BOOP! The Musical Broadway Reviews

But none of that explains or justifies the show’s existence. Nor, despite enormous effort, can the book by Bob Martin. In building a case for a vintage piece of intellectual property — Betty was born as a half-dog in 1930 — Martin winds up replicating the kind of musical he roasted in ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’... That show’s imaginary ‘Eleanor! The Eleanor Roosevelt Musical,’ is no less ludicrous than the real-life ‘Boop! The Musical.’

Director Jerry Mitchell’s sing-and-smile-along production of ‘Boop! The Musical’ is like gulping a glass of fizzy sangria after a rough day, heck, after a rough three months and counting of stress and strife.

Yes, it’s kid-friendly. Yes, it’s visually slick. But it’s also toothless. A show about a boundary-pushing cartoon icon shouldn’t feel this safe or generic. Betty Boop may be ready for her close-up, but this isn’t the vehicle she deserves. You are better off watching the original animated shorts on YouTube.

“Boop!” shows that cartoon makeovers may be an enticing novelty, but to really succeed it first needs to be well drawn.

There’s ​such a ​throwback showbiz energy to discovering a major talent like Rogers that makes the marquee lights twinkle a bit brighter as you ​b​oop out ​o​f the theater and off to Sardi’s.

This musical will not change your brain in any way, but it delivers what it promises: a big Broadway production that leaves you grinning, and a star performer with the poise, charm and chops to make you believe that what the world needs now might be, of all things, a little more Betty Boop.

The proceedings, all in all, are rather schizoid. Those seeking a smart night out, with sharply-delineated themes, are likely to react with a weary ‘Boop-Boop-a-Droop.’ There’s always the danger of showstopper fatigue setting in, as if you’ve eaten eight or nine hot fudge sundaes in a row. But as a respite from present-day realities and woes, and you know the ones I mean, Boop! could just be the tonic the doctor ordered.

Much of the credit for that goes to Jasmine Amy Rogers, making a Broadway debut that rivals Peggy Sawyer’s in 42nd Street. Playing the title character, this winsome performer is so talented, so appealing, so utterly adorable, that if you’re not thoroughly enchanted by her you need to check your pulse. She’s single-handedly responsible for that fourth star you see in the box above this review.

Foster and lyricist Susan Birkenhead load ‘Boop!’ with so many anthems they appear to be auditioning for some new ‘I Love NY’ ad campaign. As for Foster’s tunes, you will leave the Broadhurst humming them, because you’ve heard them all before, whether it is caterwauling gospel or anemic jazz or the ubiquitous female power ballad.

Little of it feels original, and none of it feels necessary. But just like actual Betty Boop merchandise — the many toys, t-shirts, scrunchies and socks covered with her image – ‘Boop!’ doesn’t have to feel necessary; it’s fun. And the main reason for that is Jasmine Amy Rogers.

But when Rogers returns, with a raised eyebrow and a cock of her bobble-sized head, all’s forgiven. Whether in trousers or a skirt, she shows enough versatility to cement her status as a major new Broadway talent. And she proves that even after nearly a century, Betty Boop still deserves a place in the spotlight.

BOOP! The Musical proves that bringing Betty Boop to life on stage is a worthy endeavor, even if only for the spectacle of it all.

Hurtling towards us through metaphysical universes and a sometimes bumpy production, Rogers arrives fully-formed: a star.

But even if Boop! delivers a low-key #DeepMessage, it’s mainly just a rollicking good time that earns the confetti cannon that goes off in the show’s final moments. Director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell’s exorbitantly exuberant production numbers fuse old-school tap excess with a bit of hip-hop fluidity. Finn Ross’s projections design playfully incorporate glimpses of the original Boop animation throughout David Rockwell’s set. And for its sense of childlike wonder and whimsy, Gregg Barnes’s show-stopping costume designs for the second-act opener, in which half-black-and-white, half-color outfits allow the ensemble to swap between ToonTown and the real world from beat to beat, ought to melt the hearts of even the steeliest theater critics.

The world of today doesn’t really offer an escape from attention and judgments, Betty discovers when she finds out how iconic she has remained. But in the world she eventually chooses to occupy, the excellent Rogers shows how Betty—emboldened by the love and appreciation women have for her in the modern world—finds a sense of her own power, and an ability to insist upon what she wants. That turns out to be not just good for Betty herself, but the inspiration for one final zesty explosion of color and dance.

Fortunately, the new musicals built around their legacies are, first and foremost, splendid showcases for powerhouse performers. As the cartoon vixen sprung to life in “Boop!,” Jasmine Amy Rogers gives the most sensational star-making Broadway turn in years — funny, captivating, a total knockout. It would be impossible to take your eyes off her if the rest of the production, directed and choreographed with maximalist razzle-dazzle by Jerry Mitchell, weren’t such an eye-popping spectacle.