Music by: John Kander
Lyrics by: Fred Ebb
Book by: Rupert Holmes
Directed by: Scott Ellis
Synopsis: Curtains unfolds backstage at Boston's Colonial Theatre in 1959, where a new musical could be a Broadway smash, were it not for the presence of its talent-free leading lady. When the hapless star dies on opening night during her curtain call, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi arrives on the scene to conduct an investigation. But the lure of the theatre proves irresistible and after an unexpected romance blooms for the stage-struck detective, he finds himself just as drawn toward making the show a hit, as he is in solving the murder.
NEW YORK TIMES:
"As befits a musical about a musical, “Curtains” — the talent-packed, thrill-starved production that opened last night at the Al Hirschfeld Theater — features an assortment of upbeat anthems to this business we call show. “It’s a perfectly fine life,” he sings, with feeble conviction. “I’d give it” — and here he pauses, for a moment of honest self-assessment — “two cheers.” That’s more or less the feeling inspired by “Curtains.” I sincerely wish I could say otherwise."
Read the whole review HERE.
NY DAILY NEWS:
"It's no wonder "Curtains" is set in 1959. The era recalls the Golden Age of Broadway musicals, when many a show had hummable tunes, laugh-out-loud-able lines and adorable characters (even when they were horrible). "Curtains" is that kind of show. Opening last night at the Al Hirschfeld, it brings a gust of giddy good fun to Broadway."
Read the whole review HERE.
NEW YORK POST:
"Indeed, it's not so much a whodunit as a whydoit. "
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USA TODAY:
" Moreover, the subject matter in Kander and Ebb's new work, musical comedy, doesn't lend itself to cutting satire as much as the topics and themes informing Chicago and Cabaret did, certainly not from this duo's perspective. You could make a case that Curtains is a defanged version of The Producers, an affectionate but ultimately tepid sendup of/homage to stage biz and the folks who live it, love it and profit from it.But in the end, the cast members, like the players they play, are confined by their material. Curtains may be a sweet swan song, but it will hardly be remembered as Kander and Ebb's finest hour."
Read the whole review HERE.
NEWSDAY:
"So we'd love to love it, this first of four unproduced musicals left orphaned by half of the master team of Kander and Ebb, which gave the world "Cabaret" and "Chicago." Instead, "Curtains," which opened last night at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre after a success in Los Angeles, is likable at best."
Read the whole review HERE.
NEW YORK SUN:
"At the risk of giving away the ending of "Curtains," the director did it. And the choreographer. And the set designer. And the cast. And the writers — two of whom died years ago. What this gang of merry miscreants did is breathe a faint but nonetheless refreshing blast of air into a format that has been hurting for oxygen of late — the good old-fashioned musical comedy. They may not have gotten away with it entirely, but John Kander, Fred Ebb, and a passel of other pros led by the sure-footed director Scott Ellis have added a harmless new entry into a sadly underrepresented subgenre: the murder-mystery musical."
Read the whole review HERE.
NY1 ON STAGE:
"In the end, “Curtains” is definitely your grandmother’s musical: sweet, harmless, a little bit naughty, but ultimately escapist fluff."
Read the whole review HERE.
VARIETY:
""Curtains" isn't funny enough. At least that's the case for half the show, making it all the more surprising that, in the final assessment, it works."
Read the whole review HERE.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER:
"Representing one of the final collaborations between John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, "Curtains" is the sort of old-fashioned musical that could well have been written in 1959, the year in which it's set."
Read the whole review HERE.
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