Be More Chill (NYC) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (821)
See it if you like "Little Shop" "Bat Boy" "Heathers" & dark nerdy musicals about teen angst. Dynamic cast & cool digital projections. Loud & fun.
Don't see it if loud, fast-moving, Bway production "upgrade" of small show is too cute & clever for you. Teen fans stan BMC & woo hoo for every # Read more
See it if you are OK with a musical aimed at and dealing with teenagers, technology and the desire to be wanted.
Don't see it if you think of yourself as in any way above any of the aforementioned things or are not a friend of raunchy humor.
See it if you want to experience one of the best scores ever written for musical theater, couched in a coming-of-age tale with a twist.
Don't see it if you don’t have a sense of humor, love originality, or recall the gauntlet that is high school. But, see it anyway & recapture those things. Read more
See it if You liked Dear Evan Hansen but wished there were more zombies involved.
Don't see it if You like traditional theater, don't care for technology in your shows, or find teen dramas insipid.
See it if You want to see something that is unlike any show you’ve ever seen
Don't see it if You prefer traditional theatre or need something that takes itself seriously
See it if you want a sci-fi musical that deals with the trials and tribulations of young people.
Don't see it if you want a more traditional musical.
See it if You want to see something that feels truly original, clever and fun without being fluffy and without meaning. GREAT sets/lights/costumes.
Don't see it if You’re looking for deep, dark or dangerous. While this could actually be described with any of those words it’s simultaneously none of them. Read more
See it if you like rock musicals
Don't see it if you like loud noises
Critic Reviews (50)
"A high school comedy infused with techy sci-fi–the element that sets it apart from other Broadway productions...'Be More Chill' is committed to its high school genre, though even its archetypes can feel by-the-numbers...Even if you don’t dig the teen drama, 'Be More Chill’s' main attraction is its science-fiction flash...Its digestibility is geared toward Generation Z and Millennial audiences...Joe Iconis’s lyrics fires pop culture references at a hit-miss rate, with some allusions sailing over my head."
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“A serviceable book...Few of the songs are memorable...The cast is uniformly outstanding and fully committed to their roles. The playwright does not give us enough exposition about the protagonist Jeremy or his best friend Michael...Brackett’s direction and Chase Brock’s choreography move the action along at an appropriate pace...Tracz’s book and Iconis’s lyrics fail to address the depth of teenage angst and the tragic events that often erupt from deep despair and depression."
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"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."
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“’Be More Chill’ is likely to get a cool reception from anyone past prom age. Iconis’s score has a tuneful array of teen empowerment songs, but Tracz’s book can’t consistently deliver a compelling story or characters. Spending two and a half hours with them feels...like being stuck in detention...The tone lands somewhere in the lumpy middle of campy parody and heartfelt teen vehicle."
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"The show is practically unchanged and the matinee audience when I went had a sizable contingent of high school-age theatregoers,…always a welcome sight…I'm raising my original Show Score from 55 to 70 because I came away even more appreciative of the talented company...The staging and choreography remain entertaining, and the costumes are just as outrageously over-the-top, but the material, clever as it often is...too often borders on banality."
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"‘Be More Chill’ has some seriously devoted fans...I wish I could share more fully in their ardor for this show...The story, a mix of satire, high school bestiary, and sci-fi, serves best as setting for the loud, lively and often tuneful score...It no longer feels like the little show that could. It's a noisy, high-powered commercial enterprise, selling itself largely to kids...I do regret the moments in the musical when the high school students feel one-note."
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"Unfortunately, The Squip fails to prevent Jeremy from making the most mundane rhymes when it comes to singing Joe Iconis’ repetitive score...Iconis’ musical score can best be described the way fast-food chains sometimes advertise their processed chicken. It’s crispy. No matter that crispy is neither a flavor nor a tune...These overwrought people on stage recall the street performers in nearby Times Square."
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"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."
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