Shadows: A Dance Musical

See it if you enjoy viewing ultra-talented performers sing, dance, and act.

Don't see it if you don't like ghosts, nor gothic dark material.

See it if A wise, sexy love story dance musical with that eerie edge. Theatergoers, support an interesting hybrid like this. Lovely small theater.

Don't see it if if you have no romantic interests, don't like dance, don't want newer experiences.

See it if you like singing & dancing in shows. There were also a couple/few surprise moments, which were cool.

Don't see it if you do not want to see people in underwear/lingerie nor want to see people kissing (only in a few scenes)

Also I thought a couple of the songs were sung too fast, felt like the words were rushed.. would have been better slowed down a bit.

Overall, I was impressed with this show - they made great use of the stage and the transitions between scenes was excellent. The cast were wonderful and the dancing was fantastic! :)... Read more Read less

See it if WOW was I surprised. I had very low expectations coming into this and until an unacceptable last scene it was near perfect.

Don't see it if a last scene that currently justifies the selfishness of all the characters turns you off.

Also Unless you're a believer in the philosophy of Ayn Rand (in which case the ending was perfect), there were two possible endings here that both would have been more meaningful than the one presented in the last scene.

First, the show could have followed the example of Hawthorne and left fate of the two lover in the afterlife ambiguous. It would have been a powerful statement.

Alternatively, the authors could have used a Shakespearean ending. Claire's ghost-grandmother could have danced a celebration of our protagonists' respective murder and suicide - a justification of her own actions many years before.

Janine DiVita's Claire is shows extraordinary skill as an actress and a singer. John Arthur Greene's is solid as Alex. The dance skills of Irina Dvorovenko, Waldemar Quinones Villanueva, Naomi Kakuk and Nickemil Concepcion all brilliantly capture the emotions of the ghosts they portray.... Read more Read less

See it if You want to have a good time laughing with this musical at the same time you see some basic classic ballet

Don't see it if You are going through a bad time in your marriage, since it might make you think a bit too much

See it if You like classic ballet and a strong female voice. This was an interesting interweaving of the two and felt like a fresh story. Well done!!

Don't see it if The male lead singer had a pretty voice but his singing was from the throat, not diaphragm, and he paled compared to lead female. She shone

See it if you want to see some serious talent up close in a small but comfortable venue on the Lower East Side

Don't see it if you won't like a musical intertwined with ballet , about ghosts and an older married woman who has an affair with a younger married guy

Also Beautiful voice for lead actress, and beautiful dance throughout by the lady in red. You don't see a much better performance off broadway than this.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like, great musicals, amazing ballet dancing, music that just makes you fell like you are in the play! I just adored the show.

Don't see it if Except for not liking musicals there is no reason not to go to this show!

See it if Very interesting and absorbing take on a modern ghost love story!

Don't see it if you do not believe in ghosts or in singing & dancing with ghosts!

See it if You enjoy pure talent, excellent voices,beautiful dancers and a story line that holds your interest non stop

Don't see it if You have no sense of mystery or don't believe in magic or the occult

See it if you want to be thoroughly entertained by a talented ensemble. Great effects. This show could be a blockbuster with some polish and rework.

Don't see it if you are not open to unusual shows at small venues, regardless of how good they are.

See it if You liked Beast in the Jungle, love ballet (ABT principal star 13 years), enjoy ghost stories blended with typical infidelity set in NYC.

Don't see it if You are a dance philistine, dislike the gothic genre, demand great songs from a musical.

Also If I were reviewing this (for Broadway World, which doesn't pay of course), it would be 1000 words. So much to love about this. Irina Dvorovenko is a goddess. To see her dancing 10 feet away is thrilling and worth the price of admission. Randall David Cook's book is fantastic (until the bizarre but inevitable ending which does not make sense on an emotional level--at all). One wishes that the music and lyrics were half as good as the book. There are four really solid songs. The rest of the songs are just not good.

Janine Divita is wonderful. She has two of the great songs, belted atop a bed in a bright yellow top. Connelly Theater is perfect for this gothic dance musical. The melodies are fine; it's the lyrics that disappoint: banal, artificially placed. John Arthur Greene is a great actor (also of course gorgeous and sexy, which helps you get over the bad songs). Divita's voice soars throughout, even with subpar songs. Definitely worth seeing.... Read more Read less

See it if you like mysteries evoked with beauty and grace. The use of the stage is particularly evocative.

Don't see it if you are distressed by plots based on marital infidelity.

See it if You're up for an original musical/dance/romance/ghost story show that could still use a little polish with a talented cast for a small venue

Don't see it if The main linear plot is a little thin, and the show overall could be polished more. The show is not a finished product yet

See it if You are interested in seeing new musicals that don't provide the typical musical dance "numbers."

Don't see it if You aren't willing to wait for the final dance to fully wrap up the ideas and story being told.

Also The final dance sequences make clearer the dance sequences in the first as well as part of the second act. For me, while I love dance, I felt the earlier sequences needed to be shortened -- make the point and don't tarry. It didn't bother me too much that the ending was a bit of a quick surprise, but I do feel that another moment or two needs to be added/strengthened/whatever to make that ending so not such a surprise. Luckily, the lead Actress (who plays Claire,) is really good (yay for us Michigan alumns!) so it's okay. And, the "death" scenes were actually done quite well, both by the real actors as well as the Shadow dancers. There were some really lovely choreographic touches -- the two shadow dancers/stage "crew," and the moment when the lady in silver dances into the hanging of herself. Musically, there were some times when the lyrics were "blurred" and I could only catch some of them - and that needs to be corrected either by better vocal diction or something.... Read more Read less

See it if You like good music, incorporated with classical dance and a cheating romantic cast of characters

Don't see it if You do not appreciate the afterlife returning

See it if You’re interested in seeing a really good story (though not exactly original), really clever staging, interesting lighting and sound.

Don't see it if You can’t overlook some really weak singing. They’re all pretty good and some of the songs are great but they (he) don’t project well.

Also I really liked this. It had a lot of flaws...if you want to see them but it’s one of those shows where it’s good enough that it’s easy to forgive any missteps because they make up for it with such nice surprises like the exquisite dancing and the shadow players and the really good plot line. Good acting. Good singing (when you can hear them...which is most of the time). Well worth seeing in my opinion.... Read more Read less

See it if you appreciate dance, enjoy a love story mixed with strange happenings presented in song, word and movement, like intrigue, great lighting.

Don't see it if you want sound perfection-the mic-less voices were often drowned by the music which at times seemed distorted; you can't put 2 & 2 together

Also The program shows that two songs were cut and the intermission eliminated. I can only wonder how their restoration would change this almost two hour long presentation as it moved constantly without boredom.... Read more Read less

See it if You like intimate productions, you would enjoy a blend of ballet and musical theater, you don’t need anything particularly thought provoking

Don't see it if You are afraid of ghosts, you are a purist, you want an intermission, you want something current/topical

See it if you like ballet in a show and can put up with a storyline that is weak at points.

Don't see it if you're looking for a powerful story or extramarital affairs bother you

Also It was difficult to hear the voices over the music at times, especially the male lead.... Read more Read less

See it if You like amazing choreography and watching the moves of a master dancer. Like the idea of an original modern gothic ghost story.

Don't see it if You expect musicals to have songs that move the show along and have good lyrics.

Also Irina Dvorovenko is an amazing dancer and the stage lights up whenever she is on. The show is totally worth seeing for her. The lead actress, Janine Davita, has an amazing voice but only two songs reflect it. John Arthur Green is relatable but his songs are weak.... Read more Read less

See it if you can appreciate outstanding dancing by all, but especially ballet by Ms. Dvorovenko. Enjoyable nice music.

Don't see it if unless you have excellent hearing. Singing by Mr. Greene is particularity at times trounced by the music.

See it if you're interested in hybrid shows; you like to support indie theatre; you're intrigued by the supernatural; you enjoy "what if" stories

Don't see it if stories involving marital infidelity leading to murder would bother you; narratives that punish the adulterers & sinners are too grim

Also Trapped in a sexless yet seemingly "perfect" marriage in Connecticut, Claire begins an affair with Alex, a 20-something NYC real estate agent who claims his wife left him.

Claire's NYC lovenest is haunted by angry spirits: her ballerina grandmother, her jealous husband, her handsome lover & his scorned wife; all 4 had met their death in this pied-a-terre due to infidelity -- & appear to Claire & Alex to warn them.

Ballerina Irina Dvorovenko is mesmerizing.
The jealous back-story and "death" scenes were well executed by the Shadow dancers. The most creative choreography involved 2 shadow dancers & the moment when the scorned Woman in Silver dances into the hanging of herself. Wow.

However, Claire & Alex's "affair" is shallow -- never presented as anything more than hot sex. Then Alex goes back to his wife Kiki.

Perhaps too many "cooks" spoiled this hybrid meal, the creative forces trying to go in 3 directions instead of deepening the story.... Read more Read less

See it if You really like ballet. Or you want to hear about other people's affairs.

Don't see it if The songs are a bit flavorless. If that's going to be a problem, don't bother.

See it if you want an enjoyable evening of a mixture of great singing & lovely ballet

Don't see it if Ballet isn't your thing or if you are offended by extramarital affairs

Also We enjoyed the show, but it was a bit confusing. Show jumped from acting and singing to ballet frequently. At the end it is clear what was happening, but during the show, not so much.
Female lead had an excellent voice. Male lead was good also, but hard to hear at times.... Read more Read less