STEVEN H NJ

See it if you have nothing else to do for 3 hours and you must see something at Lincoln Center Theater.

Don't see it if you like your plays coherent.

See it if you want to see a great Broadway play in a great production. The dialogue is intelligent and sparkling.

Don't see it if you dislike male nudity. It's not gratuitous, but if you don't want to see a penis, don't go.

Also I saw, and loved, the original Broadway production 20 years ago and this production does not disappoint. The actors do an incredible job. The plot twists still surprise. Just a marvelous show.... Read more Read less

See it if you're into musicals about gay, Black writers, writing a show about a gay, Black writer and are OK with a lot of navel gazing.

Don't see it if navel gazing, self-referential shows turn you off. Also if the "N" word upsets you, stay away.

See it if you feel that you must see a bunch of millennial gay men debate their lives. while acting too stupid for their own dialog.

Don't see it if you want to see a show that makes sense.

Also I walked in wanting to like the play, but the main characters all acted like morons while spouting political talking points. There was just no there there.... Read more Read less

See it if you wish to see this classic Sondheim musical updated and gender-reversed.

Don't see it if you have no patience for musicals without a clear story line.

Also This gender-reversed Company boldly brings this musical into the 21st century. Some of the directorial choices were brilliant and brought gasps of joy and laughter to the audience, but some of the choices (mostly affecting Bobbie) left me cold (i.e. why she avoiding center stage during Marry Me A Little; and why name check the Chrysler Building?). Overall, this is the best-realized production of Company that I've seen (I've seen 3 on Broadway, alone).... Read more Read less

See it if you like modern opera.

Don't see it if you need music with melody.

Also I loved the play, which I saw in its original Off-Broadway production. The story retains its power here and the actors do their best with the material. Unfortunately, the complete lack of any melodies left me cold. This is, unfortunately, not my cup of tea from musical standpoint.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see great actors performing a fun, devilish play.

Don't see it if you need answers to all of the questions posed by a play or if you only like musicals.

See it if you absolutely need to. There is one great tap number and some attractive songs, but there is no there there.

Don't see it if you wish to see a coherent story.

Also The the tap number performed by Tony Yazbeck and Atticus Ware was spectacular and some of the songs quite wonderful, but it was all in service of nothing. There is no story to speak of and no point to be made. The production left me just wondering why all of this talent was spent on something with so little (if anything) to say.... Read more Read less

See it if you're ready to be knocked over by Victoria Clark and the rest of the cast's excellent performances and Jeanine Tesori's marvelous score.

Don't see it if you're unable to suspend disbelief at looking at a middle-aged woman playing a 16 year old who is supposed to look like she's 72.

Also One complaint: too many pot-shots at NJ. Not everyone wants to live in NYC.... Read more Read less

See it if you like talky shows, even if there is not much interaction between the characters.

Don't see it if talky shows with no interaction between the characters bother or bore you.

Also I enjoyed this show, while most of the people in my party were less enthralled. The show commits the cardinal sin of always telling and not showing. This could just as well be a zoom performance and lose little of its appeal (except it is still great to be back in a theater watching live performers).... Read more Read less

See it if you like big, brassy musicals.

Don't see it if you dislike musicals, or prefer smaller, more intimate productions.

See it if you want to see three extraordinary actors providing amazing performances and/or you have any interest in US financial history.

Don't see it if you can't sit still for a 3+ hour play.

See it if you want to see a great singer rock out to the inevitability of death. Well staged and well performed by the entire cast/band.

Don't see it if you are hoping for a traditional musical or play, or if you have trouble dealing with the fact that everyone's going to die.

See it if You want to see some good actors doing pretty good work in an OK, but certainly not great comedy.

Don't see it if You want to see something excellent.

See it if you are not afraid of a long play that really takes its time to get to the point.

Don't see it if you don't have the patience for an overlong, talky play.

Also I thought the whole point of the play boiled down to the last five minutes. For a three act play, that's along time to get to the point, not matter how salient.

While the acting and direction were extraordinary, placing a column right at the front of center stage was really a terrible choice. I purchased what should have been perfect tickets and then I had a pole in front of me for the whole show.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a quirky, but funny and intelligent play about identity. It can be confusing but also funny and enjoyable.

Don't see it if you want a straightforward play with no ambiguity.

See it if you like political dramas and want to be reminded that political dysfunction didn't start in the current administration.

Don't see it if don't like talky political drama.

See it if you like sweeping, intelligent plays about gay men and their (mostly recent) history.

Don't see it if you're uncomfortable with shows about gay men or just uncomfortable sitting in a theater for 7 hours.

See it if you're not afraid of watching a play's anti-hero disintegrate before your eyes.

Don't see it if you don't like talky plays or shows without a clear, easy-to-root-for protagonist. Also don't see it if you dislike stage nudity/sex.

See it if you want to see great acting and a thoroughly enthralling piece of theater.

Don't see it if you don't like talky plays that don't have a clear, unambiguous ending.

See it if you want to see a truly funny musical comedy.

Don't see it if you hate musicals.

See it if you wish to see a unique family drama told in an unusual format. The acting is excellent and the writing is brilliant.

Don't see it if you don't like seeing actual children playing children on the stage.

See it if you want to see a badly acted, horribly directed mess of a play. From this production I can't even tell why anyone would ever produce this.

Don't see it if you have anything better to do.

Also If for some reason you need to see this production, do not sit in the first 3 rows. Inexplicably, they decided to raise the stage so that the first few rows has to strain their necks looking up. FYI, I was not in those rows, but I recognized how it would affect anyone sitting near the front. I hated it from an otherwise perfect seat.... Read more Read less

See it if you like musicals with social relevance.

Don't see it if you just want light entertainment.

See it if you need to see everything Duncan Sheik produces.

Don't see it if you want something new or even interesting to say.

See it if must.

Don't see it if you want to see something good. The only reason I scored it as high as I did is because the production is beautiful and the actors are good.

See it if you like great theater. This show is just about perfect. The script, the staging, and the acting are all exceptional.

Don't see it if if you don't want to sit through a 2.5 hour play no matter how wonderful it is.

Also I just loved everything about this new script and production. The acting and direction are extraordinary. Aaron Sorkin's take on this classic works so well at telling the story of it's time and reminding us that too many of the injustices reflected still exist today.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a small slice of 1969 radicalism.

Don't see it if you're looking for a great show with lots of great insights.

See it if you have nothing better to do.

Don't see it if you have anything better to do.

Also I really didn't hate everything about this play (although it may appear as though I did). The show kept my attention and half of the actors did a great job, but I just could not find the point of this play. I think of this play as a missed opportunity. I'd like to hear more voices of playwrights who are not straight white men, but this play didn't seem to have anything new to say, or maybe I just completely missed it.... Read more Read less

See it if you really want to see a train wreck of a show.

Don't see it if you appreciate good writing, or especially good lyrics.

See it if you want to see some extraordinary actors presenting a portrait of a life by weaving together the various aspects of her being.

Don't see it if you require straightforward story telling. This play is far from linear.

See it if you want to see the history of self-loathing in the pre-Stonewall gay community, performed by an expert group of out, gay actors.

Don't see it if you hate gay stories or hate to see self-loathing on stage.

See it if you want to see a lush, beautiful production of a classic musical.

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

See it if you have any interest in seeing three extraordinary actresses performing in a well written, well directed show.

Don't see it if you only like light, fluffy entertainment.

Also My only problem was with the audience at the the performance I saw. It was largely an older audience who were wearing headsets, but still needed to talk to each other and unwrap candies without any consideration for those around them.... Read more Read less

See it if you like Klezmer-style music and you're in any way empathetic toward the plight of refugees of any era.

Don't see it if you hate Canadians, Jews, or refugees.

See it if you want to watch an honest discussion of white guilt vs. diversity admissions in schools.

Don't see it if you are not interested in hearing people SCREAM their monologues at you.

See it if you want to see frequently naked guys discussing the benefits and difficulties of gay monogamy.

Don't see it if you don't want to see male nudity or prefer more profound examinations of gay life.

See it if you have a heart. It is just a pure exuberant heart-tugging joy of a show.

Don't see it if you hate musicals.

See it if you feel the need to see Anna Chlumsky, Becky Ann Baker and/or Adam Paley even in a bad show.

Don't see it if you like interesting theater.

See it if You're interested in high finance, especially issues about how the markets can be manipulated.

Don't see it if You're interested in fluff.

See it if You want to take a trip back to the pre-AIDS era of gay life.

Don't see it if You're afraid of gay content.

Also Despite great acting by the whole cast, the show still needs Harvey Fierstein. Having seen the original production, I couldn't help but miss everything Harvey brought to the show, not least his voice and body size. As good as Michael Urie is, every line referring to voice and body size is misdirected in the revival.... Read more Read less

See it if you like the original movie.

Don't see it if don't like the original movie or don't like fantastic elements (like being caught in a time loop).

See it if you don't mind a show that goes in circles and occasionally hops the track. I enjoyed it, even when it didn't make sense.

Don't see it if You like your shows straightforward or want them to make a definite point.

See it if You want to see a serious, well-acted but muddled play about the difficulties faced by young African American males.

Don't see it if You are not already familiar with the issues of the school to prison pipeline in today's schools. The play doesn't let you in otherwise.

See it if you want to see an intelligently written, well acted comic drama.

Don't see it if you are easily offended by curse words.

See it if You love the music of GrooveLily and are willing to sit through a mediocre story to hear it live.

Don't see it if You want your musical to have an interesting story.

See it if You really, really like Sally Field.

Don't see it if You don't want to sit through 2 hours and five minutes (without intermission) of a muddled staging of a stage classic.

See it if You care more about seeing great actors than about the play's message or you don't mind a muddled message.

Don't see it if You want your theater to have a clear point of view.

See it if Enjoy weighty discussions of faith but don't require any answers or even personal breakthroughs.

Don't see it if you hate pregnant pauses, slow moving and talky plays, or desire some kind of catharsis or thought-provoking ending.