"This musical elegantly and humorously rides on the friction between art and commerce, truth and lies. Those themes come to the fore through Blair's outrageously entertaining portrayal of master showman P.T. Barnum, who is this musical's primary antagonist...Herrick and Schatz have composed a score as bittersweet as the story, full of breathtakingly gorgeous songs...For a dramatically insightful and melodic musical about a distinctly American figure, this is your best bet in NYMF."
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"A charming piece of Americana that explores idealism coming up against cynicism. It’s very well structured, amusing and thoughtful...Schatz’s lyrics are droll, passionate, and well crafted. His music is a catchy assortment of melodies ranging from blue grass to musical theater tunes...Hyler’s staging is straightforward but inspired...With higher production values and a larger ensemble, it could certainly be a full-fledged and entertaining musical of scope."
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"'Georama' strives to give substance to John Banvard...however, the scenes provide little of essence about his life...The talented cast grapples with their characters with care and considerable authenticity...Some of the music is derivative and the lyrics contain an abundance of repetitive rhyming. The musical numbers are, however, pleasing and heartfelt...As a work in progress, 'Georama' needs some attention by its creators; however, at its core, it is a fascinating story."
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"One of the most interesting shows at NYMF...This bio-musical is well written with an infectious score...The cast of six is highly talented and the projections make this show a winner...Griffith’s portrayal of Banvard is multi-layered, with emotional pockets that captivate the audience...This piece moves at a clip and allows you to feel as if you know each and every character and that a little part of you is in each one."
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"Songs have an early American, frontier feel, both hoedown and ballad. Even with only two (skilled, multifaceted) musicians, it’s easy to imagine full scoring. Unfussy lyrics illuminate character and carry the story without falling into the trap of utilizing rhyme for rhyme’s sake. Melodies may not be memorable, but are engaging...The piece is well cast...Hyler’s direction is as imaginative as it can be on a near empty stage...This is a worthy show."
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"A fascinating slice of Americana with a quick pace, a balance of humor and heart, an authentic design, and a terrific cast that delivers the slightly fictionalized story and songs with genuine charm...All of the real-life personalities and original songs come to life with the cast’s engaging characterizations and expressive vocals...A thoroughly entertaining reaffirmation of the life and talent of John Banvard, which not only delights and educates audiences, but restores his reputation."
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"A serious-minded exploration of honorable art for art’s sake versus selfish, mercenary interests by others. While it’s admirable, its rather heavy-handed approach may make for a more uphill battle in its road to commercial success...It works, at least to a degree, as directed by West Hyler...I found myself not consistently engaged, wanting to get beyond some basics of the plot...The show has some very attractive songs with a suitable Americana feel and heartwarming musical theatre tapestry."
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