Charles Dickens is responsible for some of the undisputed best novels ever written, and apparently his Copperfield was his most autobiographical. Its central character, David Copperfield—no, not the magician—is a manic depressive yet multi-faceted man who decides a two-and-a-half hour musical would best be spent reliving his life from top to bottom. The adorable Calvin Knegten plays young David, whilst the vocally staggering, teary-eyed marvel of adult David goes to Bobby Conte. We follow Copperfield through life’s drastic highs and lows, juxtaposing the cartoonishly silly villains with moving moments of parallelism between past and present. An impressive array of musical instruments provide texture and color to a decades-spanning grandiose retrospective. As messy as it is entertaining, Copperfield! The New Musical feels staggeringly comprehensive, hilariously preposterous, and deeply moving all at once.
Our story begins in 1835 England, the time and place of which are established through a voice imploring people not to use any devices during the show which had not yet been invented. The intimate storytelling leaps out immediately. David’s birth allows his curly-haired younger counterpart to take the stage. This child version of David is sweet and naive. Though some in his orbit, including his overwhelmed mother (Cathyrn Wake), sweet family servant (Amelia Cormack), and male-hating expressive aunt (Kara Mikula), are positive influences, many are fleeting. The villains make their presence known early. The dual roles many in the ensemble play often gave me whiplash. A devilishly awful step-aunt (Tatiana Wechsler) suddenly transforms into an achingly perfect love interest in act II. At least there’s a constant in that Will Reynolds acts as an awful person from beginning to end.
The balcony of The Duke ends up being a perfect fit for multiple scenarios to play out, including standing in for a boat during hurricanes, a financial office, and a rotating roster of instrumental performances. The unique staging doesn’t end there: countless times throughout the show, the ensemble quickly changes up the set into dinner tables and meeting spaces. Chandeliers drop from the ceiling, as do giant swings and even the majestic flying of a kite. There are honestly an obscene amount of scene changes, with Act II in particular suffering from a quickened pace that seems anxious to stuff everything but the kitchen sink into its storyline. Book, lyrics, and music by Jeffrey Scharf and the direction and choreography from Gabriel Barre make full use of the space and the emotion lingering within the text. The cast also play several instruments seamlessly, easing quietly from cello to clarinet, guitar, and bassoon. You quite literally cannot predict who will pick up the next instrument; at one point, I looked up in amazement to see Kara Mikula on the drums.
There is admittedly a whole hell of a lot going on here. Thankfully, we have multiple methods of narration that constantly keep us up-to-date on the specifics of the location and year. This doesn’t necessarily translate to keeping us up-to-date on who plays what character, or whose motivations go where. While I didn’t find any particular thread of the story difficult to follow, it’s hard to care about some aspects that are so quickly brushed over or easily resolved. That’s not to say that any singular thread could be cut completely, but there’s a whole lot going on here that, especially in Act II, the show quickly tries to resolve.
Four in the cast prove they just plain understand the assignment. The two versions of David, at one point given odd nicknames by various characters they come across, are perfectly cast. They absolutely sell the role, and bring the most heartwarming moments to life. Additionally, Mikula’s Aunt Betsey and her cousin Mr. Dick (Aaron Michael Ray) are a total riot. Both seem to know exactly what kind of show Copperfield is, and embrace the camp with open arms. The combination of elements work in tandem. Aunt Betsey in particular steals the show on multiple occasions. She’s a sweet, absolutely adorable woman who gives some major exaggerated expressions. Another friend that leaves an imprint on the larger narrative is David’s close bud Steerforth (Owen Squire Smith). The man is charming and sweet, and gets one of the most hilarious numbers in the show. An elaborate musical number all about being caned: who would have thought you could make an Officer Krupke-eseque song about being physical abuse that hilarious?
While many separate elements do not necessarily come together into a satisfying, complete vision, they make for a show that is endlessly entertaining. It’s utterly impossible to be bored during the runtime because there’s simply so much going on. The songs are varied enough to never overstay their welcome, and the characters and their depths rich enough to warrant a second look. David’s mesmerizing actors in particular shine through all that excess. The actual whiplash of a supposed emotional sequence coming right after a campier music number, such as one about being humble as a villain, can be a little much. While I would hesitate to call this great, Copperfield! The New Musical is an actual blast, and a super fun night out, especially with a group that can laugh along with its crowd-pleasing ridiculousness.
Embrace the timelessness of Dickens with Copperfield! The New Musical. This strictly limited engagement is now playing performances at The Duke on 42nd Street through December 6th, 2026. For ticketing information, head over to the official website.
