Dead Poets Society
Closed 1h 40m
Dead Poets Society
79

Dead Poets Society NYC Reviews and Tickets

79%
(103 Ratings)
Positive
88%
Mixed
12%
Negative
0%
Members say
Great acting, Great staging, Absorbing, Entertaining, Intelligent

About the Show

Classic Stage Company presents a stage adaptation of the Oscar-nominated movie, with Jason Sudeikis in Robin Williams' inspirational teacher role. Directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (103)

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350 Reviews | 163 Followers
80
Absorbing, Great staging, Entertaining, Classic

See it if You are a fan of the movie. It is a faithful adaptation. Jason Sudeikis gives an admirable performance in an iconic role.

Don't see it if You are looking for something new from the story. It is merely a stage adaptation of the film. But as one of my favorites, I didn't mind!

284 Reviews | 85 Followers
80
Great acting, Intelligent, Thought-provoking, Funny, Resonant

See it if Jason Sudeikis does a fine job as John Keating. It is a great transfer of the film to the stage. The cast of young men are superb. Poignant.

Don't see it if Excessive amounts of books, repetitive humming of the same tune and breaking of the wall between actor & audience makes you nervous.

407 Reviews | 66 Followers
80
Delightful, Quirky, Thought-provoking, Great acting, Great staging

See it if enjoy a humorous look at a popular film on stage. Jason Sudakis is wonderful. Cast is young and terrific.

Don't see it if whimsy doesn't suit you

123 Reviews | 211 Followers
79
Funny, Quirky, Confusing

See it if you want to see something different. Interesting story, but not for everyone.

Don't see it if you are seeing it because of Jason Sudeikis.

55 Reviews | 8 Followers
78
Absorbing, Great acting, Intelligent, Delightful

See it if you want to be moved by a strong, touching story. The acting was terrific. It needs 10 minutes to wrap up the students/teacher relationship.

Don't see it if you think the movie will be word-for-word on stage. It captures the essence beautifully but it is not the movie.

184 Reviews | 17 Followers
78
Intelligent, Well acted, Absorbing, Entertaining, Cliched

See it if you recall the film with fondness and want to see how it was adapted for the stage.

Don't see it if you'd be happier seeing Robin Williams in the movie.

77 Reviews | 36 Followers
77
Great staging, Intelligent, Relevant

See it if You like coming of age drama, well-staged by Doyle. Sudeikis does not erase memories of Williams but is charming in his own way.

Don't see it if You really loved the movie and want a thrilling experience rather than a pleasant night at the theater.

93 Reviews | 16 Followers
76
Disappointing, Great acting, Great staging, Profound, Resonant

See it if you are a fan of the movie. It's definitely a show you see for the nostalgia rather than the show itself. It's still very well done, though

Don't see it if you're looking for an "amazing" play. It was enjoyable, with great actors/staging, but it wasn't the best script.

Critic Reviews (33)

Front Row Center
November 18th, 2016

"I am not a pushover. But this very fine production of ‘Dead Poets Society’ left me shattered and hopeful. In other words – a mess…This is a seamless production with every member of the cast inhabiting their characters with precision and grace...Every performance matches not only Sudeikis’ skill but the spirit of his character, John Keating, as well. It is a particularly poignant reminder that...the only hope is for us to remain vigilant and seize the day over and over again."
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Front Mezz Junkies
November 17th, 2016

"Heart-breaking, gorgeous stage adaptation...It’s a daring task he sets before himself, and in Keating’s words, Sudeikis does in fact ‘Seize the Day’ with all the gusto, power, and humor one could imagine...Each and every one of these young actors could be singled out for their delicate and intricate work, crafting unique portrayals of boys turning into men before our very eyes...The writing is poetic, not surprisingly, as is the direction (John Doyle) and the staging."
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Broadway Blog
November 17th, 2016

"Unfortunately, the stage version suffers by comparison...What Sudeikis lacks is the charisma and vulnerability that make his character’s story arc pack a punch...Most of the fault in the production lies not with the Sudeikis or the six actors cast to play Keating’s students, but with the script and its direction...The last third of the play is jumbled and confusing. Consequently the tragic climax of the story feels unmotivated and slightly empty."
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C
November 18th, 2016

"Penned by Schulman and directed with his trademark mixture of simplicity and ingenuity by Tony winner John Doyle...Sudeikis brings his rather unusual brand of gentle charisma and sharp-yet-loving sarcasm to the role. It’s a rather different take on Keating than his formidable screen predecessor Robin Williams, but it ultimately works quite well for Doyle’s lower-key, less sentimental interpretation."
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The Guardian (UK)
November 17th, 2016

"Sudeikis is superb – earnest and impish – but in the intervening decades, the substance of the piece now seems cheaply sentimental at best and morally suspect at worst...Keating’s ideology is not without its problems and the play’s argument for difference while erasing the experience of anyone who isn’t a middle- or upper-class man doesn’t sit well...Seize the day? Why not. Seize the ticket? Not so much."
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The Wrap
November 17th, 2016

"Sitting through Schulman’s play is a bore...Jason Sudeikis’ Keating isn’t entertaining. He’s a self-satisfied, full-of-himself professor...Sudeikis’ smugness never fails to be obnoxious. Keating is supposed to break through the boys’ repression to unleash their true talent and individuality. The problem is, Keating’s tactics are offensive...It doesn’t help that the father and headmaster are written (and performed) as though Charles Dickens were having a bad day."
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The Huffington Post
November 17th, 2016

"One of the evening’s main difficulties is that the ghost of Robin Williams seems to hover over the whole damn thing...Mr. Sudeikis is fine and altogether convincing as Keating...The problem on display is not one of actors, but adaptation...Doyle does a good job of directing 'Dead Poets Society' on a visionary scale...But there is nothing onstage down at CSC that knocks the film version out of your mind."
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B
December 1st, 2016

"While there have been many films that were turned into successful musicals, adapting a movie for the stage without musicalizing it doesn’t seem to add any value...A Cliffs Notes version that came across to me as bland and pointless. Jason Sudeikis is fine...The six young men who play the students are also very good...Their valiant efforts were largely sunk by the play’s blandness. Even the ending misfires...All this effort seems misguided as the play itself has so little point to it."
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