'ta-da!' Off-Broadway review — Josh Sharp gets personal, potty-mouthed, and poignant
Read our review of ta-da! off Broadway, a new solo comedy show written and performed by Josh Sharp at the Greenwich House Theater through August 23 only.
ta-da! is a perfect title for writer and comedian Josh Sharp’s Off-Broadway solo show, considering the term signals a magic feat. No, he doesn’t pull a rabbit out of a hat, but he does reveal himself in super-sharp focus.
Recalling an unfiltered TED Talk, the production takes a clever approach to the personal monologue. Sharp (Dicks: The Musical) delivers the 80-minute show alongside 2,000 rapid-fire projections — displaying the verbatim script, mostly, and sometimes sly asides. The text appears on a big screen behind him in sync with each beat of the show. He’s done the math: That’s a new slide every 2.4 seconds.
The detail matters, since the preciousness of time is what Sharp is chasing, not just showing off his memorization muscles. In the show’s first half, he covers his childhood obsession with magic (wait for the nifty card trick), his relatively late coming out, his sexual encounters (including under bridges), bodily fluids (so many), and STIs. Candid or cringeworthy? Opinions may vary.
Sharp flits like a hummingbird — here, there, now over there — darting from one topic to the next. But it’s not random riffing; even apparent flubs aren’t really missteps, and a ho-hum take on oversize umbrellas later makes a bracing point. It’s all meticulously made and metered. Oh, Mary! Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton directs, and his choreography chops add a rhythmic pulse.
Midway through, the Grim Reaper appears. Everything clicks. Because nothing quite snaps life into perspective like your mother getting cancer — or nearly drowning in Mexico. Mortality has a way of turning time into treasure: “Being alive = slay.” Sharp says that. A slide notes that. Theatregoers nod in agreement about that.
Sure, a dip into quantum theory in the yarn is a yawn. Still, ta-da! is a brainy, brazenly hilarious, and sneakily profound performance — and a show worth your time.
ta-da! summary
Known for co-authoring and acting in the film Dicks: The Musical, Sharp mines his own life for material in ta-da! With his say-anything point of view and the PowerPoint-gone-wild construction, he lets it rip as an autobiographical stage storyteller.
What to expect at ta-da!
As you take your seat, music pounds and words and phrases — hi, hello, how are you, what’s up — are projected around the Greenwich House Theater. They’re the show’s opening lines, repeated by Sharp again and again. Repetition is a tool of choice here, used for hilarity and emotional punch. Instead of a sing-along, there’s a fun read-along with theatregoers.
This was my introduction to Sharp. I learned a lot about him, including that he’s a lot. Despite his frank sex talk, the show brims with heart. Whether or not you leave a Sharp fan (I did), it’s hard not to embrace his father, a family man who earns every loving shout-out. Idea for Sharp’s next show: ta-dad!
What audiences are saying about ta-da!
Theatregoers are using social media to share reactions to the show, often relying on multiple exclamation points and referencing lines to express delight. Very appropriate.
- “It is very fun but covers some serious topics.” – Reddit user u/OnTheSunnyside603
- “I laughed, I cried I need to see it again.” – Instagram user @calieghscott
- “Loved every minute! Sending all of my straight coworkers.” Instagram user @amyvirginia
- “So good!!!!!!!! Life is a big slay.” – Instagram user @mattyrayny
Who should see ta-da!
- If you appreciate wordplay, you’re apt to get a kick out of what Sharp gets up to at the “Grin Itch How’s” Theater. That’s how the venue's name appears in a slide, and there’s more linguistic playfulness throughout.
- Theatregoers who enjoy personal monologues on stage and appreciate the various theatrical approaches to works in this genre will want to see the method to Sharp’s madness.
- Pinkleton followers who’ve seen his work in Oh, Mary! and other pieces will want to see his latest collaboration.
Learn more about ta-da! off Broadway
Like the most successful comedies, ta-da! makes you laugh and think — a potent combo.
Photo credit: Josh Sharp in ta-da! (Photos by Emilio Madrid)
Originally published on