“Evan’s past - peopled by his vigilant mother, worried father and loving, resentful brother, Michael - overlaps with his present in this warmhearted show. A couple of plot points defy belief...But the score is beautiful, with patterns and loops and cacophonies that echo Evan’s mind. The ensemble is first-rate, and the rapport between the Saunders brothers absolutely translates. It’s Heath Saunders, though, who walks off with your heart.”
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"As one of the most nuanced entries in this year's festival, 'Newton's Cradle' is structured to replicate the brain function of someone on the spectrum...The subject matter, paired with the minimal amount of plot the musical ends up putting forth, leaves the door wide open to trite sentiments, clichéd lyrics, and clinical sermons. Yet, the Saunders family taps a compelling vein within the genre of musical theater, striking a balance that makes 'Newton's Cradle' sing."
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"'Newton's Cradle' itself struggles to find good reasons to sing. The writers haven't settled on a consistent method of musicalizing Evan's struggle, so you're never really able to crawl into his head the way you ought to be able to do with a main character...This is a musical that seems more about a medical message than telling a story or eliciting feelings through musical and lyrical necessity, and apparently considers that a sufficient replacement for punch and panache."
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"The actors are uniformly strong...The music is unmelodic and doesn’t add much color to the show, but the lyrics fare better. The direction by Victoria Clark is steady and clarifies much of the action. 'Newton’s Cradle' has taken on a worthy challenge, but despite the talented cast and director, doesn’t quite paint a cohesive enough picture to match the challenge."
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“Heath Saunders gives a star-making performance in ‘Newton’s Cradle’, a touching musical he co-wrote with his mother Kim...Tenderly directed by Victoria Clark, who stages the show as what it might feel like to be Evan: a dizzying experience with outbursts of bliss and pain coexisting, ‘Newton’s Cradle’ is emotional without being condescending, and in Saunders’ beautiful work we see the agony and joy that it would be to discover the world anew with every single breath we took.”
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"These stories do nothing more than create situations that enable a character to engage in musical numbers that are laden with exposition dialogue and do nothing to move the plot forward. The book needs to focus more on character development to achieve an emotional connection with the audience which convinces them to care...The cast is first-rate...Director Clark puts all the pieces of this puzzle together with a firm hand, but unfortunately it does not create a successful production."
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"Clark deftly navigates most of the material for her actors, anchored by Saunders’ poignant, funny, and heartbreaking portrayal...As composer and lyricist, Saunders is equally as gifted…Where 'Newton’s Cradle' may find more solid ground is in its character development beyond the specific family and relationship dynamics...'Newton’s Cradle' reminds us of the gift of musical theatre, that stories of all kind with people of all kind can be told and honored."
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"The company is terrific, so symbiotic one can’t help but hope they stay together for the show’s next iteration. All voices are excellent...Heath Saunders’s score is melodic and evocative; his lyrics sensitive, uncompromisingly specific, often seamlessly intertwined with dialogue. The book is moving and well researched, every character and relationship credible…'Newton’s Cradle' is a tale told with eloquence, grace, and respect, not pity. We leave uplifted and illuminated."
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