Broadway’s ‘Beaches’ Musical Review: A Missed Opportunity Despite Mike Stoller’s Legacy

Broadway’s new musical adaptation of ‘Beaches’ opened at the Majestic Theater on Wednesday, promising a campy, nostalgic experience inspired by the 1988 film starring Bette Midler. However, the production falls short, failing to replicate the so-bad-it’s-good charm that made the original movie a cult classic.

The show’s most exhilarating moment arrives early, when six performers—Kelli Barrett (Bertie), Jessica Yosk (Cee Cee), Emma Ogea (Teen Bertie), Bailey Ryon (Teen Cee Cee), Zeya Grace (Little Bertie), and Samantha Schwartz (Little Cee Cee)—unite to sing “Show the World Who You Are.” The song, composed by Mike Stoller with lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart, evokes the montage-driven musical sequences of 1967’s Valley of the Dolls. Unfortunately, this fleeting brilliance is overshadowed by the production’s shortcomings.

The first act is bogged down by an excessive number of scenes chronicling the childhood and adolescence of Bertie and Cee Cee. The pacing drags, and the dialogue veers into cringe-worthy territory. Cee Cee, the sassy one, frequently drops profanity, while Bertie, the naive counterpart, expresses a misguided infatuation with Rock Hudson and uses the term “blow torch” to describe oral sex—an anachronistic and jarring choice.

The costumes, designed by Tracy Christensen, further distance the production from the iconic looks of Bette Midler’s film roles. Instead, they resemble Barbara Stanwyck’s wardrobe from Stella Dallas, adding to the show’s disjointed aesthetic.

The second act improves slightly, focusing on Bertie’s cancer diagnosis, which provides a more cohesive narrative. Stoller’s songs are serviceable but lack the catchiness of his earlier hits like “Yakety Yak” or “Jailhouse Rock.” The show’s closing number, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” is a glaring misstep—it wasn’t even written by Stoller. The song’s credits go to Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley, who are relegated to a “special thanks” in the Playbill.

To salvage the production, directors Lonny Price and Matt Cowart attempt to steer the show back on course, but the damage is done. The musical adaptation of ‘Beaches’ ultimately feels like flotsam—something that should have washed ashore but instead sinks under its own weight.