The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[sharonW]

Originally Posted by Karamia

I'll let you know. Did you say you saw it already once before?

I did, many yrs ago. We sat in the first row which
believe it or not for that particular show its not a
good seat. You actually miss some of the action/
special effects. Our show tickets for sunday are
row S....where are your seats?

[dklam]

Originally Posted by AllisonK

My favorites (in no particular order):

Les Miz (I've seen it 4 times - the original production once, once in Providence and the revival twice)
A Chorus Line (saw it 2x on Broadway)
Hairspray (saw it 1x on tour and 5x on Broadway - the last time with Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur)
Legally Blonde (saw it once on tour and 8 times on Broadway - including the MTV taping and closing night)
Spring Awakening (have only seen it once - I love the original play as well - we did it my sophomore year of high school)
South Pacific (saw it once last spring - absolutely breathtaking)

I also love Beauty and the Beast (saw it once but it was the last show I was in my senior year of high school), Wicked (saw it twice on Broadway and twice on tour, Annie (saw it once on tour but I've been in it 4 times), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (saw it once in Boston and three times in NYC), Forbidden Broadway (technically off-Broadway but it's HYSTERICAL - I didn't see it in NYC, though - I saw it in Boston), A Catered Affair (this show had gorgeous music), and The Light in the Piazza (only saw it on PBS - gorgeous show).

I'm going to see a show tomorrow - it's a toss-up between Shrek and The Marvelous Wonderettes (Off-Broadway). This semester I also want to see 9 to 5, Billy Elliot, In the Heights, West Side Story and Guys and Dolls (because Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls is playing Adelaide and I love Gilmore Girls).

Shows I didn't like:
Xanadu (loved the cast, the show was dumb), The Phantom of the Opera (loved the ballet chorus though), The Lion King (loved the music), Cats

Well, as you can tell I have raised a true theatre-geek (AllisonK is my DD) I, too, have seen too many shows to list, and she is always asking which is my favorite. I just can't pin one in particular down to say it is my fave. There are some that are special for various reasons:

Guys and Dolls: - did it in HS (looonnng time ago!) and would like to see the new revival

King and I: (Allison's first time at a Broadway show when she was about 5 with Lou Diamond Phillips). Thus began her "Broadway obsession"!

Beauty and the Beast: her 2nd time seeing a Broadway show and her last show in HS where she played a Silly Girl, and I just auditioned for our local community theatre production of it and waiting to hear if cast.

Legally Blonde: I have seen it 3x and just think it is a fun show and I love the music.

Spring Awakening: we saw it in NY a few months ago and it was really moving.

Spamalot: DH, Allison and I saw it in NYC in October and we all thought it was hysterical.

WICKED: Probably one of my faves if I had to choose.

Some currently on Broadway that I still haven't seen but would like to:
Mary Poppins
Billy Elliot
Jersey Boys
South Pacific

We are really a musical-theatre loving family. I always joke that it is quite the expensive hobby. But, we are lucky that in addition to going to NYC quite frequently over the years, we also live close to both Boston and Providence, which brings in the touring productions of most shows. DH sometimes gets comp tix from his company for the shows in Providence, which is awesome, and now that Allison goes to college in NY - she gets the Student Discount Tix, some of which allows her to buy 2 with her ID. So, I have benefitted from that a few times.

I did theatre in HS, and then went about 22 years without, but once she started doing community theatre at 8, I eventually got tired of just being the taxi driver and sitting there watching rehearsals, so I decided to start performing again. Not in lead roles - chorus is fine for me! We even convinced DH to be in Annie with her one summer when he was "between jobs" and even though he won't admit it - he had a blast (and, got a solo in the song Tomorrow in the Cabinet scene)!

I have met some wonderful friends over the years in the various theatre groups I have worked with, and for the last 3, have been on the Board of Directors of our local community theatre group. When she was in HS - I was one of the "Drama-Mamas" who organized and ran the Theatre Parents organization. Although LOTS of work, it was a fun 4 years.

Great thread, OP!

[elgerber]

Wow, I somehow just found this thread. While I love shows, I have never seen one in NYC. Someday I will.

My dd, just turned 13, and I love to see musicals together. Perhaps you can help me pick which one would be good for her this year. We have seen The Lion King, Annie, On The Record, Wicked (3 times), Joseph, Mamma Mia and a few others. This year, coming to Mpls are Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera and Singing in the Rain. Do you guys think a 13 year old would enjoy Phantom? I have not seen it myself, so I am not sure.

Thanks!

[The LK 4]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Have you looked into a group called StudentsLive? Their website is www.StudentsLive.net

We are participating in a workshop for The Little Mermaid, but I don't think it's run through this group. Congratulations to your DD for getting picked! That sounds like a wonderful program.

[Missy1961]

Originally Posted by elgerber

Wow, I somehow just found this thread. While I love shows, I have never seen one in NYC. Someday I will.

My dd, just turned 13, and I love to see musicals together. Perhaps you can help me pick which one would be good for her this year. We have seen The Lion King, Annie, On The Record, Wicked (3 times), Joseph, Mamma Mia and a few others. This year, coming to Mpls are Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera and Singing in the Rain. Do you guys think a 13 year old would enjoy Phantom? I have not seen it myself, so I am not sure.

Thanks!

Out of all of those, Phantom is the one I wouldn't pick. Just not my cup of tea. Fiddler is an awesome show, but it does have it's sad moments. I haven't seen the show Legally Blonde, but the movie is a hoot. And if Singing in the Rain is like the Gene Kelly/Debbie Reynolds/Donald O'connor movie, I'd pick that in a heartbeat. One of my all-time favorite movies, I first saw the movie when I was that age--and loved it. I know my 10 yr old niece & her 6 yr old sister adore it.

[Missy1961]

I forgot I saw that version of King & I (with Lou diamond Phillips)---I loved it, he was fantastic!!

and my 2 nieces have been doing community theater for the past few years--they have done Joseph, Tom Sawyer (which opened & closed on Broadway a few years ago--loved it), Seussical (fun), Fiddler (fantastic), Footloose (boring), State Fair (well done, not a favorite of mine, but the cast was great), Annie Get Your Gun (great). They do 2 shows a year, this year they're doing Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella & then Beauty & the Beast. So we're all looking forward to those!

[Missy1961]

Originally Posted by CapeCodTenor

Ok, I've expanded the discussion to include actors that we got to see on the Great White Way, or actors that we would love to see but just haven't had the chance.

I would love to see Nathan Lane on B'way. I think he is a great actor, not to mention funny.

I've seen Betty Buckley in Sunset Blvd, that was cool. Oh, this was a total fluke, but I got to see Brent Spiner as John Adams, and Pat Hingle as Benjamin Franklin. I was totally psyched when I got to see those two on stage together. I would also love to see Matthew Broderick, but haven't had the chance.

I saw Nathan Lane in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He was great.

[MOREMICKEYFORME]

I brought my daughter to see Rent in NYC last summer during the closing weekend. It was great for her and good for me.
We are going to NYC this weekend and she is going to see Phantom with a friend and my boyfriend and I are going to see his sister who is in Shrek The Musical. He already saw it opening weekend, but he wanted me to see it too. Plus, I love Shrek and I know I will love seeing his sister in this, too!
I'll give you a review next week, but beware...it will be biased .

[Karamia]

Originally Posted by elgerber

Wow, I somehow just found this thread. While I love shows, I have never seen one in NYC. Someday I will.

My dd, just turned 13, and I love to see musicals together. Perhaps you can help me pick which one would be good for her this year. We have seen The Lion King, Annie, On The Record, Wicked (3 times), Joseph, Mamma Mia and a few others. This year, coming to Mpls are Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera and Singing in the Rain. Do you guys think a 13 year old would enjoy Phantom? I have not seen it myself, so I am not sure.

Thanks!

I agree with the PP who mentioned Legally Blonde. I saw the movie and was pleasantly surprised. My DD saw the play and said it was great.

[sharonW]

I glad we're all keeping this thread alive!
Broadway is the best!!! Love, love love
it..did I say how much I love it!!

[BouncingTigger]

DD of Goofy4Tink invading a little bit.
And for the record, I am NOT brainwashed. I love me some Evita, Joseph, and Jesus Christ Superstar. So there.

We've seen:
On Tour:
The Lion King
SpamALot
Legally Blonde
Wicked
Rent
A Chorus Line

On Broadway:
Curtains
Legally Blonde
Young Frankenstien
Gypsy
Rent

I also saw ...Spelling Bee on tour in Boston. My aunt and uncle took me as a suprise for my birthday. I'd have to say that my top three favorites are [title of show], Gypsy, and Wicked.
[title of show]- I haven't seen anyone mention it on this thread yet, so I'll explain it. It's basically a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical. It's about two guys, Hunter and Jeff, who got a letter about the New York Manhattan Theatre Festival, and decided to submit an original musical, except they had two weeks before the deadline. So it's a musical that chronicles it's own journey from conception to Broadway. It's got a cast of five, Hunter, Jeff, Susan, Heidi, and Larry. Susan and Heidi are two of Hunter and Jeff's friends that they got to join the show, and Larry's the musical director. The five roles are all played by the actual people. It's a minimal set, basically four chairs and a keyboard. It opened on Broadway in July, but closed in October. There's been rumors flying about re-opening in April, which would probably make me the happiest camper in the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtdgvmYUuuA
A song from the show set to pictures of fans and celebrities holding pictures of words from the song. Really cool. I'm in it, at 2:42, with the word "Complete".

Wicked- I've seen it twice, both on tour, seeing it on Broadway on Saturday, as my mom explained. The first time was Julia Murney as Elphaba, who I LOVE. She really embodied the role for me, and she's fantastic in just about everything else she does. The second time we had a fantastic Glinda, Christina DeCicco, but Coleen Sexton as Elphaba was fine, but couldn't comapre with Julia Murney. And my mother is mistaken. The backstage tour is going to be given to the girl with the best presentation, as chosen by the cast of the show. I don't know what the prize for the gameshow is.

Gypsy- Saw it in May with Patti LuPone, and loved everything about it. The cast, the music, the book, the costumes, the sets, everything. And meeting Patti LuPone was a highlight of my life.

As for things I want to see, I'd really like to see In The Heights before Lin Manuel Miranda leaves. I also really want to see The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, and Spring Awakening.

And I'm one of those crazy kids that stands at the stagedoor waiting. Anyone else with me there?

[Missy1961]

Originally Posted by sharonW

I glad we're all keeping this thread alive!
Broadway is the best!!! Love, love love
it..did I say how much I love it!!

I love this thread--it's just so much fun to remember all the shows.

[CapeCodTenor]

Originally Posted by Missy1961

I saw Nathan Lane in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He was great.

Lucky. I would love to see Nathan Lane on stage. I did get to see Brent Spiner in 1776

A friend of mine is currently playing the Reverend in the National Tour of Footloose.

[CapeCodTenor]

Originally Posted by sharonW

I glad we're all keeping this thread alive!
Broadway is the best!!! Love, love love
it..did I say how much I love it!!

So am I. Let's continue talking Broadway.

[CapeCodTenor]

Originally Posted by BouncingTigger

[title of show]- I haven't seen anyone mention it on this thread yet, so I'll explain it. It's basically a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical. It's about two guys, Hunter and Jeff, who got a letter about the New York Manhattan Theatre Festival, and decided to submit an original musical, except they had two weeks before the deadline. So it's a musical that chronicles it's own journey from conception to Broadway. It's got a cast of five, Hunter, Jeff, Susan, Heidi, and Larry. Susan and Heidi are two of Hunter and Jeff's friends that they got to join the show, and Larry's the musical director. The five roles are all played by the actual people. It's a minimal set, basically four chairs and a keyboard. It opened on Broadway in July, but closed in October. There's been rumors flying about re-opening in April, which would probably make me the happiest camper in the world.

I'm so glad you told us about this because I had no idea what it was about. I hear the dj's on Sirius' Broadway channel talk about it sometimes, but nothing's ever said about.