The primary purpose of musical theatre criticism is to provide an objective evaluation of a musical theatre production, assessing its strengths and weaknesses and offering insights into its artistic and technical aspects.

Musical theatre critics typically evaluate all aspects of a production, including the acting, singing, and dancing of the performers; the music, lyrics, and book of the show; the set design, lighting, and costumes; and the direction and choreography of the production.

A musical theatre review is typically shorter and more focused on the overall impression of the production, while a musical theatre criticism is more in-depth and analyzes the production in greater detail.

Musical theatre critics face a number of challenges in their work, including the need to be objective and impartial in their evaluations, the pressure to write reviews that are timely and relevant, the difficulty of assessing the quality of a production that is constantly evolving, and the need to balance their personal opinions with the expectations of their readers.

Musical theatre critics should keep in mind a number of ethical considerations when writing their reviews, including avoiding making personal attacks on the performers or creative team, being honest and forthright in their evaluations, being respectful of the opinions of others, and avoiding using their platform to promote their own personal interests.

Some of the most influential musical theatre critics of all time include George Bernard Shaw, Kenneth Tynan, Walter Kerr, and Clive Barnes.

Some of the most common criticisms that musical theatre critics level against productions include weak acting or singing, uninspired music or lyrics, poor direction or choreography, and unoriginal or clichéd plots or characters.

Musical theatre critics look for a number of things in a great production, including strong performances from the cast, memorable music and lyrics, innovative direction and choreography, and an original and engaging story.

Musical theatre criticism can help to improve the quality of musical theatre productions by providing feedback to the creative team on what works and what doesn't, by helping to raise the standards of musical theatre by setting a high bar for excellence, by educating audiences about musical theatre and helping them to appreciate the art form, and by encouraging new and innovative approaches to musical theatre.

The future of musical theatre criticism is likely to be characterized by a number of trends, including an increasing focus on digital and online platforms, a greater diversity and inclusivity of voices, a focus on the audience experience, and a more interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to criticism.