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Book & Lyrics by Stephen Cole
Music by David Krane
"In recent years, musicals about writing musicals have become a dime a dozen. But few are as funny, as much sheer fun, as The Road to Qatar . It's the company's giddiest yet, with a production as nifty as a terrific band of New York pros can make it. Flies by, thanks to Cole's effervescent lyrics and Krane's energetic songs. (The title number is especially memorable.) Director Phillip George staged the Forbidden Broadway shows for decades, and the lessons he learned there serve this new musical well. He keeps the action sizzling, makes sure the actors carve out their characters with surgeons' scalpels, and throws in lots of dance steps just for fun. The Road to Qatar is a crowd pleaser that's also full of wonderful extras for fans of musicals."
Lawson Taitte, Dallas Morning News
"The world premiere of Lyric Stage's The Road to Qatar is a wacky, pun-filled
romp based on the true story of "two short Jews," real life composer
David Krane and lyricist Stephen Cole, who were separately emailed a request
to write a musical for the Emir of Qatar and one thousand of his closed friends
... in the world's largest domed stadium ... with a plot including camels, a
sultan's son and Mohammad Ali. The Road to Qatar is one of those productions
that's easy on the brain, easy to enjoy and so easily needed with looming world
events and everyday challenges attempting to sap our funny bones. All roads
lead to Rome so the saying goes. For Lyric Stage, The Road to Qatar leads to
fun, frivolity, and the freedom to laugh out loud."
Mary L. Clarke, Pegasusnews.com
"'Qatar' makes the Middle East funny. Although it's about a massive boondoggle
of a musical extravaganza, the production itself seems cobbled together, with
minimal sets (rolling shower curtains make entrances and exits into a shell
game), a small cast (five hugely talented folks, led by Brian Gonzales and Lee
Zerrett) and a standup comedian's sense of timing (if one thing doesn't work,
it moved on faster than a Texas thunderstorm).Composer David Krane's bouncy
score and librettist Stephen Cole's clever lyrics ("Dubai Bye Birdie"
- genius) is an effervescent delight. Watching it rattle-and-hummus along is
a breezy joy."
Arnold Wayne Jones, Dallas Voice.com
"Writer Stephen Cole and composer David Krane's wacky re-telling of their
most un-likely commissioning, The Road to Qatar, is an enchanting and hilarious
piece of musical theater."
Alexandra Bonifield, Renegade Bus
"There's an old-fashioned Tin Pan Alley bounce to Krane's melodies throughout.
Even the song titles-"Good Things Come in Threes," "Give 'Em
What They Want," "Oh, What a Show!"-sound like standards from
Broadway standbys of the 1950s. That's all dandy stuff. The Road to Qatar offers
miles of smiles."
Elaine Liner, TheatreJones