Broadway Across America 2025-2026 Season Shows Rated
So good! So good!
If you have never shouted those words when Sweet Caroline comes on the playlist at a party, I call you a liar. That song along with Coming to America are iconic in the musical library of Neil Diamond. As Broadway has been prone to do in the past decade, it deemed Neil Diamond worthy of his own bioplay. Along the lines of Jersey Boys it uses Neil’s own words to map out the arc of his musical career. A Beautiful Noise was the opening show of Minneapolis’ Broadway Across America’s season for 2025-2026 and it indicates the caliber of the slate of musicals ahead.
I assumed that the story associated with Neil Diamond would be upbeat with, of course, those complications that drive a plot line. Upon reading the program as I was waiting for the familiar songs to begin, I read the note that was included from Neil himself. He had been integral in the writing of the story, obviously, as a bioplay. What I didn’t remember was that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and could no longer perform. His very honest assessment of the soul baring lyrics at the center of the show piqued my interest in the story I obviously didn’t know.
The play is told through the frame story of Neil Diamond being forced by his third wife, Katie, to attend therapy sessions following his diagnoses. The poet and song writer is reticent in his treatment at first. However, the therapist produces a book of his song lyrics and begins to ask about what inspired each of the tunes. Breaking out of his past come the ensemble portraying his career through those very lyrics. I was amazed by some of the titles I had no idea he had written including The Monkee’s I’m a Believer and Red, Red Wine made famous by Bob Marley and UB40. These were songs the therapist knew which led him to open up about his journey from songwriter to performer.
Young Neil, played by Nick Fradiani was spot on. His voice was almost a perfect clone of the original Neil. Forever in Blue Jeans was belted by the actress playing his second wife, Marcia, Hannah Jewel Kohn. She absolutely nailed it.
Secretly, my favorite part of the show was an ensemble member, Nic Vlachos. He wasn’t the smoothest dancer, and I noticed that he wasn’t as precise at synchronicity with the rest of the group in a few dances. However, that guy loved every single second that he was on stage. He could also, obviously, sing. The joy on his face as he performed reflected the joy that Neil Diamond himself was able to bring to audiences worldwide despite his humanity and lives in this show.
Though he cannot perform, he is still bringing joy to audiences worldwide.
How do you take a classical musical and give it a new spin, without ruining the appeal of nostalgia? The current touring rendition did a great job of presenting The Phantom of the Opera in just this way. The team’s creativity shone in the tiny bits of humor sprinkled throughout the dark tale. Part of the key was in the staging of the opera ensemble. They were hilarious in their portrayal of Carlotta and company, exaggerating the chaos that the Phantom piles on the cast as he attempts to control “his” theater to save it from the idiots he feels are running the show. In perfect contrast, the terror was real and felt when the Phantom appeared on stage. The narrative was the clearest I have ever seen it presented on stage making it ideal for newcomers, if there are indeed any. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score soared among the double chandeliered ceiling of the Orpheum with a minor snag. Isaiah Bailey as the Phantom seemed to struggle in the first act, particularly at the end of "The Music of the Night.” He voice cracked as he reached for the night note at the end. By second act his voice was stronger and presented a solid finish to his portrayal of eponymous Phantom. It was a satisfying rendition of the classic and my sister and I were both amazed with our familiarity with the "The Music of the Night” after years away from listening to and singing the songs ad nauseum, proving that Christine is not the only who can’t remove herself from the grasp of The Phantom of the Opera.
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I am a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz. It was the first musical I was ever in at the age of ten and my first leading role at 13. I truly believe that Somewhere Over the Rainbow skies are blue. Take it as a religious allegory or not – I do. However, as Dorothy discovers in the end-- there is no place like home. That message hits me even more as an adult living in the town I grew up in because I am constantly dreaming of visiting far-off destinations and discovering what else is out there, yet I still love the idiosyncrasies and familiarity of my small hometown.
When I decided, after playing Dorothy, that I had better watch The Wiz, therefore, I was a little let down. To be fair, the Michael Jackson that I was familiar with from my brother’s “Bad” cassette was nowhere near the Michael Jackson in the film. I was also aware of who Diana Ross was, but I wasn’t as impressed by her portrayal of Dorothy in the film as maybe I should have been. However, when The Wiz was announced as part of the Broadway Across America season for Hennepin Arts, I was intrigued. I had never seen it staged live, not counting the rendition that had been aired several holiday seasons before on NBC.
Seeing it staged made a world of difference.
Featuring dynamite vocal performances and dancing from the ensemble, this interpretation was creative and modern without casting aside the essence of the original, and a world of fun.
Starting off the line up of killer vocals, the sonorous Kyla Jade in the dual role of Aunt Em and Evilene sings “The Feeling We Once Had” with Dorothy, brought to life by Dana Cimone in a truly heartfelt moment. Upon landing in Oz, Addaperle, brought to life by Amitria Fanae’ and the townspeople were in the midst of a Mardi Gras revival of a funeral in memory of the deceased. Her comedic timing was PERFECT, and she was one of the highlights of the show for me – right along with her airbrushed shirt of legs sticking out from under a house in memory of her sister, Evamene.
I told my sister I want everyone to wear airbrushed t-shirts to my funeral.
The other standout performance, in my opinion, was given by the Scarecrow. Elijah Ahmad Lewis was hilarious in his portrayal of the Scarecrow with no brain. Partly naïve and partly attempting to portray a swaggering stud, his singing and dancing were impeccable and so fun to watch. D. Jerome’s Tinman was a killer breakdancer in his own right.
Upon entering Emerald City, the guards were two harpies who’s snarky disses were hilarious and modern and started Act II off with a bang. The highlights of Act II though are given by the Great Oz himself, Alan Mingo Jr. He had perfect pitch and his sonorous voice crooned out “So You Wanted to See the Wizard.” He also killed it at the end with a dance number similar to a Jazzercise routine. It was both epic in his ability and stamina and wildly entertaining as a way to get the crew of the show involved in a dance number.
It was the true finale of the overall show, in my opinion, as the true high energy. Dorothy’s final song, “Is This What Feeling Gets You” showed her vocal ability and gave a bit of growth to her character as well, giving credence to Dana Cimone chops.
If you have never seen The Wiz– this is the version to see!
Most new shows I find out about are previewed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I adore the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is on my bucket list to attend one live and in person someday. My viewing of the parade in 2024 introduced me to Shucked. It is labeled as a myth or fair tale centered around…corn. The title itself alludes to the tongue in cheek tone the production embraces and reminded me a little bit of the tv show Schmigadoon! And the show could not have been any cornier or entertaining when I finally had the opportunity to see it in Minneapolis.
The story centers on Cob County, a community that is completely built on corn, or rather inside corn. In fact, it is cut off from the rest of the world by a huge wall of corn. When the crop dies off, the romantic hero and heroine, Beau and Maizy, disagree about the solution to solve the problem. Beau, a beautiful, sweet and dim farmer believes he can fix the problem. His fiancé, Maizy, believes they need outside help. When no one else will do it, she leaves Cob County for the obvious center of farming solutions…Tampa. This small-town girl quickly falls under the con of a podiatrist calling himself The Corn Doctor.
Eying the bracelet of stone Maizy wears he takes it to “fix the clasp” –hoping to pawn it to pay off debt he has accrued with the wrong kind of guys. The appraisers inform him the stone is very rare and worth a lot. So, The Corn Doctor leaves Tampa for Cob County to save the corn.
The small town is skeptical at first, but when Maizy announces they are getting married at the end of Act I – the whole plot goes awry.
Filled with agrarian puns and campy rural tropes, the show is a riot from the hilarious opening number about the many uses of corn to “Maybe Love,” an ode to family at the end.
The music, although it includes elements of The Book of Mormon campiness, also contains some country numbers written by Shane McNally who has written some of the biggest country hits for country music stars. In this show, Beau’s character has a male country star-like solo that blew. Me. Away. I am not even a country music fan and I was in awe. Nick Bailey, who plays Beau, could use this platform to bounce himself into a country music career if he chose to leave the stage.
The character of Lulu, who is Maizy’s cousin, also had a powerful voice that she used to absolute nail her own solo full of woman power. It wasn’t until the end of the show that the power of Maizy’s voice finally emerged as a standout of her own as she sang a duet with Lulu about friendship. I wasn’t sure if that was meant to, again, show her character growth as she grew from a naïve young woman into the savior of Cob County.
That’s right, because despite the sham of The Corn Doctor, the deus ex machina of the show, in farcical fun, is he does save the crop – just in time for a double wedding.
It all unfolds in a perfect blend of talent, silliness, and corniness – and I haven’t laughed that much in years.