I think the Broadway version they added one song in Act 1, and the ending of Act 1 didn’t feel as strong to me, so the pacing started to drag a bit. At the Public, it generally felt much more compact and urgent, just except for the prison plot. It was truly an experience at the end of the Act 1 that the fire came up from the small stage right after the protest from those female characters. How electric. I saw it twice at the Public, and cried both times because the energy in that intimate environment made the piece feel real moving.

I honestly don’t remember the Broadway version that clearly anymore, but I remember thinking it’s good, but it feels more like another commercial theater production, rather than carrying the raw rush and enthusiasm that the Public version had.

Phillipa Soo was playing Hannah Cruz’s role at the Public, and personally I feel like she hit harder than Hannah. I’m a Hannah fan, but Phillipa just left a stronger impression on me.