American Son (Broadway)

See it if you want intense, ripped-from-headlines drama re young black men in police custody. Superb acting by all and terrific, understated staging.

Don't see it if Similar in style - and some themes - to SWEAT and LOBBY HERO. Not as good as former, better than latter. A bit 'TV movie' in feel/style.

See it if you like your plays intense and tension-filled. This show will hold your interest throughout

Don't see it if you don't like theater that tackles issues like race and gender inequality or looking for something light-hearted

Also While this show successfully tackles issues of race and gender inequality that still exists in today's society, I though the four characters, who all represent different points of views, were presented in a balanced way. At times, they were all sympathetic, while at other times, they were repulsive. The performances were solid all around. Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.... Read more Read less

See it if Whether a show is predictable or not if the conversation is resonant and about race it is still worth seeing.

Don't see it if I think you should see this-- having a dialogue about conflict makes us all think and change, and there is value in that.

Also The acting in this was very good, although a bit one-note., with the exception of Eugene Lee, who was sensational. The writing was fast paced--and the subject matter very worthy. I don't think there was anything new introduced, but the conversation is still worth having.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see kerry Washington in this powerful play about racism.

Don't see it if you want to see a musical

See it if Having the mothers of Sean Bell and Eric Garner made the whole experience so powerful.Important story that needs to be told outside theater.

Don't see it if Borders on obvious, but such is life. Steven Pasquale has been absent from performances.

See it if interested in issues of race, power, police brutality. Definitely a play for current times. Ambitious and mostly succeeds.

Don't see it if Washington's character a bit one-note at times--not sure if due to writing, directing or performance. Somewhat heavy handed.

Also Was looking forward to seeing Pasquale but he has been out. Understudy Brian Avers was very good. The standout performance for me was Eugene Lee.... Read more Read less

See it if you have an interest in police brutality and/or the current times in which we live.

Don't see it if you either don't want to see something hard or have no empathy.

Also This is the kind of show that made me feel like clapping at the end was wrong. Not because it wasn't good, but because that was the wrong emotional response to what we saw.... Read more Read less

See it if You want a thought provoking play that discusses important issues, has mostly great acting, and takes your breath away at the end.

Don't see it if You want tidy. The ending was extraordinary, but felt contrived and unrealistic. I love Kerry Washington, but her performance was one-note.

Also We discussed the play for hours afterward, and the topics it raised. But good discussion doesn’t necessarily mean good theater. There was a great play there—they just didn’t quite get there.

As I said, the ending was jarring and impactful, but forced and would never have happened the way it did. The contrivance took away from the emotional impact.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a play raise thoughtful issues about race and power in our current times.

Don't see it if You don’t like issue plays.

See it if Exploration of intersection of race, bigotry and gender as a mixed race teenager is missing while his parents deal with police

Don't see it if Ending is predictable but the writing keeps you off guard and challenges your assumptions all the way through; ensemble is terrific

See it if Cast is uniformly good; set up is designed to provoke discussion and avoid easy rote answers

Don't see it if Set up is purposefully in gray area which made feel more contrived and unsurprising in conclusion

See it if you want to see one of the "hot" shows about a "hot" topic. And see big name TV stars. Audience seemed to enjoy it a lot, although I didn't.

Don't see it if you want a script that makes sense. Plot is forced, manipulative and overwrought. No chemistry between leads. We don't get to know son.

See it if you are looking for an evening where 4 great actors give excellent performances in an important new play

Don't see it if plays with racial themes upset you.

See it if you want to see a 90 minute gripping drama done in real time with superb acting about racial issues set in a police station

Don't see it if you lack patience to follow the play through it's journey. It is 90 minutes with no scene changes building to an intense conclusion

See it if you can overlook overwrought acting and a simplistic script to connect with a tragic and timely story that is all too relevant today.

Don't see it if you want your characters more nuanced and approachable. Everything is on such a level of intensity that it loses empathy and internalization

See it if you’d like to see a play with multiple perspectives on racism or a fan of Washington.

Don't see it if you don’t like stories that provide no new grounds or particular solutions.

See it if You want an interesting, thoughtful play with solid performances all around.

Don't see it if You're looking for a particular stand-out performance or perfect writing.

See it if you enjoy intense theatre reflecting current issues and themes, great performances, a tight script and some brutal moments.

Don't see it if you are "triggered" by racial themes or are not a fan of taut dramatic productions. Nothing soft and fluffy in this one.

Also American Son hits heavily, the topic of racism and bigotry in today's times. Perhaps too heavy handed at times, but that could easily be part of the point...Yes, racism exists, on all sides. As long as there are terms like "them" and "us", humans we will always find some dividing line, whether it be skin color, geographical location, height, weight or hair color. We are a divisive species. The production itself was beautifully intense, edge of your seat drama. The stunned silence at the end should be a badge of honor for the cast and playwright. When something is that emotionally powerful, it has the audience pondering the issues for some time to come. Really a wonderful piece of dark drama, brought to life by the four cast members (Kerry Washington, Steven Pascale, Jeremy Jordan & Eugene Lee) . A gorgeous set and near perfect direction. I am glad to be able to see it again before it closes in late January. I would love to speak to the writer on this piece.... Read more Read less

See it if you like well acted shows about difficult topics

Don't see it if you don't like your entertainment light and happy and you don't like shows dealing with important issues affecting today's world

See it if A mother, father and two cops (two are black, two are white)... all referencing the same 18 year old black boy we never see.

Don't see it if some writing/ acting/ directing flaws; focus on the importance of the discussion (and changes) it can lead to...

Also how would you process being the face of a race in mostly white school?

Kerry Washington is especially captivating in this show.... Read more Read less

See it if You would like to see a small character play about modern racial issues.

Don't see it if You want a play that pops. Often the dialogue and performances seem flat.

Also The final moments of the play are manipulative.

See it if you’re a Shondaland diehard who just has to say you saw Washington live onstage.

Don't see it if you get antsy easily. This is a 90 min play that feels like 3 hours.

See it if you want an interesting dialogue on race - while sometimes a little over the top, it does provide an interesting insight.

Don't see it if you're looking for a subtle lesson on race. This show doesn't really trod any new ground and is a little too much at times.

Also First, shame on the production for not being more public about the fact that Steven Pasquale has been out for the better part of four weeks of a sixteen week run. While I don't fault him for being out (apparently for medical reasons), he's above the title and the production should be more upfront about the fact that the understudy (who was fine) is basically on indefinitely.

I was entertained, but at times the show did drag a bit and some of the arguments were just eye-rolling and a little unbelievable.

Washington gives a solid performance and clearly is a fan favorite.

With a small and diverse cast and a single set, I suspect this will be done quite a bit in regional theaters in the months to come!... Read more Read less

See it if You like exploring contemporary topics in race relations. The acting is uniformly great.

Don't see it if You want a lot of action. This is all talk. There's not much new information here, but a good summary of the topic.

See it if you like Kerry Washington and want to see her live. She's a knock-out in this 80 minute play with heavy themes around race and police.

Don't see it if you are looking for something light or funny. It's a very intense 80-minutes.