The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[wilkeliza]

I like School of Rock. I don't know how he was able to write that when everything else is just eh. Phantom was okay but I had some bias as I know someone in the Broadway production so I always feel like I want to like it more than I actually do in order to support him. I haven't seen Joseph live so can't really comment on that.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I guess I'm in the minority as I love ALW. Phantom, Cats, and Evita are among my favorite shows, and I can't wait to see the Cats revival

 

[Erzengel]

I just saw Aladdin last Saturday. The understudy for the Genie (Major Attaway) was amazing. I can't even imagine if James Monroe Iglehart could be better. Also, fell in love with Courtney Reed's voice.

I've probably seen over 30 different shows on Broadway.

I'll be seeing Hamilton finally next month.

 

[E&Cmom]

I have a soft spot for Cats as it was the first musical I saw. I am curious how I would feel about it all these years later. I love Phantom. My youngest DD is named Christine and her name made the list after I saw the show a few months before she was born.

 

[rebeccam31]

Well, I decided I just can't miss Falsettos, so we're taking the train up in December (me, my daughter, my best friend, and her daughter--who is conveniently my daughter's best friend). We're also seeing Dear Evan Hansen that trip. And I just picked up discounted tickets to Holiday Inn for our final show of the Labor Day weekend trip. The girls will enjoy seeing Corbin Bleu all grown up.

 

[NJlauren]

Well, I decided I just can't miss Falsettos, so we're taking the train up in December (me, my daughter, my best friend, and her daughter--who is conveniently my daughter's best friend). We're also seeing Dear Evan Hansen that trip. And I just picked up discounted tickets to Holiday Inn for our final show of the Labor Day weekend trip. The girls will enjoy seeing Corbin Bleu all grown up.

All three are on my list! I'm taking my cousin who is also excited to see Corbin Bleu grown up, we saw him in In the Heigts a few years ago and that was fun too.

Have two fabulous trips!

 

[rebeccam31]

All three are on my list! I'm taking my cousin who is also excited to see Corbin Bleu grown up, we saw him in In the Heigts a few years ago and that was fun too.

Have two fabulous trips!

Thanks! I hope you enjoy your theater nights, too.

 

[crazymama]

I guess I'm in the minority as I love ALW. Phantom, Cats, and Evita are among my favorite shows, and I can't wait to see the Cats revival

I really like ALW too with the exception of Cats. I just cannot warm to that show. Otherwise I'm a fan! Taking a trip to NYC on August 25... just DH and I which has never happened before. I have actually bought Phantom tickets in advance to secure good seats. He and I saw the Canadian National Tour in Vancouver in 1991 and it was pretty meh. I gave it another chance two years ago when I was in NYC with my theatre addicted DD14 and it blew me away! So I want DH to see it in it's full Broadway glory. Pretty sure he's going to love it this time! Not sure if we will get to School of Rock though. So much to see...

 

[ctinct]

I imagine this is too late for you, but I'm just seeing this--I sat in seats right around what you are considering, and I didn't feel it was too close at all. This is such a stripped down, intimate version that I think being close just made me feel the emotion even more. It's not like there's elaborate staging that you're missing by being up front. I hope your daughter loves it. Mine certainly did!

I did end up going with the closer seats. Someone on another board posted pictures from approximately the same areas, and they convinced me. It's the most
I've ever paid for a show, but Cynthia Erivo is magic.

And count me in on those who are going to see Holiday Inn because of Corbin. I just thought he was the nicest, most respectful young man when he was on Dancing with the Stars. Had daughter get the $25 Hiptix for the show.

I also want to go see Les Miz again before it closes; not for the show, but for John Owen Jones. I saw it with Alfie Boe, and while the man can sing, I felt his acting was a little wooden. I'm curious about what Owen Jones can bring to the role.

 

[BrdwayBoy]

It's the most
I've ever paid for a show, but Cynthia Erivo is magic.

I agree. I finally saw The Color Purple this past Saturday and it was the first time in 20 years of seeing shows that I have witnessed a standing ovation DURING the show. She is an absolute force of nature. Heather Headley's vocals also knocked me on my behind. I took my boyfriend, who is not a theatre person and we were both sobbing messes by the end (I knew I would be as I can never see the movie or the show without it slaying me).

We were so drained by what we had experienced that we couldn't even have a conversation until after we picked up the car and were headed home.

I had a few issues about the show, but the good far outweighed the bad. I would definitely recommend.
Hoping to catch Finding Neverland before it closes on the 21st.

 

[wilkeliza]

Sadly missed Privacy Returned home from a cross country trip on Monday with tickets on Tuesday. Was sick as all get out and felt like in such a small theater with audience involvement falling asleep or sneezing up a storm would have been disrespectful to everyone else so I stayed home. I was really looking forward to seeing Dan Radcliffe again but sometimes life has other plans.

 

[NJlauren]

I just left privacy and what an interesting show! Very different, I really enjoyed it!

@wilkeliza i hope you feel better soon, so sorry you missed the show.

 

[wilkeliza]

I just left privacy and what an interesting show! Very different, I really enjoyed it!

@wilkeliza i hope you feel better soon, so sorry you missed the show.

Feel a little better today. Just travel crud that tends to hit me after those red eyes back from the west coast . I should have known I over scheduled myself.

Hope I'm not spoiling for anyone but were you on of the "victims".

 

[NJlauren]

Feel a little better today. Just travel crud that tends to hit me after those red eyes back from the west coast . I should have known I over scheduled myself.

Hope I'm not spoiling for anyone but were you on of the "victims".

Happy your feeling better! Red eyes aren't fun!

No, but they did show my house and the value on the screen.......

 

[wilkeliza]

Happy your feeling better! Red eyes aren't fun!

No, but they did show my house and the value on the screen.......

That is kind of creepy still! I was not looking forward to that part of the show. Thankfully fiance bought the tickets so it was all on him haha. From the little spoilers I found out it was kind of like a performance piece I saw in Brooklyn a few years ago. That one was about how all human experiences were different but used audience interaction to source some material. At the end of the night I somehow walked away with $100 and donated another $100 to the next nights money pit.

 

[NJlauren]

That is kind of creepy still! I was not looking forward to that part of the show. Thankfully fiance bought the tickets so it was all on him haha. From the little spoilers I found out it was kind of like a performance piece I saw in Brooklyn a few years ago. That one was about how all human experiences were different but used audience interaction to source some material. At the end of the night I somehow walked away with $100 and donated another $100 to the next nights money pit.

The majority needed to be who purchased the tickets, but not all.....

They ask you to email so they then have your email address (if you participate) so they can take from there too. Obviously my house was from my ticket purchase and the address.....

It was very interesting, and kinda scary all at the same time.

 

[wilkeliza]

The majority needed to be who purchased the tickets, but not all.....

They ask you to email so they then have your email address (if you participate) so they can take from there too. Obviously my house was from my ticket purchase and the address.....

It was very interesting, and kinda scary all at the same time.

I knew going in so was warned not to log onto the free wifi! I'm sure I might have come out paranoid haha. It is still very scary to see how willing we are to give away information on the Internet.

 

[NJlauren]

I knew going in so was warned not to log onto the free wifi! I'm sure I might have come out paranoid haha. It is still very scary to see how willing we are to give away information on the Internet.

It's so true and rather scary.... But the reality we live in...

 

[Kimberle]

I agree. I finally saw The Color Purple this past Saturday and it was the first time in 20 years of seeing shows that I have witnessed a standing ovation DURING the show. She is an absolute force of nature. Heather Headley's vocals also knocked me on my behind. I took my boyfriend, who is not a theatre person and we were both sobbing messes by the end (I knew I would be as I can never see the movie or the show without it slaying me).

That's amazing, itsn't it? I've probably seen well over 200 shows on B/way. They only time I saw a standing O during the performance was for Newsies. It was on Easter Sunday shortly after the show opened. Even the cast was amazed....

 

[rebeccam31]

I agree. I finally saw The Color Purple this past Saturday and it was the first time in 20 years of seeing shows that I have witnessed a standing ovation DURING the show. She is an absolute force of nature. Heather Headley's vocals also knocked me on my behind. I took my boyfriend, who is not a theatre person and we were both sobbing messes by the end (I knew I would be as I can never see the movie or the show without it slaying me).

We were so drained by what we had experienced that we couldn't even have a conversation until after we picked up the car and were headed home.

I had a few issues about the show, but the good far outweighed the bad. I would definitely recommend.
Hoping to catch Finding Neverland before it closes on the 21st.

There was a standing ovation during the show in Aladdin when I saw it (three years ago or so), but yeah. "I'm Here" just kills. I really think Cynthia Erivo is turning in the single best performance I've ever seen. I saw the show on its original tour, and I didn't like it at all. So much so that I really resisted going to this revival, but a dear friend really wanted to see it, and I had audience reward points so off we went. Blown away. It's so gorgeous.

I knew that I had to have my daughter and her best friend (and my best friend for that matter) see the show, so I payed full price to see it again in June. This time Heather Headley was Shug, and I was even MORE impressed by the production. It also allowed for some great conversation with the girls. Just fantastic. As you say, not flawless, but in this iteration just so, so good!