Broadway
 

We will be visiting NYC in December and looking for some recommended shows. Have booked Dear Evan Hanson and considering another show~Hamiliton not po$$ible unfortunately.

I know we have some great Broadway show reviewers on this forum and asking for opinions.~Doug Stalling Where are you?? 45th wedding and want to make a special night for my spouse.
Seriously considering The Band's Visit or Carole King~beautiful


Thank you for our time.

Beautiful was excellent! And judging by the anniversary you're celebrating, the music should bring a lot of memories.

We enjoyed Come From Away.

Try Broadwaybox as a source of tickets.

Loved Beautiful.
In addition to broadwaybox, sign up for discount codes at playbill and theatermania

You can also use Broadway.com

Most everyone I know who has seen Come From Away has loved it.

Thanks for your advice! We graduated from college 1973 when Carole King was so popular and will try to get tickets.

Hope to book at Gramercy Tavern for dinner~any other suggestions?

Beautiful is great, and I'm sure you'd enjoy it. Don't pay full price by any means. It's almost always available for a discount. Right now you can get $89 through Playbill, and that deal will likely be extended into the Fall. I haven't heard anything much about what might open this fall, so I don't have anything on my horizon. The only thing I know that's coming up is Prince of Broadway (a review focusing on the work of Harold Prince, which I want to see in the worst way); it's from Manhattan Theatre Club, but you'll need to reserve soon. It opens in August and will have a limited run. Plus, it's not cheap!!! Such good stuff coming in the Spring (My Fair Lady, Carousel, M Butterfly, Harry Potter, etc.).

If Come From Away is still around, yes, that's good, but I'm somewhat concerned that it will last all the way to Christmas. Definitely consider Hello Dolly (though by then you'll probably be seeing Donna Murphy rather than Bette Midler ... that's not a bad thing at all). I'm seeing Hello Dolly next month.

For dinner, you can't beat Gramercy Tavern (and don't hesitate to go to the Tavern Room if you can't get a reservation for the main dining room). But if you are into seafood, then try to reserve at Le Bernardin. It may cost more than tickets to Hamilton, but it will be a memorable meal.

Since December is five months away, there's a strong. possibility that The Band's Visit will have closed by then. It's not doing great business.

As for Beautiful, Doug is correct in saying that discount tickets will probably be available for the show. If so, however, the offer for December performances probably won't be available until September at the earlier. So, if that one is your choice, the advice is: Wait!

There's another new show that's coming to Broadway this fall named The Band's Visit, which got raves off-Broadway where it played earlier this year.

Sorry, Doug, but I saw Midler in "Dolly" and that is one of the reasons this show is as good as it is. I had seen "War Paint" the night before and thought those two were wonderful but then saw "Dolly" and IMO there is NO comparison.

Thanks for the replies and making me jealous! Will keep checking Playbill~thanks for the tip!

If only I knew Bette Midler would be there in December. Doug, I am sure she will be fabulous~enjoy!

Bette Midler is, I believe, going to be in Hello Dolly until January, but you'd need to verify that. She's a trouper and did her full run of I'll Eat You Last without missing a performance, but that was a play and not a musical. Donna Murphy is a Broadway treasure, and I might go see Hello Dolly again just to see her. Right now she plays Tuesdays and I believe shortly a second day, but she will also fill in for Bette MIdler as needed. She was recently reviewed in the NY Times, so you can always look at those reviews and decide.

The NY Times theater critics just discussed Hello Dolly and a few other shows and it reminded me of this thread:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/12/t...line&te=1&_r=0

DD and I have tickets for Dear Evan Hansen in mid-November so I have been following here for other shows to consider.

Ben Platt is also leaving Dear Evan Hansen, but I don't know precisely when (I'd heard rumors of before the end of the year and then not until January ... which I must say is more typical), and while that show is definitely star-driven, I think there are still plenty of performers who could fill his shoes quite nicely.

Thanks Doug--admittedly, we REALLY want to see Ben in the show; we planned our trip hoping to catch him before he left. Coming from the Midwest, mid-November is not at the top of my list, timing-wise for my next trip to NY, but getting to see him sealed the deal.

My understanding is that Ben Platt's contract is up sometime in mid November. I'd be very surprised if he extended, given the professional opportunities out there for him, as well as the physical and emotional toll the role has had on him. Musicfan, if that turns out to be the case, hopefully you'll catch him right before he goes!

Thanks, jv! We hope so too!

My goodness, I checked the revival of My Fair Lady: Anne Hathaway and Colin Firth. Looks like time for another NYC trip

And Renee Fleming in Carousel.

Come From Away is selling tickets through next May. If you can get them, do so!