More Theater Monday - The Ten Commandments Musical and That Golden Girls Show A Puppet Parody

We were given complimentary tickets to the Ten Commandments Musical for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: The Ten Commandments Musical 

Where: The Center for Jewish History

             15 W. 16th St.

             New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Through May 15, 2022 (go to www.thetencommandmentsthemusical.com for exact dates and times)

The Ten Commandments is an extremely dramatic musical retelling of the story of Moses.  Even though there is dialogue in the show, it feels almost like an opera. The voices of the cast are uniformly beautiful although when it comes to acting some cast members stand out more than others particularly, Melissa Lubars as Moses' mother. The music is quite loud, and it is sometimes hard to hear the singing over it which makes it hard to keep track of where they are in the story although most people are probably familiar enough with it to have an idea of what is going on. 

There isn't much of a set but the costumes are beautiful. The projections really add to the story so it's a shame that the large The Center for Jewish History imprinted on the wall distracts from them. That isn't really the fault of the production, however, but of the those who built the building, but it doesn't make sense that they would have that large permanent lettering on the back wall of a stage. Did they think that people were going to forget where they were? The letters are so large that they would likely be distracting even if you were there to attend a lecture or some other event that did not necessarily include projections on the wall.

All in all, the strength of this show definitely lies in the singing. No matter what religion you are, and even if you have no religion at all if you want to hear some lovely voices you might want to check out this show.

For more information about The Ten Commandments Musical or to purchase tickets visit www.thetencommandmentsthemusical.com

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What: That Golden Girls Show A Puppet Parody

Where: Theater Row

              410 W. 42nd St.

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up 

When: Through May 29,2022

That Golden Girls Show A Puppet Parody is a series of three Golden Girls episodes hilariously retold through the use of puppetry. It is unclear whether the episodes presented were actually episodes of the TV series. However, if not, the writing is spot on, and they definitely feel like they could have been actual episodes of the series. If you would not have wanted your child to watch the TV series, you will not want them to watch this show due to the language and subject matter which includes quite a lot of sexual innuendo, particularly with regard to the character of Blanche.

The four talented puppeteers do a terrific job of capturing all the quirks and nuances of these characters as created by the actors who originally portrayed them. Since these are not the kind of puppets where the performers are hidden, they are all acting doubly both through the puppets and through their own faces, voices, and bodies. Accordingly, it is quite evident how committed these actors are and how much they put into their performances.

The brief commercial breaks between episodes and the freeze-frame poses the actors assume prior to the curtain call only add to the fun and nostalgia of the whole thing. The show is sure to delight anyone from the most casual Golden Girls fan to the most diehard. Yet, you do not have to be a Golden Girls fan at all or even have even seen an episode of the show to enjoy it. It is amusing enough and easy enough to follow even without knowing the complete background of these characters that its stands on its own that can be appreciated by anyone.

For more about That Golden Girls Show A Puppet Parody or to purchase tickets, go to thatgoldengirlsshow.com

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.