Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS opens on Broadway and is mildly entertaining, at best

• By drediman
• November 22, 2017
• No Comments

The company of “Home for the Holidays” at the August Wilson Theatre.

Last night, the hastily assembled concert Home for the Holidays limped opened on Broadway. Although the show is an altogether harmless affair, I feel the need to warn more savvy theatergoers to stay clear of the August Wilson Theatre. Aside from some skilled musical arrangements of some twenty-plus traditional and radio holiday favorites (played charismatically onstage by a great eight-piece band), there is very little holding the production together – except for some very generous producer money.

Now to the cast. Sad to say, despite possessing some strong pop voices (oh, those requisite and comically excessive riffs!), the singers seemed unsure, stiff, and even scared in live performance. Luckily, as the performance wore on, they seemed, for the most part, to perform more naturally and easily. Only the spectacularly-voiced Candice Glover, who won Season 12 of American Idol, seemed to possess any semblance of star power. Overall, you’re much better served taking in one of the young local theater talents who frequently, in inexpensively, grace the stage of Feinstein’s/54 Below two blocks away.

As for the rest – Josh Kaufman, winner of Season 6 of The Voice; Bianca Ryan, winner of Season 1 of America’s Got Talent; host Kaitlyn Bristowe, star of Season 11 of The Bachelorette; Oscar-nomiated guest star Danny Aiello; and YouTube celebrities Peter Hollens and Evynne Hollens – the less said the better. All I’ll say is that the whole thing is mildly entertaining, at best. Indeed, I’m happy to report that, clocking in at less than ninety minutes, Home for the Holidays luckily does not outstay its welcome.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Broadway, Musical
August Wilson Theatre
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through December 30