'A Walk on the Moon' Off-Broadway review — out-of-this-world cast gives this new musical its liftoff

Read our review of A Walk on the Moon off Broadway, a new musical adaptation of the same-named 1999 film playing a limited summer run at the Laura Pels Theatre.

Summary

• A Walk on the Moon is adapted from the 1999 movie about a Brooklyn housewife discovering new possibilities for her life via 1960s counterculture
• The show has a forgettable score but strong performances from Talia Suskauer; Max Chernin; Sam Gravitte; and Andrea Burns
• The show is recommended for fans of 1960s music and culture; the 1999 A Walk on the Moon movie; and romantic dramas

“Must be scary. Stepping into the unknown.” Pearl Kantrowitz (Talia Suskauer) observes that to her devoted but dull husband Marty (Max Chernin) as they arrive for another season at their Catskills bungalow colony. It’s the summer of 1969 and the days are ticking down to earth-shaking events — the Apollo 11 lunar landing and the Woodstock musical festival.

Pearl’s anything but casual comment — made moments into A Walk on the Moon, a beautifully performed new Off-Broadway musical — is packed with gravity for this restless, unfulfilled Brooklyn wife and mom of two. That goes double upon meeting Walker, aka the Blouse Man (Sam Gravitte), a sexy, free-spirited salesman with James Taylor hair who turns her on to Jack Kerouac and in other intimate ways. It’s a triangular setup that’s given shape to countless stories. Will Pearl make a giant leap that will upend her life?

It’s a question asked in any number of shows, from The Baker’s Wife to The Bridges of Madison County. If you’ve seen the 1999 A Walk on the Moon movie starring Diane Lane, Liev Schreiber, and Viggo Mortenson, you already know the conclusion. The real unknown about the show, by the film’s screenwriter Pamela Gray (book and additional lyrics) and AnnMarie Milazzo (music and lyrics), is what the songs add to the story. Bottom line: not quite enough. That’s no slight to the three leads who are all terrific, particularly Suskauer. She’s radiant in a star turn that is gutsy and heartfelt.

What’s most striking about the show’s 19 songs, however, is how seldom they deeply connect to the building blocks of the story, from the Jewish bungalow colony steeped in its traditions to the sounds of the late 1960s. Songs for Alison (Sophie Pollono), Pearl and Marty’s rebellious 15-year-old daughter who discovers boys, avoid this trap. They raise a faint but telltale trace of late ’60s Joni Mitchell, Alison’s musical and socially conscious hero.

Otherwise, the score is easy on the ears but generic with pleasures that wax and quickly wane. The other issue is that too many songs, as directed by Sheryl Kaller, are performed like they’re showstoppers. Not every musical moment needs to blast off and be blown out. In stories about intimacy, quiet moments are ones that grab attention. The moon doesn’t have to be full for us to appreciate its wonders.

A Walk on the Moon summary

In a Catskills bungalow colony in the summer of 1969, a Brooklyn housewife and mother questions what she’s done with her life as she’s pulled into an unexpected romance, Woodstock, and countercultural chaos.

Now making its Off-Broadway premiere at the Laura Pels Theatre, the show has been seen in previous productions at Vassar in 2014, the American Conservatory Theater in 2018, and the George Street Playhouse in 2022.

What to expect at A Walk on the Moon

Marty’s ever-present mother, Lillian, plays a key role in the story. She’s a woman who reads tarot cards but relies on what she sees around her to know what’s really going on. Andrea Burns lends fine support in the role played in the film by Tovah Feldshuh, whose voice is heard as Mrs. Fogler over the bungalow P.A. system. Listen up for her chiming in with announcements like “Attention ladies! The Blouse Man is on the premises.”

And look out for some groovy period details in costumes by Ricky Lurie. Count on a tie-dyed T-shirt, which is actually pivotal to the plot, and macrame halter tops to channel late ’60s style.

What audiences are saying about A Walk on the Moon

Theatregoers took to Reddit and Mezzanine, a review-aggregate app, to discuss the show in advance of its opening night off Broadway.

• “I found this Temu Bridges of Madison County to be charming enough. The general tone of the book lands in a dramatic sweet spot, using comedic moments judiciously and trusting the audience to care about the characters….” - Mezzanine user Derek Kahle
• “Vocals are incredible and I got chills for almost every single song …” - Mezzanine user Amy Lu
• “I love Talia and Max, but unfortunately I think the show needs a lot more polishing … There were some catchy songs here and there, but overall just really flat.” - Reddit user u/Common_Western_3107
• “As a late-Boomer … the cultural underpinnings of the show are pretty dead-on for me … I liked the music and the lyrics, and I thought both were above average for what I’ve seen in multiple shows recently… The five principal performers were all excellent.” Reddit user u/Equivalent_Net_8983

Who should see A Walk on the Moon

• Romantic drama fans will appreciate a story that blends elements of love story and liberation, and Pearl embodies both.
• Theatregoers who saw Suskauer and Chernin on stage before, such as in the tour of Parade, will be keen to catch them as a couple again.
• Nostalgia nerds seeking to sink back into the bell-bottomed, patchouli-scented vibe of the late 1960s will get a subtle rush from the show.
• Fans of the Diane Lane movie should check the show out if they're curious to see the story unfold in a different medium.

Learn more about A Walk on the Moon off Broadway

Despite a familiar story and songs that don’t make major impressions, the wonderful cast gives A Walk on the Moon its liftoff.

Learn more and get A Walk on the Moon tickets on New York Theatre Guide. A Walk on the Moon is at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre through August 22.

Photo credit: A Walk on the Moon off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)