"This latest entry in the puberty musical sweepstakes has traits that undeniably set it apart from its competition. For one thing, it is — by cold critical standards — the worst of the lot, with a repetitive score, painfully forced rhymes, cartoonish acting...But this ostensible amateurishness may be exactly what sells ‘Be More Chill’ to its young target audience...The show’s current incarnation remains a festival of klutziness...The acting, singing and dancing are all, to put it kindly, frenetic."
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"Appealing though it often was in a smaller venue, the show has a different energy in this new space. The heat is off...Even for no-longer-young adults, it has entertaining moments. Iconis’s cannily crafted score features several nifty pop hooks...Directed in broad strokes by Brackett, the show doesn’t take itself seriously enough; many of the jokes are underbaked, and by the time it reaches its wacky, hectic finale, it has thrown internal logic out the window."
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"The zippy, delightfully devilish ‘Be More Chill’ is the latest tale of teen angst to convert crippling self-doubt and frustrated desire into the sound of music, and the results are enjoyable not just for their energy and charm but also for the streak of knowing wickedness running through all the pop and fizz...Drama nerds know the power of a good play within a play, and it’s a treat to watch the chaos of ‘Be More Chill’ merge with the chaos of ‘Midsummer.’"
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"'Be More Chill' is one of the strongest new musicals of the past decade, a charming, astutely crafted tale of neurotic post-millennial geeks in love whose appeal is in no way limited to those whom it portrays...Here as in the original off-Broadway run, Ms. Hsu is the winsome star of the show—I don’t know when I last saw a more engaging stage performer—but Mr. Roland runs her a close second, and the rest of the cast is as close-knit an ensemble as you could hope for."
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"Amped up just enough to suit Broadway demands without swamping the heart and humor that caught everyone’s attention in the first place...Impossibly catchy pop show tune combining upbeat, even joyous musicality with some truly dark and uncompromising sentiments...For all of its storyline predictability and maybe too-happy-resolutions, Joe Tracz’s book and, especially, Iconis’ lyrics don’t flinch from the darkness and panic of the teenage mind."
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"There is a breathless quality to everything that squeaky baritone Roland does in his attempt to break free and be cool. And those thrills aren’t just for kids. Traditional theatergoing audiences...will find delicious favor in Iconis’ contagious melodies and tricky lyrics...The Broadway 'Be More Chill' feels more even and flows more smoothly than it did Off Broadway...Still, rushed or relaxed, 'Be More Chill' is Broadway’s wiliest and socially savviest night out for teens and parents alike."
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"Iconis' pop/rock score...is catchy enough. It features some fun, upbeat numbers...But for theatergoers not already smitten with the score, the musical contains serious problems. The book devolves into silliness...The central narrative certainly succeeds in tapping into themes of teenage angst and even has some symbolic resonance, but the sophomoric humor and cliched situations feel more appropriate for MTV than Broadway."
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"'Be More Shrill' would be a better title for director Stephen Brackett’s heinously overamplified and overacted production...You get the feeling that Iconis’s score — with lyrics often resorting to doggerel — and Tracz’s satire-laced book might have retained some measure of charm in less hyperventilating style and more intimate surroundings...2½ hours of teenage insecurities turned into pop opéra bouffe make for a patience-trying endurance test."
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