Theater Thursday - Unexpected Joy and The Nerd

We were given free tickets to Unexpected Joy for review purposes. Any and all opinions are our own

What: Unexpected Joy

Where: York Theatre Company
             619 Lexington Ave.
             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for ages 13 and up

When: Through May 20, 2018
           

 

Me - Unexpected Joy was a good show. It was about a family of singers. The music was fun and energetic. It was my favorite thing about the show. It was really good. It wasn't like typical show music. It was more like radio music.  I didn't have a favorite song, but I liked most of the them. I would definitely want to listen to the songs again. I would want to get a CD of the show too.  They already announced that there will be a CD, but I don't know when it will be coming out.The acting was good. The singing was lovely. There wasn't really a lot of dancing. There wasn't much of set. There was a table, a rug, some chairs and a lamp. That was pretty much all there was. The show was very entertaining. Over all, it was a  really good show, and you should see it.

 

Mom - Unexpected Joy is a family musical but not a typical family musical. In this family the mother is a folking singing hippie with a secret, the daughter is a strait laced conservative with a husband who is a television preacher, and the grandaughter has a secret of her own. The plot of the show is engaging and definitely not predictable. The acting is good. The way the cast relates to each other not only through dialogue but also through looks and gestures, makes you really feel like these people are a family. However, what sets this show apart is the music. The show is full of lovely heartfelt songs that you will want to hear again. The cast's voices blend beautifully together. Although the solo songs are nice, the songs in which two or more characters sing together are even better. When all four women sing together the songs are especially delightful. This is not a show for young children due to the subject matter and anyone who is extremely conservative probably would not like it either. However, if you do not fit into either of those categories and you want to see a nice show with terrific songs, this show is a great choice.

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We were given free tickets to The Nerd for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: The Nerd

Where: George Street Playhouse
            103 College Farm Rd.
            New Brunswick, NJ

Who: Recommended for ages 13 and Up

When: Through May 20, 2018

Me - The Nerd was good. It was way better than I expected. It was about an annoying guy who comes to stay with this other guy and doesn't want to leave. It was really funny. The acting was good. The guy who played The Nerd was particularly funny. I especially liked in the second act of the show when the other characters were trying to get the Nerd to leave. The things that they were doing were really ridiculous so that made them really hilarious.  For example, they were watching an apple rot and putting sand in their tea. The Nerd's responses were funny too because he liked everything they thought he would hate so they couldn't get rid of him. The ending of the show was very unexpected. However, I won't say more about that because I don't want to spoil it. Over, all it was an entertaining show.

Mom - The Nerd is a very funny comedy about a guest who comes and doesn't want to leave. The cast is led by Jonathan Kite as the nerd. He played Oleg in the situation comedy, Two Broke Girls. He did a fabulous acting job in his sitcom role, and he does so here as well. It is an unexpected treat to be able to get a little taste of his talent for mimcry in this show. The rest of the cast is equally talented. They work together like a well oiled machine. The show can be a bit ridiculous at times, but it is still very engaging and funny. The surprise ending is an unanticipated delight especially for those who are really romantic at heart.   If you need a good laugh, this show is a great choice.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Funtivitiy Friday.

Photo credits: All Unexpected Joy production photos by Carol Rosegg
                       All The Nerd production photos by Charles T. Erickson