The Boy Who Listened To Paintings NYC Reviews and Tickets

57%

(2 Ratings)

Positive

Mixed

50%

Negative

50%

Members say

Slow, Quirky, Ambitious, Indulgent, Thought-provoking

About the Show

A new musical by Dean Kostos and Paul Kirby, based on the memoir of artist/poet Dean Kostos.

Immerse yourself in the tale of a young artist navigating a tumultuous 1960s upbringing, grappling with his unique synesthesia, burgeoning gay identity, intense bullying, experimentation with drugs, and life's complex challenges within a dysfunctional family. This heartfelt musical play portrays his journey with warmth, humor, and a profound understanding of his struggles and triumphs.

Show-Score Member Reviews (2)

Slow, Unsettling, Thought-provoking, Quirky, Ambitious

See it if You're interested in synesthesia and plays about mental illness.

Don't see it if You want high production values. Read more

Indulgent, Cliched

See it if Biopic of a troubled artist through his younger years with a serviceable score

Don't see it if Too superficial with dangling threads and a tad cringeworthy at times Read more

Critic Reviews (1)

The show doesn't work as a play or a musical for various reasons, the two most prominent being forgettable lyrics and a lack of a well-constructed story arc. It is trying to do too much without creating a firmly focused central theme with solid character development. It is more sketches of moments in the playwright's life than a fully realized depiction. It is a disappointment that a show created by the author of a beautifully written memoir of the same name could not produce a show at the same level.
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Trailer

Creative team

Theater for the New City

Producer

Dean Kostos

Bookwriter / Lyricist

Paul Kirby

Bookwriter / Lyricist

Lissa Moira

Director