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Animal Wisdom’ Revival at Signature Earns Strong Musical Notices

Reviews emphasize music-driven impact over narrative clarity.

Overview

  • The Signature Theatre revival, which opened Tuesday, runs through June 14 at the Signature Center.
  • Critics single out Heather Christian’s eclectic score and Kenita R. Miller’s commanding lead turn as the production’s strongest elements.
  • The work is presented as a ritual rather than a traditional musical, probing ancestry, grief, and the line between the living and the dead.
  • Design evokes a haunted Southern garden, with Emmie Finckel’s set and Masha Tsimring’s lighting shaping an otherworldly space and a communal, darkened choral requiem.
  • Reservations focus on a loose structure, hard‑to‑catch lyrics, and pacing that tests patience, even as the band led by music director Alexandra Crosby wins praise.