Theater Thursday: The Paparazzi

We received complimentary tickets to The Paparazzi for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own 

What: The Paparazzi 

Where: AMT Theater

            354 W. 45th St.

            New York, NY

            

Who: Recommended for Ages 10 and Up 

When: Through April 11, 2025

At first, The Paparazzi, now playing at Off Broadway's AMT Theater, might seem like just a little light entertainment. However, it is much deeper and more meaningful than you might think.  The story centers on a woman named Christie, who comes to New York City to be a journalist and ends up writing for a tabloid paper whose main focus, like most tabloids, is to get a juicy story no matter the consequences. This eventually puts her at odds with her childhood best friend, leading to a tragedy. 

This extremely timely story is the flipside of the freedom of the press. While freedom of the press is an important and necessary right, responsible journalism is important too, as are the rights of private individuals when they are not engaging in activities that hinder others' rights or endanger their lives.

Despite the darkness at the heart of the story, the show is not all heaviness. The tone fluctuates between light and breezy, like Christie and the current tabloid darling fighting for the top of the tabloid food chain, and dark and heavy, like Christie's inner struggles with what is being asked of her as a tabloid journalist. The songs are also a mix of upbeat and happy and deeply heartfelt reckonings. 

This is a surprisingly hard-hitting musical. If you are looking for something mindless that you don't really have to think about, this is not the show for you. However, if you enjoy a meaningful show that shines a harsh light on a societal issue, this show fits the bill perfectly. It's a real gut punch.

And that's our view. For more information about The Paparazzi or to purchase tickets, visit www.amttheater.org

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits:

All The Paparazzi production photos by Jillian Nelson.

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission.  Address any concerns regarding image usage here.