Michael Hunsaker, Tori Jade Lopez, Lauren Nicole Sherwood, Klea Blackhurst, JP Sarro, Gina Lamparella (Photo: Donald Kennedy)
Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off
By Fern Siegel
The premise of the off-Broadway musical Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off is simple: somewhere in the Midwest, there is a bake–off at the Jefferson County fair. The top bakers have been narrowed to five, a cross-section of townies: haughty reigning champ Mildred, self-effacing school nurse Jean, ambitious Emma, bubbly twice-divorced Brandy, and Brooklyn transplant Lou.
The bake-off initially appears friendly, but we soon discover competitive, occasionally ruthless and sometimes emotional undercurrents. Local cable is covering the event, hosted by over-the-top Zack (Michael Hunsaker), whose outsized enthusiasm and ongoing tribulations include a teen pageant winner too beset by fair distractions to participate in the show.
Just Desserts is sweet, but lacking a dramatic edge, though the music by Brad Ross is harmonious, book and lyrics by Barbara Campbell are fitting and all the actors deliver the goods. This isn’t The Great British Bake Off musical, which won fans in the West End by parodying, while celebrating, the beloved show, with eight actors, zippy choreography and lively sets. Just Desserts delves into the back story of the five contestants, which veers between touching and predictable.
It notes the ruthlessness that accompanies Emma’s (Tori Jade Lopez) and Mildred’s (Klea Blackhurst) quest to be the best. The other two women, Jean (Gina Lamparella) and Brandy (Lauren Nicole Sherwood) are searching for validation, be it from an unappreciative sister or possible third husband, respectively. Lou’s (JP Sarro) motives are less apparent — and several contestants have voiced their suspicions — yet he nicely balances the frenetic energy such events demand.
Lauren Nicole Sherwood, Tori Jade Lopez, Klea Blackhurst, JP Sarro, Gina Lamparella (Photo: Donald Kennedy)
That doesn’t mean there aren’t humorous or warm, human moments here. In a larger world beset by tension and relentless bad news, Just Desserts is light, frothy fare and a needed distraction. Plus, foodies will appreciate the three scored categories and the desserts created in each. Lighting is by Melanie Leff, sound by Steven Fine and musical direction by Matthew Lowy.
The musical, sans choreography, is staged by director Tom Wallace like a play, though the actors, with a few belters in tow, sport strong voices. But if the musical nixed the intermission, it would create a tighter set piece.
Post-show, real bakers from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Westchester, such as Little Pie Company and The Pastry Box, sell their delectable treats in the lobby, a clever idea. Just Desserts is fun for the right audience-goer who understands that whether producing an artistic dessert or lighthearted musical, the effort is considerable.
Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off
AMT Theater, 354 W. 45 St.
Running time: 2 hours, one intermission
Through February 22, 2026
