Be More Chill (NYC)

"Everything about the show feels new, exciting, and alive...'Be More Chill' is that rarest of wonders: a successful sci-fi musical. Its combination of humor, social commentary, catchy music, and spectacular staging is everything a Broadway musical should be...Teenagers may have been the first to discover 'Be More Chill,' but this is a musical that any adult can appreciate...The best kind of science-fiction in that it draws a direct line from the way we actually live to the fantastic world it ... Full Review

"'Be More Chill' is one of the strongest new musicals of the past decade, a charming, astutely crafted tale of neurotic post-millennial geeks in love whose appeal is in no way limited to those whom it portrays...Here as in the original off-Broadway run, Ms. Hsu is the winsome star of the show—I don’t know when I last saw a more engaging stage performer—but Mr. Roland runs her a close second, and the rest of the cast is as close-knit an ensemble as you could hope for." Full Review

"'Be More Chill,' the dazzling and inventive musical based on the cult Young Adult novel by Ned Vizzini, has made a successful transfer to Broadway Lyceum Theater with the same cast and an expanded production team after a tryout production at Two Rivers Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey in 2014, and a YouTube soundtrack that has had over 150,000,000 hits which led to an Off Broadway production at the Pershing Square Signature Theatre Center during the summer of 2018." Full Review

"Hard-rocking, super-charged, and very well written...A musical comedy with realistic, relatable characters singing well-placed songs...‘Be More Chill’ is good musical theatre disguised as a pop phenomenon...Tracz's book solidly moves the story along, with Brackett's staging nailing comic moments without sacrificing sincerity...But it's Iconis' score that really lights up the evening; mature in craft while conveying the musical and verbal vernacular of the show's young characters." Full Review

“Brackett has smartly streamlined the storytelling, without sacrificing its wit or its underlying pathos. Iconis’ songs are still catchy and the performances of the show's multicultural cast have been sharpened too...You also can see where the producers spent the money...The costumes are funnier, the sets are flashier and yet neither go overboard...This feel-good show has always been aimed at young people but I saw a lot of 40-plus folks...having a good time too.” Full Review

"Even more exuberant, even more colorful, even more fluid than ever before, but still as funny and moving and insightful and connected as it always was...It’s not just the youthful spirit and engaging sense of fun that make 'Be More Chill' a hit. It’s also the important message for kids to be themselves, to develop a sense of self-worth, to stop the bullying, and to connect with others around you, even if they seem different than you on the outside." Full Review

“Edgy, raucous, rockin’, can’t keep a good thing down musical...Fast moving, fast talking, with exceptional projection design...The out of the box costumes are a wild fantastical fantasia...With genius Brackett at the helm directing, the cast is kept on its toes and more so with Brock’s robotic, quick moving choreography...The comedy and fun fly brilliantly. This is a show that speaks directly to the young generation and makes parents happy that their kids now want to attend theater." Full Review

"The show is a high-octane delight, which will have audiences tapping their feet to Joe Iconis’s score throughout the show...One thing I appreciated is that the two leads genuinely look and act like high schoolers who wouldn’t be top of the food chain...There isn’t a single weak link in the cast...Scenes are heightened for effect, but never quite veer into caricature — this musical in sincere in its regard for teenagers’ plights, which is why it’s resonated so well." Full Review

"A sublimely silly, exciting sci-fi teen musical comedy...A pop-rock score by Joe Iconis that is both addictively catchy and a master class in post-Sondheim dramatic integration...It brings fresh air and youthful vitality...The show’s weakest link is Joe Tracz’s book, which occasionally sputters and resorts to pandering...But on the whole, the production is both a supercharged piece of popular entertainment and a sincerely-felt portrait of vulnerable teens...The diverse, big-voiced cast is su... Full Review

"An account, both touching and upbeat, of that universal downer — adolescence...Tracz and Iconis have modified Vizzini's plot judiciously, simplifying it for dramatic purposes...The musical captures the sadness and agitation of Vizzini's characters; and Iconis makes the characters sing in ways reminiscent of Broadway's golden age yet appropriate to the source material...Director Stephen Brackett kept his 10 actors moving with the precision and velocity of a computer program." Full Review

"Amped up just enough to suit Broadway demands without swamping the heart and humor that caught everyone’s attention in the first place...Impossibly catchy pop show tune combining upbeat, even joyous musicality with some truly dark and uncompromising sentiments...For all of its storyline predictability and maybe too-happy-resolutions, Joe Tracz’s book and, especially, Iconis’ lyrics don’t flinch from the darkness and panic of the teenage mind." Full Review

"Some may find the musical’s frenetic energy and juvenile worldview tiresome. I, however, found these qualities to be actually refreshing, but perhaps unintentionally...Stephen Brackett’s tight, peppy staging remains a treat. He’s aided by a tireless, pumped-up cast of just ten, all of whom appeared in the Off-Broadway edition of the show. It’s a joy to see these young, hardworking performers." Full Review

"The show still feels a bit like a scruffy underdog — a big-hearted, wildly energetic concoction build around the theme of adolescent awkwardness...One of the best things about Tracz’s book and Iconis’ lyrics is that while most of the characters seem one-dimensional at first, they are given more sides, some quite surprising, in the course of the musical’s two acts...The misfits triumph. Putting up a smooth, assured façade is shown to be a pointless exercise." Full Review

"There is a breathless quality to everything that squeaky baritone Roland does in his attempt to break free and be cool. And those thrills aren’t just for kids. Traditional theatergoing audiences...will find delicious favor in Iconis’ contagious melodies and tricky lyrics...The Broadway 'Be More Chill' feels more even and flows more smoothly than it did Off Broadway...Still, rushed or relaxed, 'Be More Chill' is Broadway’s wiliest and socially savviest night out for teens and parents alike." Full Review

“It’s a young and feisty High School musical, something akin to 'Mean Girls' mixed with the Sci-Fi out of this world 'Little Shop of Horrors', with a dash of outsider angst 'Dear Evan Hansen' layered on top of its catchy fun soundtrack...It hasn't slipped a bit since transferring to the Lyceum Theatre..And as guided with ADD enthusiastic energy by both the formidable Stephen Brackett, and choreographed by the talented Chase Brock, it deserves every bit of the hyper hype it has accumulated." Full Review

"The creative team behind 'Be More Chill' understands and is respectful of its target audience of teens and young adults better than pretty much any other show around...It is hyperkinetic, with songs by Iconis that rely on a highly amplified, steady pounding beat and simple straightforward lyrics...Everything works becomes all of the elements work so smoothly together: the performances, Stephen Brackett's direction, Joe Tracz's book, Chase Brock's mostly frenetic choreography." Full Review

"Blenderizes teen tuner tropes...But Joe Tracz’s book and Joe Iconis’s score provide enough originality and zip to compensate for the familiarity. Stephen Brackett’s direction and Chase Brock’s choreography keep the action moving quickly and smartly enough to gloss over any dull patches...'Chill' is not an earthshaking groundbreaker, but it is a clever hoot causing audiences under 40 to fall in love with musical theater. Not such a bad thing." Full Review

"The zippy, delightfully devilish ‘Be More Chill’ is the latest tale of teen angst to convert crippling self-doubt and frustrated desire into the sound of music, and the results are enjoyable not just for their energy and charm but also for the streak of knowing wickedness running through all the pop and fizz...Drama nerds know the power of a good play within a play, and it’s a treat to watch the chaos of ‘Be More Chill’ merge with the chaos of ‘Midsummer.’" Full Review

"In sum, the narrative is clearer and the manic and zany camp tone tighter and more even, thanks no doubt to the benefit of additional time and skillful revision by director Stephen Brackett...While Mr. Iconis’ lyrics can be cloyingly cute, baldly expositive, and often predictable, the music in this musical quite literally justifies its existence, and there’s a lot of interesting texture and instrumentation in Charlie Rosen’s smart orchestrations." Full Review

"An exuberant new musical...The show is a bright and boisterous entertainment populated by a delightful ensemble and driven by propulsive music and some frequently frenzied dancing...Breezy and broad as ‘Be More Chill’ gets, it occasionally underscores the angst that adolescents feel...This production is well worth seeing. Stephen Brackett, the director, has put together an extremely energetic, extremely flashy attraction that visually embodies its youthful viewpoint." Full Review

"A high-octane pop score by Garden City native Joe Iconis that comes at you full blast, the rock concert vibe and universal emotional appeal sure to keep loyal fans snapping up for tickets...As for everyone else, the unique sci-fi twist makes for a story with far broader appeal...Roland is a powerhouse as Jeremy, a vocal force with impeccable timing...And he gets fine backup from the rest of the 10-person cast, directed in full-speed-ahead style by Stephen Brackett." Full Review

"Iconis’ tunes, which have earned him a major online following, are character-driven and catchy...But a lot of Iconis’ songs, and Vizzini’s story, gets lost in the chaos at the Lyceum. Director Stephen Brackett isn’t much for subtlety or soft moments. Roland, ideally cast in so many ways, is pushing too hard—vocally and otherwise...What I liked—actually, loved—about ‘Be More Chill’ more than anything is its potential...The songs would sound just as good without all the amplification. Perhaps ... Full Review

“’Be More Chill’ offers teachable moments galore, but luckily none of them get in the way of the show’s explosive high spirits. Director Brackett and choreographer Brock keep the action hopping and the sound-level deafening, a wise decision considering that ‘Be More Chill’ never achieves the touching gravity of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ or the sharp wit that writer Tina Fey brings to ‘Mean Girls’. But, hot-damn, does this show know its audience.” Full Review

"Iconis and Joe Tracz deftly package these themes in a palatable oeuvre of musical theater, but director Stephen Brackett and choreographer Chase Brock’s hit-or-miss staging still can’t seem to find its groove...Roland and Salazar have found deeper roots since last summer’s Off-Broadway production...The chameleon-like ensemble keeps the action moving at a brisk pace...I’d say 'Be More Chill,' in spite of its directorial inconsistencies, is a pill worth swallowing." Full Review

"A sci-fi parable of digital life and teenage insecurity...Sleek and shiny, sardonically teen-focused, duty-bound by the aesthetic eclecticism of today’s youth and built by a score that sounds nearly like a 2008 Vampire Weekend mixtape...Iconis and Tracz’ creation succeeds in injecting some irreverence into its medium, a particular weirdness to its characters—not vacant eccentricity, but definition—that feels somehow new to its genre." Full Review