Betty’s on Broadway! Animation icon Betty Boop leaps off of the screen and takes the stage live in living color in BOOP! The Musical, opening tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre. Read reviews for the production below!
For almost a century, Betty Boop, created by animation pioneer Max Fleischer, has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP! The Musical, Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from the super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to an extraordinary adventure of color, music, and finding love in New York City — one that reminds her and the world, “You are capable of amazing things.”
The principal cast of BOOP!, who received critical acclaim in the Chicago pre-Broadway run last year, is headed by Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop and Tony Award®-winner Faith Prince as Valentina, Ainsley Melham as Dwayne, Erich Bergen as Raymond Demarest, Stephen DeRosa as Grampy, Anastacia McCleskey as Carol Evans, Angelica Hale as Trisha, Phillip Huber as Pudgy the Dog, and Aubie Merrylees as Oscar Delacorte.
The cast also includes Lawrence Alexander (Follies), Courtney Arango (Broadway debut, A Chorus Line National Tour), Colin Bradbury (Elf), Tristen Buettel (Bad Cinderella), Joshua Michael Burrage (Cats), Victoria Byrd (Back to the Future), Dan Castiglione (Broadway debut, The Tick), Rebecca Corrigan (Broadway debut, In the Heights film), Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald (Kinky Boots), RJ Higton (The Outsiders), Nina Lafarga (In the Heights), Morgan McGhee (Jelly’s Last Jam), Ryah Nixon (The Great Gatsby), Christian Probst (Bad Cinderella), Ricky Schroeder (Broadway debut, Kinky Boots National Tour), Gabriella Sorrentino (Hamilton), Derek Jordan Taylor (The Great Gatsby), Lizzy Tucker (Broadway debut), Amy Van Norstrand (Holiday Inn), Damani Van Rensalier (Hadestown), and David Wright Jr. (Aladdin).
Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots) brings the Queen of the Screen to the theater in BOOP! The Musical, with celebrated multiple Grammy Award-winning composer David Foster (“You’re The Inspiration,” “I Will Always Love You”), Tony Award-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam) and Tony Award®-winning book writer Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone).
Adam Feldman, Time Out New York: This musical will not change your brain in any way, but it delivers what it promises: a big Broadway production that leaves you grinning, and a star performer with the poise, charm and chops to make you believe that what the world needs now might be, of all things, a little more Betty Boop.
Bob Verini, New York Stage Review: The proceedings, all in all, are rather schizoid. Those seeking a smart night out, with sharply-delineated themes, are likely to react with a weary ‘Boop-Boop-a-Droop.’ There’s always the danger of showstopper fatigue setting in, as if you’ve eaten eight or nine hot fudge sundaes in a row. But as a respite from present-day realities and woes, and you know the ones I mean, Boop! could just be the tonic the doctor ordered.
Bob Verini, New York Stage Review: Much of the credit for that goes to Jasmine Amy Rogers, making a Broadway debut that rivals Peggy Sawyer’s in 42nd Street. Playing the title character, this winsome performer is so talented, so appealing, so utterly adorable, that if you’re not thoroughly enchanted by her you need to check your pulse. She’s single-handedly responsible for that fourth star you see in the box above this review.
Average Rating:
80.0%
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