“Under the uproarious fast-paced direction of Connor Gallagher, who also provided the hilarious and salacious choreography, [the cast] embraces the zany humor with unbridled relish, singing, dancing, and delivering the non-stop over-the-top laughs that kept everyone (including me) at the sold-out performance I attended (and I’m sure at every performance) screaming and cheering. ”

“Inventively directed and choreographed by Connor Gallagher, the show benefits considerably from sharp performances and fine production values. A nonstop cartoon of sexual and social satire, showbiz parodies and wayward silliness, The Big Gay Jamboree swiftly rolls along without an intermission for 100 minutes. ”

“Stuffed to the brim with pop culture references, musical theatre allusions, and absolute, bat-shit heart, The Big Gay Jamboree is a sturdy, smart musical that, despite some meandering, solidifies Marla Mindelle’s star. Aided with a splashy Off-Broadway design team and strong supporting cast, it’s a laugh-out-loud funny show that, sure, isn’t going to be for just anyone. Luckily, Marla Mindelle knows exactly who her audience is. They want to talk about Jennifer Lopez’s career through musical theatre!  If that’s not you, don’t worry. You’ll catch up.”

“A loud, brash, funny evening for those in the know, The Big Gay Jamboree is so candid about the audience it caters to that any negative comments somehow seem beside the point. The crowd at the performance I attended roared its approval so loudly that I wondered if they might knock down the theatre.”

“There’s a slew of pop-culture references, some of which flew over my head, but with the actors communicating lines with their bodies as well as their mouths, it all makes sense thanks to director and choreographer Connor Gallagher. Certainly not PC — there are plenty of lines to insult all types of gender and sexuality; the songs are clear spoofs of famous musicals’ tunes; and there are plenty of disparaging jokes at the expense of Broadway’s tropes. It’s not easy to resist exaggeration when your plot is so surreal and campy, but this sparkling production makes exaggeration its mission — and triumphs.”

“I’ve been going to theater in New York City for over 50 years, and never has the talent pool of musical talent among actors been this wide and this deep. Insanity is alive and well and taking up residence at the Orpheum Theatre.”

“But as Mindelle and her collaborators (she co-created The Big Gay Jamboree with Jonathan Parks-Ramage and Philip Drennen) subvert, satirize, and queer these tropes, they emerge with a show that’s utterly hilarious and with all the vibrant charm of classic Broadway intact. This is one show you won’t want to escape.”

“What also makes this show work so well is the precision with which it is executed, led by the magnificent Mindelle with her outrageously appealing, powerful and versatile vocals and comedy chops to match. The entire cast is first-rate and utterly committed to every dance move they make, note they sing and joke they land. Not a beat is wasted, as the cast takes things seriously enough to make each laugh really hit. With a small live orchestra, the music is full and rich, overseen by music director Adam Laird, with orchestrations by Kris Kukul, and arrangements and music supervision by David Dabbon.

Director and choreographer Connor Gallagher, who, according to the show’s program made his Broadway debut as a dancing rug (Stacey would be able to relate), brings a natural, in-the-moment feel to his brilliantly fine-tuned calibration of the staging and performances. As with Titanique, there are some genuinely improvised moments involving audience participation, which Mindelle seems in her element in dealing with, but she also manages to make the rest her performance seem equally as off-the-cuff, even in the mostly highly choreographed and vocally demanding sections of the show.”

“The Big Gay Jamboree is an affectionate, hilarious jab at the conventions of musicals in Broadway’s Golden Age. The writing, the direction, the technical work, and the performances are bright and spirited. I guarantee you will leave the theater with lighter spirits, and so I strongly recommend spending an all-too-short, rousing time at The Big Gay Jamboree!”

“But what won me over was Mindelle’s irrepressible love of the form, as much as The Big Gay Jamboree may mock it. As she tours around Bareback like Dorothy in Oz, Stacey collects a trio of outcasts that includes Rousouli’s woodsman, Nix’s choir teacher, and a perpetually horny sister played by Natalie Walker. Walker (whom I know; she’s written for New York) gives a delirious performance that’s as if Madeline Kahn were cast as Marilyn Monroe in Smash, with a solo number where she purrs “boys!” to ensemble members as she sings about how BDSM turns out to be a girl’s best friend. In moments like that, Walker’s character might be miming about fisting, but The Big Gay Jamboree’s heart is on its sleeve. Of course, Stacey is eventually going to fall in love with the people of Bareback, and of course she is never going to give up that acting career for a cozy life with the terrible tech boyfriend. How could she, when musicals are this fun?”

“The amusing pastiche score, by Mindelle and Philip Drennen, is performed with gusto by the exuberant cast, which is kept in nearly perpetual motion by director-choreographer Connor Gallagher. The parody numbers may not transcend their archetypes, but they’re crowd-pleasers, particularly Nix’s rousing “Gospel Song,” Flora’s vampy “Kitty Tickle,” and “The Gay B-Cs” (a kind of “Do-Re-Mi” for modern gay slang). The bawdy book, by Mindelle and Jonathan Parks-Ramage, sparks bigger laughs. Despite its similar setup, this isn’t Schmigadoon: It’s way gayer. The jokes draw heavily on contemporary queer culture; it helps to be as familiar with The Real Housewives and Reneé Rapp as you are with Rodgers and Hammerstein.”

“The plot is ridiculous and yet still finds a way to solve Stacey’s love and trust issues. Of course, at the same time it’s tugging at your heart it can’t help but sneak up behind you and pull down your pants. This seeming clash of sensibilities works because tone is everything and director and choreographer Connor Gallagher is very sure of his sight. His previous work includes choreography for The Robber Bridegroom (2016) and Beetlejuice (2019), which undoubtedly helped him earn his director’s wings.”