Entertainment Weekly

“It will have you literally crying with laughter.”

“This production will haunt you long after you leave the theater.”

“The Lost Boys is a big and bold production marrying technical enchantment with a talented cast of vocal heavyweights.”

“If you want to give yourself over to absolute pleasure and swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh, then you’ve come to the right (Frankenstein) place.”

“‘Little Cee’ and ‘Little Bertie,’ who make appearances throughout the show, ultimately become a highlight of the production.”

“The true shining star of the show is undeniably Burke's Penny, serving as the comedic relief that thankfully treads on several tension-filled moments before they venture into beating a dead horse.”

“After 150 minutes of near-constant smiles, you may find yourself wishing — unlike Josh — that the bridge out of Schmigadoon stayed closed just a little longer.”

“Her mix of physical comedy, well-timed quips, and heartbreaking reveals must be seen to be believed.”

“Most importantly, Titanique is an absolute blast.”

“Lane is masterful and does not miss a beat, alternating between reliving the past promise of his son Biff’s football prowess and his own current diminished state and strained relationship with his would-be golden boy.”

“The spectacle of Jellicle Ball is intoxicating for all who enter and give themselves over to the glamor.”

“Becky Shaw touches something tender and doesn't stop there.”

“In the end, the new Afternoon is a mostly satisfying experience that offers impressive big production values.”

“Any one-person show is obviously dependent on the magnetism of its performer, and Radcliffe is in total command of both the material and the room.”

“There is no replacement for the power of human love and connection.”

“And Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) definitely works.”

“But once again, it doesn't come together.”

“In a year when Broadway has given us genuinely ambitious work grappling with what it means to be American, ‘The Queen of Versailles’ offers only spectacle without insight, a palace with no one home. What were they thinking?”

“As painfully relevant as it is charming, Liberation forces viewers to reflect upon what it means to be a woman today, motherhood, the sacrifices of the women who came before us, as well as our present-day political perils.”

“All that sweetness sours on the tongue and in that, Ragtime justifies its return with unfortunately impeccable timing.”

“Will Harrison delivers an impactful performance in Broadway play inspired by real-life tragedy”

“It's not Godot at its most evocative, but the delight of Reeves and Winter onstage together, bouncing off each other as easily as they did in '89, is worth a watch.”

“The show is pure sunshine baked into a musical and dressed in disco balls, sequins, and feathered boas.”

“Eccentric, silly, and moving, the tale of Elmer McCurdy is one that truly needs to be seen to be believed.”

“The musical format is a place for boldness and celebration, a chance to make this story a euphoric experience.”

“The energy of Just in Time is its greatest tribute to Darin: a recreation of his natural habitat buoyed by the dazzling charm of its stars. Everything from the stunning lighting design (courtesy of Justin Townsend) to Groff's crooning vocals emulates a '50s night club.”

“Immersive, heartfelt, and exhilarating, First Shadow is a must-see spectacle for the Stranger Things obsessive as much as it is for the theater aficionado who wants to see the medium pushed to new heights.”

“Consider this your green light and dance your way to the ASAP.”

“With its transition to the stage, Smash finally realizes its full potential as a hilarious, pointed satire that both skewers and celebrates the Great White Way.”

“But their performances never quite come together, and the material demands more compatibility than this production delivers.”

“With such an impressive list of actors, audiences will likely flock to Glengarry Glen Ross simply because they want to see Odenkirk, Burr, McKean, and Culkin knock it out of the park — and that is what they will find in spades.”

“Sarah Snook...makes a convincing argument that no one else could possibly fill her shoes”

“The result puts the production in something of a modernization no man’s land — neither then, nor now.”

“The wartime spoof from comedy troupe SpitLip is an undeniable success.”

“Though it doesn't rise to the towering heights of the trees it so lovingly depicts, Redwood is impressive all the same.”

“This production is the best conceivable adaptation of the 1959 musical.”

“If there's an answer, I'm convinced it's here somewhere, buried in this delightfully messy family holiday, waiting to be accessed by the Dahls and all the rest of us held hostage by the promise of our family's enduring love.”

“It's a mission that succeeds more often than not.”

“What he proceeds to recount is one of the most harrowing and captivating tales currently on Broadway.”

“However, in trying to weave the two topics so tightly together, it doesn’t truly dig into either, instead creating a surface-level, strangely lifeless look at a larger-than-life figure.”

“There’s nothing robotic about this production: it wears its heart on its sleeve and on charm alone, succeeds.”

“This is Romeo + Juliet (Sam Gold's version): a glittering, queer, Gen Z take on Shakespeare's play that is wonderfully wild, visually stunning, and unabashedly horny.”

“Ultimately, Wilder’s words remain the magic; the progression from a day to a wedding to a funeral a guaranteed gut punch.”

“The Hills of California does not necessarily venture to any places that dysfunctional family drama has not tread before, but the switching-back-and-forth-between-decades structure — coupled with a commanding and versatile centerpiece performance by Donnelly — still make these hills worth climbing.”

“It is so committed to toeing the line with its unique framing that it struggles to tell the story in a fulfilling way.”

“Firing on all cylinders, Foster is a tour de force as she sings, dances, performs keg stands, fights raccoons, pulls a ukelele out of her pants, and almost never stops gyrating her hips throughout the musical's two-hour plus runtime.”

“Oh, Mary! is laugh-out-loud funny from the first moments; though much of the humor comes from Escola’s unbelievable delivery and the slapstick combination of actors on stage.”

“Some creative choices don’t pay off, but Vogel’s latest hits the emotional beats it needs to, and is certainly a powerful reminder to call your mom now and then.”

“The Great Gatsby is a great big Broadway extravaganza that may dazzle viewers at first but, much like the green light, perfection remains close, yet just out of reach.”

“Though the bitterness boiling beneath the piece may catch them off guard, Neugebauer and Schreck have crafted an especially accessible adaptation, for better or worse.”

“But while the Broadway production boasts creative stage design, it fails to provide useful insight into the politics of post-Soviet Russia.”

“It’s an unforgettable, immersive experience that lures audiences in with visions of sweet, sweet hedonism before bowling them over with a harrowing, unflinching tale that will have them reflecting on present day parallels and their place within the world long after they leave the theater.”

“Hell's Kitchen succeeds as both a jukebox musical and a coming-of-age story, anchored by powerhouse performances that bring Alicia Keys' music to vivid life on stage.”

“It's a riveting, painful, funny, intense, toe-tapping journey, and the end result can best be described as solid gold.”

“They may still ease on down the (non yellow brick) road, but there’s little sense of ease.”

“Lempicka looks good, it could’ve been good, it could still be good given some more polish and judicious editing, but in its current state, it’s just a poor imitation of a good musical.”

“...adaptation may have its squabbles, its heart of gold still remains firmly intact.”

“Now, The Who's Tommy carries that torch forward in its own radical, one-of-a-kind adventure that truly has to be seen to be believed.”

“The romance may fall short, and the songs lack a certain luster, but the magic of the circus is winning.”

“The actors are tremendous and completely lose themselves in the parts.”

“With its stunning performances, beautiful songs, and supreme stage directing, the musical succeeds in delivering a fresh spin on its original material while also making sure that Noah and Allie’s story is never truly forgotten.”

“The action on stage is electric, albeit restrained electricity.”

“Days of Wine and Roses is an affecting, unblinking portrayal of the reality of dealing with addiction that’s seldom seen on Broadway.”

“In Appropriate, which opened on Dec. 18 at the Hayes Theater, Paulson is monumental.”

“How to Dance in Ohio often misses by trying to cover too much ground from too many different angles and perspectives.”

“The new iteration of the Monty Python funfest is a welcome dose of both hilarious deconstruction and old-fashioned razzle-dazzle.”

“Harmony will continue to sing out in the minds of audiences long after they leave the theater, too.”

“Instead, the play encourages viewers to inspect the way the current world works and, hopefully, leave its salon with a greater sense of compassion and understanding for those around them tirelessly working to make ends meet.”

“Purlie Victorious manages to have fun without shying away from the historical reality of Black oppression.”

“Friedman and her star-studded cast have succeeded in wrangling Merrily into a powerful hit filled with big laughs and equally big heartbreaks.”

“And while for the characters themselves, being stuck on the boat is presented as some form of intolerable torture — for audiences, it's definitely a wild ride worth taking.”

“Unfortunately, unlike the DeLorean, Back to the Future: The Musical itself never quite hits 88 miles an hour.”

“The Cottage is a fresh and fiercely fun play that's firing on all cylinders, with Rustin's excellent script.”

“It's an important history lesson, an innovative use of theater space, and a disco dance party, all at once.”

“Empathy, alas, can only go so far.”

“Once Upon a One More Time is a youthful, exuberant take on beloved tales that's more dazzling and polished than Cinderella's glass slipper.”

“Grey House is a bold, original, and unapologetically eerie play that will continue to haunt theatergoers long after they've left the theater.”

“Each minute of New York, New York is buzzing with life, as background dancers and actors flit in and out of view, telling clever little visual stories, giving New York, New York the energy of its titular city.”

“Instead, Summer, 1976 highlights how simpler moments and interactions along one's timeline can still have a profound and long-lasting impact — much like the play itself.”

“Sean Hayes is just too easy to love.”

“The result is a night of theater that not only speaks to the culture but shifts it as well.”

“Reinvigorated by Sorkin — who has long painted a dreamy, egalitarian view of politics within his works — and his new book, the musical succeeds in evoking that dream for one brief, shining moment once again.”

“Ijames' characters are as American as pulled pork and baby back ribs, which emphasizes the universality of Shakespeare's work.”

“All that work has allowed playwright Larissa FastHorse to refine her blistering satire of well-meaning white people to a sharp edge.”

“Its refreshing embrace of diversity and unapologetically corny sincerity can definitely put a smile on your face.”

“Still, with flawless performances by the entire company, there's plenty to love about this chef's kiss of a revival of one of Sondheim's greatest works.”

“Zippel also makes the executive decision to rhyme ‘Cinderella’ with ‘Salmonella’ which I will personally never forgive nor forget.”

“Those qualities are thankfully not lost in translation in the 2023 revival of Dancin', the show's first ever Broadway revival.”

“Add in the powerhouse vocals of Alex Joseph Grayson, who steals every single scene as the bombastic Jim Conley, the rich baritone of Eddie Cooper in his Broadway debut, and it's easy to see why Parade is the most gut-wrenchingly gorgeous production on Broadway.”

“Whether there's still fresh air to be found up there is a question this Doll, beyond its strenuously modern dress, mostly punts: The House has been remodeled, but the foundation rests.”

“It's only in the last ten minutes that the show seems to tap into Sultan's work on a deeper level, rather than merely manifest it for the stage, an effort that can often otherwise feel like dancing about architecture.”

“But the story unfolds with so little urgency or new information that it feels not unlike passing through a museum gift shop: Here are a few anecdotes and trinkets to take home, something comfortably concrete on which to hang the vast unknowability of modern art.”

“By the end, you'll understand the natural response: Try opening a history book, or looking around you.”

“It Hot is a booze-soaked, boisterous good time from start to finish.”

“Those going to A Beautiful Noise want to be entertained and entertained they will be.”

“KPOP's stellar musical numbers and all-star cast are able to turn the beat around into a solid, feel-good joyride that both K-Pop and musical fans can appreciate.”

“As much as the show feels directed toward a strenuously young demographic - some of them possibly not even born yet when Backstreet were singing about their fire, or their one desire - the script makes several knowing nods, much like a Pixar movie, to the ancient grown-ups in the room.”

“Birbiglia is excellent at his craft, knowing when to guide the audience through an emotion and when to perfectly execute a gag that has slowly been building.”

“Kimberly Akimbo leaves you floating high on good vibes and ready to make the most of life.”

“In the end, you find yourself wishing that a production about the rebellious world of rock & roll would let its hair down a bit more and take bigger risks instead of playing it safe at almost every turn.”