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Baby It's You! Reviews
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| 16 |
Good singing throughout the show Review by: Baltimore Lady, May 2, 2011 |
I thought the play was good. I went to the mid-day performance on 4/30 and the theater was packed with folks.
My only complaint would be that some of the songs were cut very short. The story line was not the best, but the singing was great. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
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| 17 |
Review by: Rex, Bx, May 1, 2011 |
| This musical production is a must see for all us from the baby boom generation!! The story of Florence Greenberg, a housewife from New Jersey, who wants to venture out and start her own record label in 1958, at a time when most women did not venture far from their husbands and children is pure entertainment from beginning to end. Florence's daughter introduces her to these girls from her high school who are looking to break ... read more into the music business. When Florence hears these girls sing, she quickly takes them under her wing and forms the girl group, the Shirelles. The plot deals with the payola scandal of the 1950's, racism, an interracial relationship( which was taboo at that time) and Florence's dtermination to keep her record label at the top of the charts. The cast is phenominal as they perform the hits of the Shirelles, Chiffons, Lesley Gore, the Drifters, the Kingston Trio, the Supremes, and Dionne Warwick which are all beautifully interwoven into this story line. If you loved the music from this generation, don't miss this entertaining and thrilling production!! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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| 18 |
After all, it is show business. Review by: Tom Bestor, May 1, 2011 |
It’s a wonder the story of Florence Greenberg wasn’t the first jukebox musical. A housewife from Passaic, New Jersey, Greenberg discovered a group of girls at her daughter's high school and took them to the top of the charts, founding a record company and partnering – both professionally and romantically -- with songwriter and producer Luther Dixon, during a time when interracial relationships were illegal in many states. Drama, politics, love,... read more, great songs – it’s perfect material.
I can hear the pitch now. “It’s ‘Jersey Girls’ go to ‘Memphis’! That’s two Tony winners in one! How can it miss?”
As it turns out, whether it hits or misses depends on the target. Are you aiming for a somewhat sophisticated theater crowd that likes intelligence and wit and imagination – and doesn’t mind being entertained along the way? Or are you after the family from a corn-exporting state who are in New York for the first time, can’t get into “Wicked” but have already seen “The Lion King”?
The producers of “Baby It’s You” are likely praying for a success similar to that of “Jersey Boys.” They’re not going to get it. “Baby It’s You” is too didactic and simple-minded. “Jersey Boys” is simple, almost a comic book on stage (and I mean that in a good way), but it’s not simple-minded. Its book is a wonderful example of efficiency in storytelling. “Baby It’s You,” on the other hand, is constantly grabbing you by the hand, forcing its story on you. Too much gets told to the audience that we could be shown instead. And showing is a lot more powerful than telling.
“Baby It’s You” is also bubbly and shiny and colorful. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some of my favorite shows are bubbly and shiny and colorful. But Florence Greenberg’s story isn’t always a bubbly one. (Florence is played by the wonderful Beth Leavel, who is the main thing that’s right about this show.) She neglected her family, was a hard-nosed businesswoman and was involved in a very controversial relationship. The show might match the story better if it was a smidge darker, a lumen or so less bright.
But I understand why the producers chose not to go down that road. Going at this material in a less conventional way involves a tremendous amount of risk. Pull it off, maybe you make something great and you win the Tony and everything’s peachy. If you don’t, there goes your money.If, on the other hand, you focus on what makes the tourists at the TKTS booth in Times Square choose your show over “Jerusalem” or “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” or “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” you might just see some return on your investment.
After all, it is show business. |
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| 19 |
Review by: batelcom, May 1, 2011 |
| Maybe the people panning the show didn't grow up with 60's music. The show was great. Me and my wife saw the show on the first night of previews (for her birthday) and we loved every moment of it. I knew the words to every song. My 6 year old granddaughter goes to sleep listening to 60's music. You don't have to be a baby boomer to love music you can understand. I recommend this show to everyone, it was great. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
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| 20 |
Great Show Can't believe the bad reviews Review by: bunny24, Apr 30, 2011 |
| I am shocked at the bad reviews of this show! It is so upbeat, the songs are great, the acting wonderful, and the performance is terrific. It was sold out when I saw it and the audiance loved it! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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| 21 |
I will bring my husband back to see it. Review by: jeannie, Apr 29, 2011 |
| Loved it!!I saw the show with my 25 year old daughter and she enjoyed it as much as I did. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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| 22 |
Pure dreck. Silly dialogue, weak characters, high school quality. Review by: Stickler, Apr 27, 2011 |
Saw it in preview several weeks ago and left the theater thinking 'what a stinker'. At the conclusion, the audience gave the cast a courtesy although half-hearted standing ovation. Weak dialogue, foolish narrator that looked annoyingly like Eddie Murphy. Disjointed script and storyline. Music was just OK but the theater deserves to offer better to it's audience. A high school play at best.
Overall Rating: A (for Awful) |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Boomer Age Music And Story Review by: michael, Apr 25, 2011 |
Time will tell whether all these musicals looking at America in the 50's and 60s are a search for the country's lost soul or a simple retreat into the past by the primary demographic group. Either way this latest effort is worth seeing as part of the process of discovering the history of America's musical heritage and the social climate that created it. The tunes are great but the story line, on that the producers have attempted in ... read more "Million Dollar Quartet", is to give some credit to the people who wrote the tunes and produced the sounds that we take for granted. Like the Chess brothers in Chicago, there is an interplay here between two minorities with something to say, the blacks in music and the Jews in marketing and production, that together gave Americans this rich cultural heritage. This story adds a third minority, a woman (Florence Greenberg), who takes the talent of the Shirelles and exposes it to a wider (and whiter) audience.
See this show for the music but be enriched by its story. It's a story that is sometimes clumsily told, but has meaning for all those who have an interest in America's cultural and social history. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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| 24 |
very entertaining.(maybe work on the dialogue?) Review by: lulu, Apr 24, 2011 |
Saw the matinee yesterday, and thorougly enjoyed it. The set was great, the visuals great, the singing and dancing extremely entertaining. The story line and dialogue, well, not the strong point for sure.
However, with all that said, it was totally enjoyable and looked like the full audience was standing and singing at the end. |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Business Associate
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, The Entire Family, Business Assoc.
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| 25 |
Not a Show to See..... Review by: , Apr 24, 2011 |
Saw this musical for yesterday's (4/23/11) matinee. Other than the music (which was great, but songs were chopped or shortened to fit into what the show was trying to express), the show was poorly written and poorly executed.
The show touts itself as the story of the Shirelles. It's not. It's the story of Florence Greenberg. The Shirelles are included throughout the show, but as minor characters. The story is choppy, jumping years ... read more at a time. None of the characters are developed -- even the main characters. It should be noted that for a show about the Shirelles, my son left only knowing that the lead singer was named Shirly.
I was left sorely disappointed. The seats were very uncomfortable and, at times, I found myself drifting asleep to the music.
We saw this at the end of previews. Unless they plan on changing the story or the tempo of the story, I would not recommend this show at all. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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| 26 |
Too much Florence Greenberg; not enough Shirelles Review by: pokerloco, Apr 23, 2011 |
| Expected to see "Jersey Girls"; instead got a poorly written and directed bio of Florence Greenberg and an Alan Freed type golden oldies concert.Learned zero about the Shirelles,except that their lead singer was named Shirley [hence the Shirelles--get it?]The girls did a great job but most of their songs were interrupted or cut short.Amazingly, their biggest hit [Will you love me tomorrow?] was omitted entirely--unforgiveable.My prediction--it ... read more closes within a year without major changes. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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Alone
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| 27 |
Great Show Review by: Bunny24, Apr 21, 2011 |
| We loved this show! Costumes are amazing and it is so uplifing with great songs that everyone knows from the 60's. It is great that is a true story of The Shirelles and Scepter Records and the music was nicely intertwined with the story at times. GO SEE IT! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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Recommended for:
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| 28 |
Mama Sad There'll Be Shows Like This... Review by: quizking101, Apr 20, 2011 |
There will be shows like this, Mama said. I’m sorry to report that BABY, IT’S YOU, a new musical by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux (of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET fame) is that show. Enough 60s pop songs to create an extended “Greatest Hits” album, combined with a lack of focus on the storyline of Florence Greenberg, dooms this show to be no more than a glorified concert. Correction: There is about a twenty minute sequence in Act II that works as a ... read more piece of musical theater. There's a clear plot, characters are developed, and the music serves its dual function of historical reenactment and character development. Otherwise, the plot is never clear (wait, why did nine people just sing that song in less than a minute but not at the same time in the same place or the same arrangement and how come the show never breathes enough to let me applaud the singers and “haha” that was a really corny li--why are they singing that song again--wait, two years later?) and nothing that happens has any impact on anyone's performance. This reminds me so much of another show that is in this exact vein (verbatim), LEADER OF THE PACK. Both of them were set in the late 1950s to early 1960s, focused on a Jewish woman making a rise in the music business, the same woman suffering a breakdown at some point her career, and a pastiche of songs that can be found in your parents’ (or even grandparents’) record collection. However, both suffered from incredibly clunky storytelling, inundations of the aforementioned oldies music, and, ultimately, an unsatisfying experience. If the parallels with LEADER OF THE PACK seem to continue in the way they are, BABY IT’S YOU will be over relatively quickly.
The cast of characters seems to be a mixed bag. There are some great performances, namely Christina Sajous as Shirley Owens, the head Shirelle. Erica Ash, Crystal Starr Knighton, and Kyra DaCosta also do very well as the other Shirelles, though we really don’t learn much about them (which can be given, since it even takes until halfway through Act I to learn their names). Beth Leavel, as Florence Greenberg (the Scepter Records creator responsible for the Shirelles’ success) has her moments, but often seems bored on stage. Leavel, as well as Barry Pearl (who plays her longsuffering, misogynist husband Bernie) have a penchant of beating their Jewish characters’ personalities to death with frequent use of Yiddish phrases (including frequent uses of “Oy!”). Though they aren’t really to blame, since these actors change characters frequently enough that the heavy reinforcement is necessary. Kelli Barrett does well as the daughter of Florence, pushed to the side by Florence’s burgeoning career, but her appearance as Lesley Gore during the Act II tour montage is something that nobody should ever be subjected to (lest they forever want an altered vision of the song “It’s My Party”). Brandon Uranowitz really seems to just blend into the background regardless of which character he is since, somehow, anyone who shares the stage with him chews the scenery like an evening meal. Allan Louis as Luther Dixon is very one-note as a suave producer who manages to work his charm to get anything (and anyone) wants. Geno Henderson, sadly, remains in the same, Eddie Murphy-in-DREAMGIRLS-inspired, character for all four of his roles in the show.
For a show that is set in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, the show is surprising high-tech, beginning with the giant video screen as a curtain, set with the show’s logo (which later proceeded to run through the traditional theatre etiquette announcements in a computer-generated fashion). The “American Bandstand” style sets used to showcase The Shirelles’ performances made good use of lights (and an onstage orchestra) to capture the glitz of a 1960s variety show. But sometimes that glitz goes overboard when lights flash at seizure-inducing rates. The rest of the sets (which I wouldn’t even consider calling them) are video screens with ever changing images to reflect the Greenberg household, Florence’s New York office, recording studios, and many other locations. The choreography is downright laughable, being no better than a high school production. And given that many songs are turned into overblown production numbers, that lacking is an obvious flaw in each of those songs. The orchestrations of the songs are great, which is great considering that the main reason probably want to see this show is for the music, with interest in the story taking a distant second.
Running with the idea that the music is all the audience cares about, BABY, IT’S YOU could have the potential to be a mild success. That is, if they manage to fill the audience with those who are sick of JERSEY BOYS, and at their wits end with MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. But for the common and critical theatergoer, this would be a waste of time and money, since the music is really the only thing that gives this show any promise.
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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great music so so story Review by: xanadude, Apr 20, 2011 |
| saw this on monday the music of couse is timeless (althought very curious why " will you still love me tomomorow") was ommited?? the costumes awesome the story was so so. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| 30 |
Review by: , Apr 18, 2011 |
| We saw Baby It"s You on Friday 4/15/11 all i can say was that it was AWESOME! Music was great, costumess and cast were FABULOUS! We sat in the First Mezzazine Row B first 2 seats couldnot ask for better seats. Go see it ! It's Worth the Money! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
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Recommended for:
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| * Review is an opinion of a BroadwayBox user and not that of BroadwayBox.com and BroadwayBox, Inc. |
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