Do I Hear a Waltz? NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (43)
See it if Not great Rodgers -- not great Sondheim. But this is what Encores does and I'm grateful for it. The Laurents book reminded me of him - nasty
Don't see it if The orchestra sounded great. Clay Elder is always a delight. The operatic tenor Troxell was powerful. The dancer Devin Roberts is a fave.
See it if It's gone now, but I was happy to see the show after liking the score all these years from the recording. The book and the score don't mesh.
Don't see it if The songs are often forced into the story and formulaic, but there are some beauties: Take the Moment, Do I Hear a Waltz, We're Gonna Be All
See it if you want to see a piece by two masters - Sondheim and Rodgers - that is a rare miss. Some lovely songs, but troubling book. Doesn't quite
Don't see it if you are easily annoyed by a book that doesn't quite work, or by a lead female character that has faults and is not always likeable
See it if you are a Rodgers and/or Sondheim fan and want to know why this is a "Why?" musical. Yes, it's flawed but a beautiful piece.
Don't see it if you want to see HAMILTON.
See it if you are a fan of Melissa Errico
Don't see it if you are expecting Rodgers and Sondheim at their peaks
See it if you are curious about this rarely staged Rodgers/Sondheim musical. Delightful, strong performances, another Encores! triumph.
Don't see it if you are looking for the best work from either of these musical theater greats. Charming though not substantial; a rare musical delight.
See it if The music. So many gems. Cute costumes. Charming and funny if lacking depth and understanding of material. Worthwhile for theatre buffs.
Don't see it if you want a perfect show. This production also struggles with tone and direction. The performances are just OK. Weak choreography.
See it if /for sensuous dancing evoking romance of Venice, tuneful Rogers score, Sondheim's brilliant lyrics, hilarious sarah stiles steals show
Don't see it if want to see an edgy musical with high production values; still, play is surprisingly grown up in portrayal of European sex outside marriage
Critic Reviews (18)
"Errico, Ziemba, and a lively cast do all their best in this excellent Encores! concert revival of Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim’s lackluster 1965 flop musical...It’s all mildly entertaining but not very compelling and overall dull...Cabnet has expertly staged the show with flair and visual precision...But as Sondheim describes it, 'Discussing the song 'Bargaining'…I said it was pleasant but no showstopper. Unfortunately, that describes the whole show'."
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“It’s simply not a must-see musical for the majority of theatergoers. Still, one should grab a ticket to these few performances even if you’re only mildly interested in the material. Frankly, any ticket is worth the price just to see and hear Melissa Errico...Indeed, the entire cast hits every mark it can...I may not need to see ‘Waltz’ again, but I sure wouldn’t mind being able to hear this production on CD.”
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"Occasionally clashing lyrics and melodies, though each finds its moments to shine throughout the score, but doesn’t explain Arthur Laurents’ odd book...With limited rehearsal, the cast approaches the material with zeal...Supporting cast members deliver light-hearted comic relief but the material never truly lifts off the page, leaving one to wonder if hearing this particular waltz after all these years was worth the wait."
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“The Encores production brings out the charm of this modest musical...The cast, mostly first-rate New York theater pros, each gets at least one number worthy of their talents...Richard Troxell, who recently made his Met opera debut, shows off his luscious lyric tenor...No, Rodgers and Sondheim is not Rodgers and Hammerstein, but after the show, I heard more than one theatergoing whistling a happy tune on Seventh Avenue.”
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"Right up there with some of the best scores Rodgers helped turn out—and Sondheim’s agile words are also among his most devilishly clever...Though singing as well as she always does, Errico hasn’t found the key to making Leona sympathetic, appealing despite her spite...A large part of the score is how Rodgers and Sondheim spread their goodies around. All the supporting players benefit...Do I hear a waltz? You bet I do. I can’t get it out of my head, nor do I want to."
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"It is almost too easy to see the first act, the hopeful one that promises romance to Leona, as the Rodgers’ show. After intermission, it feels as if Sondheim could no longer contain his sophisticated cynicism...The characters are caught in the middle—first loving, then fighting, perhaps settling for an uneasy compromise about middle-class morality...Director Evan Cabnet’s lovely production breezes through as if everything were not just historically interesting but stylistically sane."
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"When it comes to storytelling, the production has its missteps, but hearing the under-appreciated score achieve glorious dimension makes this revival eminently worthwhile…Unfortunately, the conflict in this production, under the direction of Evan Cabnet, seems more schematic than emotionally-driven, and a large part of that may simply be miscasting…Also detracting from the reality of the piece is a broadness in the playing of some of the subsidiary characters."
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"Both satirical and surprisingly poignant…Though 'Do I Hear a Waltz?' is rather lightweight, it really didn’t feel dated that much. Many parts of the show felt quite relevant…Both Rodgers and Sondheim had noted their collaboration was not a happy one. Indeed, their musical styles seemed at odds with each other, and with the story itself at times…Yet the score still hit the mark more than it missed."
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