Between The Lines NYC Reviews and Tickets

87%

(353 Reviews)

Positive

98%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Enchanting, Delightful, Great singing, Clever

About the Show

A new musical based on the young adult novel by bestselling author Jodi Picoult and her daughter.

Delilah is an outsider in a new school and turns to her favorite book for comfort. But the lines between the two worlds of reality and fantasy begin to blur and Delilah has to confront whether she alone has the power to rewrite her own story.

The cast includes Julia Murney, who has played Elphaba in 'Wicked' on Broadway and on tour, and Arielle Jacobs, who played Princess Jasmine in 'Aladdin' on Broadway.

The music and lyrics of this musical are by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel, who won an Annie Award for 'Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.' They also write music for the Apple+ TV series 'Central Park.'

Member Reviews (353)

Cute, Entertaining, Enchanting

See it if Into the Woods meets Dear Evan Hansen meets Mean Girls/ It was fun and cute. I had fun.

Don't see it if You can't tolerate light and fluffy.

Romantic, Slow, Great singing, Cliched, Ambitious

See it if You like new musicals, esp. ones with princesses, mix of contemporary & royal costumes, romantic comedies, unexpected plot twists

Don't see it if not fond of rom-coms, have seen too many princess musicals, don't like fantasy, wish for more dancing, unrealistic plot developments

Quirky, Great staging, Entertaining, Clever, Enchanting

See it if you enjoy fairy tales, like happy endings, or are just looking to escape into something light and sweet, but with meaning.

Don't see it if you prefer darker material. Read more

Clever, Slow, Great singing, Entertaining, Ambitious

See it if Book fantasy helps a teen deal with difficult family & school situations; some beautiful singing, talented cast and a great human dog.

Don't see it if Story is a good one but needs some editing; set is lovely but distracting when there is visible movement behind the set of the back curtain Read more

Fluffy, Fun, Cliched, Funny, Entertaining

See it if you’d enjoy a fairytale story for young adults and the young at heart.

Don't see it if you don’t understand the pleasures of having your head in the clouds.

Enchanting, Entertaining

See it if a family friendly show - not quite sure who it's for - but well sung and staged on this space. could have a life in regional theater

Don't see it if want one tone - this is neither for adults nor teens - don't know what audience they'll find.

Unexceptional, Undistinguished music, Time-worn content, Excellent performers, Fabulous set, video effects, costumes

See it if you enjoy fine singers & dancers, musicals in general, fine set, costumes & video effects, fantasy, teenage angst & light weight scripts.

Don't see it if you desire some unique "takes" on a typical teenage problems theme, some in-depth insights, realism and better than mediocre music & lyrics

Cute, Enchanting, Funny, Entertaining, Absorbing

See it if You're a modern parent who wants to take their children to a TYA show that doesn't talk down to them.

Don't see it if You are an adult with no children who is also not a writer/creator of some kind. This is a love letter to the writing process. Read more

Critic Reviews (11)

"A musical based on a novel can never be the same as its source material, and it isn’t meant to be. But throw out too many of the original elements and you leave an audience wondering how you lost your way."
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"3/5 Stars. If you don't think about it too hard, the show is good-natured, escapist fun...But for a musical about finding a way to write your own unique narrative, 'Between the Lines' is filled with a lot of clichés and stock characters...And although it touches on dark subjects like depression and suicide, it is too lighthearted to explore such cutting questions...This musical is just good enough to leave you wanting more from it."
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"Like most new musicals, 'Between the Lines' is a bit overstuffed."
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The new show at the Kiser is by no means terrible -- it has flashes of wit, some catchy songs, nifty design touches, and one of the most appealing casts in town -- but it is also hugely derivative, seemingly assembled from a teen musical kit of parts. Its fanciful story is built on a shaky foundation, making it difficult to go along with its imaginative premise; it practically invites you to pick it apart.
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"As a genre musical, 'Between the Lines' does not break new ground, nor does it invigorate the formula. The performances are quite good and, visually, it's quite impressive, but the show overstays its welcome at nearly two-and-one-half hours long."
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"Belying its title, 'Between the Lines' doesn’t exactly contain much in the way of subtext. But there’s plenty enough surface charm to please its target audience."
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Into the Woods is not the only fairy tale for adults in New York right now. Between the Lines, based on the best-selling novel by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer, has been turned into a charming and delightful new musical which is actually an improvement over the overlong original. Featuring a talented and attractive cast headed by Arielle Jacobs, Julia Murney and Vicki Lewis as well as several unfamiliar faces, the show offers a melodic and bouncy score to witty and clever lyrics by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson in their New York theater debuts. Jeff Calhoun’s direction is sharp and smart making this an extremely entertaining show.
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'Between the Lines' bubbles with enthusiastic spunk, cheeky dialogue (with an occasional PG-rated edge), bouncily rhythmic music and lyrics by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, and acting ranging from straightforward musical comedy to over-the-top cartoonish…What works less well is an overstuffed plot that loses its focus on Delilah in order to explore other avenues... It simply bloats the lighthearted narrative to an excessively long two hours and 20 minutes.
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