Bandstand NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (1,061)
See it if you want to see fabulous dancing and singing with a good plot, set after WWII. Particularly relevant to those who have been in service.
Don't see it if You are not patriotic or you do not enjoy the musical genre of the 1940's. Read more
See it if You like musicals that combine great music, singing, staging into one. You like feeling immersed in the show.You want to honor our veterans.
Don't see it if You don't like swing music. You don't like mixing of contempory and swing dance styles. You don't want to cry and laugh in one show.
See it if you like big band, swing, great dancing,singing, & story! Laura Osnes, Corey Cott WOW! Over Here music, but with serious relevant storyline.
Don't see it if I see no reason not to see it unless you absolutely HATE music of era. PS-Beth Leavel also great, but no room left in positive section.
See it if Absolutely amazing dancing. The dancers are excellent, it's delightful. The music is very jazzy, and swingy, and just great. Great artists!
Don't see it if Honestly, I don't know, it's such a fun show that just makes you happy, and makes you want to sing and dance! Go see it!
See it if You are/know someone who is a Vet. It's powerful. The songs are great, the voices terrific and` the music played on stage is awesome.
Don't see it if Just go see it.
See it if you enjoy artfully directed (and choreographed) musicals that are very relevant, thought-provoking, and eye-opening.
Don't see it if You don't like to see a musical about WW2 vets coming home and facing many struggles.
See it if You want to be entertained with a meaningful but delightful production of great dancing, great musicianship, & a nod to our service people
Don't see it if just see it. There's so much going on you are bound to find something you enjoy.
See it if you really enjoy being thoroughly entertained.
Don't see it if No reason not to see it
Critic Reviews (64)
"Some of its material may be straight from the stock shelves, but 'Bandstand' has more than a few fresh notes up its sleeve—mostly blue ones...Blankenbuehler infuses the proceedings with a surging dynamism that virtually never lets up...Cott rips into the role of Donny with a vitality that scrubs away any of the role’s surface familiarity...Osnes, too, deserves some major love for revitalizing what might be a plain-Jane ingénue role...It’s a populist crowd-pleaser."
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“The songs are good, not great. Some serve to delve into character (Donny's ‘Donny Novitski,’ Julia's ‘Who I Was’) and some move the plot along (Julia and Donny's ‘First Steps, First,’ the Band members' ‘I Know a Guy’ and ‘A Band in New York City’) and, of course, there are love songs (Julia and Donny's ‘This is Life’ and ‘Welcome Home’). The songwriters have a feel for the period but their numbers are pale compared to the colorful popular tunes of that era.”
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"Equally appealing to the ear and the eye. Since ‘Bandstand’ is emotionally complex and largely unsentimental, it's likely to connect with the intellect and the heart of spectators of many, perhaps all, ages. But what audiences will remember most is Blankenbuehler's stunning dances performed by a talented corps of idiosyncratic Broadway professionals…'Bandstand’ is superbly cast...A touching, funny, dry martini of a musical.”
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“A strong message along with a remarkably talented cast…If you love the era of swing music, dance and saddle shoes, you’re a good match for ‘Bandstand’...The deeper and darker side of this story never lets up, but it is eased by the crackerjack perpetual whirling, twirling and tapping group of ace dancers to high-energy new swing sounds…Cott has emerged as a new leading man with his strong and powerful, yet edgy, charisma and fantastic vocals, aided by his lively dancing abilities."
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“What saves this from death by saccharine is the raw nerves of these veterans…It is their story that trails after you when you leave...It is too bad that the authors were not able to take a pair of clippers to the book, and the stunning lack of a resolution doesn’t help…Cott and Osnes positively crackle and the ensemble work is spectacular in every way. But the basics of ‘beginning, middle and end’ got left behind at the train depot. And all the big band music doesn’t quite make up for that.”
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"Has all the ingredients necessary to make a Broadway hit: catchy songs that stay in your head...extraordinary choreography and a captivating story of war, love, and perseverance...Although undoubtedly an excellent piece of theater, there seems to be something somewhat dated about it...Although it’s possible that you’ll foresee a plot twist, embrace it, as 'Bandstand' is just as likely to jolt you alert, reduce you to tears, and ultimately, bring you to your feet."
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"There is great music; spectacular singing; a healthy, lively pulse; and athletic, creative dancing. The only problem in this show is that the creators barely give the piece a moment to catch its breath, constantly driving forward without a pause...It is in the calmer moments, sometimes too few and far between, that we can really feel attached to these tortured souls...The director needs to have more faith in our attention span."
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“Successfully toes the line between nostalgia and refreshing realism…The show’s cast manages to capture these characters as both charismatic underdogs and the complex survivors whose joy always has a darker tinge…Audiences looking forward to buoyant swing dance numbers won’t be let down here…The choreography works as an equal collaborator that elevates the book and score…The choreography physically expresses the Big Band beats of Oberacker’s score.”
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