I agree with a lot of Philly's past assessments. I saw yesterday's matinee, and the book is a hot mess. As an admirer of Wildhorn, it pains me to say this is the weakest of his shows to hit Broadway -- and it's not his fault in this case. The music is the only redeeming quality. I'm unsure where the $15 million was spent?!
I'm not going to get into a lengthy review, but the character development, story, and some of the dialogue are cringe-worthy. Janet, IMO, has a weak stage presence, though she was in pretty good voice yesterday. Heather Parcells was in for Kate, and trust me, she was lackluster at best - sad performance. Karen Mason, however, was a joy to watch in her few limited scenes.
Overall, Boyd and Murphy should never be allowed to write another book for another show -- nor should the Broadway doctors get paid. Some of Murphy's lyrics are serviceable, but I've never been enamored with his work. So, go to the show, close your eyes, ignore the dialogue, and enjoy the music – or just buy the cd.
Updated On: 5/5/11 at 08:48 AM