Review: "Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets" Proves to Be Another Missed Opportunity

Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets recently ended its blink-and-you-miss-it run on Broadway — a limited engagement so brief that I already know it will become one of those “No, really, this actually happened” footnotes in Muppet history. I was lucky enough to catch one of the performances during its few-week stint in an experience that left me both entertained and conflicted. I enjoyed the show, absolutely. But I also walked out worrying that its swift closure might be misread as evidence that the Muppets can’t carry a Broadway production. And that simply isn’t the case.

At its core, the production was a Rob Lake illusion show. Lake is charming and clearly talented, and the illusions were executed cleanly. The problem is that Broadway audiences have seen most of these tricks before, whether on stage, on tour, or on television. The material wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t new. And for a magic show trying to claim a place on a Broadway marquee, “new” is often the real trick.

The audience seemed to sense this. The energy in the theater noticeably shifted every time the Muppets appeared — which, surprisingly, amounted to only about ten minutes of the 90-minute one-act performance. In those ten minutes, Kermit, Gonzo, Animal, and Rowlf drew far bigger reactions than any of Lake's illusions. Kermit and Gonzo received the most stage time, while a few others made brief but delightful cameos.

And that’s the bittersweet part: even though the billing made it clear this was a Rob Lake show, it was impossible not to crave more Muppet mayhem.

The Muppets were performed live but spoke using pre-recorded dialogue. While the puppetry was strong, this choice occasionally worked against the natural rhythms of live theater. Applause breaks (especially those explosive, nostalgic Muppet reactions) were cut short so the audio track wouldn’t fall out of sync. It felt like watching performers constrained by invisible sheet music.

But perhaps the most baffling decision of all: not a single Muppet sang a song! No “Rainbow Connection.” No “Together Again.” Not even a comedic throwaway. Even pre-recorded, it would have brought the house down.

As someone who still regrets missing the large-scale Muppet live shows at the Hollywood Bowl and London’s O2 Arena, I had hoped this limited Broadway run might recapture some of that magic. The creative team clearly tried. The attempt is appreciated. But the show never allowed the Muppets to be the Muppets.

Rob Lake deserves credit for inviting the Muppets to “take Manhattan” again, even briefly. But if the Muppets are ever to return to Broadway in a meaningful way, they’ll need a vehicle that fully embraces their strengths: music, chaos, sincerity, and heart.

Here are a few concepts that would let them shine:

• Muppets Gone Wrong

A collaboration with the Mischief Theatre team (The Play That Goes Wrong) is basically destiny. Controlled chaos meets felt-fueled chaos? Broadway perfection.

• Mayhem: The Musical

A jukebox musical built around Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem—with a story inspired by their Disney+ series—would hit the sweet spot between nostalgia and contemporary appeal.

• Hello, Dolly! Starring Miss Piggy

The diva role to end all diva roles. The costume changes alone would be Tony-worthy.

• Save the Theater

A classic Muppet plot: the gang must stage a Broadway show to save a historic theater—perhaps after some disastrously unsuccessful magic show leaves the venue in peril.

While Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets wasn’t the triumphant Broadway Muppet showcase fans dreamed of, it shouldn’t be taken as evidence that a Muppet musical is doomed to fail. If anything, the audience reactions proved the opposite: people still love the Muppets deeply. They just weren’t given enough time (or enough material) to remind the world how much joy they can generate.

With a new Muppet-themed coaster and a Disney+ special slated for 2026, now is the moment for fans to show Disney that the audience is still here, still passionate, and still ready for new Muppet stories — on TV, in the parks, and yes, someday, on Broadway.