Prince of Broadway - A Musical Celebration Of The Career Of Harold Prince

The average aficionado of Broadway musicals may not be the same demographic as the average pay-per-viewer of pugilism, yet it is a noteworthy coincidence that I saw Prince of Broadway on the same night as a much-hyped boxing match took place between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. The latter spectacle pitted one of the best boxers in recent history against a mixed martial arts champ. Even though many hailed the fight as "better than expected," Mayweather and McGregor's respective areas of expertise within the realm of person-to-person violence really don't mesh.

And so goes with Prince of Broadway. Hal Prince is one of the most prolific directors and producers in the history of Broadway — a seminal figure in the industry. But seeing a collection of greatest hits from his productions does not a fully-satisfying Broadway show make. (Perhaps a Las Vegas one? — Vegas, where the Mayweather-McGregor fight was held.)

The cast, heavyweights of talent one and all, was superb. Bryonha Marie Parham brings the house down with the Act I curtain closer, "Cabaret." But you cannot get perfect casting for each role when each actor must play so many.

The songs, from Broadway's all-time geniuses such as Sondheim & Bernstein and Kander & Ebb, are extraordinary, but they get punched in the gut because they are robbed of their context in their original shows.

The book was so minimal that it could have been printed on boxing ring round cards. I would have loved to have learned inside stories about Hal Prince and would gladly have sacrificed as many as ten songs to hear the details of his personal and profession life. The playbill has: "A Note From Hal Prince," containing some of those stories — they should have been in the show.

These frustrations however, do not apply to every theater-goer. If you have not seen most of Hal Prince's musicals, this is a splendid sampler package that may inspire you to seek out revivals of all-time classics in their entirety. Similarly, a young theater fan might be hooked for life when experiencing the majesty of the music and lyrics on display. I have watched West Side Story countless times, yet hearing that Bernstein music took my breath away. And so did Emily Skinner with her rendition of "Send in the Clowns." Ms. Skinner has an impressive ability to deliver comedy and poignancy with equal mastery.

Just as MMA champ McGregor was in the wrong medium fighting boxing champ Mayweather, this collection of the best of American theater belongs elsewhere — in a documentary, with Hal Prince on screen telling us the stories of his life and the stories behind the productions, including archival footage of the original productions. Now that would be a knockout.

(Photo by Matthew Murphy)

"The frilly candy-box sampler... Is a name — even one as perfumed with success and creativity as Harold Prince — enough to hold together a show whose point of view seems to begin and end with the royal epithet of its title? Watching this production's overtaxed ensemble perform vignettes from different musicals, in an oppressive succession of themed wigs and costumes, is like hearing a rushed raconteur drop name after famous name, without bothering to explain their significance."
Ben Brantley for New York Times

"You couldn't wish for a more ideal place than Broadway to honor Prince. But you could wish for a better, more illuminating show in which to do it... One can't helped but be impressed by the scope and breadth — but at the same time feel left in the dark about Prince's precise contributions."
Joe Dziemianowicz for New York Daily News

"It's a pleasant collection of beloved and familiar Broadway songs, but there isn't much to it."
Adam Feldman for Time Out New York

"An entertaining compilation, despite the shortage of context."
David Rooney for Hollywood Reporter

"A sumptuous revue celebrating the 60-plus-years of legendary director-producer Harold Prince's fabulous career. Watching the hits flash by, like diamonds on a necklace, is sure to make you cry - with tears of joy if you saw that particular show, and tears of regret if you missed it."
Marilyn Stasio for Variety

External links to full reviews from popular press...

New York Times - New York Daily News - Time Out - Hollywood Reporter - Variety