The Count of Monte Cristo: The Musical

What a fabulous job Kelly D'Angelo and Matt Dahan did creating the piece. Loved the work. You have an amazing cast and crew. I wish everything good for The Count of Monte Cristo and all of you.... full review

It was a Shakespearian experience: The story's the thing. I am inspired to go back and read Dumas' story of jealousy, greed, betrayal and revenge. The sets and staging were simple, yet effective. Musicals are meant to have large stages and this was no exception, but the intimate nature of this production in the small Lounge Theatre was very nice. Though the recorded music was at times too loud to hear and some of the songs and story were lost, I very much enjoyed that the singers had no mics. The pre-recorded music displayed the colors of a large scale production though I think a smaller ensemble of musicians would have been the ticket in this intimate setting. (But then, I am a bass player so I will admit to my prejudice against canned mu... full review

This show is incomplete. This show is rough and flawed. And you should absolutely go and see it, because it's what the Fringe is all about. It's a work in progress and as such, it has some moments that don't work, yes, but it also has some wonderful, sparkling moments that let you know it's on the right path and it's going to reach the goal. It's a little hard to follow at times, but you try squishing 1000 plus pages into a relatively short time and some songs. That doesn't matter, because we begin the journey knowing that we're watching curated, edited for Fringe highlights. It made me want to read the book and to go back in its next incarnation to see how it develops. There is a ton of good music including a couple of lovers' duets ... full review

Before I dive in, go see this, especially if you like the story! This is one of my favorite books of all time so of course I had to see it as a musical. The music is really good, though some songs had their climaxes in the middle instead of at the end leaving you wondering when to clap, which would be great with a little rework. Stay and The Treasure is You were two particular standouts as great songs that really linger with you afterward. Loved that Treasure sandwiched the story, great choice there. The cast puts on a great performance and their best faces despite some strange blocking and costume choices. The leads are all vocal standouts. Where I struggled was clear characterization. Franz comes out of nowhere as a primary a... full review

This is perhaps the most ambitious undertaking I've ever seen in the context of a fringe festival. It's a full-scale musical -- a Les Miz-sized musical, primed for a Broadway or West End stage. Pulling off a show of this scale scratch-style in a black box theater almost seems insane -- but these guys really made it work. If you can accept the Fringe context at face value (intimate space, limited resources), what you'll get is essentially a very good workshop of a show with epic potential. Despite the necessarily bare-bones staging, I could honestly see the whole thing clear as day in my head -- what this show WOULD look like on a huge stage, with full costumes & sets. And I sincerely hope that it eventually gets to that level. Dumas' classic... full review

Like some of the other reviewers here, I wasn't expecting much from such a small Fringe venue. This show pretty much blew the walls and roof off the place in its ambition, though, and the opening "night" (3:30pm) audience I saw it with rightfully ate it up. Who doesn't love a good revenge tale? The Count of Monte Cristo is exactly that, and here, the epic tome has been translated into a well paced two-hour romp through early 1800's Paris. Yes, you do have to use your imagination in this bare-bones black box setting, but the cast, and especially Matt Dahan's sweeping score make that very easy. Besides their amazing vocal talents, the players have also amassed a fairly decent array of costumes, and use every prop, wig, and long coat to... full review

This was my first musical and I completely fell in love. The cast was outstanding, the music was captivating and right on point with the scenes. I laughed and cried - my two most favorite emotions when watching or reading something. I want to make the time to see it again and I will definitely keep my ears open for more of Ms. D'Angelo's Work. I was entertained the entire time and wished it could have gone on the for the full duration it was originally created for. Can not say enough amazing things about this one! ... full review

You will NOT find a project more ambitious than this in the festival this year. The actors obliterate the singing competition of this festival with their Broadway-level chops. Some of the material is still in devopment (as most shows are) but that is NO reason not to see it and be inspired by it. Even as I see more shows this one has stayed with me as being a singularly mature and professional effort. Congrats Kelly and the Cristos!... full review

With book and lyrics by Kelly D’Angelo and music by Matt Dahan, the team who also produces, directs and musical directs the production, the WORLD-PREMIERE of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO: THE MUSICAL is based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas centering on the story of one man, Edmond Dantès, and his dark transformation into the antihero known as the Count of Monte Cristo who seeks against his enemies after serving 14 years in prison. The musical expands on the many motifs raised in the novel while offering a fresh perspective on the nearly thousand-paged piece of literature. Originally written as a three-hour production, thankfully the Fringe show has been edited down to two. Those not familiar with the novel, however, may find themselves a bi... full review

One of my favorite stories of all time goes musical! Excellent performances from a vocally astounding cast. The music was wonderfully composed and the lyrics were well written and clearly told the story. The writer Kelly D'Angelo does give a disclaimer in the program that the show has been abridged in order to fit in with fringe time constraints and as a result the story becomes slightly disjointed. I can't wait to see what happens when this piece is fully realized and ready for Broadway! ... full review