http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/brooklynite/
Rating: 4/5 stars
This past Sunday afternoon I went to see the new off-Broadway musical Brooklynite. I have to admit that I generally don't go see off-Broadway shows. Not because I'm an elitist, but more because I know less about off-Broadway shows and they can sometimes be just as expensive as Broadway shows. There are also sooooo many of them. I went to see Brooklynite because it was part of off-Broadway 2-for-1 week so the normally $80 tickets were $40. Also, full disclosure, I went because the lead is Matt Doyle who I saw as Elder Price in Book of Mormon and he BLEW my mind. His voice is heavenly.
I was procrastinating writing this review for a little while and I wasn't sure why. I liked it. It was entertaining. But I didn't walk away with some big revelation or complaint. And then it hit me, this is my first off-Broadway review and the first off-Broadway show I've seen in awhile. I can't compare this to other shows I've seen because that isn't fair. Being off-Broadway means smaller audience, smaller stage/set, smaller budget, shorter run, and smaller cast. So no, this isn't a Broadway show and if it was I might review it differently, but for what it is, I think it was wonderful.
The story is that a meteorite hits Brooklyn and transforms 6 people into superheros (including an invisible man that is actually a spotlight and a man who can sense empty parking spaces). The main superhero, Astrolass, wants to have a normal life, while a nerdy store clerk, Trey, wants to be a superhero. The story follows Astrolass and Trey trying to switch places while the parking space superhero becomes a villain because no one respects his "power." Needless to say, it's a comedy with a lot of NYC jokes and nerd jokes (especially from the ensemble that plays the nerdy scientists).
It's a cute show with cute jokes, but what really stood out was the music.
ALL of the songs (except for maybe one) were FANTASTIC. The music was catchy and the lyrics were smart. I was bopping in my seat to almost every song and was thinking that I haven't heard a score that good in a really long time. The music actually reminded me a little of Rent. Matt Doyle (as Trey) sang beautifully, as expected, and Nicolette Robinson (as Astrolass) was good but maybe wasn't perfect for the role. A quick shout-out to the hysterical Nick Cordero (Tony-nominee from Bullets Over Broadway) as the parking space guido superhero. Also everyone watch out for Gerard Canonico (Kid Comet). His voice was phenomenal!!!
I think what the show lacked was a little depth. The acting, the direction, the story were all a little cutesy and cartoony. The songs had a lot of meaning and emotion, but the story didn't bring us there, so it was hard to connect. Trey's parents were killed and Astrolass wants a normal happy life. These are things that could draw us in...but they just didn't.
I really hope this show continues and I think with some tweaking it could be a fantastic Broadway show. I wouldn't be surprised if it made it to the Great White Way in a few years!
Who should see this show:
How to get tickets:
This past Sunday afternoon I went to see the new off-Broadway musical Brooklynite. I have to admit that I generally don't go see off-Broadway shows. Not because I'm an elitist, but more because I know less about off-Broadway shows and they can sometimes be just as expensive as Broadway shows. There are also sooooo many of them. I went to see Brooklynite because it was part of off-Broadway 2-for-1 week so the normally $80 tickets were $40. Also, full disclosure, I went because the lead is Matt Doyle who I saw as Elder Price in Book of Mormon and he BLEW my mind. His voice is heavenly.
I was procrastinating writing this review for a little while and I wasn't sure why. I liked it. It was entertaining. But I didn't walk away with some big revelation or complaint. And then it hit me, this is my first off-Broadway review and the first off-Broadway show I've seen in awhile. I can't compare this to other shows I've seen because that isn't fair. Being off-Broadway means smaller audience, smaller stage/set, smaller budget, shorter run, and smaller cast. So no, this isn't a Broadway show and if it was I might review it differently, but for what it is, I think it was wonderful.
The story is that a meteorite hits Brooklyn and transforms 6 people into superheros (including an invisible man that is actually a spotlight and a man who can sense empty parking spaces). The main superhero, Astrolass, wants to have a normal life, while a nerdy store clerk, Trey, wants to be a superhero. The story follows Astrolass and Trey trying to switch places while the parking space superhero becomes a villain because no one respects his "power." Needless to say, it's a comedy with a lot of NYC jokes and nerd jokes (especially from the ensemble that plays the nerdy scientists).
It's a cute show with cute jokes, but what really stood out was the music.
ALL of the songs (except for maybe one) were FANTASTIC. The music was catchy and the lyrics were smart. I was bopping in my seat to almost every song and was thinking that I haven't heard a score that good in a really long time. The music actually reminded me a little of Rent. Matt Doyle (as Trey) sang beautifully, as expected, and Nicolette Robinson (as Astrolass) was good but maybe wasn't perfect for the role. A quick shout-out to the hysterical Nick Cordero (Tony-nominee from Bullets Over Broadway) as the parking space guido superhero. Also everyone watch out for Gerard Canonico (Kid Comet). His voice was phenomenal!!!
I think what the show lacked was a little depth. The acting, the direction, the story were all a little cutesy and cartoony. The songs had a lot of meaning and emotion, but the story didn't bring us there, so it was hard to connect. Trey's parents were killed and Astrolass wants a normal happy life. These are things that could draw us in...but they just didn't.
I really hope this show continues and I think with some tweaking it could be a fantastic Broadway show. I wouldn't be surprised if it made it to the Great White Way in a few years!
Who should see this show:
- To be completely honest, I don't think you should go spend $80 to see this show, so only go if you can get discounted tickets or you like to spend lots of money
- INSTEAD I think you should listen to some of the music and look for this show someday on Broadway: http://www.broadway.com/videos/155967/video-matt-doyle-and-nick-cordero-go-full-superhero-in-brooklynite/
How to get tickets:
- https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/940732