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That'S gone to flames.

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This is gonna be catastrophic. We're fighting for our marriages and the girls are just putting us through hell.

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I can't. Hopefully this doesn't end in a bloodbath.

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Mickey Jo (16:54)

Broadway and Hollywood really having failed over the past few decades to platform and foster sufficient Asian talent for the show to be cast authentically and appropriately. Because I think we would all love for this to ongo knowingly be a fantastic platform exclusively for Asian talent. But the current financial landscape of Broadway means that they are looking for star names and there are a finite number of Asian star names who are available and capable of playing these roles. Then we get to Mamma Mia, the national tour of Mamma Mia. Currently playing a Broadway tour stop at the Winter Garden Theatre. Her now the best thing about Mamma Mia is how fun it is. I think it goes back to that thing that they used on the marketing for years. You already know you're gonna love it. It is completely predictable, which some might consider a shortcoming and I think is in many ways a great thing. There's a great satisfaction in knowing what to expect for a lot of audience members. That sort of deprives you of a sense of anxiety. I like ice cream. I know what that's gonna taste like every single time that I have it. And Mamma Mia delivers exactly what it promises to with joy and reckless abandon. The worst thing about Mamma Mia, and I haven't yet heard it with American accents, which I think I might find jarring. What's the worst thing about Mamma Mia? I mean, it's Mamma Mia. I think that is its best and its worst quality at the same time. Maybe it's that it inadvertently ushered in an era of subsequently lazy jukebox musicals. That's not an indictment on the quality of Mamma Mia, but everything that came afterwards. Maybe it's the fact that it paved the way for us having to hear Pierce Brosnan singing ABBA songs. Maybe that's the worst part about Mamma Mia even existing. Then let the controversy continue. Next up we have Little Bear Ridge Road, which recently opened at the Booth Theatre on Broadway, the best part of which is Laurie Metcalfe using her star power to elevate the work of a new playwright. Very often when actors of this status return to Broadway, we see them doing so in revivals or Shakespeare or esteemed classics. And Laurie Metcalfe has done a great many new plays on Broadway. And this is the play of a very much rising playwright, Samuel D. Hunter. The worst part of all of this is it is being produced by Scott Rudin who is perpetrating a Broadway return only a few years after being ousted from the industry for multiple heinous allegations of bullying and abuse and harassment towards those working for and beneath him. Meaning that any support of this production financially benefits him and justifies his Broadway return as something that the industry tolerates, accepts, even celebrates. So, yeah, that's the worst thing. Then we've got the Lion King. Best thing about the Lion King is also its key problem. It's the circle of life. It's that moment when you have all of these animals taking to the stage. And even in the years since, it's as though the vision and the artistry and the innovation of this moment, which, you know, 25 plus years ago, the Lion King first brought to the stage, it's as though it's been forgotten. When we see musicals like Hercules, like Aladdin, being too lazy to try and create animal sidekicks, when Julie Taymor had elephants walking down the aisles of the theater, for crying out loud, it is still spectacular. You take children and their eyes are still going to be widened by this incredible thing that is happening around them. The extraordinary power of theatre. The worst part of the Lion King is that that happens in the first five minutes and then the rest of the show doesn't really live up to the promise of it. It's like if Wicked opened with defying gravity. Next up, liberation. Oh, I haven't seen Liberation yet. Oh, my gosh. The best thing about liberation is how excited and empowered and seen it has made a lot of my female friends feel after seeing it and how it's allowed them to feel very much connected to older generations of female relatives, to their mothers, to their grandmothers, and how it's having this intergenerational dialogue between women. They are doing a matinee in which they are encouraging as many mothers and daughters as possible to attend. That's great. That's fantastic. It's fostering conversation that's the best thing about liberation. The worst thing about liberation, and I really don't know, I do not know what the worst thing about liberation is. I know that there is an extended nude scene and for my own British sensibilities, that is something that does make me a little bit. Not uncomfortable necessarily, because I've seen enough nudity in the theatre, but I think it makes me feel slight, self conscious. Maybe that's what we're going to go with. I say that having not yet seen it, I may be entirely changed. Next up, just In Time, starring Jonathan Groff at the Circle in the Square. Theatre. The best thing about Just In Time is the joy that is exploding off of that stage out of Jonathan Groff. And the worst thing is the saliva exploding off of that stage out of Jonathan Groff. No. It is so delightful. Another easy recommendation. Not a show I thought I would want to go back to or feel inclined to, but I would very much like to because it's such a joy, it's such a delight. There is such a happiness and a charm about Just In Time. It's really just uplifting and comforting. Theatre. The worst thing, honestly, it might be getting spit on in the first couple of rows, although some people would see that as a privilege. I will probably, after I finish recording this, think of a bunch of things to say about all of these shows and think, oh, no, that's the real. That's the real worst thing thing. Then we have Hell's Kitchen. Oh, boy. All right, let's think back to Hell's Kitchen. Best thing about Hell's Kitchen is the vocals singing those Alicia Keys songs. Are you kidding me? Some of the arrangements they've done. It's the music. It's hearing those songs and hearing gorgeous Broadway voices navigating that score and giving us delicious vocal interpretations of that really satisfying music. The worst thing about Hell's Kitchen is the partially true narrative and this storyline about an underage girl sort of adamantly pursuing a relationship with a young man who for some time is not interested in reciprocating her advances, but who eventually does and who her mother subsequently calls the police in order to have removed from their home because they're having a, let's say, romantic encounter without him having realized how old she was. Now the responsibility is also his to ask how old she was. I just question why we've had to write that so deliberately into the show. And if you thought that one was a doozy, get ready for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The best thing about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I could say some of the magical effects that they do on stage. I saw it a million years ago, back towards the very beginning of its run, before I considered it particularly irresponsible to do so. Maybe the best part is just that people who grew up really in love with this world and these characters and this story get to spend a little bit of time experiencing it.

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Mickey Jo (25:42)

In person the Worst Thing About Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and We could talk about the fact that you know any story that you've managed to condense from a two part play into a one part play clearly wasn't worth its salt to begin with. Or we could talk about the weird fan service and the creepy scene that Harry has with the Dumbledore painting who isn't really real and who cries at him and says like I just loved you too much as a baby. That gets really weird. We could talk about how the whole thing basically reads like slightly cringe fan fiction. But no, as you probably suspect, the worst thing about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is that proceeds from the production go to the Franchise's original author, J.K. rowling, who uses her own personal finances in order to support hate campaigns against the trans community. Which means by buying a ticket to go and see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, you are inadvertently funding transphobia. Here's a palette cleanser for you. Let's review Hamilton okay, Best Thing About Hamilton on Broadway where to start with the best thing about Hamilton on Broadway? I think it's just the notion of this story of the founding of of America told by writers and a company who reflect what America is now. And it's this opportunity to reconnect to an understanding of what the American dream could and should be and what the promise of freedom could and should be, especially in trying political times amidst the creeping rise of fascism. The Worst Thing about Hamilton this is going to be a little bit tricky. What's the worst thing about Hamilton? Hamilton. I know people in the early days were complaining about the fact that they were paying as much as they were and it only had one set. Is it the fact that you can still not really get tickets very easily? Is that the worst thing about Hamilton, the fact that it's too popular? Oh, let's say it's the fact that Congratulations had to get cut from the show and I respect the decision, but I miss Congratulations. You have invented a new kind of stupid and damage you can never undo kind of stupid. I languished in a loveless marriage in London. I lived only to read your horn letters. Next up, we have Hadestown. The best thing about Hadestown I could say the same thing as six, with the opportunity for new cast members to come in and create their own new and different interpretations of these roles. But I think the best thing ultimately about Hadestown, and I know a lot of people who have seen it upwards of 40 times, is the healing sensation, the catharsis and the emotional recovery that it can offer to audiences. There's a lot that you can take from the show show into your own life from out of the theater. Not every show is giving you that. Not every show is creating space for healing. And again, in trying, turbulent political times, there's a lot that Hadestown is doing to help to heal us. The worst thing about Hadestown is the wait for me really ought to be the Act 1 finale. It might also be that it's so lyrically dense that people struggle to emotionally connect to it sometimes on the first view viewing and need to go back and see it again. We arrive next at the Great Gatsby, currently playing at the Broadway Theatre. The best thing about the Great Gatsby is probably the scale of the whole thing. I mean that both as in the scale of the music and these soaring melodies and these high notes and these declarations of love, but also the choreography and the set design and the cars that they drive across the stage and the pyrotechnics and the fireworks on stage. It's so loud, lavish, it's so explosive, it's so over the top. It's perfect for what people expect Broadway to be, especially if this is maybe their first Broadway show. The worst thing about Great Gatsby is the fact that it's originally based on A book with considerably more nuance that it doesn't really find the time to explore the fact that we've taken the characters of Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway and turned them into these utterly traditional heterosexual love interests that kind of of betray a lot of the ideals of Jordan's character, specifically from the book. We are in the home stretch now. We have arrived at the letter D for Death Becomes Her. The best thing about Death Becomes her on Broadway. Where to start? We could talk about the costumes. We could talk about some of the effects that they do. I think it's the extent to which it is unashamedly for the gays. I think it's the fact that it leans utterly in to its campiness. And that's really been the success, the making of. Of the show and what makes it so delightful and sexy and fun. The worst thing about Death Becomes Her Specific. I'm going to tell you. I'm going to tell you what the worst thing about Death becomes her is. It's the song that Ernest sings in the second act. Christopher Zieber has honed the material and his performance to such a point that the second time I saw it I was just about ready to buy it. But I still think it's a terrible song. The one where he's like, you're Ernest Menville down, damn it. I think it's bad the fact that he manages to get a laugh by playing it in a campy way. It's just because of how funny Christopher Zebra is. It's not because it's a well written song. I hate that number. I'm so sorry. I like the rest of the show very, very much. Not that bit. Then we have Chicago. Lots we could say. Lots we could say about Chicago. The best thing undoubtedly about Chicago is the way that it has branded the Fosse style of choreography and made it recognisable the world over. Because you can speak to the majority of theatre goers and sort of even like casual theater goers and they will be able to recognize like, oh, Fosse choreography. And they know what that means. They know what they are linking it to visually. And most often what they are linking it to is some interpretation of the Chicago revival. And that has really helped to maintain the legacy of Bob Fosse, who is one of the 20th century's most important and iconic choreographers. The worst thing about Chicago, not unlike the Lion King, you know, it's a long running show. It can be a little bit tired. Not unlike Wicked. We had a great film adaptation come out and the stage show sort of lacks the same panache in moments like the cell block tango. You want it to have the same kind of thrill and attack that the film adaptation does. And it doesn't really. Okay. The next one is. Is Chess in previews on Broadway? I still haven't seen it. The best thing I think is going to be hearing those voices sing that score, hearing Lea Michele and Hannah Cruz and Aunt of A and Nicholas Christopher sing those songs, which I unashamedly really love. I think it's a fantastic score. I'm very excited to hear it. The worst thing about Chess, I promise, whatever you think I'm gonna say is not what I'm gonna say. I'm not gonna talk about the bad Cinderella marketing colors, although I'm thinking about it and seeing, Sending. Sending you those psychic vibes. The worst thing about Chess is the fact that they have partnered with Chess.com, a website where you can play chess against robots, and they have created these characters that you can play against. I assumed that Florence, because she's not one of the two real competitors in the show, would be the easiest of the three characters to beat. And it turns out I was right. She has the lowest difficulty rating. And still, try as I might on upwards of like 12 occasions now, I cannot beat Lea Michele. Online Chess and how it has made me feel about myself. Buena Vista Social Club. Okay. The best thing about Buena Vista Social Club is the feel of the music and the musicianship, actually, and the way that we get to see them play these instruments on stage. The best part of Buena Vista Social Club is the moment immediately after intermission when we just have this beautiful Spanish guitar playing happening on stage. I think the worst part of Buena Vista Social Club Club, and stay with me all the way through to the end of this thought, is that the songs are performed in Spanish. So an audience who does not speak Spanish does not have the capacity to understand those lyrics. They do give out a booklet beforehand, but in real time, you aren't able to connect to the emotional meaning of the songs, which, for the most part, are performed diegetically. Anyway, what I kind of wish for this show is that the entire thing, dialogue and songs, was performed in spite of Spanish and captioned and subtitled. I would actually prefer that. I think. Okay, five more to go. And the next one is the Book of Mormon. Perhaps controversial, maybe. I think the best thing about the Book of Mormon is it is a musical that straight boyfriends who aren't into musicals are probably more willing to go and see. I think this is a show that musical theatre girlies can convince their boring non musical boyfriend. Sorry boyfriends, if you're watching this out of obligation, blink twice if you don't want to be watching a Mickey Joe Theatre video right now. I won't take it personally and also I won't see I think those boyfriends are probably happier to go and see a show like the Book of Mormon or specifically the Book of Mormon rather than maybe a Wicked and musical theatre girlies. Let me tell you, if you have a boyfriend who is not only willing but who is enthusiastic to go with you to all of the musicals, then you either are incredibly lucky in this life and I'm very happy for the happy happiness that you have found with your partner, or you have a gay boyfriend and that's okay too. Now the worst part about the Book of Mormon and the show's relationship to race is multi layered because it is a larger than most employer of black actors that must be recognized. The problem is that those actors are positioned within the show to be laughed at for playing racist caricatures by majority white white audiences. And I say all of this anecdotally, but I think even though the humor of the show may be poking fun specifically at the Western perspective of third world countries and the misunderstanding of what that actually is and what that actually looks like, you still have white wealthy audiences, generally speaking, laughing at black performers playing cultural stereotypes. Moving on to Beetlejuice. The best part about this production of Beetle Juice on Broadway is, I guess that it's been resurrected for a third time. That, you know, Internet popularity and fandom can propel something back to Broadway and afford it a longevity that lasts past its initial Broadway run. It's also very funny, very campy, very silly, a little bit spooky. The worst part about this production of Beetlejuice on Broadway, and I'm not even here to mention Trisha Paytas. Honestly, Livia Drew Dream now the worst part about this production is the alleged possibility that they are not being paid per a Broadway contract. And despite the fact that they, during the run of the show will be living in New York, which is not a cheap place to exist or eat or pay rent, they allegedly will not be paid New York wages. They will be paid touring wages. Three to go. And the first one is Art. I haven't seen Art on Broadway yet. I'm very excited to. I've heard great things about the play made. Maybe that's the best part of Art on Broadway is that we are putting great plays on Broadway again. I think Maybe the best part is that you have actors like James Corden doing what they're really great at, which is theatrical comedy. James Corden, brilliant in the history Boys, brilliant in One Man, Two Governors. Likewise Bobby Cannavale and Neil Patrick Harris. I think it's a trio of heavyweights and that's probably, probably the best thing about the show is enjoying these performances. I've also heard that James Corden's performance probably is the best thing about the show. The worst thing about art on Broadway. I don't know what the worst thing about art on Broadway is. Maybe it's the fact that it's going to end its limited run with these stars rather than extending with replacement actors brought in. You know, we have so many fantastic comic actors in New York who could play these roles, even like screen adjacent people who could still come up, demand a decent box office. I think with a lot of revivals generally, not just this one, it would be nice to see them have a little bit of a longer life and at least attempt to recast. Our penultimate Broadway show is Aladdin. The best thing about Aladdin, other than getting to simply step inside the gorgeous New Amsterdam Theater, is probably the whole New World moment. Or friend like Me. No, it's probably Friend like Me. That's a great sequence that's really been tailored well, well to its theatrical setting that gets to riff on a lot of other beloved Disney hits and has great effects, especially in the Broadway production with these ensemble members sort of spinning up through the floor. The worst thing about Aladdin on Broadway is Casey Nicolor, director and choreographer, cutting all of the animals out of it. We have no Abu. We have no Iago. Well, he's a human now. We have no Raja. And it does detract somewhat from the whimsy of of the show. It also features another of Disney's generic stalling for time in Act 1, romantic duets between Aladdin and Jasmine. But I do think that I find the lack of zoological inclusion a little bit more upsetting. Finally, then, we have our final show playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. It is and Juliet. The best thing about and Juliet is that I think it does tell a lot of important stories. And I could say, like, it's fun and the, the songs are fun and it's a nice way to spend a couple hours at the theatre. But I do want to give it credit for telling Anne Hathaway's story, for talking about a woman navigating a complicated marriage later in life and coming to terms with that part of her identity as well as her as an individual. It talks about Juliet's story, but honestly the characters around her a little more interesting. Mae's Story. I think it was one of the first major musicals to talk about a non binary gender identity, even the Nurse and her finding her own empowerment and making it clear through every stage of that relationship what her priorities are and what is important to her in terms of Juliet's happiness and you know, her refusing to settle for anything less than utter adoration. As she should. Yeah, I think the fact that a female led, celebratory, queer, inclusive Shakespearean riffing musical like and Juliet is a multi year hit on Broadway is a great thing. Kudos to that team. The Worst Thing Then get ready for a big finish about and Juliet on Broadway. I have no idea where I am going with this. Maybe the worst thing about and Juliet is that it has empowered other jukebox musicals to think that they can also pull together a list of songs by a bunch of different artists and call it a cohesive score when those ones were all written by the same person by Max Martin. And you know, have a lot of other shows that feel completely all over the place. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself and starting to think that maybe my next video ought to be one about the state of the jukebox musical because clearly I have more opinions than I thought I did. Anyway, the sun has literally set. I have to go pack for my trip to New York and I have successfully, I hope, told you the best and worst part of every single show currently running on Broadway. I hope that you enjoy for slightly more serious and more in depth analysis of a bunch of Broadway and West End shows, make sure you subscribe to me right here on YouTube. Turn on notifications so you don't miss any of my upcoming videos, including new Broadway reviews coming very soon. We are talking chess. We're talking two strangers carry a cake across New York. We are hopefully talking Oedipus. Who knows what else. In the meantime, thank you so much for listening to my thoughts. Remember to share all of yours in the comments section down below. And as always, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have have a Stagey Day. For 10 more seconds. I'm Mickey Jo Theatre. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a Stagey Day.

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