What: A Walk on the Moon
Where: George Street Playhouse
NBPAC
11 Livingston Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ
Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up
When: Through May 21, 2022
A Walk on the Moon, a musical based on the 1999 movie of the same name, is the story of a dissatisfied housewife who has an affair with a freewheeling blouse salesman. The action takes place in a Catskills resort in the summer of 1969, and the designers of this show (lighting, projections, sound, costumes, etc.) really do a tremendous job of setting the scene. You really feel like you have been time-warped back to that place in that time.
Jackie Burns is outstanding in the lead role of Pearl Kantrowitz. She has some nice power ballads that really give her the opportunity to show off her vocal chops as well. There are also a few other enjoyable songs although none are really all that memorable. Carly Gendell does a nice turn in the role of Pearl's daughter, Allison, as well. Her romance with a young man she meets at the resort parallels her mother's with the blouse salesman. Pearl and Allison's relationship really captures the complicated bond between mothers and their teenage daughters. Many of the other characters don't seem as fully developed, however, particularly the character of Walker Jerome, the man with whom Pearl has an affair. His character seems kind of bland and it is unclear why she would be so attracted to him.
On the whole, the subject matter seems strange for a musical although it is based on a movie as previously mentioned, and it does seem like anything goes these days when it comes to musical theater especially when it comes to turning movies into musicals. However, the show is worth seeing if you are interested in a show that really invokes Summer in the Catskills in the late 1960s or if you want to see Jackie Burns's powerful performance.
For more about A Walk in the Moon or to purchase tickets, visit
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We were given complimentary tickets to Mr. Saturday Night for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
What: Mr. Saturday Night
Where: Nederlander Theater
201 W. 41 St.
New York, NY
Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up
Mr. Saturday Night is based on the 1992 movie of the same name, and, for those not familiar with the movie, it is the story of a comedian, Buddy Young Jr. an older mostly washed-up comedian looking to make a comeback. The show plays like a Billy Crystal comedy routine punctuated by songs and dialogue. The 74-year-old actor is in fine form and manages to make the comic material sound fresh even though he is obviously following a script. He is not much of a singer, however, although he does manage to put over a song which works much better for the more lively comical songs than the ballads.
Unlike the movie, which mostly takes place in flashbacks, the show mostly takes place in the present time. There is one flashback scene in which Crystal, David Paymer, and Randy Graff play their younger selves. The scene would have come across better if they had cast younger actors to portray the roles for the scene, and it would have been nice to perhaps give a younger actor his start portraying a young Billy Crystal. However, the scene is important to the plot, and the show wouldn't have worked if they removed it entirely.
The most interesting relationship in the whole show is that between Buddy and his daughter, Susan played by Shoshanna Bean. Ms. Bean does a fantastic job in the role and is clearly the standout in the cast. She is also the best singer and has a nice opportunity to show off her singing skills with a couple of pretty ballads. The songs, on the whole, are nice but none of them really make much of an impression or are likely to stick in your head after you leave the theater.
Clearly, this show's Tony nomination for Best Musical is the result of it being a pretty mediocre season with only one or two really standout musicals. That being said, however, it is an enjoyable show with an entertaining enough plot, good performances, and decent songs. It is especially worth seeing for Shosanna Bean's performance and if you want the opportunity to see comedy legend, Billy Crystal live even if the words coming out of his mouth are not necessarily his own but are scripted.
For more about Mr. Saturday Night or to purchase tickets, visit mrsaturdaynightonbroadway.com
And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.
Photo credits:
All A Walk on the Moon production photos by T. Charles Erickson
All Mr. Saturday Night production photos by Matthew Murpy
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