Baby It's You!

Guest Author for this Post: Gina Brill

Edited By: Heather K.

Editor’s note: WGINY was very excited to learn recently that the blog had been selected to
receive tickets to the new Broadway musical production, Baby It’s You!, which is in
previews until April 27. Guest Author Ms. Brill attended the show on behalf of WGINY and
wrote the following review. You can purchase your tickets here. Note that at 10am on performance mornings, a limited number of rush tickets may be available for $30 each at the theater box office only.


This past Tuesday evening, I was fortunate enough to attend, "Baby It's You! Blogger Night!" at the Broadhurst Theatre, located at 235 W. 44th Street. The Broadway musical, Baby It's You!, is the story of music producer Florence Greenberg (Beth Leavel), who starts out in the music business late in life after her children have already grown, in the late 1950s, and discovers the hit girl group, The Shirelles. Her story is one of breaking boundaries and proving people wrong. One of my favorite scenes occurs early in the show, when Greenberg and her husband are at their New Jersey home, and Mr. Greenberg is anything but supportive of his wife's new venture.

Beth Leavel as "Florence Greenberg" with "The Shirelles" in Baby It's You!
(Picture used with permission of Baby It's You)

The story is strong compared to many other musicals that I have attended, and Florence Greenberg is an inspiring character. However, the musical skirts over the depth of the story and the main character, preferring to focus more on being a vehicle for the music that she discovered. The songs highlighted by the show are the hit's of Greenberg's record label in the late 1950s and 1960s, including, "Twist and Shout," "It's My Party," and "Soldier Boy." While these are great popular songs and are excellently performed, they do not always help to tell the story. I would have liked to see at least a few original songs in the show to add more depth to the brilliant story.

The cast is small and, without exception, excellent. Christina Sajous ("Shirley") has a gorgeous, velvety alto voice, and a special mention has to go to Geno Henderson who gave a fantastic performance in multiple roles. The costumes are glitzy and glamorous, and the set simple but effective. In an unusual twist, the orchestra remains onstage throughout the show, on moveable platforms which appeared to float  in mid-air.

In summary, the music of Baby It's You! is good and well-performed, but it could be so much more than a collection of songs. That said, the show leaves you uplifted and is an escape from the real world for a couple of hours.

As an aside, we were invited to pre-theatre drinks at the Library Bar at the Paramount Hotel, located at 235 W. 46th Street. This stylish destination for either pre- or post- theatre is a cut above most bars in the theatre district. The bar is located on a mezzanine up a sweeping staircase, and is warm and cozy, yet modern with an eclectic drink menu.

Catch a sneak preview of Baby It's You!:

(Video used with permission of Baby It's You!)

Or watch Tony award-winning actress Beth Leavel's "First Look" at the show:

(Video used with permission of Baby It's You!)