Tap dance is one of the most joyful dance forms out there. All of the women in the show flash the broadest of smiles as they effortlessly tap across the stage. Dormeshia is a powerhouse, and lays it down during her solo time on stage. But all of the women are amazing dancers, and each gets her chance to improvise alone with the live musicians behind them on stage. The best moments are when everyone moves in unison or in reaction to each other.
When is the cast album coming out?! The songs in this boisterous version of As You Like It are catchy and original, bridging contemporary references with boy band nostalgia for a truly unique adaptation of the play from Shaina Taub. Rebecca Naomi Jones and Ato Blankson-Wood are both talented performers and perfect for each other as Rosalind and Orlando. The mass of people on the stage, an inclusive mix of professional actors and members of the community, is impressive, and the direction and choreography of such a cast even more-so.
No one doubted that Billy Crystal would steal the limelight in this one, especially since the show is about his character, Buddy Young Jr., finding ways to do just that. Based on Crystal's 1992 movie of the same name, this show features new musical numbers and a whole serving of schmaltz. Unfortunately, the show is too long and the songs are not memorable. Crystal delivers plenty of laughs, but his singing is a bit weak and the supporting cast seems to hold back too (perhaps to avoid upstaging him). The audience, even older and more Jewish than the regular Broadway crowd, seemed to relish every moment, but to younger generations - even ones who were brought up in the tradition of Jewish slapstick - will find themselves yawning halfway through.
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