My Thoughts on ROOMS

This one is going to hit big.

All of the buzz from out of town is completely justified. With an incredible score, two dynamic leads, and a refreshingly simple production design, everything is absolutely perfect across the board.

Leslie Kritzer finally has the role to solidify her status as New York's "it" girl on the verge of full fledged stardom. When she tears into "Scottish Jewish Princess," a comedic tour de force where her character outs a family friend at her Bat Mitzvah, you can't help but marvel at her genius. This is a talent the magnitude of which hasn't been seen in years. I sincerely hope this show gives her the due she has rightfully earned

Doug Kreeger is equally as terrific as her counterpart, a musical genius whose personal demons threaten to derail his talent (and personal life.) Where has Kreeger been all these years? He has a hell of a voice.

For a first preview, I was stunned to see how flawless the show is in terms of working material (although I guess that has a lot to do with how extensively it was worked on in two recent regional productions.) Every single bit is 'on,' and it flies by at about 90 minutes with no intermission.

The chemistry Kritzer and Kreeger already have established is particularly impressive, considering Natascia Diaz had been Kreeger's Monica for most of the developmental phase.

Don't be surprised if talk of a fall transfer begins to mount through previews. If they could enjoy a solid summer run and find a small Broadway house like The Helen Hayes or The Booth, this could have legs.

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Updated On: 2/28/09 at 02:56 PM

So happy to hear this!

Are the 8 dollar tickets for that day or can you buy them for advance?

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I think it's in the perfect venue as is. New World Stages is very hip, chic and very intimate - I think it suits its crowd perfectly.

I was at the show tonight - Saturday night - and I thought it was so great! Krizter was on fire. Her vocals, of course, were flawless and her acting chops were great. Kreeger didn't reel me in in the beginning, but eventfully I was fully into his character and his character's struggles.

The direction and design is flawless. I really loved the simple set and the use of two chairs, and the movement with the door is beautifully staged and executed.

The music is great and has bits of "Bright Lights" in there. The lyrics are quite good, and the story is pretty moving. It slows down a bit in the second half with maybe one too many ballads, but I don't see any other way to express the character's emotions at that point in the story.

I really hope Ghostlight picks this up. It seems like the perfect type of show for them to record - and damnit I wish they'd release Krizter singing Lupone! She has such a beautiful, powerful voice, and a such a great stage presence and hilarious comedic timing. I can def. see her getting praise for this. And Kreeger gives her a solid performance to play off of.

I'm def. going to go see this again - and for $10, you can't beat it!

(By the way, it look pretty much sold-out tonight. The front section on either side of the stage wasn't sold too well, but the view is horrible, so that's probably why)

It really should. It would have faired better off-Broadway, especially with cheaper ticket prices and different marketing schemes like $8 tickets. Although, Broadway does open more doors, so I can see why the producers would opt that way.

I caught this last night and quite liked it. I grabbed $10 seats a bit before the show and was lucky enough to get front row center--a word of warning that the $10 seats on the sides looked like they would be pretty terrible.

In any case, seating aside, I thought both cast members were wonderful, and it was a lovely, fun, charming 90-minutes of theater. There are some clunky lines, and the storytelling is a bit predictable, but Kritzer and Kreeger sell it. I'd certainly go back to see it again.

I agree that the show is perfectly suited for Off-Broadway, particularly the venue they're in at New World Stages.

My only point in bringing up a Broadway house is that I think the reception will be strong enough that the producers are going to look toward a transfer.

We'll see.

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Updated On: 3/1/09 at 01:26 PM

Saw this on Saturday night. Leslie Kritzer is a genius and a total rockstar, as always. Doug Kreeger was great too, though I agree that it took me about 1/3 of the show to warm to his character, though I guess that's probably intentional.

As far as the show itself...I felt very mixed. The score was VERY reminiscent of "Bright Lights, Big City" (you could actually sing some of BLBC over parts of it...the chords were identical), and some of the plot choices were cliched and predictable. I guess that was the problem for me. The story was very cliche and not particularly new or innovative, but was in the hands of two genius, and incredibly capable actors. The music was beautiful but I'd heard it before, and the lyrics ranged from being great and beautifully simplistic to just awkward.

It was a very mixed bag for me, but the things that are good about ROOMS are really great, and it's definitely worth seeing. I can't imagine it on a Broadway stage though.

Yes, the Liza part was in the show in DC. Diaz did a respectable job with the role of Monica.

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I don't necessarily think that a transfer is dumb. It would definitely have to be in one of the smallest theaters though. Maybe Helen Hayes?

WithoutATrace- What didn't you like about ROOMS? Please share.

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I echo RyToast's sentiments about this show. Some of the music was good (Leslie had a couple of great numbers that showcased her amazing voice), but the book was awful and the lyrics were so trite. Given all the hype about this show, I went in with high expectations, and it was a total let down. It was truly a night of pain for me with the wonderful Leslie Kritzer being the only highlight. Sad. Very sad.

I'm planning on seeing 6-7 shows in March... I'm planning on seeing Happiness, In The Heights, Next to Normal, and West Side Story. Should I see ROOMS? I don't want to waste space on a lack-luster show.

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