I didn't think it was dreadful.
The songs aren't bad, they're just really bland. Several of the book scenes landed pretty well when I saw it, and I thought the structure was effective. The acting is good. It seems like they're making a lot of changes and they all seem to be good ones.
However. Too many ballads that accomplish the same thing. The last number is terrible. The chorus has nothing to do. The husbands (who are so talented) have very little to do. It's got a long way to go, I think, but it seems like it could get there.
The middle-aged ladies around me LOVED it. I know because they talked through the whole show (in between sips of champagne) and keep telling each other how much they LOVED it. This applies to the group in front of me, behind me, and to the right of me. The group of ladies to the left of me might have loved it, I don't know as they were silent through the show.
Jesus saves. I spend.