bwayphreak234 said: "I also saw this through TDF yesterday. Row Q seats 14 and 16. It was a great view. As for the show itself, I absolutely LOVED it. I thought it was so much fun - pure joy and bliss, and I loved the message and themes of acceptance and love coming in different forms.
The cast is so great. Rachel York is a bona fide diva, and it is such a treat to see her on Broadway no matter what the show is. Andrew Durand was hilarious as Musidorus. Samantha Pollino was on for Philoclea, and she was great. Taylor Iman Jones and Bonnie Milligan were hysterical together, and they nailed their solos and duets. Peppermint was fabulous, but she didn't have that much to do.
It was so refreshing to see a show with classic hand-painted backdrops and real set pieces instead of tons of projections. The costumes were stunning and quite detailed. The lighting and sound were top notch. I also want to call out the fact that the Hudson is just one of the nicest and comfortable theatres to see a show in on Broadway.
While this show is silly and campy beyond belief, I think it knows exactly what it wants to be. It wants to be a fun show with catchy tunes and deliver a message of acceptance. I, for one, thought it succeeded in all of these areas. I had a smile on my face from the opening number untilwell after the show. I will definitely be revisiting this one."
Saw this last night (Goldstar tickets, $39 for the balcony) and am going to echo nearly everything bwayphreak said. I had such a great time, even though I went in anticipating a trainwreck I'd get to talk about years from now. I felt very much the same way during and after Head Over Heels that I did when I saw Xanadu (which I also went to, second preview, expecting it not to even make it to opening night); it's similar in style and humor, and I had just as much fun last night as I did in the Hayes a decade ago.
I thought Peppermint was a surprise; her acting and singing are merely good, not as strong as the cast she's surrounded by, but she more than makes up for it in presence and energy. I thought the choreography was great, and combined with the music, costumes, lights, and sets, it's really like nothing else currently on Broadway. It's anachronistic and campy and ridiculous, and that's why I loved it. That, and the fact that it's probably the queerest show I've ever seen on stage, in all the best ways.
Running time was about 2:15 (including the customary late start, the show was over at 10:21), so they're clearly doing some work on the material. Act One does feel a little long, but I don't know what I would cut, aside from "Vacation,"which feels pointless but can't really be cut since it was such a huge hit.
Also in agreement about the Hudson: the seats are roomy and comfortable, there's actually leg room, and the view from the balcony is perfect.
Updated On: 7/1/18 at 01:05 PM
