Playing Hot

See it if you want to join a NOLA second line that leads to a dance hall celebration of the origins of jazz & the story of its forgotten originator.

Don't see it if ur not able to stand (& dance) for 90+ minutes & immerse yourself in the uplifting jazz celebration & somber recounting of its tragic OG.

Also This unique immersive piece is a lot of fun, yet still balances the upbeat escapism with poinancy and a fascinating story. Buddy Bolden's story is told in jazz performance and intermittent sketches. The jazz is hot, but the sketches run hot & cold. There are moments of silliness inserted at times that feel superfluous and unnecessary. Otherwise, I recommend you get your beads on & get your groove on!... Read more Read less

See it if you like jazz music, enjoy to be on your feet and dancing, or immersed in the action.

Don't see it if you're looking for a traditional play. This was a mix of music, dancing, and acting vignettes.

See it if fascinating and tragic true story of a musician lost to history told through music, parade, and live concert venue

Don't see it if don't want to stand--or want an immersive experience.

Also Overall, a tremendous amount of fun and the musicians involved incredibly talented. The "experience" started outside of the theater in a privately disclosed location, where the cast met you and led the audience to the theater parade style--

from there we were led into a theater/club where the actors performed various vignettes and performed song and dance from different corners of the room.

Nothing went into depth, and the story was inconsistent and choppy and sometimes hard to follow, but overall the story was poignant and the experience quite​ magical.... Read more Read less

See it if you love jazz, love New Orleans, want to learn more about the history of both

Don't see it if you want a fully developed musical; play is many small pieces stitched together

See it if you like a show that uses every part of the room, makes you feel like you are part of the show, enjoy jazz and are interested in its history

Don't see it if you don't like jazz, can't stand thru the show (there are limited seats).

See it if you love music and New orleans. A genuinely fun uplifting show teaching us about origins of jazz. Immersive and cleverly staged

Don't see it if If you cant physically stand. Most of the audience is standing throughout the show. And it can be loud (which i liked)

See it if you like jazz; you want a hybrid concert/theater experience; you like dancing along with actors

Don't see it if you don't want to stand the majority of the time; you don't want to be encouraged by actors to dance during the musical interludes

See it if You love jazz. You are interested in the history of the New Orleans music scene. You enjoy being surrounded by the action.

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy New Orleans Jazz. You have difficult standing throughout a show.

See it if You are okay with unorthodox staging, you like live music and interactive theatre and enjoying learning.

Don't see it if You are unable to “give yourself” to a performance; you will be standing, dancing; jostled and if you’re short sometimes you won’t see.

See it if You love jazz music and are interested in seeing innovative, immersive storytelling.

Don't see it if You're uncomfortable with standing for a 90 minute show.

See it if you like live music, New Orleans jazz; you're curious about the history of jazz

Don't see it if you don't want to stand for over an hour; you don't want to be forced to dance; you prefer non-interactive shows

Also It's an inventive production of a sad story, and they make the best of a small theater. They've got a lot of quick scene changes, so they have the audience turn to a different corner of the theater where they have little mini stages setup. It saves time and keeps the story moving, but it's also somewhat tedious.

That said, the live music is great, and they even start the show with the band marching you from a local park to the theater.... Read more Read less

See it if The lively “dance party” segments are a lot of fun. The musicians are excellent. I learned about an important person in music history.

Don't see it if Music 85 book 65. A sad bio. I stood for most of the time, then sat on a bench for a depressing ending. Dialog & acting were a bit dull.

Also If you are going to go immersive, I think you have to go all out. If the action slows down and the audience is passive, it feels like standing around in a crowd.... Read more Read less

See it if you like to be part of the party - marching, dancing, clapping to the beat as the story and the music surround you with highs and lows.

Don't see it if you do not like participating in the action as the design of this production requires you to take part. You don't like to end on a sour note

See it if Father of jazz is forgotten because he didn't record; but for one night he's celebrated w/ vignettes & dance party.Mash-up Beyonce/DianaRoss

Don't see it if Brass playing "hot (too brightly)" indeed in the tiny former Ars Nova home.Only 2 dance numbers don't justify standing in club w/o seating.

Also Meet in park.Grab beads.Join Dixieland procession for two blocks as the show comes to you via Bourbon Street.... Read more Read less

See it if Tries to piece together the father of Jazz's story, sprinkled with snippets of contemporary commentary. Fun musical interludes.

Don't see it if Very loose story structure, heavy use of stereotypical characters, or uneven acting annoy you. Mostly standing room only (about 10 seats).

Also Ticket from Show Score for $5.

See it if You like jazz, especially brassy jazz, and you're willing to stand for a while

Don't see it if You can't stand through the whole thing and don't feel comfortable boogieing with them.

See it if you like jazz music and want to see a fun show. Standing for most of show wasn't bad, since you are always turning to see different scenes.

Don't see it if you don't like dark spaces or jazz music. There are seats for some people, so you can enjoy the show without being in the center standing.

Also I enjoyed the enthusiasm of the show, but I really did not like the ending. All the energy in the room was just sucked out when people sat for the last 10 minutes of the show. The end was also depressing and slow. Other than that I would recommend the show.... Read more Read less

See it if you want to learn about the lost father of Jazz, Charles "Buddy" Baldwin. His compelling story and achievement rise above the bipolar book.

Don't see it if you can't stand for more than an hour or don't like being part of the show. Absurd breaks weaken what could otherwise be a powerful story.

See it if You love any experimental form; talented actors except the lead (he’s a much better musician than an actor); great live jazz band;

Don't see it if Want a well-directed believable storytelling; the playwright should have done more historical research; too much standing/disco time

See it if You want an interactive show that binds music, dance, acting with a story telling of the history of Jazz how it started with Buddy Bolden.

Don't see it if You want a structured play.This is just like the music they played.There are multiple stage, and u stand for the entire show(except the end)

Also From beginning to end, this made me feel like I was in a party. The actors encourage the audience to dance, sing a long, answer questions etc. the cortege entry was super fun, they give you beads to carry the traditions in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.... Read more Read less

See it if you love jazz, live music, immersive staging, standing, and a talented assemblage of actors and musicians.

Don't see it if you need story, characters, sitting.

See it if You love jazz. You are interested in seeing the work of a young, enthusiastic team.

Don't see it if You are a highly discriminating theater goer. The story is cliched. The acting is uneven. Steals a lot from Jelly’s Last Jam.

Also This is a fun, if amateurish production. It’s a thrill to hear the live music, and beginning the show with a New Orleans style procession to the theater is a nifty idea. However, many of the scenes depicting Buddy Bolden’s life feel cliched. Interspersing the story of Bolden are sometimes cute, sometimes inane skits that take us out of the narrative. The structure seems geared to a young audience with short attention spans, accustomed to receiving information via Wikipedia and YouTube. Having Bolden played by the performer with the least acting ability (albeit one with impressive musical talent) also diminishes the dramatic impact. Even for all its missteps, this is a well-intentioned and very likable show.... Read more Read less

See it if You like jazz music and are looking for a fun somewhat interactive show that tells one of the stories about the beginning of jazz music

Don't see it if You want a traditional theater experience

Also Pipeline does great theater. They do shows that would not “fit” in a traditional theater season. They take chances and this is no exception. The ensemble is great and each actor plays several roles. A standout for me was Dante Jeanfelix who does an amazing job of doing different believable accents and characters. The weakness unfortunately is the lead. I’m sure finding an actor that can play jazz lead trumpet and act was a task hard to fulfill. With a better actor this would really be a standout production. BUT... it is still worth it. Oh... you have to stand the entire time but there were some seats around the room to take breaks in.... Read more Read less

See it if Young, enthusiastic , talented performers with lively old school New Orleans music. Enjoys historical fiction

Don't see it if Not interested in out of the box entertainment . Only enjoys serious pedantic dramas

Also Try to get one of the few seats

See it if you like acting and a mixture of music

Don't see it if you dont want to be entertained