ZTheatre

See it if You like sung through musicals. You like musicals about flawed characters.

Don't see it if You prefer lite entertainment. Don’t like sung through musicals.

Also The story is small, but still very entertaining. Lovely performances all around.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy informative shows that present in audiobook style. You have an interest in banking.

Don't see it if You like traditional narratives and dialogue between characters.

Also This play is for a very specific audience. It’s very well staged, designed, and acted. But for me, the history being told in this very bookish manner couldn’t hold my attention for it’s 3 hour plus runtime.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re open to new insights on an old show.

Don't see it if You don’t feel like shows should be tinkered with.

Also The direction is the star. Smart and intelligent and interesting slant on Bobbie and friends. A few numbers don’t pop as well and some gags need tightening, but extremely enjoyable.... Read more Read less

See it if You like new musicals. You like shows that interweave times/characters/truth searching.

Don't see it if You want a new musical theatre feels fresh.

Also I had a hard time investing in the story and characters in the current storyline. They feel like a put-on devise for the story in the past. That story may have been better told in a straightforward narrative as I’m unsure who’s vision or flashback they were supposed to be since no one alive was telling them.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Hnath's previous work. You like plays that are crafted and not necessarily like other’s you’ve seen.

Don't see it if You want a traditional play. This is based on a transcript.

Also It takes a few minutes to settle into the lip syncing, but I did, and it’s very impressive. I did leave the theater with many questions, and wanting to hear more.... Read more Read less

See it if A family drama with a mysterious element sounds appealing.

Don't see it if You don’t want to be challenged and want pure entertainment.

Also Well acted, led by a charming performance by Aaron Yoo. I found the story to grow very nicely over 90 minutes and was completely compelled.... Read more Read less

See it if You are looking for a small new play that deals with the mental aspects of sex and desire.

Don't see it if You want a rational and well thought out characters and plot.

Also Unfortunately, I didn’t buy a second of it. The plot or the characters. Even if you can put aside the circumstances, I couldn’t buy why the two main characters would have the conversations they were having or information they were revealing to one another. Like the lead make character, the play feels like it’s trying really hard to be provocative.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Drew Droege or enjoy shows where one actor plays multiple roles.

Don't see it if You dislike one actor playing multiple roles.

Also I smiled more than I laughed out loud. But I still enjoyed myself.

See it if A small depression era play integrated with some of Bob Dylan’s lesser known songs, sounds appealing.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a big splashy musical.

Also This show definitely won’t be for everyone. But I found this moody, well staged, beautiful acted show to be very absorbing.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a new drama with a small ensemble about family secrets being revealed.

Don't see it if You are interested in seeing a comedy or a play isn’t obvious in its twists and turns.

Also It’s pretty obvious where the play is going prior to getting there. There are 2 reveals that I think are supposed to shock us, but are obvious several minutes prior to the reveal. The play feels a bit hollow and dependent on these 2 moments.... Read more Read less

See it if You like dark comedies.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a play that’s worked out all it’s kinks.

Also The script has its moments, especially towards the later half. The demons knowing so little about earth felt like lazy plot device. But the “repo” scene is quite inspired. The performance I saw lacked energy & the pacing was so slow most of the comedy fell flat.... Read more Read less

See it if You like a new small, character driven musicals.

Don't see it if You want to see characters you haven’t seen many times before.

Also Some nice songs, and very well staged. But the story and characters feel like material I’ve seen over and over again.... Read more Read less

See it if You love history and musicals.

Don't see it if You want a classical sounding musical.

Also Took me awhile to final see it. I appreciated that current cast made the roles their own and didn’t sound like copies of the recording.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a revival of play about African American soldiers and a crime as they await shipping out during WWII.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a play that doesn’t feel dated.

Also The play didn’t gel for me. The pacing felt stagnant and the script feels predictable.Some nice performances.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new comedy about a family dealing with feeling unseen.

Don't see it if You want dark humor.

Also There are a few good jokes and few nice moments, but it doesn’t add up to anything I didn’t feel I’ve seen many times before.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in a retelling if real life moment.

Don't see it if You want a play based on facts, as it’s not a play in general sense of the term.

Also I thought staging and performances were great, especially Emily Davis. But when we get to the end it left underwhelmed. I respect we they are interpreting a transcript, but I wanted more.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a storytelling solo show with cheeky humor.

Don't see it if You want to see solo show where the perform plays a character.

Also There’s funny bits, but I wish the show was more structured. The beginning is basically a ramble. The show does end with a great funny, sad story; I wanted more of that.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new play about timely issues.

Don't see it if You want to see a play that is well structured

Also The acting is uneven. Feels like a long “Law and Order” episode. Way too much setup for what you can see coming a mile away.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a simple yet elegantly designed production of a classic.

Don't see it if You aren’t a fan of the source material.

Also Beautiful directed, acted, and staged.

See it if You have seen and enjoyed other Police Cops shows.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a sharp satire.

Also I saw the other Police Cops shows in 2018 and enjoyed them a lot. The material here isn’t nearly as strong. The satire/parody isn’t as biting.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re a fan of Foote’s writing.

Don't see it if You want a plot that continues to grow past the second scene

Also The play makes its point early in and never really has much to say after it does. Kristine Nielsen Is miscast... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new play with a terrific ensemble and some great dialogue.

Don't see it if You want a longer play with huge production values.

Also Well written, well acted. A fun and intense 75 minutes in the Theatre.

See it if You want to see a new play that delves into race, sex, and power.

Don't see it if You want some lite and fluffy.

Also Interesting thoughts on how race and power play into sex and attraction. Strong cast.... Read more Read less

See it if You like to support a show with a horror theme.

Don't see it if You want a plot that isn’t strung together with ideas.

Also The degree of difficulty is large on creating a thriller/horror live stage play, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. The exposition is muddled and payoff isn’t frightening.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new play about current events.

Don't see it if You want a play that has found its tone.

Also I think there’s a really good dark comedy or political thriller somewhere in this play. But mixing the 2 didn’t work for me. I would have preferred them leaning into one genre. I also found the ending unsatisfying.... Read more Read less

See it if You like non traditional story telling. Plays that mix dialogue, monologues, music, and poetry.

Don't see it if You prefer plays with a linear plot and character development.

Also A bit of a slow start. The middle 30-40 minutes are very good. I prefer more linear storytelling, but still find moments thought provoking.... Read more Read less

See it if If you are looking for a fluffy comedy.

Don't see it if You want something challenging.

Also The script is very obvious in both plot and jokes.

See it if You like gritty dramas about families struggling with money and trust.

Don't see it if You don’t want to see a realistic portrayal of a splintered family.

Also The acting is wonderful across the board. The script has some great moments, but also tends to circle itself a few times. The first act is the stronger of the two.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re a fan of Lett’s previous work. You like ensemble plays.

Don't see it if You don’t like your comedy dark.

Also There’s some great stuff here. And the ending is powerful. But there’s maybe one/two too many characters. And because we spend time with all of them, it slows down what we are really getting to. And then the ending feels rushed.... Read more Read less

See it if A new play about a family dealing with undocumented immigration is appealing to you.

Don't see it if You prefer your plays to be character studies.

Also What was missing for me and kept me from being fully engaged was personality. I never got a sense of who these people where beyond the immagration issues. They feel like mouth pieces for one thought, and not people.... Read more Read less

See it if You like see brand new plays. You like ensemble casts.

Don't see it if You want a play that’s ready for an audience.

Also The script is in need of a lot of work. Way too long, characters talking in philosophical circles. The main event of the play feels forced. The only interesting unique character is the youngest son with a new “job”.... Read more Read less

See it if You like plays that mix humor and drama. Plays that tell stories about groups you don’t often see depicted.

Don't see it if You are looking for an all out comedy or all out drama.

Also The ensemble is great. Great performances all around. The only thing keeping me from score the show higher is the run time. Currently it’s 2.5 hours, and definitely needs trimming and tightening.... Read more Read less

See it if You are looking for something different. A little bit of a solo play, a little bit of a cabaret act, a little bit of a rock show.

Don't see it if You want traditional theatre.

Also There’s a lot of things to like; some great much, a few nice stories, a great band. But unfortunately it’s so thinly strung together it feels twee.... Read more Read less

See it if You like non traditional storytelling. You like historical storytelling.

Don't see it if You don’t like plays with music, or have no interest in the horrors inflicted in Cambodia.

Also Well written and well performed. Perhaps a little too much relying on the music, I wanted to into and back to the story. But overall, well done.... Read more Read less

See it if The idea of seeing a story be shaped Morissette’s music is appealing.

Don't see it if You want a show that isn’t biting off more than it can chew.

Also I appreciate when the creators choose to tell a story when using an artist’s catalog, instead of a revue or bio show. Having said that, this show feels like it was assigned to cover every topic and squeeze it in; race, adoption, sexual assault, prescription addition, peer pressure, depression, sexuality, climate...and I may be missing some. The show feels over stuffed, but there are some numbers that work great.... Read more Read less

See it if You like small, intimate plays about characters getting to know one another and their darkness.

Don't see it if You want a traditional play that doesn’t break the 4th wall.

Also Both actors are great. Lots of great dialogue. The play does sometimes feel stagnant, perhaps a 3rd actor playing the other roles may have helped.... Read more Read less

See it if You are someone who enjoys non-linear plays. Or have an interest in reenactora.

Don't see it if You are someone who likes linear plays. Or plays with a straight forward plot.

Also Because of the way the material is presented, I never felt I got to know any of these people or their passion for reenactments. Therefore I was never invested.... Read more Read less

See it if You are young person in your life interested in musical theatre.

Don't see it if You’re looking for a show that is more then just a cute idea.

Also It’s a cute idea, but the extremely thin plot doesn’t help. At times it’s trying to be a fluffy comedy and others it’s trying to be a social commentary, the mixture feels off.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in seeing a slow burn character study.

Don't see it if You want a comedy.

Also Some of the early scenes are very slow paced and I felt I was 2 steps ahead of everything that was happening. But everything turned for me in the plays final 3 scenes where realism and acting became very strong.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Stephen Adly Guirgis. Or want a beautiful portrait of damaged people.

Don't see it if You want lite and fluffy, or need to love all the characters.

Also It made me laugh and it broke my heart, what more can you ask for.

See it if You like bare bones productions that use non traditional storytelling.

Don't see it if You want a straight forward linear play.

Also The play has some lovely moments. But at times tends to sink into over-sentimentality. The ensemble works well together and each has nice solo moments.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a non-traditional non-linear play that bridges fantasy with real people.

Don't see it if You want to see a traditional linear play.

Also I had a hard time following action and story. The play doesn't follow the same narrative through-out; sometimes the characters are speaking to each other, sometimes directly to audience, sometimes to a musician at the foot of stage. Nice design elements, but unable to wrap my head around the relationship of the two characters.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a brand new play that centers around twenty-something’s dealing with love, loss, and career.

Don't see it if You want to see a well structured play.

Also I have to echo most of the reviews here, it’s way too long and slow. There’s some nice moments and nice performances but pacing and runtime get in its way.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new play with great performances from Will Sarratt and Marcia Debonis.

Don't see it if You want a play that doesn’t ask you to take one too many leaps.

Also There’s some great funny and touching moments here. But I wasn’t able to buy into where the mother and son were in there life after a very tragic, puzzling event had happened to them. We are asked to believe this event happened only 6 months ago. But they are deal with it as if it was 6 years ago. Both actors are great and make that leap easier to digest.... Read more Read less

See it if You are a fan of Lucas Hnath and interested in any of his plays.

Don't see it if You want a play that that takes you in and doesn’t let go.

Also I’m a fan Hnath, but this feels a bit too slight. It might be the presentational style in which the story is told, but it feels like a screenplay. There are some interesting things being said about death and family, it just didn’t keep me intrigued from beginning to end.... Read more Read less

See it if You’re a fan of Hunter’s previous plays. You like intimate character dramas.

Don't see it if You want something breezy and lite.

Also Edmund Donovan is fantastic and continues to be an actor to watch.

See it if You love the show and want a fun night out.

Don't see it if You want a revival that tries to reinvent the show.

Also A pretty standard revival of a solid show. I enjoyed that Blanchard didn’t repeat Greene’s interpretation and made the role her own.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a small new musical with a great score.

Don't see it if You want a plot/book that is strong.

Also Can’t say enough about the score. Just wish the book was a bit more fleshed out.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new play driven by 4 great performances.

Don't see it if You want a play that is strong throughout.

Also The first and last scene are great, but so much of the middle felt like filler. The ensemble does make it work.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to see a new dark comedy.

Don't see it if You prefer your comedy lite and fluffy.

Also 2 terrific performances. Definitely recommend for those who enjoy flawed characters.... Read more Read less