The View UpStairs NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (236)
See it if You want to be entertained for two hours and have your own jaded modern sensibility torn away for a bit.
Don't see it if You can't overlook the message being pushed a bit too hard. You have floor seating and don't like being interacted with. Read more
See it if If you want somethingh funky, alive, informative, gay, non judgemental
Don't see it if If you are judgemental and discriminatory.
See it if You want to see a terrific ensemble show with excellent performers, great production values, and a timely message.
Don't see it if Are averse to learning about a devastating chapter in gay history. Read more
See it if You think you'd like a lively musical about gay history, set in New Orleans.
Don't see it if You don't like shows about gay people.
See it if you enjoy immersive productions, LGBT stories, and original musicals with passionate scores! Part fantasy, history and refection. Go See it!
Don't see it if you don't like being up close and personal with a show or don't appreciate LGBT stories.
See it if ..you like a good love story, gay or not ..you enjoy intimate immersive sets ..you want to laugh and cry over the course of one evening
Don't see it if Nothing to say here, everybody should consider going.
See it if you like good singing and songs, history, strong emotion
Don't see it if you are homophobic
See it if You lived through the plague years or have an interest in musicals with a big heart that take on politics and civil rights. Great staging.
Don't see it if You don't like an "informal" setting. This is not interactive or immersive but very cleverly staged so you are right there in it.
Critic Reviews (24)
"Vernon relies heavily on clichés in the show, creating a queer 'Cheers'...Despite the stock characters and situations, Vernon’s work with Scott Ebersold’s direction and the cast’s performances do stir emotions...Simply put, 'The View UpStairs' is not a perfect show. Yet, with this piece, Vernon shows potential and promise...In these successful moments, the musical proves itself to be timely and relevant. In the moments when the show falls flat, the audience is at least entertained."
Read more
"A phenomenal cast carries a powerful and moving experience...There are a few occasions where the out-of-time elements clash with the smoothness of the play as a whole...A tightening of these details would help drive the authenticity of the play even further. Minor specificity issues aside, 'The View UpStairs' is a poignant, exuberant, touching musical that explores a dark day in LGBTQIA history. This play is a special experience, and shows promise for a bright and successful future."
Read more
"'The View UpStairs' is a quintessential star-spangled civil rights kiss-off; it may also be the first great post-Trump musical of the 21st century...The show is revelatory...This production is not perfect...Some jokes also do not land...There are moments where the audience has to wait too long for the build up...Make no mistake however, as a show, 'The View UpStairs' has all of the ingredients for an iconic cult phenomenon."
Read more
"Vernon expresses social insight well beyond his years...Vernon’s forte is his score which illuminates both the vibrancy and nuance of the spectrum in his character’s lives and emotions. A similar finesse would serve his book well also, raising its sometimes heavy-handed catch phrases and preachy dialogue up to the same level...What could easily veer into stereotypes and 'been there, seen that' is thoughtfully guided under the sensitive direction of Scott Ebersold."
Read more
"In the midst of its heavy subject matter, the tear-jerking and thought-provoking moments, 'The View UpStairs' is filled with humor...Vernon has succeeded in creating a musical that is authentic, funny, and deeply resonant. No one can leave the theatre untouched. Along with its vibrant and emotional tones, it is a show that sparks discussion about unsung heroes, queer history, and LGBTQ movements...A genius musical that gives us an opportunity to utilize the past in creating our future."
Read more
"Vernon’s musical uses the tragedies of the past to highlight the mistakes of the future...Scott Ebersold has directed this production to feel intimate, ensuring each of the characters have their time to shine and connect with the audience...Drama, music and lyrics are combined to create a thrilling experience...'The View UpStairs' is a magical, moving production that provokes important debates and a feeling of camaraderie."
Read more
“It is fascinating to witness the clash of different eras and attitudes not only through the always witty and often ingenious lyrics by the show’s creator Max Vernon, but also to have the divide made visible in the choreography by Al Blackstone, who juxtaposes '70s groove and 2017 posing in hilarious ways…While moving the show along at a swift pace, director Scott Ebersold manages to make us truly care about its characters…A most original piece of musical theater that is not to be missed."
Read more
"This fast-moving and highly engaging one-act musical turns history into fantasy and then brings it all back to reality in a meaningful way...The score is exceptional...but the cast is equally good and the storytelling is vivid and not at all preachy or didactic. As far as star turns go, you’d have to travel a long way before you find a performance to equal that of Nathan Lee Graham."
Read more