Jamaica NYC Reviews and Tickets

66%

(27 Reviews)

Positive

41%

Mixed

48%

Negative

11%

Members say

Dated, Entertaining, Disappointing, Ambitious, Slow

About the Show

Harlem Repertory Theatre presents a revival of this 1957 Calypso musical by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen ('The Wizard of Oz') which was a hit for Lena Horne.

'Jamaica' centers around a beautiful island girl named Savannah. She dreams of leaving her simple home for bustling New York City. But when a NYC businessman asks for her hand in marriage, she's not sure she wants to go. The production examines how an isolated community navigates the perils of love, family, and relationships while confronting the increasing pressures of American commercialism, class struggles, and racism.

Member Reviews (27)

Ambitious, Dated, Resonant, Well staged & danced, Slow

See it if Arlen/Harburg's 1957 musical about what "island folks" are like Very dated (how could it not be?) Highly energetic choreography adds a lot

Don't see it if First act vintage 50's musical; 2nd act gets too socio-political but classic 'happy ending' Three leads work hard to keep show on track

Disappointing, Dated, Jamaican accent is non-existent, Very low budget, No memorable songs

See it if you like a boy-meets-girl play; you're a fan or Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg; themes of forgiveness & transformation warm your heart

Don't see it if bad acting or lack of excitement puts you off; you're from Jamaica because there were no Jamaican accents nor relatable West Indian themes Read more

Ambitious, Thought-provoking, Disappointing

See it if You are curious about the Arlen score.

Don't see it if You are a purist and cannot deal with semi-professional, essential community theater.

Great staging, Great singing, Entertaining, Exquisite, Delightful

See it if Love good stories for the time and music.

Don't see it if Hate musicals and dancing.

Entertaining, Funny, Refreshing

See it if want to experience a refreshing trip to the west indies

Don't see it if do not enjoy calypso

See it if you want to support the HRT. Some cast members are really good.

Don't see it if you want a "broadway" experience. This was very low budget. Some of the mics were not working properly. Read more

Indulgent, Lost

See it if you want to support an ambitious theatre company.

Don't see it if you're expecting the 1957 musical Jamaica.

Ambitious, Resonant, Entertaining, Relevant

See it if Harold Arlen’s music and Yip Harbug’s book & lyrics interest you.You enjoy an uneven, energetic cast try to make sense of a 60 yr old show.

Don't see it if You’re not engaged by community theatre performances, can’t stand bad sound design, or are not interested in the Arlen/Harburg collaboration Read more

Critic Reviews (1)

“A colorful, exuberant revival...Grant saw the relevance of ‘Jamaica’ for today’s world and mounted an entertaining, meaningful production with a spirited, bright, and enthusiastic ensemble cast...'Jamaica' still has plenty to say and this smart HRT production communicates it with gusto...Choreography was entertaining, if not groundbreaking...Lighting and sound were both uneven and often distracting.”
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Trailer

Creative team

Harlem Repertory Theatre