In my last season of eligibility for under 30 tickets, I went to the new musical by Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland. I love that there is a cool space to promote new works, even if the new plays aren't that good. The $9 fee, even at the box office, is unjustifiable though! I unfortunately didn't really like the music. It's a lot of kind of samey ballads. Some of the characters have musical inspiration clearly drawn from Hamilton, but not as catchy or clever, looking at the Governatore and to a lesser extent the Cardinal. And the lyrics and themes are kind of lame. Like "what happens next?" That just sets up more telling not showing. The plot is mostly predictable. It's a surprisingly bloodless show considering how many bodies pile up. I think it may have worked better if it leaned into that more, Sweeney Todd-style, punching up the writing with some comedy and gore (even has the icky judge-ward age gap relationship).
I did like the set. There's a big cabinet with three double doors that are regularly opened and closed to reveal new scenery. There's a very pretty church window, apothecary shelves, and lots of other creative ways to transport the audience. There's also an imposing staircase on stage reminiscent of a dramatic opera. And I liked the choreography of the first murder scene.
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