The New York Times - Recommended
"...Full of good intentions, decent talent and not an ounce of daring. Mr. Gray, who stages his own work, steers his underdog story so cautiously, moving in the straightest of lines, that you don’t always realize how deftly he’s setting you up...Every sympathetic character hits one note over and over, but Mr. Gray has the instincts of an entertainer, and the rapport his actors have established is persuasive enough to distract you from the formulaic aspects of the drama. As manipulative, obvious and sentimental as it is, this show is also tough to resist."
Associated Press - Recommended
"...Powerful...Gray vividly depicts the struggles and achievements of the first black military airmen...The play may be a bit too long, but it is well-staged and the characters so realistic that the audience can't help but be thoroughly moved by the time the narrator reaches the end of the journal."
USA Today - Recommended
"...Mueller's portrayal of King is by far and away the best reason to see Beautiful... Beautiful seems less concerned with exploring King's story than with using it to string together familiar tunes... The transitions can feel strained and hokey, and the production numbers, while polished, don't approach the sumptuous hardiness of the original recordings... Granted, shows like Beautiful aren't generally sought out or valued for their nuanced drama. But more discerning fans will be grateful for the little bit of soul that Mueller and Epstein manage to bring to Broadway's latest musical nostalgia trip."
Time Out New York - Not Recommended
"...Certainly has its heart in the right place...Unfortunately, writer-director-performer Layton Gray isn't the one to tell it. His tediously sentimental production strings together maudlin monologues and clunky dialogue in a style so presentational it verges on story theater (the constant interruption by a didactic narrator doesn’t help matters)...Under a sterner directorial eye, one suspects the skilled cast could turn out dynamite performances, but even that potential isn't enough to pull Black Angels out of its tailspin."
Backstage - Highly Recommended
"...At its best, "Black Angels Over Tuskegee"...grooves like a tight jazz band, filling St. Luke's Theatre with snappy riffs of dialogue, bluesy monologues, and a couple of spontaneous song-and-dance routines...Despite its many virtues, "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" isn't textbook playwriting. It's uneven, in that the narrative needlessly grinds to a stop from time to time so that the characters can cut up, thus making the play seem long...But excellent ensemble acting keeps "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" soaring."
nytheatre.com - Highly Recommended
"...A deeply wonderful production that takes an important historical event, presents it in a very intimate manner, and demands a personal response to its characters. While initially I had reservations about a play written and directed by an artist who is also prominent within the cast, this production took my breath away and quashed every hesitation. The sheer depth and emotional power of this cast creates an authentically fulfilling and glorious night of theatre that honors an impressive group of men, the Tuskegee Airmen."
Talkin Broadway - Somewhat Recommended
Layon Gray's well-meaning play...is - at best - moving in spite of itself. When it flies, which it does only in the last 20 minutes or so of its two-and-a-half-hour running time, it does so only because it links the Airmen more directly to the traditions and the ideals for which they were fighting. But until the point the group finally takes to the skies, Gray (who also directs) tells a largely formulaic story with predominantly stock characters...You never really get to know these people. They exist mainly to voice generic opinions about a variety of subjects of concomitant importance.
