The Boy Who Danced On Air NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (60)
See it if You want to see a beautiful yet tragic production with some fantastic singing.
Don't see it if You’re sensitive to physical abuse or the idea of slavery. Read more
See it if Great songs, great singing by all 5 male actors, fascinating (but..see below) tale. 2 great dancers.] Play needs a longer run.
Don't see it if disturbing topic of life in Afghanistan
See it if You like musicals that make a social and political point as well as psychologically complex
Don't see it if You have a problem with mediocre dance (partially because of the small stage) You do not like political themes or seeing them simplified. Read more
See it if You like a good story. If you're open minded to other cultures' source of pain beautifully acted. If you want to learn and to think and feel
Don't see it if You're closed minded about traditions/ other cultures view about " men have needs". You're squeamish about men and young boys together.
See it if Beautiful music and touching love songs. Excellent selection of cast members!
Don't see it if If you have difficulty with gay topic.
See it if it gets the new life it deserves. It's a moving portrayal of a real issue most haven't even heard of. The story, score & cast are 1st rate.
Don't see it if you need happy-go-lucky theatre. This is about perseverance through unthinkable obstacles & finding the courage to grab at joy when you can.
See it if you want to experience some of the most beautiful & pristine singing on stage today. Story is controversial: so what. RUN & SEE THIS SHOW!
Don't see it if same-sex PDA's make you squeamish. It's SO much more than what we bargain for. Deserves to be in slightly larger theater w/MUCH longer run.
See it if You are open to learning about aspects of other cultures. An interesting insight into the Afghani culture and a unique love story.
Don't see it if You prefer more traditional content in a musical or you are uncomfortable with the depiction of violence.
Critic Reviews (25)
"The ick factor here is dangerously high, a problem that the production labors hard to mitigate through aesthetics...It would be enough of an achievement to make this story palatable...But Mr. Rosser and Mr. Sohne were even more ambitious: They have two more stories to tell...Still, the music rewards the ear...What’s more, it is beautifully sung...To make a successful musical on this subject would require exquisite discretion, but discretion is exactly what the subject forbids."
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"An unusual, profoundly affecting chamber musical...Creators Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne amp up the drama in the second act, and push it further still in a coda. Their musical, optimally staged by Tony Speciale, taps into a universal source of pain and confusion: that phase of youthful innocence when, unable to fathom the adults who control us, we wishfully mistake them for gods."
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"A challenging, courageous, and beautiful new musical...Rosser and Sohne employ a comfortingly familiar songwriting style to push thrillingly fresh ideas...Sohne's book efficiently places this human tragedy in the context of its society...Director Tony Speciale realizes Rosser and Sohne's vision with brilliance and thrift...A wholly original musical that is both emotionally and intellectually stirring. Anyone who cares about the future of the American musical should run out and see it now."
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"An impressive feat of imagination, delving with remarkable sensitivity into a culture that might seem bizarre, even repugnant, to American audiences...Rosser and Sohne lay out the situation with clarity and without melodrama...The big issue in Speciale's production has to do with the casting of Paiman and Feda...The choice of older actors might be necessary, but it also adds a level of dishonesty to what is otherwise an admirably well-intentioned piece of work."
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"To their credit, Rosser and Sohne, along with director Tony Speciale and choreographer Nejla Yatkin, have embraced the setting of 'The Boy Who Dances On Air' but don't allow it to suffocate their story in sadness or revulsion...A surprising breath of fresh air...It's not without its flaws, but blessed with a talented and committed cast, savvy direction, passionate dancing and a fearlessness to break boundaries, it has the power to open your eyes and pierce your heart."
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“Initially intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying…Sohne’s earnest book has an abundance of stiff dialogue, repetitiveness, and a drawn-out, extraneous subplot…The show’s arresting aspects clash with the uneven book and score, and at two hours and 20 minutes, 'The Boy Who Danced on Air' is periodically dull...'The Boy Who Danced on Air' is billed as a fable, and those aesthetic qualities are imaginatively rendered. As an integrated musical, it stumbles in its form, and in presenting reality.”
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"While the ugly practice of bacha bazi seems like a disturbing conceit for a musical, director Tony Speciale blends the offensiveness with inspiration and theatricality, and the cast sings with compelling power...The well-crafted production and gifted performers bring an intriguing, though certainly unsettling tradition to the stage with the actors' layered sensitivity and the human strength of love and spirit. With some editing, this innovative musical has staying power."
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"While the book gets a bit muddled, particularly in Act 2, I found myself moved by Paiman’s plight and interested in the moral complexity of the entire show. It’s refreshing to see a new musical grapple with multi-layered conflicts while exposing New York audiences to parts of the human experience we haven’t seen before. Another major highlight of the production is the gorgeous music...It also helps that the score is executed by such gifted singers."
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