The idea of America’s preeminent rocker performing on Broadway may sound a bit incongruous to some, but it really isn’t. If you listen carefully to the entirety of “Born to Run,” you can hear the embryo of a musical in it–most notably in “Jungleland.” Furthermore, the directness and simplicity of his music and his bruised, but romantic, lyrics work perfectly on stage. Springsteen was viewed by some as an heir to Dylan 40 years ago, but it is really more accurate to draw a line from him to Rodgers and Hammerstein.
If you have Netflix, you will want to see it; it’s never dull. The spoken parts are actually more interesting than the music, but “Born in the USA” as sort of a swampy blues song is of particular interest. The songs mesh appropriately with the narrative. It’s a success at every level.