The Neil Diamond Musical A Beautiful Noise
Playing at Broadhurst Theatre
Musical or play? Musical
Lottery or Rush Tickets? Digital Lottery Available through Telecharge
What I Paid: $45.00 – Digital Lottery Win!
Official Website: https://abeautifulnoisethemusical.com/
The story of the legendary Neil Diamond comes to life on stage in an uplifting new musical featuring all his hit songs, including “Sweet Caroline,” “America,” and “Cracklin’ Rosie.” From those exhilarating early days in New York to the sold-out spectacles that defined his career, A Beautiful Noise explores the life of a rock icon through the music that made him “a national treasure” (Los Angeles Times).
Directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and written by four-time Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes), A Beautiful Noise is a thrilling look at an artist’s search for himself and a celebration of the enduring power of his music.
REVIEW
I recently visited New York City for a long weekend with the goal to see as many Broadway shows as possible in just two and a half days. While I booked a few tickets in advance, I also wanted to enter some lotteries and go to a couple shows spontaneously. Luckily, I won the lottery for The Neil Diamond Musical A Beautiful Noise on the first try! For $45.00, I sat in Orchestra Center, Row O. This was a great seat, and I had the perfect view of the stage.
This is a jukebox musical featuring Neil Diamond’s songs, while also telling his life story. The show begins with present day Neil visiting his therapist. At first, he is reluctant to talk about his life, but she finally gets him to open up by going through his songbook. The audience then gets to follow Neil from the start of his music career as a songwriter, through his international stardom, and ending with where is he today.
I think it is clever to have two actors play Neil Diamond – the “Now” Neil is played by Mark Jacoby and the “Then” Neil is Will Swenson. I was so excited to see Will in this show (I loved him in Priscilla Queen of the Desert!). He does a wonderful job at showing the juxtaposition of how great Neil feels on stage as a performer with how depressed he feels in his daily life.
Moreover, I learned so much about Neil Diamond in this show. While I was familiar with many of the songs, I truly knew nothing about his life. I was impressed that that show is very honest and does not hold back when it comes to Neil’s infidelity and mental health struggles. Because the show isn’t sugar-coated, it feels very genuine, and I appreciate that real-life Neil allows so much to be shared with the audience.
My favorite moments of the show are, of course, the big musical numbers where “Then” Neil (Will) is adorned in a sparkly outfit. There is an interesting experience where Will breaks the fourth wall, addresses the “Broadway” crowd, and even encourages a bit of audience participation, which is usually a huge no-no on Broadway. I found these moments so much fun, especially the curtain call!
I also have to shout out Robyn Hurder, who plays Neil’s second wife Marcia Murphy. Robyn is an incredible performer! Her solo numbers are amazing, and her vocals and dance abilities are top notch. She truly owns the stage when she’s on it, and I’m so glad I got to see her perform. Speaking of dancing, the ensemble in this show is wonderful as well. I loved watching all of the dance numbers throughout the show.
Overall, I am so glad I won the lottery and got to see A Beautiful Noise on Broadway. If you are a Neil Diamond fan, this show is an absolute must see. That being said, even if you are not familiar with Neil’s work, I still think this show can be enjoyed by anyone. It’s a great mix of entertaining, show-stopping performances with more emotional real-life moments. If you want to have a night out that is so good, so good, so good, look no further than A Beautiful Noise!
STAGE DOOR
The Stage Door is directly to your right when you exit the theater. I saw a Friday evening performance, and very few audience members were waiting to get signed playbills. I think this is partly because the crowd at A Beautiful Noise is generally older in age, and it’s often the younger audience members who go to the Stage Door.
Security let us know right away that Will Swenson does not come out to sign Playbills. That was a bit disappointing, but I appreciated that we were told in advance.
Most of the cast rushed out the door quite quickly, but I was very thankful that Jess Leprotto (who I saw twice in Newsies and loved!), Linda Powell, and Robyn Hurder stopped to sign our Playbills. They were all very nice, and it was great to chat with them for a moment. All in all, I had a wonderful experience at A Beautiful Noise!