Review Roundup: MYSTIC PIZZA Launches National Tour

Mystic Pizza: A New Musical has launched a national tour that began September 26, 2026 at the Clemens Center in Elmira, New York. Read the reviews for the tour here!

Based on the movie classic that launched Julia Roberts’ career, this musical depicts best friends Kat (2022 Jimmy Awards winner Kendall Becerra), Daisy (Chloë Lezotte), and Jojo (Lexxi Frilles)’s search for love and self-identity as they face life’s many unexpected twists and turns.

The cast also includes Jack Baylis, Nina-Simone Diaz, Lizzie Fitzpatrick-Cárcamo, Travis Flynt, Sam Foti, Albert Igbinigie, Will Ingram, Mike Leadbetter, Richard Morgan, Catherine Rodriguez-O’Connor, Abby Scalici, Tieisha Thomas, Gabe Tobierre, and Matt Woodward.

Packed with ‘80s and ‘90s hits, this entertaining show celebrating Mystic, Connecticut’s iconic pizza joint will tour the USA with stops to include Dallas, Detroit, and St. Paul. 

Mystic Pizza is based on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion Picture with Story and Characters by Amy Holden Jones. The musical is written by Sandy Rustin (Clue, The Cottage) with Arrangements and Orchestrations by Carmel Dean (The Notebook).    With direction and choreography by Jennifer Werner, the original film’s coming-of-age tale is brought to life live on stage as these timeless characters navigate the complexities of friendship and romance—all while slinging slices at a small-town pizza joint. Bursting with laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt storytelling, and hit songs including “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “Hold On,” and “Manic Monday,” Mystic Pizza is a joyful celebration of chasing dreams, lifelong bonds, and finding your place in the world.

Jared Fessler, BroadwayWorld: For anyone who remembers the movie—or just enjoys this era of music—Mystic Pizza makes for an enjoyable evening at the Ordway. It’s nostalgic, light and filled with songs that are hard not to sing along with, at least in your head.

Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities Pioneer Press: While the songs sometimes interrupt the story more than drive it forward, all is forgiven when Huey Lewis & the News’ “The Power of Love” illuminates three linchpin scenes in each relationship, Becerra delivers a tender version of Gibson’s “Lost in Your Eyes,” or Lezotte roars through Melissa Etheridge’s “I’m the Only One” and gently caresses Lauper’s “True Colors.”

Jerrod Sumner, Minnesota Monthly: Ahead of the curtain, I rewatched the original 1988 film and found myself turning to my husband to ask the obvious question: who exactly decided this coming-of-age movie needed to become a pop musical? Yet in the capable hands of book writer Sandy Rustin, it works. The heart of the original remains intact, and the sisterhood between these three waitresses continues to resonate with warmth and emotion.

Arthur Dorman, Talkin’ Broadway: The show is staged by Werner with great fluidity, moving adroitly from scene to scene, the settings established by the use of projections and smaller scenic elements rolled on and off without drawing attention to the changes. The set was designed by Joshua Warner, with no separate credit indicated for projection designs. Effective, character-appropriate costumes were designed by Jen Caprio. Matt Kraus designed sound for the production–the music comes across well, rocking the house as intended. Early on, spoken language was overamplified at the performance I attended, making it difficult to make out the dialog, but that seemed to be brought under control before too long.

Average Rating: 77.5%

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