Josephine: A Burlesque Cabaret Dream Play NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (54)
See it if You have a chance. It was the best solo show I've ever seen. The actress was multitalented portraying such an iconic character & nailing it.
Don't see it if You're uptight and expect a big stage production. It was simply amazing.
See it if fascinating, brilliant one woman show. I believed she was Josephine Baker! Do not miss this stellar performance by a triple threat!
Don't see it if You aren't interested in the fascinating Josephine Baker; you don't like intimate, cabaret-style performance spaces
See it if You like Learning about a powerful, dynamic, playful, talented icon in African American history- by an equally talented singer/dancer
Don't see it if Nudity in stage shocks you
See it if As a theatre goer you want to be entertained then go before it closes, show is entrancing and the actress is fantastic
Don't see it if If you want big productions and musical scores instead of recorded music, nudity bothers you, touchy topics (still sadly) are not your thing Read more
See it if You love and /or want to learn more about Josephine Baker, and enjoy one person shows
Don't see it if You want something that is primarily burlesque or if you can't face hearing about the realities of racism
See it if Tymisha Harris's smile lights up the stage and she is supremely talented singing and dancing her way through Baker's rich life. Wonderful.
Don't see it if Nudity makes you uncomfortable. You're looking for in-depth details on her life. This is a nonstop 75-min. show breezing through her life.
See it if a must see! Tymisha Harris is a Knockout. She inhabits the character and keeps the audience mesmerized.Flawless,fearless performance .Bravo!
Don't see it if don't miss this show! It won Best Show and Outstanding Solo Performance, 2016 San Diego Fringe Festival,and it's totally justified.See it! Read more
See it if you want to learn about an important piece of entertainment history and be entertained in the process.
Don't see it if you are uncomfortable with some light audience participation or seeing breasts.
Critic Reviews (17)
"Harris has singing and dancing chops galore...Harris plays Baker mostly with a breathless urgency and an underlay of naivete. The interpretation is a valid actor's choice, but a few more layers of depth would not go amiss...Her rendition of 'The Times They Are A-Changin'...was masterful and memorable...A worthy piece of theater. It's a solid, entertaining production. With a few refinements it could be considerably more than it is, and that would be très magnifique."
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"Probably the closest to an evening with Josephine Baker as one will ever experience...What makes this telling of the story so powerful is that Harris can act, sing, and dance. Because she is a world-class triple-threat, Harris brings Baker back for us...She is riveting...Through all of this, Harris is almost perfectly in the moment every moment...I suspect Baker would be pleased with her portrayal and very proud of the younger performer."
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"If you enjoy smart, quality burlesque, you should go see 'Josephine'...The triple threat actress Tymisha Harris brings back true star power in her solo show...Tymisha’s vocals are smooth and rich, her dance is sensually athletic yet authentic to the time period, and she brings a joy and innocent courage to this firecracker woman...Truly a show of what a small multi-hyphenate team can accomplish."
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“To play a woman that fabulous requires one mesmerizing performer. In Tymisha Harris, the engaging, involving ‘Josephine’ has just that…She’s an expressive dancer and a strong, emotional singer...Her greatest strength is her ability to convey the mix of nervousness and fearlessness that fueled Baker’s life…The cabaret concept is one of the show’s strongest elements…Kimbro’s script is a fully realized story, though I would have liked a few more concrete details added to the mix.”
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“Harris is a magnetic performer, strong singer and high-powered dancer, who brings to life Baker’s trademark African banana dance, as well as numerous 20th century hit songs by Billie Holiday and others...Harris’ script is faithful to facts, but it still bears the marks of a work in progress and could use some tightening. Baker was free with her body, and so is Harris, who performs a portion of the show in a G-string and pasties, so it has an NC-17 rating."
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“Harris makes the audience feel Baker’s pain and pride at every turn, both through songs and heartfelt soliloquies. Director Marinaccio showcases Harris’s talents to a T…Under Marinaccio’s direction she gets to demonstrate her considerable acting chops as well, digging deep into the sadness beneath Baker’s sunny showbiz exterior.“
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“The source material is fascinating...Beyond the biography, we're also given thought-provoking commentary about racism and how black women's bodies are consumed as entertainment: ideas as relevant today as they were in 1926. Harris' performance is a tour de force. Not only can this gal sing, her burlesque numbers are captivating and her dalliances with audience participation are perfection…A triumphant homage to a life worth remembering. Go see this one.”
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"At the heart of the story is a complex, unapologetic woman who exhibits her sexuality on her own terms…Harris tantalizes the audience with song, dance, and feathers. Tunes like ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘La Vie en Rose’ intermix with onstage costume changes, a bit of casual dialogue, and — of course — the sultry dance moves of the burlesque icon.”
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