Reviews: What Did the Critics Have to Say About York Theatre Company's Penelope, or How The Odyssey Was Really Written? | Playbill

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The Verdict Reviews: What Did the Critics Have to Say About York Theatre Company's Penelope, or How The Odyssey Was Really Written?

The Off-Broadway company presents the new musical re-telling of the Greek epic at The Theater at St. Jean's.

Maria Wirries, Philippe Arroyo, Britney Nicole Simpson, and Leah Hocking Carol Rosegg

Penelope, or How The Odyssey Was Really Written opened April 7 at The Theater at St. Jean's, and the reviews are in.

Britney Nicole Simpson (Beauty and the Beast) stars in the role of Penelope. She is joined by Philippe Arroyo (Aladdin) as Telemachus, Leah Hocking (Billy Elliot) as Eurycleia, Cooper Howell (Emojiland) as Antinous, Ben Jacoby (Beautiful) as Odysseus, David LaMarr (Jersey Boys) as Mileter, Jacob Alexander Simon (A Chorus Line) as Bassanio, George Slotin (High Button Shoes) as Haius, Sean Thompson (Sunset Boulevard) as Barius, and Maria Wirries (Dear Evan Hansen) as Daphne. Bebe Browning and Constatine Pappas serve as swings.

The musical reimagines The Odyssey by focusing on Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, through letters she writes to herself in a scheme to fake correspondence with her husband as he is away due to the Trojan War.

Read the reviews below.

DC Metro Theatre Arts (Deb Miller)

New York Times (Laura Collins-Hughes)

Times Square Chronicles (Genevieve Rafter Keddy)

Playbill will continue to update this article as reviews are published.

Tony nominee Peter Kellogg (Anna Karenina) wrote the book and lyrics alongside Stephen Weiner (The Rivals) who wrote the music. 

Emily Maltby directs and choreographs the production, leading a creative team that includes scenic designer James Morgan, costume designer Lex Liang, lighting designer Joan Racho-Jansen, and sound designer Brad Ward. Chris Steckel is production stage manager. David Hancock Turner (Cheek to Cheek, Desperate Measures) is music director and has provided orchestrations. The musical also features vocal arrangements by Turner, Steve Delehanty, and Weiner. Casting is by Michael Cassara.

For tickets and more information, visit YorkTheatre.org.

 
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