Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 A-
Come from Away A-
Sunday in the Park with George B+
Oh, Hello on Broadway B
Groundhog Day B-
Sunset Boulevard C+
Dear Evan Hansen C
I absolutely loved The Great Comet. That being said, I completely understand why it might not be for everyone. Groban, Benton, Steele, Gray, and Ashford are churning out extraordinary performances. I was also a big sucker for Come from Away. The entire company is wonderful. I don’t know how well the show will age but it hits all the right notes for the time we live in. Sunday was a great experience. Jake, Annaleigh, and the entire company did a spectacular job. The biggest issue is with the show’s first act. I was bored for a good two thirds of it. The second act was much stronger. I was pleasantly surprised by Oh, Hello. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it but came out with a smile on my face. The biggest surprise of the season for me was Groundhog Day. I went in with very low expectations and essentially thought that Andy Karl would be the show’s only redeeming quality. I was wrong. Doss plays off Karl wonderfully and I actually really enjoyed the music and found myself moved at the end of the show. It’s not perfect by any means but it was a really enjoyable night. Sunset was fine. Glenn Close is a still a force but I was bored whenever she was not on stage. I also thought Michael Xavier and Siobhan Dillon were pretty bland. The biggest disappointment for me was Dear Evan Hansen. I think Rachel Bay Jones is giving one of the best performances of the season but I have major issues with the show itself. Ben Platt too is giving a great performance but I do not for a minute think it’s as revelatory as many suggest. I was not a big fan of Will Roland, Laura Dreyfuss, or Mike Faist either.
