Little Miss Sunshine Show Poster

Little Miss Sunshine Critics’ Reviews

On life’s twisty road, sometimes you need to pull over and change direction. When the coveted title of “Little Miss Sunshine” is unexpectedly within her reach, young Olive Hoover convinces her family to make the 800 mile trek to the pre-teen pageant of her dreams. Along the way, a series of mishaps threatens to derail the group’s quest for the crown, until they realize a young girl’s far-fetched goal may actually hold the key to the family’s happiness. From the composer and director of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, this new musical is based on Michael Arndt's Oscar-winning film of the same name. 

Show Overview

About Little Miss Sunshine

What Is the Story of Little Miss Sunshine?
Little Miss Sunshine takes audience members on a road trip from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to California with the eccentric Hoover family. There’s no-nonsense motivational speaker Richard, his devoted wife Sheryl, their jaded son (who has taken a vow of silence) Dwayne, porn-obsessed Grandpa, heartbroken professor Uncle Frank, and last but not least, bubbly young daughter Olive. The entire family crams into a yellow VW bus so Olive can compete in the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant, and craziness ensues along the way. When they finally arrive in California, the Hoovers must come together to support Olive and help her win the crown.

Reviews

Critics’ Reviews (4)
A collection of our favorite reviews from professional news sources.

"Last but not least is the lovable Hannah Nordberg. When it comes to talent, there’s nothing small about this little miss."

New York Daily News

Joe Dziemianowicz

"Ms. Nordberg is frisky and fun, neither overplaying Olive’s oddball quirks nor milking her heart-tugging role as the glue gun holding the family together."

The New York Times

Charles Isherwood

"Rory O’Malley ('The Book of Mormon') turns in a winning performance as Frank, Sheryl’s brother, who is recovering from a suicide attempt."

NBC New York

Robert Kahn

"Reconceived after a 2011 La Jolla, CA, premiere, deftly recast and restaged with high-imagination, low-tech flash, the show touches a lot of genuine problems with good humor and just a bit of serious anguish."

Newsday

Linda Winer

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