Key Highlights
- Copperfield! The New Musical, written by Jeffrey Scharf and directed by Gabriel Barre, is running Off-Broadway in New York through December 6.
- Actor Bobby Conte stars as the older David Copperfield, heading a tight ensemble of 13 adult performers who take on multiple roles and perform their own live instrumentation.
- Adapting Charles Dickens’ classic 1849 serial, the production leans directly into the novel’s tragic origins while anchoring the journey around David’s recurring musical search for home.
A Faithful, Energetic Dickens Adaptation Arrives Off-Broadway
Originally serialized starting in 1849, Charles Dickens’ The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery has long stood as a narrative defined by profound loss, resilience, and personal evolution. While modern retellings like Armando Iannucci’s 2019 film The Personal History of David Copperfield explored the hero’s shifting identity, Jeffrey Scharf’s stage adaptation, Copperfield! The New Musical, adheres closely to the events of Dickens’ text, embracing its darkest plot points without reservation. Directed and choreographed by Gabriel Barre, alongside associate director and choreographer Ashley Wren Collins, the Off-Broadway production transforms the sprawling Victorian tale into a raucous, rapturous musical experience that spans England from 1835 to 1870.
The framing of the musical positions a mature David Copperfield, played by Bobby Conte, recounting his life’s path. Opening on the day of his birth, audiences meet David’s widowed mother Clara (Cathryn Wake), her devoted maid Peggotty (Amelia Cormack), and his eccentric aunt Betsey Trotwood (Kara Mikula), who introduces the stage with the lively sequence “Betsey Trotwood Copperfield/It’s a Boy.” The narrative quickly introduces Young David (portrayed by Calvin Knegten), who shoulders much of the stage time in Act I as his older self provides commentary. Young David’s upbringing shifts rapidly from domestic comfort to Peggotty’s seaside home, followed by cruelty at a strict boarding school orchestrated by his harsh stepfather, Mr. Murdstone (Will Reynolds). From child labor and sudden orphanhood to seeking refuge with Betsey Trotwood, David forms essential bonds with his classmate Steerforth (Owen Squire Smith), the debtor Mr. Micawber (Andy Taylor), the eccentric Mr. Dick (Aaron Michael Ray), and his steadfast companion Agnes Wickfield (Tatiana Wechsler).
Actor-Musicianship and Thematic Depth on a Modest Stage
To capture the vast geographic range spanning Yarmouth, London, and the English countryside, Copperfield! The New Musical relies on an ensemble of 13 adult actors playing multiple roles while actively accompanying the show on live instruments, including pianos, guitars, trumpets, and drums. This actor-musician staging model expands a modest set, flanked by platforms, into a dynamic portrait of 19th-century society. Unlike Iannucci’s examination of social code-switching, Scharf centers the production on the enduring pursuit of belonging and safety. This motif is established in the opening number “I Am Home” and recurs across key narrative junctures. The score pivots across a spectrum of styles, moving from the villainous “Mr. Murdstone Is the Master Now” and playful “I Shake Your Hand Sir” to the melancholic “Always the Pleasure Was Mine” and the driving “I Am a Rover.”
The dynamic staging highlights standout multi-role performances across the ensemble. Amelia Cormack brings comedic energy and warmth to Peggotty and Mrs. Micawber, while Kara Mikula plays Aunt Betsey Trotwood with whirlwind force. Alexander Sovronsky slips fluidly across a vast array of contrasting figures, shifting instantly between the gentle Mr. Peggotty, the harsh schoolmaster Mr. Creakle, and the respectable yet drunken Mr. Quinion. In the female leads, Tatiana Wechsler plays an endearing Agnes, while Cathryn Wake achieves an impressive comedic and emotional contrast, alternating between David’s vulnerable mother Clara and his unhinged, flighty first bride Dora across the sequence “Do-o-or-a, Part One and Part Two.” Although the musical’s extensive narrative scope causes the third act to slow as its central romantic realization plays out, Conte’s steady central performance anchors the sweeping period piece.
Why This Matters
Modern theatrical adaptations of expansive 19th-century literature frequently wrestle with pacing and staging constraints when condensing serial texts for the stage. By pairing Jeffrey Scharf’s text with Gabriel Barre’s actor-musician staging, Copperfield! The New Musical demonstrates an economical Off-Broadway production model that maximizes ensemble flexibility without sacrificing the darker tonal beats of Charles Dickens’ original material. Running through December 6 in New York, the show offers theatergoers a distinct, music-driven alternative to screen adaptations of classical literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and how long is Copperfield! The New Musical running?
The musical is currently running Off-Broadway in New York, with scheduled performances continuing through December 6.
Who wrote and directed Copperfield! The New Musical?
The book, music, and lyrics were written by Jeffrey Scharf. The production is directed and choreographed by Gabriel Barre, with Ashley Wren Collins serving as associate director and choreographer.
How does the show manage its extensive character list?
Beyond Bobby Conte as adult David Copperfield and Calvin Knegten as Young David, the production uses an ensemble of 13 adult actors who portray multiple Dickensian roles while doubling as the show’s live orchestra across instruments like guitars, drums, pianos, and brass.
