Money Talks the Musical NYC Reviews and Tickets

"While the new musical isn't of Broadway caliber, there's a lot to like about both the book and the score...The greed and money woes in the scenes are predictable, and there's nothing particularly enlightening about what Franklin or the other characters say. But it's entertaining to watch the founding father try to navigate through the modern world...Three of the cast members, including Byers, have appeared on Broadway, and they all do a respectable job with the material."
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"Coherence isn't a big priority at 'Money Talks'...Think of it as the hard-currency version of 'La Ronde'...What follows, however, is so lame it hurts...Under the direction of Gosselin, the cast moves as fast as humanly possible through this welter of stale ideas. Friedman's melodies are frequently pleasant...'Money Talks' is a classic summer silly season offering, the sort of entertainment that leaves theatregoers scratching their heads and wondering how such things manage to get produced."
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"Watching this quartet courageously give 100% as joke after joke thuds as the show plods on is inspiring. However, their professionalism is not enough to rescue 'Money Talks' from tedium. Peter Kellogg’s book is a collection of superficial sketches that has its stock characters caught in a series of clichéd predicaments...Kellogg’s facile lyrics are no better...The concept is sound but it’s so devoid of wit, charm and successful humor that it’s interminable."
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"The overall tone of the show is silly, lighthearted, and amusing...The music is fun and enjoyable without being memorable...The concept has great potential, but the execution is uninspired and disappointing...'Money Talks' has strong performances and a lot of heart...But overall the production falls flat. Much of the humor feels clichéd and oversimplified, and the characters are so one-dimensional that there is little to invest in."
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"A superficial series of songful sketches...If the characters Ben encounters had some substance, we might not mind his being paper thin. But they don’t, and we do. Caldwell and Merrick both sing well and try their best, with varying success, to breathe life into characters who tend to me one-dimensional stereotypes. DeNise fares better...Gosselin directs efficiently, but his choreography seems amateurish...Friedman’s score is bland, and Kellogg’s lyrics strained."
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"The authors undoubtedly wanted this to be a better musical. Their premise is funny enough, and their hearts are in tune with Manhattan audiences at this cultural moment...Kellogg's book feels to be still at the workshop stage. Most of the characters are ciphers; some are offensive stereotypes. Much of the dialogue is predictable and several scenes border on the hackneyed. 'Money Talks' is a timely entertainment that would benefit from more time in the making."
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“‘Money Talks’ has yet to jell fully…What feels lacking is a sense of clear choices…Friedman‘s music is really good, with some terrific, witty songs…‘Money Talks’ has the bones of a really good show, especially with regard to the talented cast…It is a timely message ‘Money Talks’ delivers with a light hand and endearing humor. It would be great for everyone to hear it, if the production could just get out of the way of the material.”
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"Closer in tone to 'Spamilton' than 'Hamilton,' this quaint little show spreads its wings from time to time and when it does, it soars...Friedman’s melodies, along with jaunty, frothy lyrics from Peter Kellogg help to create a quick 90-minute romp...Briskly directed by Michael Chase Gosselin...The four-person ensemble is game, capable and very likable...Not for those who are looking for deeper context or thematic structure; this is old-fashioned, good-hearted fun."
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“'Money Talks'…struggles to maintain its structural conceit, which, like the innocuous scenes themselves, goes bankrupt midway through…Overall, the show's point of view is scattershot, and we're left to ponder what exactly it wants to say about money, or anything else, that we don't already know or need reminding of…The events often seem created simply as setups for…a famous proverb…Awkwardly directed and choreographed…'Money Talks' clunks along from one seriously unfunny scene to the next.”
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"A seriously disappointing undertaking. And the worse news is that Friedman’s melodies, set on Kellogg’s recalcitrantly pedestrian lyrics, aren’t a consistent help...Apparently, bookwriter Kellogg means 'Money Talks' to be funny, but as Byers is dragged by the hand from one temporary recipient to the next—and every recipient in every new situation relentlessly unamusing—there are so few laughs that the intimate theater comes to resemble an abandoned mausoleum."
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"Although seriously needing cutting of a few less appealing sequences to make a tighter, shorter production, 'Money Talks: The Musical' is largely clever, entertaining and winningly performed by its talented cast of four who turn up in a variety of roles...The show seems overextended and would be much snappier if some of the less impressive relationship sketches were trimmed. But the overall cleverness and good nature, abetted by the thoroughly enjoyable acting and singing, carry appeal."
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“It’s a fabulous idea for a cheeky little musical comedy, and if the execution doesn’t always match the concept, let’s cut it some slack...Along the way we’ve experienced some sharp satirical observations, mostly courtesy of Franklin’s still-pertinent commentary, and seen a talented ensemble take some lighthearted swipes at contemporary living. 'Money Talks' could hit harder, and traffic less in stereotypes we’ve seen before. But a pleasant summer evening’s entertainment? You got it.”
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"An amusing, sometimes rambling performance...The actors are as facile and talented as you could ask a performer to be. The problem is, flat-out stock characters populate the entire play...About three quarters through the play I really wanted to cry out 'OK! I get it! Money is bad! Root of all evil! Enough already!'...The music is admirably quirky...This is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or evening, but don’t go into it expecting to have your socks knocked off!"
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