Get On This Ride: Carousel at Goodspeed Starring James Snyder and Teal Wicks Is a Must-See Summer Treat

The grand musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein are always welcome on Broadway and it's fine time for perhaps their grandest, Carousel, to ride back to town. Keen, budget-conscious producers should look no further than director Rob Ruggiero's current revival at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, which is scaled down in size from past stagings (especially in comparison to the stellar 1994 Lincoln Center Theater revival), but arguably more emotionally rich than ever before. James Snyder, who has sadly only been seen on Broadway as the title greaser in the forgettable stage version of Cry-Baby, delivers an unforgettable star turn as Billy Bigelow, singing the most heartstopping take on "Solilquoy" that this Carousel fan has ever seen (and he's seen many!). Snyder is a standout in a cast filled with top-notch players, including wonderful Wicked girl Teal Wicks as Julie Jordan (she'll be replaced by Broadway vet Erin Davie for the second half of the run), a joyful Jenn Gambatese as Carrie Pipperidge and Jeff Kready as her fisherman beau Mr. Snow, providing a fresh, handsome spin on a character that's often just a buffoon of a sight gag. This beautifully acted, thrillingly sung Carousel plays at Goodspeed through September 29 and, if we ran this town, would find a nice, intimate home on Broadway soon after!