Curvy Widow NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (165)
See it if The very talented cast, especially Nancy Opel present with singing and dancing the ups and downs of online dating. Although this funny,
Don't see it if you do not like musicals. Read more
See it if you are a fan of musical comedy in an intimate setting! It's clever & the performers are fantastic, especially Nancy Opel...she's great!!!
Don't see it if you prefer a more traditional Big Broadway style show. This is a fun evening that offers some good laughs performed by an excellent cast!
See it if You're up for an overdue, well-delivered, bland if clever musical about menopausal online dating, desire and, finally, fulfillment.
Don't see it if You're wanting more than just a pleasant & entertaining evening. Good performances but an ultimately bland score well delivered by Ms. Opel. Read more
See it if you enjoy a formula off-Broadway musical comedy with dramatic overtones
Don't see it if you are looking for a big, splashy musical
See it if you like true stories or are a fan of James Goldman and/or Bobby Goldman, his widow.
Don't see it if frank talk about sex and dating at a mature age offends you, or older women's sexual experiences & enjoyment doesn't interest you.
See it if You enjoy chick flicks for senior citizens AND can laugh at yourself and the myths of sexuality among seniors. A musical comedy with heart.
Don't see it if If you planned to see a quiet comedy about seniors, that this true story musical is not.
See it if you'd enjoy an original (autobiographical) surprisingly touching story, set to great music with hysterical lyrics. Cast of 6 is very strong.
Don't see it if you're a total sourpuss. Lots of laughs, few touching moments as well. Really surprised how good it actually is. 90min flew by w/o noticing. Read more
See it if You like light-hearted musical comedy with an underlying message the issues of ageing and loneliness.
Don't see it if You like the issues of age and widowhood taken seriously and are not ready to laugh at life.
Critic Reviews (36)
“A raunchy, occasionally funny, but clichéd, 85-minute musical…The show takes a precipitous dive into incongruous dopiness during a pharmacy scene when Bobby and a friend…go shopping for condoms. Also not particularly helpful is the tired conceit of having the ghost of Bobby's husband wandering in and out...Much of 'Curvy Widow''s appeal comes from the doll-faced Opel…Opel has a big voice that can belt a song as well as finesse it for pathos.”
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"The production sinks or swims on the capabilities of the actor portraying Bobby. Fortunately that actor is the clear-voiced powerhouse Nancy Opel...Brody’s score is uncomplicated but Opel finds the tenderness in ballads...However, there are some corny and/or tacky moments that even Opel cannot mug her way out of...Goldman, in writing about herself, offers a fully fleshed-out Bobby...The supporting characters could only be so lucky; little writerly attention has been paid to them at all."
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"The show is lightweight and escapist stuff, but it has moments of thoughtfulness as well as fun. It’s a fine part for Opel, who brings to this star turn all of the comic talents she’s sharpened...It’s a pleasure to see a cast of mature performers carrying a show so adeptly, and it’s refreshing that Goldman didn’t feel the need to write in any sweet young things...The score, by Drew Brody, has some run-of-the-mill, generic-sounding songs. But it has a few dandy ones too."
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"Simplistic fun and mildly diverting...Not shiny or new, but an enjoyable enough romp...Without Opel’s stage presence though, I have a good feeling this show might not be able to sell itself so easily. She owns the stage and garners our good wishes...It’s silly and predictable, funny and enjoyable, with obvious jokes...This is standard 'Widow' fare humor, if there is such a thing, balancing the mourning and dating world in laughter and pathos."
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"Goldman’s book could easily be fortified with deeper levels of exposition...More about the fictional Bobby and what moves her from grieving to living would be welcomed. Brody’s music and lyrics are pleasing...Flynn keeps the musical moving at the proper pace and his staging is visually delightful...'Curvy Widow' is a charming and engaging exploration of the balancing act performed when navigating bereavement and discovering one’s 'groove.'"
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"Goldman’s book is smart and savvy, punched with one-liners that Opel delivers in spades...And while this works for the majority of 'Curvy Widow’s' fast-paced 90 minutes, it’s occasionally too slick and calculated, and one wishes that cast and audience alike could pause and take a deep breath...Wayne Barker’s orchestrations and arrangements elevate Brody’s score to maximize the ensemble’s talents."
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"Goldman’s is a noble gesture, and, with Drew Brody’s songs, she’s produced a mildly amusing entertainment that, for obvious reasons, will likely find its most appreciative audiences among other widows looking for hope...Speaking of tunes, Opel powerfully sings almost every one of Brody’s...Flynn is the director and Santana the choreography, and they’ve certainly gotten everything out of the cast—especially Opel—and the material as they possibly can."
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"Opel pulls off a tour de force...Vocally she soars with emotional pathos that makes us laugh, cry, and relate...The rest of the cast all sings, dances, and plays a multitude of roles with panache...The direction is seamless allowing for flow, while the choreography is delightfully simplistic...The songs are fleshed out, lush and take us on this musical roller coaster called life...The book is intelligent, witty, and smart...Relatable, funny, and enjoyable."
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