Karen 8280

See it if you like time travel

Don't see it if you don't like time travel

Also A surprise.
I didn't expect such a big show in such a small theater (59 E 59th's black box).
It was funny and touching and romantic and gently political.
A real treat.... Read more Read less

See it if you have 2 hours to pass

Don't see it if you have something else to do...

Also Very disappointing. The synopsis promised a funny show, but the tag line, "Who knew divorce could be this much fun" is the funniest part of the show.
The audience laughed 3 times during the show.
The performance promised 2 hours, 15 minutes. The show actually ran 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Thank God. I don't think that I could have sat for another 25 minutes.
Maybe they thought that it would run longer because of all the audience laughter.
Too bad...... Read more Read less

See it if you like Andrew LLoyd Webber

Don't see it if -maybe you can't afford it...

Also The show has been playing for 31 years so it must be something to see.
See it.... Read more Read less

See it if you don't mind one-person serious shows

Don't see it if you prefer lighter fare

Also Even though you have two actors you have 2 one-person shows as they never intertwine.
The actors are masters at storytelling and the 2 hours fly by.
The is mostly an ego enhancing experience for both men as I don't see anything of real importance in the stories other than that they each have their own story to tell.
And Gyllenhaal's story shifts back and forth in time and subject so fast that by the time you have figured out that he is back to the original story he is already on the second story.
Still, a valuable time to spend in the theater.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Sondheim

Don't see it if you don't like Sondheim

Also With Sondheim you either hate it or love it.
I love it.
And I love Raul Esparza who is magnificent. It is worth the price of admission just to see him doing bits while others are singing.... Read more Read less

See it if you are a left leaning political woman

Don't see it if if you are a right-wing conservative

Also Fascinating storytelling, purports to be mostly true.
Holds your attention regardless.
Interesting debate at the end - may be different at each show.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in Walt Whitman and LGBTQ matters

Don't see it if LGBTQ and PC turn you off

Also Interesting take on Walt Whitman and LGBTQ matters. Starts with a birthday party, morphs into a trial.
Beautiful singing voices.... Read more Read less

See it if you like singing and dancing and want to have a good time

Don't see it if you like heavy dramas

Also Oh, I enjoyed this very much. Lots of singing and dancing and even a message about bullying.
And great costumes.... Read more Read less

See it if you like musicals and Cole Porter

Don't see it if you like dark, heavy musicals (go see Oklahoma...)

Also A delightful show with great choreography. Some of the moves look so risky that I wouldn't do them without a harness.
My big complaint is that Corbin Bleu is a great dancer and he isn't given enough to do here.... Read more Read less

See it if you don't mind a new take on an old classic

Don't see it if you loved Oklahoma the movie - this ain't it

Also Not quite your Grandmother's Oklahoma. Darker, with a shocking ending.
But even so, the beautiful music shines through.
And there is free chili and wonderful cornbread served at intermission.
Also - there is always a problem with theater in the round (or, in this case, horseshoe). Probably the best place to sit is at one of the tables - but these tickets cost over $250.
A good show, but if you have only enough money for one musical see The Prom...or Tootsie.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see Adam Driver catching fire

Don't see it if you are sensitive to strong language

Also Adam Driver is on fire! When he is onstage he is the only thing that you look at. When he is offstage you are just waiting for him to come back.
Brandon Uranowitz is pretty good, too.... Read more Read less

See it if you like slamming door farces

Don't see it if you don't like frenzied action

Also A slamming door farce like Noises Off only not as professional.
One of the actresses plays 3 parts and it is amazing how she changes clothes so quickly (the dressers get their own bow, as they well deserve). It's pretty funny if you stay until the end, with, spoiler alert, lots of happy endings.... Read more Read less

See it if you like old fashioned musicals

Don't see it if you like your musicals up to date and relevant

Also A pleasant show with no lessons and plenty of good music and great dancing. They used some of Jerome Robbins original choreography which made it fun to watch.... Read more Read less

See it if you still remember the awkward years of high school

Don't see it if you like your musicals with more meat to them

Also When I went to buy my ticket I saw that there were a lot of young people going into the show. I figured as a Senior Citizen I would not like it.
I LOVED it!
It is a mix of Dear Evan Hansen and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
It has an unhappy protagonist like Evan Hansen, only this show is much more fun. The songs are snappier (unfortunately, too loud, bring ear plugs), the costumes are brighter (like a comic book), perhaps to make up for the minimal scenery, and the tone is generally snappier.
I gave it a standing ovation which I don't do lightly.
I enjoyed it - I hope that you will, too.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see an Arthur Miller classic

Don't see it if you prefer comedies or musicals

Also I am an older person and I had never seen All My Sons. I felt that I needed to see this classic. I generally prefer comedies - especially musicals - so I may be prejudiced in reviewing this play.
I think that you can skip the first act and still know what is going on in the second act. And appreciate it.
You can probably stop after the second act and write your own ending, but the third act does sum it up for you.
I wish I had gone with someone so we could discuss the ethics of the conflict.
Even so, I am glad that I went.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see Nathan Lane in anything he does...

Don't see it if I'm not sure if there is a reason to see it, so maybe don't...

Also Taylor Mac is a playwright for Theater of the Ridiculous, so don't try to make too much sense of this show. Some political stuff in there. OK.
The standing ovation was tepid the day I was there and that was for a Nathan Lane performance. I think that says it all.... Read more Read less

See it if you like fun music and you never saw Julia Roberts in the movie

Don't see it if you really really love Julia Roberts and no one can take her place

Also I enjoyed this show although it is not the best musical I have seen this season (that goes to The Prom, The Cher Show, The Temptations and [WOW] Tootsie).
Still it is fun, entertaining, some nice music and great costumes.
I am glad that I went to see it.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy being entertained to the nth degree...

Don't see it if Are you a sour puss? See it, anyway!

Also I thought that the best musical this season was The Prom, but Tootsie is a real contender.
So funny, so clever, so entertaining.
Lots of music - reminded me of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (same composer).
Lots of jokes for theater-goers, references - too funny.
The laughs come fast and furious with a (gratuitous?) serious side.
How can a liar get a happy ending? But he does.
And you want it that way.
Spoiler alert: somewhat different than the movie.... Read more Read less

See it if you remember The Golden Girls fondly

Don't see it if you don't like men in drag, no matter how talented they are

Also Oh, this is one of the funniest shows I have seen. The laughs come a mile a minute - you hardly have time to breathe. Two men play 4 parts - actually one man plays Dorothy and one man plays Rose, Blanche and Sophia.
Even tho' the show lasts about 60 minutes you feel as though you have been entertained for hours.
See it.... Read more Read less

See it if you like edgy stuff - PS Nobody likes it this edgy...

Don't see it if you enjoy live theater

Also You are so lucky - it just closed.
Don't waste your money in case it comes around again next year...... Read more Read less

See it if you like ensemble theater

Don't see it if you are not familiar with acting classes

Also As a person who takes an acting class I recognized all the characters and situations.
I had a ball!... Read more Read less

See it if you are really into politics - then and now...

Don't see it if you are not familiar with politics of 1947 or 2018

Also It is supposed to be a comedy of sorts but it isn't that funny. Maybe it was the audience, or maybe what was funny back then is not funny anymore.
And some of it is scary true.
Scenery changes are cleverly done.
Oh, and the costumes - especially the women's - are wonderful.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in myth meets ecology

Don't see it if you are not into green futures

Also The world clock is at 11:45 and Dionysus comes to save the world
Or just himself...... Read more Read less

See it if you love old fashioned musicals

Don't see it if if silly stories are not your cup of tea

Also With tunes by Irving Berlin this show should have been a 100.
But the lackluster acting and singing by the female lead (who couldn't always remember her lines) drags down the show.
The songs are wonderful and the choreography is delightful.
See it if you can.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Greek Myths

Don't see it if you don't like Greek myths

Also I saw this show in its incarnation at the NY Theater Workshop in the East Village. The theater had been rearranged in a circle. The show was wonderful. I don't know if it will be as intimate in a Broadway house, but I remember a great show.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy a story being revealed little by little

Don't see it if you like your stories straightforward

Also A comedy/drama - how can I describe it?
I enjoyed this and I don't know why.
Revealing the story little by little, and maybe not all of it ever, kept my interest.
The child actors were perfect. The adults were as good as they needed to be.
If you go I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.... Read more Read less

See it if you have ever had a bad online dating experience

Don't see it if you never dated online

Also A surprisingly entertaining show.
A lot of audience participation and clever improvisation - it would make each show different.
It is supposed to be based on true experiences. If so, some of the online responses will tickle you, and some with shock you.... Read more Read less

See it if you remember Rita Rudner fondly - she doesn't disappoint

Don't see it if you like more seriousness in your romantic musical comedies

Also It's like a stand-up routine expanded to have a story line.
Anyway, it is fun.... Read more Read less

See it if you like spectacle

Don't see it if you prefer your dramas non-musical

Also I know where Cher's costumes and sequins are going when her show closes - Moulin Rouge is full of spectacle.
A cross between La Boheme and La Traviata. It has to have an unhappy ending, so why is the audience laughing and cheering?
The songs are familiar to those who have been following the movie - and they LOVE it!. The medleys are also familiar to the initiated, but I was not one of them.
I enjoyed the spectacle - you can enjoy it, too.
PS. Stay for the post-show number. Although you might not be able to see it as the audience is already on its feet blocking the stage.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a Broadway quality show at off Broadway prices

Don't see it if you don't like musicals

Also The first act was too long and too much going on.
Also, the band is too loud
I changed my seat for the second act, away from the band, and found it a delightful show.
The scenery, done by James Morgan of The York Theatre, is MAGNIFICENT.
The show is too good for this theater - it deserves a better venue.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in Walt Whitman and LGBTQ matters

Don't see it if if LGBTQ and PC turn you off

Also This starts as a Birthday party for Walt Whitman and morphs into a trial of his negative beliefs.
The singing is wonderful as is the music, but it goes a little too far with its PC.... Read more Read less

See it if you love musicals

Don't see it if you remember the original play and the movie

Also I didn't see it with the original cast. I suspect it was a better show.
I thought that this Eliza was a little too old.
And not being familiar with Shaw's original ending I was somewhat put off by the use of the original ending instead of the movie ending.
All that being said the music is beautiful, the voices are excellent and the set(s) are wonderful.... Read more Read less

See it if you want a one person show

Don't see it if you think you are going to see a magic show - THERE IS NO MAGIC

Also Advertised as a magician does a myriad of tricks for our entertainment... Wrong. There are no magic tricks just pantomimes of magic tricks.
Maybe this is a good show, a lot of work went into the presentation - but when you suggest that there is going to be magic THERE SHOULD BE MAGIC. I would never have gone to this show if I had known that there was no magic (oh, yeah, she pulls a large kerchief from her chest at the end).
Big disappointment.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in newspaper historical fiction

Don't see it if British/Australian accents turn you off

Also I found the first act long and often boring as Lamb puts together his newspaper staff.
The show catches fire in the second act.
I don't see why the Murdoch character is up for an Tony over the Lamb character. It is the Lamb character that does all the work (and acting).... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of The Office

Don't see it if if you never heard of The Office

Also I have to say right off that I have never seen The Office so the parody was lost on me. But I can say that the audience recognized the characters and laughed their a**es off.
That said, I have to say the the lyrics were entertaining and the choreography was magnificent.
And I am now interested in seeing The Office.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Carl Reiner: you like to have a good time

Don't see it if see it anyway

Also I saw this show when it was in its developmental stages and later in a full production.
I remember enjoying the heck out of it.
Especially The Butler's Song.
Go.
Enjoy.... Read more Read less

See it if masterful acting by Bryan Cranston

Don't see it if you prefer light comedies

Also The staging was AWFUL! If you go, be sure to sit in the center or the right side (even numbered seats).
I sat on the left side and I could not see fully 1/3 of the set. The designers know this so they have set up screens so you can see what is happening on the side of the stage that you cannot see.
But, if I wanted to see Network on a screen, I would have rented the movie.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in H C Andersen

Don't see it if you like a little zip in your biographies

Also Sorry. I did not enjoy this dark version of H C Andersen's life.
I recommend you rent the Danny Kaye version. It isn't an accurate portrayal of the man (it doesn't pretend to be) but at least it will leave you with a smile on your face and several songs in your heart.... Read more Read less

See it if you like big splashy overstuffed musicals and you are a fan of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice.

Don't see it if if you like your musicals with a little more intelligence

Also I don't remember Tim Burton's Beetlejuice so I come to this show with unprejudiced eyes.
I'm not sure why this show just missed for me - the music is toe-tapping, the costumes and scenery are eye catching, the choreography is to die for (literally) and the voices are great.
But the sum was not equal to its parts. I think that fans of Beetlejuice will love it.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy Hammerstein with whoever he wrote with

Don't see it if you are expecting context for the songs, similar to Hal, Prince of Broadway (It ain't here)

Also Audio-animatronics move over! There's a new artificial human in town.
I was fascinated by the holographic image of "Hammerstein" on stage. I would go to the show just to see it again. It is like the monkey in King Kong - when it is onstage you look at nothing else.
I enjoyed the show more than the critics did. Doreen's voice was overpowering and annoying after a while, but I love the music.
They did mess it up a little at times, but I heard the originals in my head so it was okay.... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in some fictional history

Don't see it if you find Holocaust stories too frightening to be on a theatrical stage

Also This is not my usual type of entertainment - if entertainment is the right word for a harrowing story of the Holocaust in Vilna.
Like a frog in a pot of slowly heating water who doesn't realize the danger until it is too late, Vilna may be a warning for our time...
PS. I wish that Show Score had a rating between Good and Great. This is not a Great play, but it is better than Good. Maybe Very Good would be a more accurate choice.... Read more Read less

See it if you are questioning your belief in tele-evangelists

Don't see it if you are secure in your beliefs

Also The opposite of C S Lewis.
If you believe then this show is not for you.
If you don't believe then why bother with this show?
Some of it is very good - but it drives home its point with a sledgehammer.
Spoiler alert: the transformation of the character of Rachel/Consuela is dynamic. It is hard to believe that it is the same actress!... Read more Read less

See it if you are a fan of Laurie Metcalf and/or John Lithgow

Don't see it if you get bored easily

Also Well, I didn't like it. It doesn't mean that it isn't good - the audience gave it a standing ovation. I went to see Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow so it wasn't a total disappointment.
Also, a lot of product placement - Coca Cola, Toblerone, Dunkin' Donuts, more. They are a financial success without selling a single ticket.
Be advised that this is a Scott Rudin production and there is NO LATE SEATING.
I think they mean it. They had the audience pretty scared so everyone was in his/her/its seat on time.
I'm not sorry that I went - I'm sorry that I didn't enjoy it..
PS There is no handicapped accessible restroom in the theater and you have to go down 2 theaters to use the restroom at Come From Away.
Come From Away is a more entertaining show.... Read more Read less

See it if you remember the Temptations and the 60's, 70's, 80's etc..

Don't see it if you don't like musicals

Also SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

See it if you like upbeat musicals with a little sadness

Don't see it if you are not into chick flicks..

Also The scenery is a cheerful compilation of stylized posters of chick flicks.
The actresses are wonderful singers and "dancers". The staging is sooo clever.
I enjoyed this very much. It does help if you are familiar with chick flicks, but you can enjoy the show even if you aren't.
Live band gets its kudos at the end.... Read more Read less

See it if you remember Cher fondly and you love an exciting musical

Don't see it if you don't like big musicals

Also So much better than Summer which used the same 3-person portrayal of the eponymous star. The music is great, the choreography is wonderful, the costumes are to die for (Bob Mackie - remember him?).
And, you're gonna love it because to quote another musical, "Give 'em the old razzle dazzle...How can they see with sequins in their eye?"... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a bit of history - a musical that closed out-of-town.

Don't see it if you can't get past the subject matter - hebephilia

Also This show would get a 100 if it weren't for the subject - pedophilia. No matter how good the music, the singing, the acting - there is no accepting the subject matter.... Read more Read less

See it if you enjoy the Frankenstein story in all its incarnations

Don't see it if you don't like opera type musicals

Also Very good singing.
And lots of it.
Scenery and props kind of amateurish.... Read more Read less

See it if you like delightful musicals and great singing

Don't see it if you don't like delightful musicials and great singing

Also Hurry up - it is closing Feb 3rd.
This is the York Theatre Musicals in Mufti series - the poor man's Encores.
A failed Broadway musical makes a delightful off Broadway concert version.... Read more Read less

See it if you like to laugh at politics

Don't see it if you are a firmly red or blue state

Also This show probably deserves a higher rating. The audience was in stitches. At the end Colin shames every state one at a time and it is sooo clever.
But when you do political satire you are bound to offend someone at sometime.... Read more Read less