The Bottom Line
In 2010 the Radio City Christmas Spectacular With the Rockettes came to the Phoenix area and performed in Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. This is the touring company of the original playing at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Anyone who is old enough to sit in a chair will enjoy this Christmas show featuring the incomparable Rockettes. It's a long trip from Phoenix, Arizona to Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, but this show will brings some New York holiday cheer to the desert.
This review is based on the 2010 performance. The show may change in subsequent years.
This review is based on the 2010 performance. The show may change in subsequent years.
Pros
- The Rockettes are terrific and make it look easy -- it isn't.
- Colorful production
- Appealing stage sets, and video that enhances the production
- Not too long
Cons
- No live orchestra
- Some singing is recorded
- I'm not fond of seeing shows in sports arenas
- No sing-along holiday music (in case you were expecting that)
Description
- The Radio City Christmas Spectacular has no intermission. It is about an hour and a half in duration.
- The Rockettes aren't on the stage every minute; there are other dancers and there are singers.
- The program includes a "Living Nativity" segment.
Guide Review - Radio City Christmas Spectacular With the Rockettes
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular came to Jobing.com Arena just west of Phoenix during the 2010 holiday season, to the delight of many families who would never otherwise have the opportunity to experience a large-scale, professional holiday show. There are singers and dancers. There's a Santa Claus and a young doubter who obviously believes by the end of the program. The Rockettes, however, are the very reason this show exists. They have colorful costumes, big smiles and amazing synchronization -- they make it look easy.
This is a touring production of the original show that is seen at Radio City Music Hall in New York. It is a feast for the eyes, with fantastic sets and background video that actually enhances the performance instead of distracting from it.
I thought that the somber nature of the nativity scene toward the end of the program was ill-positioned and anti-climactic. There were complaints about the lack of a real orchestra, which, since I am not in the musicians' union, didn't especially bother me, but I did think that the recorded singing was odd, especially when there were singers with fine voices in the production.
Recorded music, $6 cokes and arena seating aside I enjoyed the program and can't imagine any child not loving it. The March of the Wooden Soldiers and the Bus Tour of Manhattan, both with the Rockettes, were worth the price of admission alone.
This is a touring production of the original show that is seen at Radio City Music Hall in New York. It is a feast for the eyes, with fantastic sets and background video that actually enhances the performance instead of distracting from it.
I thought that the somber nature of the nativity scene toward the end of the program was ill-positioned and anti-climactic. There were complaints about the lack of a real orchestra, which, since I am not in the musicians' union, didn't especially bother me, but I did think that the recorded singing was odd, especially when there were singers with fine voices in the production.
Recorded music, $6 cokes and arena seating aside I enjoyed the program and can't imagine any child not loving it. The March of the Wooden Soldiers and the Bus Tour of Manhattan, both with the Rockettes, were worth the price of admission alone.
Disclosure: The company provided free access to this show for review purposes. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
