a decade ago—is great as the idealistic, broke young songwriter Christian, yet both he and Ms. Olivo do not have a lot of chemistry together, but somehow they make it work. Come to Moulin Rouge! The Musical for the “wow” factor of the music, Sonya Tayeh’s dazzling choreography and all the eye-popping spectacle, but just like the movie, don’t expect great drama.

The story revolves around how Harold Zidler (the delightful Danny Burstein), the quirky owner of Moulin Rouge, is facing financial ruin with the club in 1899. The only hope of saving the business is the smarmy Duke of Monroth (Tam Matu), who has plenty of cash to invest but demands the affections of Satine in return. This is a problem because Christian falls madly in love with her, so she must choose between him and the villainous duke.

Much of the fun experiencing Moulin Rouge! The Musical, besides Catherine Zuber’s splendid costumes, is hearing all the song snippets from recent hits like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World),” to name a few.  Some of the movie’s few original songs remain, most notably “Come What May,” Christian and Satine’s haunting love ballad, but it is truly a shame that Satine’s solo number, “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” was cut as that song was a show-stopper for Nicole Kidman in the film.

In addition, too many newer songs have been added to mention, but the opener in Act II, Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” contains one of the most thrilling pieces of sexy choreography you have seen in a long time.

Other iconic parts of the film, like Australian pop star Kylie Minogue as the “Green Fairy” trilling “The Sound of Music,” could not be included for obvious technical reasons. However, Ms. Olivo does a great job doubling as the little fairy (here, she descends from the ceiling in one number) when Christian decides to drown his sorrows in the trippy alcoholic concoction absinthe.

Some of the supporting cast members are not as powerful as others. For example, Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!) seems too strong and able-bodied as Toulouse-Lautrec, the physically challenged painter whose portrayal by John Leguizamo was far superior in the film. However, it would be petty to quibble about the minor shortcomings of this stage adaptation because, thanks to the precise direction of Alex Timbers and his crackerjack team, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a pop-culture pastiche, and a colorful, energetic, endlessly creative ride from beginning to end. It will certainly enjoy a well-deserved long, vibrant run on Broadway.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 1, 2019
Reviewed at July 31, 2019 press performance.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: The company. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Ricky Rojas & Robyn Hurder. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Sahr Ngaujah, Aaron Tveit & Ricky Rojas. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: Karen Olivo & Tam Matu. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’: (left to right) Jacqueline B. Arnold, Robyn Hurder, Holly James & Jeigh Madjus. Photo: Matthew Murphy

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‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman & Sophia Anne Caruso. Photo: Matthew Murphy

BEETLEJUICE
Music & lyrics by Eddie Perfect
Book by Scott Brown & Anthony King
Based on the 1988 movie Beetlejuice
Directed by Alex Timbers
Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway
(212-239-6200, https://beetlejuicebroadway.com/

Editor’s note: This review is from the 2019 production, starring Alex Brightman, Rob McClure and Sophia Anne Caruso.  The show has some new cast members and is now playing at the Marquis Theatre.

By Scott Harrah

Beetlejuice is a rare gem in the genre of Hollywood movie adaptations for the Broadway stage. While following the main narrative from the 1988 Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice expands on the story of Goth teen Lydia (played with panache by rising 17-year-old star Sophia Anne Caruso), making her the central female character. The musical is a theme park unto itself and a fun, offbeat roller-coaster ride from start to finish. It stands out as a superior adaptation for so many reasons, but mostly due to Scott Brown and Anthony King’s clever book and outrageously effervescent performances by Alex Brightman, Leslie Kritzer and Ms. Caruso, plus whimsical sets by David Korins and over-the-top costumes by William Ivey Long.

It’s hard to resist the incomparable Alex Brightman from the moment he enters the stage as Beetlejuice, the lovable poltergeist who is also the tale’s narrator, saying he hopes we’re ready for “a show about death” and starts into the razzle-dazzle opening number “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing”.

Mr. Brightman is that rare entertainer who is so energetic, he commands the whole stage whenever he’s on it. He tosses off bon mots like “I’m powerless…like a gay Republican” with cavalier ease, in one of the season’s best performances. He’s the perfect guide through this gloriously re-imagined version of the hit film. Adam (Rob McClure) and Barbara (Kerry Butler) are the Maitlands, a happy couple in an old Victorian home (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis in the film). When they tragically die in a freak accident, their spirits are left to haunt their house and live in its attic. Soon the obnoxious Deetz family buys the house. Charles (Adam Dannheisser) and his ditzy paramour/Lydia’s nanny Delia (Ms. Kritzer) want to totally redecorate the place and turn it into a modern art showcase, hoping to make it a model home and land a lucrative real estate development deal. Charles’ daughter Lydia (Ms. Caruso) is a black-wearing Goth and has no interest in the home, and certainly wants nothing to do with her dad and Delia. She runs into the ghosts of Adam and Barbara in the attic and strikes up an unusual friendship with them as they create a scheme to literally scare Charles and Delia out of the house.

In the movie, Lydia was portrayed by Winona Ryder as a dour, depressed teen mourning the death of her mother but there was little explanation as to why the girl was so grief-stricken and obsessed with the dark side of life. However, in Beetlejuice the musical, Lydia and all her quirks and pathos are front and center, tackling the issue of children grappling with grief in a lighthearted way, something one would never expect in a Broadway musical. Ms. Caruso’s voice is richly textured and particularly haunting when she sings the solo numbers “Dead Mom” and “Home.”

In 2014, I caught Sophia Anne Caruso in a revival of Ruthless! The Musical at an uptown cabaret. Ms. Caruso was just a child then, playing Tina Denmark, a parody of the demented girl Rhoda from The Bad Seed. She had a unique stage presence and one-of-a-kind voice I never forgot. I wrote in the review back then about her “wholesome looks, lush singing voice and over-the-top acting style,” noting that she was going to be quite famous someday. It is remarkable how far Ms. Caruso has come in just five years. With her distinctive voice and spunky performance in Beetlejuice, she’s indeed on her way to Broadway stardom.

The book has some minor flaws. A scene involving the “netherworld” and Ms. Kritzer in a secondary role as an otherworldly beauty pageant winner makes little sense. In addition, the songs by Eddie Perfect are bouncy and propel the plot wonderfully. Although the score is upbeat, it is not exactly memorable.

Regardless, director Alex Timbers holds everything together beautifully and gets noteworthy performances from the rest of the cast. Standouts include Ms. Kritzer, who is sensational as the gaudy, overbearing Delia. Rob McClure and Kerry Butler are a hilarious duo as the kooky spooks the Maitlands, and Broadway veteran Ms. Butler (last seen in Mean Girls) has never been funnier.

Musical adaptations of hit Hollywood films are standard fare on Broadway. Most are pedestrian or simply mediocre, but Beetlejuice is colorful, consistently lighthearted fun. It’s—dare I say it? —a musical “to die for.”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 25, 2019
Reviewed at April 20, 2019 press performance.

‘BEETLEJUICE’: (left to right) Sophia Anne Caruso, Rob McClure & Kerry Butler. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: (left to right) Rob McClure, Kerry Butler, Sophia Anne Caruso & Alex Brightman. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Leslie Kritzer & Adam Dannheisser. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman & Sophia Anne Caruso. Photo: Matthew Murphy

‘BEETLEJUICE’: Alex Brightman. Photo; Matthew Murphy

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‘OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY’: Nick Kroll & John Mulaney. Photo: Joan Marcus

OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY
By Nick Kroll & John Mulaney
Directed by Alex Timbers
Through January 8, 2017
Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), http://ohhellobroadway.com/

By Scott Harrah

Fans of Nick Kroll (“The Kroll Show” on Comedy Central) and John Mulaney ( former “Saturday Night Live” writer and star of “The Comeback Kid” on Netflix) will find lots to laugh about in this 95-minute saga of geeky 70-somethings Gil Faizon (Mr. Kroll) and George St. Geeland (Mr. Mulaney) and their 40-year friendship, but Oh, Hello On Broadway is definitely an acquired taste. This odd couple relies heavily on the supposed irony of old New York and the offbeat to pack in both fans of Comedy Central and the millennial crowd, most of whom are probably way too young to remember much of what’s being satirized here, from the middling music of Steely Dan to Ed Koch, Richard Dreyfuss, Alan Alda, and the Manhattan of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Following a successful off-Broadway run last year, the comedy duo has brought the show to Broadway to the delight of their cult following. This is a show one either “gets” or doesn’t. To “get” the humor, it helps to be a true New Yorker, for how else can one relate to jokes about trying to make eye contact with the Orthodox Jews working at B&H Video on 34^th Street? Or zingers about NY 1, diner food and Zabar’s?

These two “legendary bachelors,” clad in corduroys and old-man makeup, share a rent-controlled Upper West Side apartment, but their $75-a-month rent is being increased to $2,500.  George, a failed writer, and Gil, a wannabe actor, are about to become homeless. Much of the humor sends up the theater, from “True Upper West” (don’t ask) to a Jean Paul-Sartre “No Exit” sign to the hodgepodge set, which supposedly includes hairdryers and props from the 2005 production of Steel Magnolias. From references to Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays to Tennessee Williams and his “sister,” Serena, it’s all in good, silly fun. However, other arcane jokes, such as “Au Bon Pain is French for ‘breakfast at LaGuardia’, ” are head-scratcher humor indeed.

The first half hour is genuinely amusing, but the show starts running out of steam when Gil and George reenact their cable-access TV show “Too Much Tuna.” However, the mock TV show gives a wonderful excuse for a different guest celebrity each night (Alex Brightman of School of Rock was the guest the night I reviewed this, and past guests have included Seth Meyers and Alan Alda). Whether one “gets” the show’s humor or not, one cannot ignore the fact that Mr. Kroll and Mr. Delaney have a marvelous chemistry together as a comedy team. The actors, both in their 30s, rely a bit too heavily on old-man stereotypes and insider jokes, but they get laughs regardless, and have a winning gift for improv and highbrow pratfalls.

The shtick in Oh, Hello on Broadway isn’t for everybody, but there’s enough hammy humor here to make the show an offbeat hit.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 14, 2016
Reviewed at press performance on October 13, 2016

‘OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY’: John Delaney & Nick Kroll. Photo: Joan Marcus

‘OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY’: John Mulaney & Nick Kroll. Photo: Joan Marcus

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