A Taste of Things to Come
The York Theatre Company presents the New York premiere of this musical that starts off in 1957 Illinois as four female friends enter a Betty Crocker cooking contest with life-altering results.
Little do these women know that the contest is a recipe for disaster, one that will set off a chain reaction that will change their lives forever. When they reunite ten years later, they are very different people in a very different world—but can they still be as close as they once were? In an age when the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, they'll discover that the way to a woman's heart is through her best friends.
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- 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Already closed
- York Theatre at St Peter's Church (Midtown E)
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Reviews (133)
15 Critics' Reviews
"The show enters that familiar theatrical territory of change among friends over time, and you can just sit back and wait for the inevitable revelations and confessionals. None are especially profound, and nostalgia trips to the 1950s and ’60s have been so numerous in recent years that a lot of what’s here seems tired and perfunctory. But the energetic performances, directed and choreographed by Lorin Latarro, are something to savor, and so are the harmonies." Full Review
"York's fun and frothy new entry features a dynamite cast and enough tuneful cleverness for a brightly entertaining evening...The thin plot has the quartet whipping up recipes in hopes to grab the $50,000 grand prize in a cooking contest, but it's just an excuse to explore the dynamics of their friendships...May not be the most sophisticated entertainment in town, but with its modest production requirements and lively spirit, it should wind up becoming a popular choice for regional theatre." Full Review
"An empowering tale receiving its premiere at the perfect time in our nation's history...Though the script is thin, the secrets not so surprising, and the central conflict too easily resolved, the writers have supplemented their dialogue with a flavorsome score of tunes that expertly shift in style with the times...Under the direction of veteran Broadway choreographer Lorin Latarro, the four-member cast perform their roles with zest." Full Review
"This gals'-night-out entertainment woos its target audience with easy, familiar gags about eras past and peppy musical numbers -- never mind that it's all been said before, with far more wit and invention…The songs tend to sheathe rudimentary lyrics in uptempo melodies that go down easy…The ladies themselves are all winners, giving everything they have to material that doesn't always return the favor…There's no getting around the fact that the taste it offers is remarkably bland." Full Review
“These nostalgic reminders of the days some deluded people think was when America was ‘greater’ than now are embedded in fast-paced, quip-packed dialogue and high-fructose pastiche songs written in various pop genres of the 50s...There's really nothing here we haven't seen before...The inventively bouncy and comic staging and choreography of Lorin Latarro takes familiar material and makes it enjoyably fresh, the way a good cook does in creating a flavorsome new recipe.” Full Review
"A show that contains a lot less nourishment than it does empty calories…Although there's technically a through line, it's not much more than a flimsy excuse for dispensing watery period-styled songs…It's all peppy, but rather unavoidably pointless…The most successful songs are the two that are more about introspection than pastiche…There's heart in these numbers that's attractive, even moving...The rest of this well-intentioned musical, though, is overbaked." Full Review
"It asks the musical question, can four powerhouse actors with Broadway-caliber voices rise above their one-dimensional characters and just mildly funny book to bring home a satisfying production? Yes, they manage to deliver the goods, but the goods are less than great...Ms. Dacal and Ms. Faure both ignite the stage with their showcase numbers…Ms. Guinn’s Dottie is a more problematic and hard-to-believe character...Still, she manages to shine in her Act II paean to motherhood." Full Review
"The music by Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin is catchy and fun. The tale simplistic, but gets its point across. Right now any shows about empowering women will hit the audience like a bull's-eye...This is a piece of nostalgia...The cast is superb and they all make the most of their material. I just want to know the vocal range of Allison Guinn because this girl seems to have no bottom or top...These girls represent the best of New York." Full Review
"Toward the end of the first act, despite all the talent, the sameness in tone can get a bit cloying...What I hoped would happen in the second act does…Four delightful actresses give spirited performances in both acts…The book wraps up quite a bit in too-pat a fashion...But interjected are terrific performance turns...One comes away admiring how well the cast can act and sing, and how much the music and lyrics succeed in typifying two different eras for women." Full Review
"The plot is predictable as pumpkin pie at a Thanksgiving meal…The show's strength comes from the performers, all of whom have impressive voices and acting know-how…The show is at its best when it sings and dances, since Barsha and Levin have created types rather than fully fleshed-out characters. That said, as helmed and choreographed by Lorin Latarro and performed by the sparkling talent, it offers an enjoyable holiday diversion." Full Review
"Documenting the influential and crucial decade between the '50's and '60's, Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin's new musical 'A Taste of Things to Come' is a very pointed yet enjoyable exploration of these transformative years for the housewife, told through the eyes of four women who have a common interest in cooking." Full Review
"It is the story of friendship. It is the story of secrets. It is the story of bonds that can never be broken. Any woman that has ever had lifelong friends can relate to it. However, it is not only a show for women, the story is very entertaining and there is a lot of humor in it. The songs are fun although I wouldn't say any of them stuck in my mind after the show...It is just a fabulous fun time from beginning to end." Full Review
"'A Taste of Things to Come' is a wonderful new musical that has a lot to say about how the times influence our lives, and how slowly progress comes about...The original score by Barsha and Levin is quite exceptional and reflects the tone and popular songs of both decades. The show is thoroughly enjoyable and the cast couldn’t be any more perfect as these four talented performers all shine, and their brilliant performances help us to understand their individual journeys." Full Review
for a previous production "While it’s a mostly enjoyable show, it’s too lighthearted for its own good; it would be more satisfying if the characters and their conflicts had more depth…Most of the songs aren’t especially distinctive in their own right, but they’re pleasant pastiches that will keep audience members tapping their feet…They’re helped by a winning cast…Lorin Latarro has provided a swift, elegant production that is entertaining from start to finish. Her choreography is consistently creative." Full Review
for a previous production "Cheers to the writers for making these characters a bit complicated, but it’s too bad they shy away from those complexities. Tension is built, then tossed aside. The show is directed and choreographed by Lorin Latarro with lots of energy, and some clever touches…There are some nice moments here: wonderful performances, fantastic singing, and laughs…The show flew by, and is entertaining while making some insightful observations...But I wish it did more than skim the surface." Full Review
118 Members' Reviews
See it if York Theatre Company musical that starts off in 1957 Illinois as four female friends and ends 10 years later. All Broadway cast.
Don't see it if you can't enjoy a little silly humor.
See it if you want to see something funny, clever, and unique.
Don't see it if you don't like new interpretations of the past.
See it if you like zippy, campy, highly energetic shows with cartoonish characters and cliches galore. This material is so thin, it's almost a review.
Don't see it if you want something fresh, original, challenging or at the very least, smart. How can something be so energetic and tedious at the same time?
See it if you enjoy fun, nostalgic musicals that take place in the 50's/60's. Awesome cast who performed well together.
Don't see it if If you are looking for a large scale musical or you do not care to period pieces.
See it if you want the storytelling of Jersey Boys with the female friendships of The Marvelous Wonderettes and a lackluster original score.
Don't see it if you want to be challenged. I admire all the awesome female energy behind the show but the material was convoluted and too safe.
Also Shows like Jersey Boys and The Marvelous Wonderettes know what they ar... Read more Read less
See it if you'll enjoy a fun and perceptive view of women's available life choices in the 50s & 60s. Great cast, great band, great time!
Don't see it if you don't want women to have choices. All choices are respected, but you have to want to root for all women. Hey, even the band is all women
See it if You like '50s- and '60s-themed nostalgia, bouncy period melodies,women-centric stories of transformation from housewives to liberated women.
Don't see it if You tire easily of cliches where each character is also a stock "type," you are not into '50s-'60s nostalgia or women's liberation musicals.
See it if Story centers around 4 friends in a midwestern chapter of a Betty Crocker cooking club in the 1950's-all with their own challenges & secrets
Don't see it if If you are not up for a bit of nostalgia or light feminist commentary, wrapped in bouncy musical numbers.
Also Act 2 opens with a reunion of the cooking club 10 years later in the h... Read more Read less
See it if you have been a housewife in the 50s-60s. This is a nice musical for that generation. The girls are funny but some notes were out of tune.
Don't see it if you want to leave inspired. This one is just another very average musical with several funny moments.
See it if You enjoy superb talent, good music, and a look at what life was in the 50s for women and what it could become.
Don't see it if You don't enjoy shows that have a women only cast and band. You don't like shows that deal with woman's issues even if funny.
See it if you enjoy a good time based on great singing and sharply observed details. All the performers including the band are marvelous.
Don't see it if hearing words coming too quickly is difficult. Some of the lyrics are sung at rapid speeds . You will still understand the subjects.
See it if 4 talented women whose friendship centers around the weekly cooking club, who find their strengths and growth during a 10-yr. separation.
Don't see it if Do not like dated shows centering upon women's friendships, separations from each other and their growth.
Also Very well executed!
See it if A picture postcard of women's lives in the 1950's and the late 1960's. Wonderful costumes, hairdos and set design !
Don't see it if You are looking for a deep and or serious show. This is most definitely NOT that ! If you don't enjoy sashaying down memory lane !
See it if LIKE MUSICALS
Don't see it if DONT LIKE MUSICALS
See it if Pedestrian staging & choreography fail to dim 4 zesty leading ladies and their quest for fufilling destinies in turbulent 1950's - 60's
Don't see it if Nothing new in material but done with panache & verve by entertaining B'way musical vets Usually capable choreographer Latarro missteps here
See it if If I love Lucy and designing woman had a cooking show. This would be the love child . Lovley all around. this 57 baby was in TVDinner Bliss!
Don't see it if If musicals set in the 1950-1960s and woman issues are not important to you
Also So nice I saw it Twice!
See it if You like musicals with good singing for a light evening this is a perfect musical for you.
Don't see it if If you do not like mindless musicals.
See it if 4 strong singers / actors in a light fun depiction of women in the 50s and 60s. Great set, costumes and music. Characters and situations a
Don't see it if bit cookie-cutter / caricatured and lacked real depth, but overall most enjoyable.
See it if you like uplifting cute songs and kind of shmaltzy plotlines
Don't see it if you find trite, corny sentiments super annoying and boring.
See it if you want to catch 4 good performers, notwithstanding the vehicle is a pastiche of cliches of the 50's and 60's.
Don't see it if you expect a musical will leave you humming.
See it if You want to see a snapshot of women's life in the '50s, in a show with delightful music that is both funny and thought-provoking.
Don't see it if You're a misogynist, or want more out of shows than four women chatting in a kitchen.
Also The first act is a masterpiece, and would get 100. The second act, whi... Read more Read less
See it if You want to both enjoy the fun singing of extremely talented women and remember or learn that women's rights were a struggle.
Don't see it if You need a deeper storyline. But it's fun with a good message and great female band.