Acclaimed creator Todrick Hall has brought his brand-new musical Midnigh' to Off-Broadway's Daryl Roth Theatre. Following a largely celebrated production in London, Midnight is a love letter to unity and love in our current times of need.

What is the story?

Midnight is set in the American South in the 19th century and follows twelve interwoven lives, six Black characters and six white characters, whose worlds collide in very unexpected ways. As friendships blossom, romances flourish, and long-held beliefs are challenged, each character is compelled to look beyond the life they've been handed and question the divisions that have shaped their lives.

Many critics praise Hall's new production, while others feel it falls slightly short - take a look below to find out why

Reviews

Theatermania

"It's certainly ambitious, but once the initial shock wears off, we're left with a meandering second act that seems even longer than the first (it's actually 15 minutes shorter). Part of this has to do with the musical's lack of creative perspectives, which might have helped scale back some of its excesses. MIDNIGHT is that rare case of not enough cooks in the kitchen."

1MinuteCritic

"The voices are powerful, and by the end, theatergoers will wonder whether they could live someone else's life. Although the show is set in the 1800s and centers on racism and homophobia, both remain sources of contention today. The music will keep you in your seat, but the message, especially so close to a monumental midterm election, will challenge your heart and mind."

SlantMagazine

"If Midnight makes the leap to Broadway, Hall should embrace the show's thorny uncertainties, including the risky possibility that audience members asked to see the world through a new lens may glimpse vastly different vistas. Rather than pulling his punches, he can acknowledge that his theatrical experiment, much like race in America, is complex, messy, and resistant to easy solutions. Midnight already sounds, looks, and innovates like the best new musical of the year. Instead of smoothing over its difficulties, Hall should go further, exposing the rough edges."

The Broadgays

"Midnight is the first musical to receive The BroadGAYS' MUST-SEE designation. The score, the voices, the dancing, and the sheer imagination of the staging make this an extraordinary night of theater. I can already imagine audiences discovering it for years to come, and I'm grateful I got to experience this production in person. Tickets are nearly sold out. Go get yours right now."

JoshAtTheMovies

"To call Midnight sprawling would almost be underselling its grandiose scope. The costumes alone are stunning in their detail, the lighting effects are spectacular, and the choreography equally matches the ambitiousness of the vocal hoops that performers are asked to leap through. This is ultimately an important show, largely original in every way. Ayana George could not have been a better pick for the narrator to sweetly guide us on this journey."

CultureSauce

"Even great creators need strong collaborators, sounding boards who will nudge them to revise, streamline, and "murder their darlings" in the service of producing a better final product. Midnight has flashes of luminous greatness, but too often Hall does not know when to stop. There's a meandering final song, full of muddled references to the number 12 and spoken-word updates on the progress made toward equality for Blacks and queer people in the U.S. since the 1860s, that feels utterly superfluous. Especially when compared to encore song that Hall leads post-curtain call, a choral masterpiece that perfectly sums up the "new day" that the show envisions and sends the audience out on a goosebumpy high."