The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[Kewz1]

Heading up to NYC with a group of 9 one of the last weekends in June to a matinee and an evening show -- Waitress and Aladdin. Looking for recommendations for dinner in between. Carmine's is unavailable and a few locations -- Becco, Bar Americain (Bobby Flay) -- don't seem to take reservations until a month out. Anyone have any favorite places they go to that would be okay for a group our size? We've done Trattoria Tri Colore (which is hugely underrated considering the prices of places around Times Square), Junior's, Marseille (Hell's Kitchen), Virgil's, and Ellen's Stardust Diner, and although none of those are particularly upscale we're also willing to "splurge" slightly -- $35-$45 entree price point -- this time around. Just wondering if anyone has any favorites I can check out.

We love K Rico on 9th Ave between 51st & 52nd. Food and staff are wonderful.

 

[kbmartin]

Hi there! I've never posted in this thread, and to be honest, I haven't really looked to see if this question has been asked yet. Sorry. I LOVE musicals, though, so maybe I'll start following this a little more closely! I was just curious to hear what people have been saying about Anastasia. Good reviews from critics? Has anyone seen it? I just loved that movie and its music as a kid. When I heard it was coming to Broadway, I was so excited. My cousin lives in NYC, and I'm pondering a trip next year. Just was curious to hear opinions! I'm excited for the soundtrack to come out soon (I'm pretty sure it will be released early June).

 

[rebeccam31]

Hi there! I've never posted in this thread, and to be honest, I haven't really looked to see if this question has been asked yet. Sorry. I LOVE musicals, though, so maybe I'll start following this a little more closely! I was just curious to hear what people have been saying about Anastasia. Good reviews from critics? Has anyone seen it? I just loved that movie and its music as a kid. When I heard it was coming to Broadway, I was so excited. My cousin lives in NYC, and I'm pondering a trip next year. Just was curious to hear opinions! I'm excited for the soundtrack to come out soon (I'm pretty sure it will be released early June).

I haven't personally seen it yet, but my good New York friend who has walked out of a few musicals this year really liked it. He said it's lovely and charming. That seems to be the consensus on boards I've read as well. It's not earth shattering, but it's lovely and fans of the movie should like it. I'm hoping to take my girls up to see it sometime this summer.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

Hi there! I've never posted in this thread, and to be honest, I haven't really looked to see if this question has been asked yet. Sorry. I LOVE musicals, though, so maybe I'll start following this a little more closely! I was just curious to hear what people have been saying about Anastasia. Good reviews from critics? Has anyone seen it? I just loved that movie and its music as a kid. When I heard it was coming to Broadway, I was so excited. My cousin lives in NYC, and I'm pondering a trip next year. Just was curious to hear opinions! I'm excited for the soundtrack to come out soon (I'm pretty sure it will be released early June).

Everyone I know who saw it says beautiful & entertaining, not earth shattering. I hope to go soon!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I haven't personally seen it yet, but my good New York friend who has walked out of a few musicals this year really liked it.

Just curious as to which ones he's walked out of. DS is a NYC musician who has LOTS of friends playing Broadway musicals. Sadly a good friend just recently ended a musical that I bet a few people walked out of. That job didn't last long!

 

[SingingMom]

Just curious as to which ones he's walked out of. DS is a NYC musician who has LOTS of friends playing Broadway musicals. Sadly a good friend just recently ended a musical that I bet a few people walked out of. That job didn't last long!

I was going to ask the same thing! Everyone is different - but it would be interesting to see what someone would actually walk out of.
BTW - Anastasia better stick around - we have a group of us going in October! ;-)

 

[wilkeliza]

Just curious as to which ones he's walked out of. DS is a NYC musician who has LOTS of friends playing Broadway musicals. Sadly a good friend just recently ended a musical that I bet a few people walked out of. That job didn't last long!

I've actually walked out of a couple. The worst was Come Fly Away. Just could stay through any more of it. I had to leave Promises Promises due to illness. It hit during intermission and I have never left a theater faster haha. There was one or two others but they were so meh that I don't even remember them.

 

[wilkeliza]

Oh on Anastasia everyone who I know has seen it has just said it was okay. It only got 2 Tony noms (costume and featured actress) but it is still pulling in over a million so I don't see it going anywhere at least for a year.

 

[SingingMom]

I've actually walked out of a couple. The worst was Come Fly Away. Just could stay through any more of it. I had to leave Promises Promises due to illness. It hit during intermission and I have never left a theater faster haha. There was one or two others but they were so meh that I don't even remember them.

I missed a good portion of the first act of The King and I - but the staff was so wonderful, they gave me a chair and snuck me in to the back row when I was able to return. What a terrible feeling that was!

 

[Kimberle]

We saw Kinky Boots this w/end. One of my dd's fav singers is playing Charlie. The show was so good! My dd loved it!

 

[Araminta18]

Hi there! I've never posted in this thread, and to be honest, I haven't really looked to see if this question has been asked yet. Sorry. I LOVE musicals, though, so maybe I'll start following this a little more closely! I was just curious to hear what people have been saying about Anastasia. Good reviews from critics? Has anyone seen it? I just loved that movie and its music as a kid. When I heard it was coming to Broadway, I was so excited. My cousin lives in NYC, and I'm pondering a trip next year. Just was curious to hear opinions! I'm excited for the soundtrack to come out soon (I'm pretty sure it will be released early June).

I just got back from a NY trip (saw 6 shows! ), and saw Anastasia on May 5th. It only got middling reviews, but most of them said if you liked the movie, you'll like the musical, even though as a musical itself it's not great, but the nostalgia factor is strong. I love the movie, and was excited to see the show, despite the middling reviews. The reviews were right; the story is a bit muddled and could use some clarity/better pacing/better structure. However, Ramin Karimloo is FANTASTIC as the villain--such a lovely voice and super hot, I wanted Anastasia to end up with him rather than Dimitri. Actually, all the actors were fantastic in their roles. The new songs added aren't all that memorable--the movie songs are the clear standouts but even middling Ahrens & Flaherty is still pretty good. Costumes are lovely and they deserved their Tony nod for the costumes. The sets/scenery makes extensive use of screens, which isn't my favorite but works. "Once Upon a December" projects the dancing ghosts on the stage and into the house--there were audible gasps. Gorgeous, and one of my favorite parts. If you want to see it, see it sooner rather than later, before it becomes completely overrun by families and little kids. The family in front of us was super distracting. One kid was too young and audibly bored. The middle girl just went too sleep (which admittedly was quiet and not distracting), but the girl sitting next to her mother was old enough to be intrigued but not old enough to understand what was going on, and the Mom narrated pretty much the entire first act. When "Journey to the Past" was being sung, the mom was more excited than the daughter and kept exclaiming and talking to the little girl to get her more excited. SO FRUSTRATING. Luckily the mom quieted down when I politely asked her at intermission.

 

[rebeccam31]

Just curious as to which ones he's walked out of. DS is a NYC musician who has LOTS of friends playing Broadway musicals. Sadly a good friend just recently ended a musical that I bet a few people walked out of. That job didn't last long!

I don't fully remember, but it strikes me that it was Amelie and Bandstand. I'm sure about Amelie. I think he also left Bandstand, but it's possible he stayed for the whole thing and just hated it.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

By the way, finally saw Dear Evan Hansen Sunday. My friend got there at 1am for our SRO tickets! I loved it..there are elements that are problematic to me now, but I can't even tell you how much it would have meant to me as a high schooler. Ben Platt is absolutely giving his all on that stage, and the score is very catchy. I want to go back!!

I also finally saw Kinky Boots for the first time. I only went because Brendan Urie (frontman of Panic! at The Disco) was in the cast. I enjoyed it but didn't find it amazing or anything, just a fun evening at the theater.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I don't fully remember, but it strikes me that it was Amelie and Bandstand. I'm sure about Amelie. I think he also left Bandstand, but it's possible he stayed for the whole thing and just hated it.

Amelie-we have a winner! I heard varied reports about Bandstand but DS has a friend who just got upgraded from pit musician to one of the acting musicians, so he's hoping that lasts a while.

 

[wilkeliza]

I realized I didn't give updates on shows I re-visited this week.

Kinky Boots - Like others I went for Brendan Urie but realized it has been almost 5 years since I saw it so was nice to revisit. I thought Brendan was just okay. He sings beautifully (I love Panic and have since high school) but his acting needs some time. We saw it the first show so there were also just a ton of people who acted like they've never been in a theater before. Some shows can take that kind of audience reaction (American Idiot was one) and some actors/actresses are pros at handling it but this group just wasn't. Brendan's entrance is a speaking entrance and so the entrance applause causes a stop and well first night the actress playing the fiance didn't allow the stop so her entire first few sentences were drown out missing a whole nuance to the plot. Charlie is just a pretty flatly written role as well. I think Brendan could have really flourished in say Priscilla where he would have had a lot to work with and a little more fun of a role. He really seemed to fit in the final scene.
With that said the current gentleman playing Lola is amazing. Still tears during Not My Father's Son.

Great Comet - Still a fun night of theater. It is definitely different then anything else out there. This was my 4th visit and still having fun. I can't wait to see what the next Pierre does with the role. I think the more I see it the more I actually fall in love with it.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

I realized I didn't give updates on shows I re-visited this week.

Kinky Boots - Like others I went for Brendan Urie but realized it has been almost 5 years since I saw it so was nice to revisit. I thought Brendan was just okay. He sings beautifully (I love Panic and have since high school) but his acting needs some time. We saw it the first show so there were also just a ton of people who acted like they've never been in a theater before. Some shows can take that kind of audience reaction (American Idiot was one) and some actors/actresses are pros at handling it but this group just wasn't. Brendan's entrance is a speaking entrance and so the entrance applause causes a stop and well first night the actress playing the fiance didn't allow the stop so her entire first few sentences were drown out missing a whole nuance to the plot. Charlie is just a pretty flatly written role as well. I think Brendan could have really flourished in say Priscilla where he would have had a lot to work with and a little more fun of a role. He really seemed to fit in the final scene.
With that said the current gentleman playing Lola is amazing. Still tears during Not My Father's Son.

1) I was actually pleasantly surprised, my audience was fairly mellow. Though the stagedoor seemed crazy. I didn't chance it there.

2) The role is so flat lol. But i think his chemistry was coming along nicely!

 

[wilkeliza]

1) I was actually pleasantly surprised, my audience was fairly mellow. Though the stagedoor seemed crazy. I didn't chance it there.

2) The role is so flat lol. But i think his chemistry was coming along nicely!

Yeah I saw potential and thought he would get to it with time but some choices were definitely community theater level. He has a ton of facial expressions to that really got lost. We also heard a few times where he struggled getting up to the top note in a few songs because of his personal style. One of those things where a "theater" singer can make that transition pretty well but others may struggle to go there. The first one was rough the second was better. Again one of those he'll get there with time things. I'd love to go back at the end of his run and see what he has change. A few moments I sat there and was like did the director just not know what else to tell him to do? Again I think it was very much just because it is his first big show and well a very flat roll to start in but I see a lot of potential for him which is nice in stunt casting.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

Yeah I saw potential and thought he would get to it with time but some choices were definitely community theater level. He has a ton of facial expressions to that really got lost. We also heard a few times where he struggled getting up to the top note in a few songs because of his personal style. One of those things where a "theater" singer can make that transition pretty well but others may struggle to go there. The first one was rough the second was better. Again one of those he'll get there with time things. I'd love to go back at the end of his run and see what he has change. A few moments I sat there and was like did the director just not know what else to tell him to do? Again I think it was very much just because it is his first big show and well a very flat roll to start in but I see a lot of potential for him which is nice in stunt casting.

My friend and I were laughing that during his solo numbers, he had no clue what to do with his hands and they just kind of hung limply. Things that will improve for sure!

 

[wilkeliza]

My friend and I were laughing that during his solo numbers, he had no clue what to do with his hands and they just kind of hung limply. Things that will improve for sure!

That's exactly what I caught on to. Poor guy had 0 clue what to do with his hands.

 

[WDWJDS]

Saw Present Laughter last night and enjoyed it. I do love Kevin Kline and the supporting cast was quite amusing as well.