I can’t believe I’m going to stay up until 4am here in London to watch this.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/13
Celina is incredibly talented. I think some of the others including Taraji are a bit much. At least they’re having fun tho.
Off to a great start!!!
Damn Celina and those kids sound amazing! Taraji is deliciously evil. The new orchestrations are just brilliant so far.
I know we’re coming up on the 45th anniversary of this show, but it feels like a brand new musical tonight. And that’s a great thing.
Are they lip-syncing the group numbers?
Nice to see “We’d Like to Thank You” on the screen for the first time. Taraji is the best part of this so far. She hits the right vaudevillian note that Dorothy Loudoun brought to the role.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/13
Idk I feel like Taraji isn’t really making choices that work well on camera….
bwayobsessed said: "Idk I feel like Taraji isn’t really making choices that work well on camera…."
I’m sure these live musicals in general are balancing acts between acting for the stage and the screen because it’s staged for both.
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/11
The line that Hoover is quoted as saying"...I take no responsibility..." hit a little too close to home. Reminded me of...you know. This production is more timely than I thought it would be.
Celina has an amazing voice. I think she's got a bright future ahead.
Taraji is cracking me TF up.
Taraji is chewing up the scenery like it is a leather boot and I am HERE FOR IT!
Hannigan needs to be over-the-top. Her lines aren’t that funny unless they’re delivered in a cartoonish way. I’ve seen so many actresses sink in this role because they keep things too restrained. Taraji is hitting all the right notes for me.
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/11
Jordan Catalano said: "Taraji is cracking me TF up."
Same here! And what a voice.
Absolutely nerding out over McKenzie Kurtz as Annette and Eliseo Roman as Drake!
Scherzinger sounds lovely and looks beautiful.
Taraji was pushing a bit in the opening -- nerves? -- but has settled into the genuinely comic performance we knew she'd give. Her roof-raising reprise of "Little Girls" made me wish she was doing this on Broadway.
I wish the sets didn't look so 1959 television special-ish. It's not an evocative or especially attractive bit of world building. 1930s America is rich visual fodder; this looks like a dinner theater.
The kids, including the wonderful star, are terrific.
“I’m glad to see Broadway get back on its feet in spite of the hard times.”
You speak for all of us, Mr. Connick. And the audience certainly agreed.
McKenzie Kurtz as the Star to Be!!!
The shaved head is a basic requirement for the role. The little fleshy bubble bulging at the back of the neck is not a good look. It's a conehead presentation that doesn't help the actor-singer's cause. He seems distracted.
Trying to get past the unimpressive physical production -- this ice show concept is the best NBC could manage? -- which just doesn't create much verisimilitude or magic. The thirties NYC is ripe for exploration, even with minimalism. This looks like -- well, an old TV special.
Jordan Levinson said: "“I’m glad to see Broadway get back on its feet in spite of the hard times.”
You speak for all of us, Mr. Connick. And the audience certainly agreed."
Call me a loser…but this made me tear up a little.
Here we go, Tituss and Megan Hilty.
I didn’t really like the addition of “Sign,” but what a smashing “Easy Street” to ease the pain.
I just adore Megan Hilty. I wish we had more of her on Broadway.
This really is pretty good. I just wish it was directed and designed by another team.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/13
I always enjoyed Sign. Easy Street is always my favorite number in the show.
Easy Street was amazing!!
Beautiful “Maybe” reprise. It looked like Celina was really crying and not just acting.
Videos