The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[Chaitali]

So came to update. I've now seen Great Comet twice. This is totally one of those take it or leave it types of shows but I loved it. Josh Groban is amazing and the rest of the cast is fantastic. It is very avant-garde and all over the place with style but it is a fun night of theater, especially if you get to be apart of the audience experience portions. I wish I would have seen it back when it was still dinner theater.

I also saw Dear Evan Hansen and for all the hype it fell flat. The music was okay but the overall story is awful and some of the casting is bad. Evan's mom being the most off choice. Ben Platt was great and a few songs were memorable but overall I didn't enjoy the show.

Thanks for the Great Comet review! I have a trip planned to New York in January and we have tickets to see Hamilton Saturday night and then the Great Comet for the Sunday matinee. I'm excited for our little theater weekend

 

[aprilgail]

My daughter cried when she opened one of her gifts for Christmas- Hamilton tickets- she is SO excited!! My mom was pretty happy with what I got her too- Billy Joel tickets- she is 89 years old and has been hinting for 2 years that she would love to see Billy Joel in concert- we are going to his Feb show.

 

[tasha99]

So came to update. I've now seen Great Comet twice. This is totally one of those take it or leave it types of shows but I loved it. Josh Groban is amazing and the rest of the cast is fantastic. It is very avant-garde and all over the place with style but it is a fun night of theater, especially if you get to be apart of the audience experience portions. I wish I would have seen it back when it was still dinner theater.

I also saw Dear Evan Hansen and for all the hype it fell flat. The music was okay but the overall story is awful and some of the casting is bad. Evan's mom being the most off choice. Ben Platt was great and a few songs were memorable but overall I didn't enjoy the show.

I agree that Great Comet is very love it or hate it. We left at intermission. My partner hated the music (though I really enjoyed it). I was overwhelmed by the lighting, but would have stayed if he weren't so uncomfortable

 

[angelbaby129]

I am taking my children to New York this June. They'll be 15 and 13. Can you recommend a show for us to see? How much money am I looking at? They've seen Wicked at a Broadway type show and Annie at a community theater.

 

[superme80]

I am taking my children to New York this June. They'll be 15 and 13. Can you recommend a show for us to see? How much money am I looking at? They've seen Wicked at a Broadway type show and Annie at a community theater.

Hamilton is incredibly popular. Coming up is Anastasia, based on the cartoon, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Also Groundhog Day will be opening too.

 

[ctinct]

Saw Holiday Inn yesterday. It was enjoyable. Nothing earthshaking, but fun nonetheless. Plus, the price couldn't be beat. Daughter got the tickets through Hiptix, so $25 each.

However, I don't think I will ever try going into NYC the week after Christmas again. The train, which normally is not nearly full where we pick it up, was jam packed already by the time we got on. They never even collected tickets, because there was no way the train personnel could have made it through the cars. We avoided Times Square because we knew it would be nuts. Walked past MOMA and saw that the line there was incredibly long, too. On the walk back to Grand Central, we walked down part of 5th Avenue because my daughter wanted to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. It was nuts! Saw a woman actually freak out because she was trying to wheel a stroller through the crowd and couldn't move; her husband was trying to calm her down. I had heard that this is Broadway's busiest week of the year, but the good news is, it drops off dramatically after this. And, I've got an extra round trip fare now to use before Mid-February, so I'll just have to go see something else!

On a side note, even though it was incredibly crowded, I'm glad we went to Rockefeller Center, because we got to see the light show on the Saks Fifth Avenue store, which I had never even heard about. It was amazing!

Eta: not my video. Someone else's work.

 

[rebeccam31]

Saw Holiday Inn yesterday. It was enjoyable. Nothing earthshaking, but fun nonetheless. Plus, the price couldn't be beat. Daughter got the tickets through Hiptix, so $25 each.

However, I don't think I will ever try going into NYC the week after Christmas again. The train, which normally is not nearly full where we pick it up, was jam packed already by the time we got on. They never even collected tickets, because there was no way the train personnel could have made it through the cars. We avoided Times Square because we knew it would be nuts. Walked past MOMA and saw that the line there was incredibly long, too. On the walk back to Grand Central, we walked down part of 5th Avenue because my daughter wanted to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. It was nuts! Saw a woman actually freak out because she was trying to wheel a stroller through the crowd and couldn't move; her husband was trying to calm her down. I had heard that this is Broadway's busiest week of the year, but the good news is, it drops off dramatically after this. And, I've got an extra round trip fare now to use before Mid-February, so I'll just have to go see something else!

On a side note, even though it was incredibly crowded, I'm glad we went to Rockefeller Center, because we got to see the light show on the Saks Fifth Avenue store, which I had never even heard about. It was amazing!

We were there in mid-December and happened upon that show at Saks, too. Like you, I had no idea they did that.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

My birthday is tomorrow. I want to see a show, but everything is so expensive nowadays I miss the days of in person lottery where you could show up and have a good shot of seeing your target show.

 

[minnie1012]

I am taking my children to New York this June. They'll be 15 and 13. Can you recommend a show for us to see? How much money am I looking at? They've seen Wicked at a Broadway type show and Annie at a community theater.

I know you said they have seen a Wicked type show but the Broadway version is amazing!! Hamilton is expensive and quite popular so you might not be able to get tickets to that. My 13 year old saw Aladdin last year and loved it. We are going to Anastasia in April but it's not out yet so I don't know much about it (it's a school trip)

 

[PanamaMike]

I saw "Come From Away" last night.

It was amazing.

It starts its Broadway run on Feb 18th.

 

[ctinct]

Ack! I can't believe I just paid $275 for a ticket, but I did, for The Color Purple's final performance this coming Sunday afternoon. I had been kicking myself for not buying a ticket when I had suspicions that January 8 would be the last show, or even when it was first announced that January 8 definitely was the last show. For weeks there has been no availability of tickets, but my daughter emailed me this morning and said she had bought a ticket last night. I checked very early this morning, and they must have released a block of tickets, at premium prices, of course. I didn't buy, telling myself that it was too much money. I figured they would be gone by the time I got home from work. Nope. Still available. So, I threw caution to the wind and said what the he@@, it's going to be a once in a lifetime experience. It will be my fourth time seeing the show, and first with Jennifer Holliday as Shug. It should be a thrilling performance.

 

[wilkeliza]

My birthday is tomorrow. I want to see a show, but everything is so expensive nowadays I miss the days of in person lottery where you could show up and have a good shot of seeing your target show.

They still do lotteries and rush. Some are digital now and others are in person. you can find a list of who is doing what here http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003 general rush means you don't need a student id so anyone can partake.

The crowded weeks like last week were never a guarantee but you should have luck from now until spring break except for Hamilton that is still ridiculous.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

They still do lotteries and rush. Some are digital now and others are in person. you can find a list of who is doing what here http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003 general rush means you don't need a student id so anyone can partake.

The crowded weeks like last week were never a guarantee but you should have luck from now until spring break except for Hamilton that is still ridiculous.

I know, I enter a lot of them daily. I have the worst luck and have only won the easiest ever...I particularly feel sour about Aladdin. I really want to see it and the in person lottery was totally winnable!

 

[Kimberle]

Any feedback on A Bronx Tale? We've family who grew up their (Italian), then did the typical "move to the 'burbs after marriage.

 

[SingingMom]

Any feedback on A Bronx Tale? We've family who grew up their (Italian), then did the typical "move to the 'burbs after marriage.

We saw it when it previewed at Paper Mill Playhouse last season. It was very entertaining - I said to DH "It's a cross of West Side Story meets Jersey Boys." Now they are using that as the promo. LOL Music is catchy, especially "Belmont Avenue". It would be interesting to see what was tweaked from the original to what made it to Broadway...

 

[SingingMom]

FYI - If "The Bodyguard" national tour comes to your city - I recommend it! Saw it twice at Paper Mill Playhouse. Deborah Cox and Judson Mills are TERRIFIC!! Loved it!

 

[ctinct]

Saw the final performance of The Color Purple yesterday. I sat two seats over from Allee Willis, who was the composer and lyricist for the show. I'm fairly certain there were others around me who were associated with the show, as I think the ticket I bought was a last minute release of blocked out cast and crew tickets. She knew a lot of people in our area.

Oh, and across the aisle from me and one row up? Bill, Chelsea, and Hillary. I'm pretty sure I saw him wiping away tears at one point.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I'm going to NYC next weekend with DS18 to do some musical theater college auditions. We have tickets for Waitress and Aladdin, and my mom surprised us for Christmas by paying for them! It's going to be a stressful weekend for DS, but we're so excited about the shows!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm going to NYC next weekend with DS18 to do some musical theater college auditions. We have tickets for Waitress and Aladdin, and my mom surprised us for Christmas by paying for them! It's going to be a stressful weekend for DS, but we're so excited about the shows!

Just wanted to say Good Luck to your DS. As the parent of a struggling musician in NYC, I can appreciate how hard things can be. But DS wouldn't change his career choice for anything! Best wishes.

 

[Nancyg56]

I know you said they have seen a Wicked type show but the Broadway version is amazing!! Hamilton is expensive and quite popular so you might not be able to get tickets to that. My 13 year old saw Aladdin last year and loved it. We are going to Anastasia in April but it's not out yet so I don't know much about it (it's a school trip)

I took my 5 YO DGD to Aladdin and she loved it. I was thinking of taking her to Anastasia the next trip.