A Sign of the Times

I’m interested in this show, but I can’t find much info about it. Has anyone seen a previous incarnation? Any clue if it’s supposed to be good?

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Updated On: 2/20/24 at 12:01 AM

I feel like the majority of audience was over 70 and this show was custom built for them to enjoy and reminisce over “the good old days” even though it’s heavy on the racism and Vietnam, it still plays like a show on a senior citizen cruise. 

Cast is all very good, even if the material calls on them to overact and have too many “wink wink nudge nudge” moments to the audience over 60s references.

Opening night is this week and the production has strategically placed people around the theater (and you absolutely can’t convince me otherwise of this) to completely lose their sh*t and get way too over excited at too many moments which was just odd. 

Leaving this though, I didn’t know if it had been meant to be a celebration of the 60s or a condemnation of them and honestly, I don’t think the show knew, either. 

Updated On: 2/20/24 at 10:30 PM

Got out at 10:05 tonight. 

"I feel like the majority of audience was over 70 and this show was custom built for them to enjoy and reminisce over “the good old days” even though it’s heavy on the racism and Vietnam, it still plays like a show on a senior citizen cruise."

I know you did not mean to be insulting but IMO you make it sound like that anybody in their 70's would only enjoy a nostalgia show about their youth. The senior cruise remark was a bit snarky. The people I know in their 70's never look back fondly at the 60's with exception of some of the music. If I overreacted to the intent of your remarks, I will apologize.

"Leaving this though, I didn’t know if it had been meant to be a celebration of the 60s or a condemnation of them and honestly, I don’t think the show knew, either. "

Race riots, Vietnam war and assassinations (JFK, MLK & RFK) are not something to celebrate in a show, to bad show did not condemn it and maybe write some original music.

Updated On: 2/20/24 at 09:06 AM

Do they offer Rush or Lottery?

‘A Sign of the Times’ Review: A Confused 1960s New York A jukebox musical about a Midwesterner’s big dreams is heavy on the Petula Clark. 

quizking101 said: "The performers tried but oh my god, not since A BEAUTIFUL NOISE have I seen such remarkable laziness in writing a jukebox musical. Even worse is that the entire show is just based around a milquetoast and generic idea of what the 60s were like. I would’ve rather gone back downtown (no pun intended)and just stared at the Dead Outlaw marquee - I would’ve been more entertained."

This for sure is worse than A Beautiful Noise. At least we know what ABN is about -  Neil Diamond's life. A Sign of the Times can't even establish that. It's half discussing what a sexist, racist nightmare 1965 was, and half trying to make the same time period seem a nostalgic backdrop for the most generic young artists making it in the big city story. 

It also can't commit to a concept musically. It's a period musical, but the Elvis song "If I Can Dream" was written a couple of years after the shows ends. It had previously been marketed as Petula Clark musical and has 8 Clark songs, but she didn't sing the majority of songs featured. 

Even who is to blame/credit seems murky. Bruce Vilanch, from Hollywood Squares and writing for the Oscars telecast, was credited as the sole book writer in the two previous incarnations of the show. Lindsey Hope Pearlman is now the sole credited book writer. There's no indication this is a significantly different show. 

I enjoyed watching Crystal Lucas-Perry perform, I was already a fan. That's probably the only positive thing I can say about the show.