'Copperfield! The New Musical' Off-Broadway review — Dickens novel gets a tuneful stage treatment

Read our review of Copperfield! The New Musical off Broadway, a stage adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1850 novel starring Bobby Conte in the title role.

Summary

• Copperfield! is a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens's coming-of-age novel David Copperfield
• The show stays lively and entertaining throughout thanks to the cast of actor/musicians, a well-paced story, and a pleasing score
• The show is recommended for fans of Dickens and adaptations of his work; fans of musicals like Oliver!, Annie, and Once; and school groups

In a sparse 2025-26 season for new musicals on Broadway, Off-Broadway got a particular moment to shine. Even now, while most of the 2026-27 Broadway season's musicals have yet to hit the stage, the playing field is wide open for Off-Broadway arrivals like Copperfield!, book and songwriter Jeffrey Scharf's adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. It's the 19th-century literature musical I didn't know I needed.

A lively cast of 13 performs the story of David Copperfield, a poor, abused child-turned-unmoored adult seeking a sense of purpose, security, and home. All but the two Davids — Bobby Conte as the grown character, narrating and writing his life story, and Henry Witcher as his young self at my performance — play at least two distinct roles and at least one instrument. All that ping-ponging gives director/choreographer Gabriel Barre's production an appropriately folksy, scrappy feel and keeps the proceedings moving at a clip. Only in the last 30 minutes does the energy start to lag, but a dulcet love duet revives it just in time for the end, capping off a tuneful and varied score that's pleasing throughout. (Those familiar with the musicals Oliver!, Annie, and Once will hear echoes of all the above. And see them, too — exhibit A, the exclamation point.)

Scharf gamely endeavors to cover as much of Dickens's sprawling, densely populated tale as possible in 2.5 hours, with only a handful of characters and plot lines cut. It's admirable almost to a fault. Does David's schoolmate Steerforth really need three songs? Yes, as superb showcases for the dance and physical comedy talents of a standout Owen Squire Smith, but perhaps not dramaturgically. Most conspicuously, David doesn't emerge as a fully fledged main character until Act 2, when Conte gets to step out from the sidelines and fully embody the story he narrates. The young David allows the adult one to keep his childhood trauma at arm's length as he struggles to relive it, but endearing as Witcher is, only having one David to invest in would sharpen the focus and better showcase Conte's talents.

However, none of these quibbles are enough to detract from the fact that Copperfield! is enjoyable and full of heart, plain and simple. David's story is an often dark one, but Scharf deftly strikes a tonal balance between the vivacious and grave without compromising either. Even if the world didn't need Copperfield! The New Musical, per se, I'm glad it's found a home.

Copperfield! The New Musical summary

Copperfield! The New Musical is adapted from Charles Dickens's 1849-50 serialized novel David Copperfield. The title character's childhood is shaped by an abusive stepfather, the early loss of his mother, and harsh conditions in school and at work, but he eventually matures into an ambitious young man who finds love, career success as a novelist, and a place — and people — to finally call home after years of searching.

What to expect at Copperfield! The New Musical

Copperfield! The New Musical runs 2.5 hours, including one intermission. Within the black-box-style Duke on 42nd Street, the proceedings have a cozy feel, with the actors doubling as the onstage band when their characters aren't in a scene. At points, they even run around and through the audience, further increasing the intimacy.

A pre-show announcement reminds us of two important things: to turn off our phones (they weren't invented in 1850, after all), and that Copperfield! The New Musical is an adaptation of Charles Dickens's book — not a show about or featuring the magician David Copperfield.

What audiences are saying about Copperfield! The New Musical

As of writing, Copperfield! The New Musical has an 84% audience approval rating on Show-Score, averaged from 148 reviews from early theatregoers. Responses were mixed to positive, but audiences particularly praised the cast's versatile performances as actor/musicians.

• "The book of Copperfield! The New Musical is very episodic. As a result you get no real emotions connected to any of the characters. I suppose I expected "Oliver!", considering the source material." - Show-Score user Milton
• "Starts out slow (almost like VERY GOOD regional theater?) and then I was really impressed with the actors all playing instruments and the staging for the rest." - Show-Score user John H
• "Copperfield! The New Musical may not have the most memorable songs but the music and how each actor is also an instrumentalist certainly is lovely to see-this is a true group of talented figures on a bare but well-organized double-tier stage [...] Bobby Conte is another draw: what a gorgeously-soulful, energetic performer." - Show-Score user GirlFriday

Who should see Copperfield! The New Musical

• Fans of Charles Dickens — and other stage adaptations of his work, like Oliver! and A Christmas Carol — will want to see how the author's own self-described favorite work has been musicalized.
• School groups reading David Copperfield in class should visit this show to see the story come alive in a largely faithful and lively way.
• Either thematically or musically, Copperfield! shares DNA with musicals like Oliver!, Annie, and Once, so fans of those shows may find this one an enjoyable companion.

Learn more about Copperfield! The New Musical off Broadway

Copperfield! offers a delightful and lively time at the theatre. It has storied source material to live up to, but despite imperfections, this adaptation earns its exclamation point.

Learn more and get Copperfield! The New Musical tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Copperfield! The New Musical is at the Duke on 42nd Street through December 6.

Photo credit: Copperfield! The New Musical off Broadway. (Photos by Jeremy Daniel)