Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical NYC Reviews and Tickets

"All of the performers are skilled singers and actors, filling in the generic contours of their characters with proficient professionalism...The interpolated songs are integrated into the plot smoothly enough, without lifting the show’s mild temperature...'Holiday Inn' wore out its welcome for me well before the inevitable reprise of 'White Christmas' that comes toward the close...It’s polished and pleasant. But a great gift to the theater season aborning it’s not."
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"Bleu has a winning muscularity and grace in various tap and ballroom sequences. Pinkham generates some chemistry with Gayer. They duet sweetly on 'White Christmas,' one of the two dozen-odd Irving Berlin ditties jukeboxed into a jazzy-elegant score. And let’s hear it for the chorus—an adorable, charmingly diverse bunch. Sure, there’s more corn and cheese served in this earnest, sweater-vested affair than any nutritionist would approve, but what harm in a cup of early eggnog?"
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"Holiday Inn' is less a 'New Irving Berlin Musical' than a new Irving Berlin medley. But that seems to have been the intention, using the cover of old-fashioned family entertainment to excuse the let’s-throw-it-all-on-the-stage aesthetic. The emphasis on brightness and speed is so extreme that the show too often feels paradoxically dim and tiresome. (The sets are flat, the lights are glare-y, and the costumes are garish.) Certainly the dialogue, which is mostly backfill, doesn’t help."
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"So sweetly wholesome that you experience a sugar rush while watching it, the show is corny and predictable. But it will surely provide a happy diversion for stressed-out theatergoers during the holiday season...Pinkham and Gayer prove an appealing romantic duo, while Bleu displays his formidable singing and dancing chops in his underwritten role...There may be lulls in between, but this is a 'Holiday Inn' you'll want to check into."
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"There’s virtually nothing new about 'Holiday Inn'...The characters are so stock they’re practically cardboard. And the 'plot' is pretty much just a clothesline on which to hang Berlin’s songs. Still, you’d have to be a total Grinch not to melt even a little during Berlin’s comforting-as-cocoa Christmas ballad. And who couldn’t succumb to the charms of the tap-happy 'Shaking the Blues Away'...That’s all it takes to get the audience immediately into the holiday spirit."
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"Greenberg and Hodge have significantly rethought, reshaped and revitalized the script, giving the show more heart, a slightly modern sensibility and a joyful spirit. Engaging performances, dynamic dancing and a lively orchestra make it the feel-good show of the fall...The lead performers are smashing, especially Pinkham...Bleu is a spark plug of energy, and his hoofing in 'You’re Easy to Dance With' and 'Let’s Say It With Firecrackers' are two of the musical’s dance delights."
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"It’s slick, synthetic and soulless, a musical full of robotic jokes and devoid of genuine romance. The uncharismatic leading men, Bryce Pinkham and Corbin Bleu, are to Crosby and Astaire what a Whopper is to a New York strip. The only noteworthy thing about 'Holiday Inn' is Megan Lawrence, who makes something extra-special out of the thankless part of the smart-ass second banana who doesn’t get the guy."
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"An endorphin assault, inducing warm-bath pleasure like no other show since '42nd Street.' The dancing is spectacular, the singing sublime, the visuals are ingenious and, almost incidentally, there’s the cataract of Irving Berlin songs...Corbin Bleu is the discovery, tapping up a storm that recalls the young Sammy Davis Jr...Above all, Denis Jones deploys a smallish troupe of dazzling hoofers with a perfect mix of precision and abandon."
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"If you’re in the mood for show that's light-on-its-feet and wall-to-wall Irving Berlin, check into Broadway’s 'Holiday Inn'...It’s familiar and vanilla-flavored fluff, but with tasty sprinkles: a fine cast, tap-happy hoofing and colorfully witty costumes."'
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"'Holiday Inn' only occasionally springs to life (usually when Bleu takes center stage and reveals his dashing presence and dancing abilities) and too often feels like another generic jukebox musical or holiday attraction. Its attempts to add comedy by mocking the innocence of the genre reek of desperation. It also lacks the production values and breezy feel of 'White Christmas,' which really did succeed as pure entertainment."
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"A quasi-jukebox musical that's pretty much by the numbers. On the plus side, those musical numbers are sublime...If only the story that frames these delightful songs didn't feel so forced...The true star of 'Holiday Inn' is the dancing, and in the hands and feet of this excellent ensemble, Denis Jones' choreography is dazzlingly inventive. 'Holiday Inn' is pleasant enough, but when I think of its musical peers from the era - namely 'White Christmas' - it's more workaday by comparison."
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"Even though the authors have tried to insert some contemporary zest into this 1946-set story, the promise of newness is largely undeliverable. Thankfully, 'Holiday Inn' embraces its traditional nature wholeheartedly, turning this premiere into a jubilant throwback to a bygone era...When Jones' eye-popping steps are combined with the sounds of the elegant 13-piece band led by Andy Einhorn, 'Holiday Inn' shimmers with that breathless pleasure only musicals can deliver."
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"While Roundabout's new musical is, by contemporary Broadway standards, a bit small-scale, it accomplishes the Berlin mission of pushing delicious songs to the forefront, along with the terrific talents of its gem of a cast...'Holiday Inn' is unabashed fluff, delectably served up sharp and snazzy from start to finish."
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"'Holiday Inn' arrives with such a winning smile and lively spring in its step that I'm sorry to say that it doesn't put one in more of a holiday mood...Adaptations are supposed to improve on their source material; this one has got it the other way around...Under Greenberg's direction, everyone in the highly professional cast does their best with punchlines that could use some more punch...A collection of classic elements lacking a strong point of view."
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"Despite doing absolutely nothing new, it's managed to push contemporary theatrical escapism to dizzying, unheard-of heights. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that. But usually they aim to give you an ounce or two of meat with your foot-tall mound of Cool Whip...Does it matter? Only if you're looking for dramatic cohesion. But if you can set that aside, you will have a grand old time on the most superficial of levels."
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"Greenberg and Hodge’s book does not measure up to Berlin’s score, but how could it? Still, you wish it would make up its mind to be either parody or pastiche...'Holiday Inn' is at its best when the ensemble is onstage, singing and dancing its high-energy heart out in tandem with one or more of the principals...That doesn’t mean that 'Holiday Inn' is anything less than surefire entertainment. You just can’t help wishing it could have made it to the next level."
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"Though Greenberg and Hodges' still rely on a feather-weight plot and feel-good nostalgia, it doesn't really matter. You see, the really new thing about their production is how smoothly they've mixed songs from the Irving Berlin canon in with those from the original movie...The production numbers showcase Aleji Vietti's snazzy costumes as well as Mr. Jones's choreography. Jones does particularly notable work with the first act's jump rope routines in 'Shakin'The Blues Away."
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"There is a story line to follow, but it is clear from the start that it exists only to serve as a launching pad for the beautiful songs of Irving Berlin, and to pause when a big dance number is ready to stop the show...A short stay at 'Holiday Inn' provides a welcome getaway...Where else can 'Shaking the Blues Away' transform into a fantastic chorus number featuring tap dancers with jump ropes?...Director Gordon Greenberg has the show running like a well-oiled machine."
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"We only have to sit back and relax. Open our hearts to the beautiful Irving Berlin songs and take in with all the love we have of choreographer Denis Jones’s spectacular dance numbers...Greenberg and Hodge kept the joy and the fun, and got rid of the awkward moments in the film...Return to a place that is warm and optimistic, even if it is a fantasy land filled with lovely music and great tap-dance numbers."
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"When it works, this musical brings down the house. When it doesn’t, the seams show in the storytelling and it is let down by some uneven performances...As the big dance numbers dominate, quiet dramatic scenes fade into the scenery...After several blow-out dancing and singing ensemble tunes before intermission, we are left with long sequences to ponder the plot in the second act. We remain hopelessly waiting for another glimpse of that sensational first-act exuberance."
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"Consider this a medley of some of his greatest hits...There is a love triangle or two, but mostly what this production has is great music and top-notch performances...Greenberg is a relatively new name for Broadway and generally keeps the action moving...There are a couple dance numbers, choreographed by Denis Jones, that bring down the house with a combination of tapping, jumping rope, juggling and more...It honestly felt good to me."
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"It will absolutely chase your blues away for two hours, but it isn’t quite good enough to warrant making a return reservation...As good as the principals are, though, the standout performances come from the brilliantly funny Megan Lawrence, the hilarious Lee Wilkof, and Morgan Gao...The disappointment in the production comes primarily from Denis Jones’ choreography, which is never less-than-serviceable, but only really catches fire twice...It just didn’t capture my heart."
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"The Broadway adaptation of the movie features a hard-working, elegantly costumed cast in one pleasantly diverting musical number after another. But it’ll help to check your sense and sensibility in the coatroom...Bleu’s performance is a revelation...There are other changes from the movie that add up to a complicated lesson in gender and racial cultural politics...One can try to overlook such assaults on current sensibilities for the bliss of a 13-piece orchestra performing Berlin’s melodies."
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"No real effort has been made to differentiate this show from the other recent Berlin offering, 'White Christmas,' or to integrate the songs into the show...You can check out anytime you like, and chances are that one will as the leaden dialogue trudges to its close. Still, the Berlin tunes are of course a treat, with zippy orchestrations and zestful playing...If a new musical ever needed fresh linens, it’s this one."
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"Better suited to community theater than to Broadway...Of the lead performers, only Corbin Bleu, a talented dancer, manages to make something of his role...The rest are fine, but not necessarily right for their roles...What you have in the end is the Irving Berlin songs. The problem is, only a couple of them are staged with any panache...The show as a whole is lacking in so many of its elements that it fails to satisfy, even on the light-and-fluffy entertainment scale."
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"If you are stressed out by the state of the nation, get yourself to Studio 54 where you can return to a simpler, gentler America, at least for 2+ hours...The lively choreography by Denis Jones is well executed by a chorus of 16...The large orchestra and attractive arrangements give Berlin his due. And hearing 'White Christmas' twice more won’t kill you. This Roundabout production may be the musical equivalent of comfort food, but a little comfort is most welcome these days."
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"An unassuming and unchallenging musical, and an ineffectively assembled one at that. On the plus side, there are three very good dance numbers and some ingratiating performances...Audiences looking for a non-challenging, 100% old-fashioned musical might well have an altogether swell time at 'Holiday Inn.' But the overall effect is dampened, as if everything but that firecracker number was staged with soggy powder."
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"By the time the show’s big Fourth of July number rolls around, theatergoers will be hoping they skip Labor Day and Thanksgiving to wrap it up quickly with a Santa Claus finale. Slower than that spiritless denouement is the entire first act...Bryce Pinkham and Corbin Bleu aren’t Crosby and Astaire, but they bring the show its few occasional sparks...'Holiday Inn' is that 'let’s put on a show in the barn' kind of musical. Greenberg’s direction rarely succeeds in filling the vast space."
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"An enjoyable stage treat, with winsome leads and a talented troupe that can generate audience applause with exhilarating dance numbers. Sure, the story is corny, but the performers in this show can make characters reasonably believable even in the most far-fetched situations...Greenberg’s direction has plenty of spirit, with the numbers cleverly woven into the story and projecting the plot forward with an emphasis on keeping the entertainment gears moving."
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"There are 21 songs squished into this facsimile, most brief, many not from the original. It’s like sitting at a restaurant table elbow to elbow with other diners. Few are comfortable. The book is sketchy and often blatantly derivative inserting an occasional wink, wink line from another film. It serves merely to carry us from song to song...Overstuffed, fragmentary, and homogenized, though parenthetically entertaining. The company is bright, enthusiastic, and good hoofers."
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"This new edition is pleasant enough, featuring a treasure trove of Irving Berlin tunes..,All are delivered with charm by a smiling ensemble and directed with precision by Gordon Greenberg. But everyone is such a darned nice gal or fella, there’s no tension or sizzle...They have all been directed and written with no darkness to contrast the constant cheerful light...There are mildly enjoyable musical consolations, but the numbers don’t really take off until late in the first act."
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"This production of 'Holiday Inn' is an instant classic. If you're expecting perfection, this is not your show. 'Holiday Inn' is all about the fun...Even as a formulaic musical comedy, 'Holiday Inn' fulfills the smile quota...Pinkham is a magnificent leading man. Pinkham’s charisma carried the show. Opposite Pinkham, Lora Lee Gayer is delightful...Broadway always needs a show that will do nothing short of entertain. 'Holiday Inn' is that show this season."
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"For those hoping that the Roundabout had ambitions more challenging than perky audience bait to compete with the other moneymaking holiday offerings, well, hope elsewhere. On the other hand, the show does have some first-rate principals, including Bryce Pinkham in Crosby’s singing role and Corbin Bleu in Astaire’s dancing part...If walls had ears, what would Studio 54 make of this hokey, wholesome new occupant? If the walls had eyes, I suspect they would roll."
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"'Holiday Inn' is cheerful, cosy and just occasionally cheesy stuff. It’s an amiable family show full of warm-hearted sincerity and resolutely old-fashioned values...Director Gordon Greenberg has co-written the knowingly affectionate book with Chad Hodge, and allows choreographer Denis Jones to showcase some pretty nifty tap routines...Though most of the large ensemble are playing walking cliches, it is done with effortless skill."
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"The production breathes fresh life into a classic movie musical with a book updated to suit modern ears and stars who make familiar songs sound new again...Pinkham’s honeyed vocals and almost deranged charm make him the one to root for...Whether audiences are inclined to the show’s old-timey feel or nostalgic for its Berlin score, it’s Greenberg’s book with co-scribe Hodge that lends 'Holiday Inn' an easy humor, one that doesn’t try too hard for laughs and often lands them one after another."
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"The show is indeed old-fashioned — but in a very pleasant way. It doesn't poke smug fun at itself, or, at the other end of the attitude spectrum, pretend with a straight face that tastes haven't changed in 75 years. Rather, it takes an appealing middle ground...Though 'Holiday Inn' might be a musical constructed according to a formula, it's a winning example of the type. Forgettable, perhaps, but fun while you're watching it."
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"Book yourself into 'Holiday Inn' just to see the pyrotechnics when tap whiz Corbin Bleu dances around, dodging faux explosives that are snapping at his feet. The 'High School Musical' star breathes into it new life...'Holiday Inn' is a lovely excuse to get lost in the Berlin chestnuts, particularly as they’ve been reimagined by choreographer Jones. The new story sometimes tries too hard to be charming and old-fashioned, but overall 'Holiday Inn' is a satisfying autumn offering."
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"Director Greenberg presents the Berlin songbook with a glow of romance and spice of fun...Pinkham adds charm and smooth tenor tones, lending a shy sexiness to Jim, but Corbin Bleu, as a self-involved, high-octane dancer, does not lend much personality or depth to his thinly sketched part...Greenberg and Hodge’s book is slight, but the performances, the music and the production are unpretentious, bright and fun. 'Holiday Inn' is old-fashioned fun any time of the year."
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"It’s a show filled with the old-time virtues of old-time Broadway musical comedy. Nothing groundbreaking, provocative, intense or jolting. Just sit back and enjoy...The real strength of the show, as you might expect, though, lies in the Berlin hit parade...The plentiful choreography by Denis Jones often pumps them up to near show-stopping glory...True, the Jim-Linda romance never really sizzles with passion. However, those Berlin tunes provide all the romance you could want."
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"Director Gordon Greenberg and his co-book writer Chad Hodge, and most certainly choreographer Denis Jones, have avoided all things familiar in their various departments and have certainly turned this old thing into something new again...If there was ever a slight bit of shakiness in the second act plot line, I was more than willing to give the show that chance to catch its breath. Certainly the cast played as though every moment hit home, and sure enough, it found footing once again."
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"It plays like it was clacked out on a Remington manual typewriter. If you can endure the easily resolved conflicts among this stageful of two-dimensional characters, you’ll be treated to a ripe earful of the Great American Songbook, a physical production seemingly conceived for Technicolor cameras, and an exuberant series of production numbers, at least two of them show-stoppers. Does it add up to an evening’s entertainment? It did for me."
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"A bona fide showstopping number is upon us in Act One of 'Holiday Inn,' when the cast explodes into an ebullient version of 'Shakin’ The Blues Away,' complete with happy dancing and precision jump roping...Even if this is basically a tourist-driven piece of fluff, it occasionally winks at the clichés rather than just embracing them...The result isn’t exactly 'Hamilton;' it’s sometimes blandish, if generally entertaining. And unlike 'White Christmas,' it can play at any time of the year."
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"Directed with generosity and warmth by Gordon Greenberg — and as performed by a pair of dashing and very endearing leading men, Bryce Pinkham and Corbin Bleu — this 'Holiday Inn' wears down all defenses...That all of these songs work together is more a testament to the sturdiness of Berlin's music — and the excellent singing throughout — than Greenberg and Hodges's script, which doesn't always make sense...Flaws and all, 'Holiday Inn' leaves you unreservedly happy."
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"Besides the proven Irving Berlin score, the most enjoyable part of the show is Bryce Pinkham as Jim...It is pure pleasure watching him sing and dance...Although the show never hits peaks, it does hit a middle of the road of enjoyable entertainment, with a wonderful songbook, some good performances and an eager cast that aims to please. 'Holiday Inn' is fluff that you enjoy while watching but won’t retain for long after leaving the theater."
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"A good old-fashioned musical with great songs, a wholesome plot, sparkling costumes and showstopping choreography by Denis Jones...The chorus, (under the musical direction of Andy Einhorn), isn't together at times and there are some flat notes...This is the one to see with the entire family while you are in for holiday fun in the city this Thanksgiving and Christmas."
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"It’s a simple plot, typical of musical comedies from the '40s, mostly meant to entertain and be the conveyance for songs and dances. Lots of songs and dances. And by this measure, the new old-fashioned musical is entirely pleasant. It’s fun and fluffy, and has a creamy, sorbet-colored palette that’s pleasing to the eyes. The book feels fresh and modern, though some of the modernisms come off as a little anachronistic. That’s no bother, though."
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"This pleasing update includes memorable songs from that film plus a few other stylish Berlin tunes...The nostalgia factor is amped up with plenty of full, splashy dazzling dance numbers and lavish costumes. Jones has filled the cavernous stage with exuberant choreography, and the nimble, hardworking ensemble is airborne one minute, then dreamily waltzing the next...This tuneful confection of standards definitely harkens back to the golden age of musicals."
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"Greenberg, who wrote the book with Chad Hodge, both strain our credulity substantially...This would seem to be an ideal show for Roundabout subscribers, most of whom are no kids...Does anyone remember 'Steambath?' One character says that she often assumed that death meant, 'You’d have to spend every day of your life in a different Holiday Inn.' Well, the show at Studio 54 isn’t remotely that hellish, but it does have so many liabilities that the line does come to mind."
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"With 'Holiday Inn,' co-librettists Greenberg and Hodge have come as close as anyone before them to creating what feels like an organically crafted musical from a set of inorganic parts...This 'Holiday Inn' is an admittedly slight but charming diversion that’s old-fashioned in feel, but full of modern storytelling and staging know-how...Perhaps the most impressive achievement comes from choreographer Denis Jones, who whips up two crowd-pleasing, keister-kicking showstoppers."
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"The musical’s book, by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge is, at times, much too predictable, while its moments of self-conscious satire are welcome...But the spirit of the story, as well as the cast, who are directed by Greenberg, is infectious. Pinkham, an accomplished stage actor, brings a self-deprecating charm to the role of Jim, while Bleu’s joy at tapping on Broadway is apparent in every scene...It’s a good time for this tap-happy burst of optimism to arrive on Broadway."
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"Unfortunately, much of the production is fairly dim. This is largely due to the book and direction. There are little to no stakes for the characters and the staging, though meant to be nostalgic, lacks any nuance. Though the book may be boring, the cast, led by Pinkham and Bleu is not. Pinkham is truly a renaissance man onstage...'Holiday Inn' is not an inspiring history lesson or theatrical rock and roll concert. And that’s okay. There’s room enough for some simple and brief joy."
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"Paired with Berlin’s incomparable and timeless tunes the classic show has found a new life with the talented cast...The standout performances belong to Pinkham, Lawrence and Bleu. Pinkham’s voice is enough to make even the most Crosby-crazed gal swoon and he has just the right combination of comedic timing, charisma and passion to play Jim...Bleu had a lot to live up to with the firecracker dance number...I had high expectations for the dancing and choreography and Bleu nailed it."
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"The script is sharp; Jones' fertile choreography stops the show; and your whole row will perk up at the astonishing array of familiar Berlin gems...The occasionally quaint qualities of the overall show don't need forgiving, because just when it seems the gang is heading into sappy territory, this very talented company jolts the house with jaw-dropping production numbers that continue to give the Broadway experience its own unique and beloved New York particularity...Blue skies, indeed!"
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"While not the great American drama, it is a light, fun-filled show providing classic Irving Berlin music, excellent choreography by Denis Jones, and beautiful costumes by Alejo Vietti...There were many creative musical numbers by a talented cast, but 'Shaking the Blues Away' was a standout, especially with the use of jump ropes. Conductor Andy Einhorn made Berlin’s beautiful music fill the theater."
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"Times do change, so turning a corny, conventional 1942 movie musical into a 2014 stage offering does entail risk. But the final production manages to step nimbly around the pitfalls. It avoids both desecrating the movie and distressing a contemporary audience. The writers have taken a mix-and-match approach. They’ve retained Berlin’s original concept. But Greenberg and Hodge have interpolated other tunes from earlier and later in Berlin’s unparalleled output."
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"Far superior to the single-holiday-themed stage version of 'White Christmas,' 'Holiday Inn' is better conceived and crafted, although a bit of retooling is required for the show to step up from 'pleasant' to 'must-see'...The script grounds the work around the theme of the authenticity of 'real' country life versus the artificiality of showbiz—but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously...With a complete finish to this fixer-upper, 'Holiday Inn' has the potential for full-calendar bookings."
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"This beloved movie has finally come to the theater, and it's as much of a natural as you expected it to be. It's also different from the movie, and in the best possible way...Greenberg and Hodge have produced an intelligent update. The result is a script with a great deal of dramatic heft featuring a terrific score. The whole package is almost eerily reminiscent of a Golden Age musical, one that wears its heart on its sleeve and aims only to please."
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"Boasting wonderfully up-tempo choreography, this sparkling show is light, easy, and a diverting pleasure to watch...The storyline is not overly complicated yet it is fun to see it play out...Some of the production numbers are nothing short of sensational...For sentimentalists, traditionalists, and those who seek a musical with symmetry, this is one that glitters and might even prompt theatergoers to whistle, hum, or even sing something familiar."
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"Greenberg and Hodge have beefed up the plot and written a new script...Greenberg’s direction made innovative use of Goodspeed’s tiny stage and cleverly reached out into the aisles to envelop the audience in the festivities. While I was happy to hear this wide array of Berlin songs, I must reluctantly point out that there’s not enough impact when you hear an unfamiliar song once and then no more...A song has better chance to become a hit when it’s reprised repeatedly."
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