"The limitations of the chamber work suit Mr. LaChiusa, whose large-scale musicals have sometimes seemed to sprawl out of shape and deflate. Working within the confines of this production’s self-contained vignettes, his music — and his talent — seems all the larger for being reined in. Like his captive characters, 'First Daughter Suite' thinks — and feels — way outside the box."
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"'First Daughter Suite' may focus more on the girls who grew up under extraordinary circumstances in the White House, but the spouses still fascinate LaChiusa. Whether we share his obsession is another matter...While there is sparkling, ruminative music and witty lyrics, each piece goes on for 5 or 10 minute too long. Still, for political junkies, there’s fun to be had."
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"If you walk away with nothing else, you will walk away astonished at the talent on the stage and in the orchestra. This production shoots the moon with talent and skill. The opening scene is nothing short of magnificent...Would that the entire piece lived up to it…The overall piece does not guide us along a path of firm footing. Instead we are left with scenes from the residencies that come across more like a house of horrors."
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"The four sections of his latest musical 'First Daughter Suite' are, in order of appearance, smart, laborious, awful, and sublime...There is little that holds the evening together, despite a certain amount of thematic appliqué...In the end, these suites, being episodic, cannot dredge deep meaning the way narrative works can. Still, if it takes Amy Carter and Patti Davis to get to Barbara Bush, that’s a compromise I can live with."
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"Kirsten Sanderson’s staging is simple to a fault, but the ensemble cast is so good that it doesn’t matter. Ms. Testa also gets to sing the best number in the show, an extended duet whose softly undulating harmonies evoke Sondheim’s distinctive style without succumbing to mere derivativeness. The six-piece pit band lacks drive but that’s a counsel of perfection. In every other way, 'First Daughter Suite' is a little masterpiece."
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"'First Daughter Suite' is absolutely enchanting, musically and dramatically...There’s enough sadness and whimsy in 'First Daughter Suite,' all kept deftly in balance, to leave us wanting more. I didn’t want it to end."
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"Although the evening features plenty of emotionally and comically resonant moments along the way — familiarity with the historical figures depicted helps greatly — 'First Daughter Suite' is ultimately too trivial and self-indulgent to register as much more than a curiosity. And while LaChiusa's lyrics are often witty, his recitative-heavy score is mostly tedious and repetitive, its high style too often jarring with the sophomoric silliness of the proceedings."
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"It's a safe bet that 'First Daughter Suite' will not go on to achieve the commercial success of 'Fun Home' or 'Hamilton,' both of which also originated at the Public Theater -- but that's not to say it wasn't worth producing, at least from an artistic perspective...'First Daughter Suite' may be uneven and tense, but it is often compelling."
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