Another great review i found over the Broadway forums:
"I am an avid theatre "goer" and a "local celebrity" in westchester county. NY where I have performed and directed many shows. Whereas I don't dare compare myself to anyone working professioanlly in NYC, I do consider my knowledge of musical theatre literature and productions vast and substantially backed up by tru8e facts... so everyone reading this, listen to me carefully.... GO SEE BROOKLYN NOW! Get the tickets, regardless of the cost, and see it. You'll be kicking yourself when it is sold out for months because this show is going to succeed.
Regardless if this type of show is to everybody's liking, it is something so new and refreshing it must be seen. Finally a show that isn't trying to make some cheesy movie/ cartoon even cheesier on the stage. This is a new book, new music, and a new concept.
You can read the plot on numerous sites so I won't waste space with those details. I saw the show opening night of the previews and was astonished.
There have been a few shows in the past that have brought ingenuinety to the stage. I consider some of them to be Rent, Edwin Drood, Fantasticks, Once on This Island, and Godspell. Brooklyn combines the successful creative/ direction elements of each of those musicals and creates an improved format to the modern musical (the show within a show of "Drood", the urban reality of "rent", the story telling of "Once on this Island", the tight ensemble/ use of props & set of "Godspell", the depth of "Fantasticks"). Added to the fact that the talent enlisted in this show is beyond amazing, there is no excuse that everyone should not see this show.
My opinions: I loved the fact that it was performed without an intermission. A break in the action would have destroyed the forward motion and emotional progression of the show (and I was hooked into the plot and would have hated an interruption!). I must have cried atleast ten times during the show:
1. Opening number (the intonation of the chords made me tear up as the ring of those notes made me so happy!)
2. Brooklyn's reaction to Faith's death.
3. Once upon a time... just listen to it, you'll cry seeing it live.
4. Laughed so much I cried during Paradice's first number.
5. Flashback scene. (it hit home.)
6. Raven (the emotion of that song is heartwrentching)
7. The moment of isolation after Brooklyn sings Love Fell Like Rain (I won't say anymore than that... go see the show)
8. Streetsinger... they are that damn good folks.
9. Cleavant Derrick's final monologue ( was there a dry eye in the house?)
10. The curtain call... i was so touched and impressed I felt a feeling of pride for a cast I have never met or known.
You must see this show. It is excellent in every degree and I can't stress how refreshing it is. It is also humorous, fun, entertaining, emotional, introspective, and cleverly directed. I believe it is from the same director who directed the Deaf Company production of Big River, and, if you can handle it... this show is more beautifully directed than that one with even more poignance.
I went into seeing this show completely unbiased. Now, I am absolutley jaded about it. I will preach this show. Please see it.
Feel free to e-mail me if you need any more convincing:
chachnyspring97@aol.com
With admiration to a great beginning of a long Broadway run,
chach
p.s. This show is nothing like Miss Saigon. If that's what one thinks is apparent, one totally missed the point of the show and needs to see it again."
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