Broadway Banter - Spring '10
 

Thanks for the suggestion of starting a new thread periodically. I'm running off to see 'Looped' this afternoon. I'll be back with some thoughts including the GTG - great, great idea!

CPG, thanks for starting a new thread.

In case anyone is looking for the original "Broadway Banter" thread (from approx Oct 2009 - Feb 2010), here's the link: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...way-banter.cfm

I am IN for a BrodwayBanter GTG. You NYers can pick the place, although I feel like I know what places you might recommend from reading all your dining posts over the yrs, lol. With the boltbus RT at $20-$30 from DC, would love to combine a GTG w/a show. mclaurie, howard, CPG, all you others, would love to meet you and discuss some theater and yada yada.

My son and his GF are seeing Behanding tonight and I see it on Wed. night. Can't wait, much anticipation. Planning next trip after this one to NYC already, but that one will be for Tribeca film and TOAST, although there is so much good theater on now, how can I resist a show.

Reviews on these threads guide me in choice. I love the recs here, and the honestly and insight.

CPG - awaiting your review of Looped; its on my list.
And add me to the GTG list, plese emd3

Hi Rhea - 'Looped' was very enjoyable and Valerie Harper is terrific. Between her dialogue and her delivery, you will laugh a lot - and also learn a lot about Talulah. I had mixed feelings about her main co-star, but the truth is he plays a repressed up tight guy, so maybe that was it. I highly recommend it and think her performance is not to be missed.

I saw 'Measure for Measure' last week, a play I had never read before. It started a bit uneven and then grew from there. Very good cast, interesting story and, imo, an unusual Shakespearean ending. Small theater - don't sit in 1st row - lead actor is a major spitter.

Despite the not so stellar NYT's review of 'The Miracle Worker' this week I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it's worth seeing.

So, how about a GTG in April or May? When are people visiting?

FYI, "The Miracle Worker" is threatening to close if it doesn't generate more ticket sales/audience:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...773149990.html
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/20...w-could-close/

I could only chuckle over one of the comments in the latter article, when the writer referred to Alison Pill as a "high profile star."

yk - thanks for the articles.

Sometimes reviewers, like Ben Brantley, really annoy me. They check their notes from the original production years ago and make lots of comparisons. Having never seen the original, I enjoyed the 'Miracle Worker' a lot and especially liked the staging. So, the reviewer may deter theater goers (who never saw the original and won't make comparisons) from seeing a worthwhile production. On the other hand, I didn't enjoy the revival of 'Man of La Mancha' a few seasons ago because I did remember the incredible original.

yk's article mentioned 'Last Fall.' I saw it Monday and the although I enjoyed it, it isn't a must see for someone who sees few productions. There are five characters - one was a bit weak, imo.

Yay! I scanned the other thread looking for ideas for this weekend. I want to see "something" on Saturday night, but can't make up my mind. Uggghhh.

TR

CPG, you are wrong about Brantley's review of the revival of The Miracle Worker. He did not refer to his notes from his original review. He was referring to Brooks Atkinson, the Times reviewer at that time. Mr. Brantley is not old enough to have been a reviewer 51 years ago. Further, his point in bringing up that review was to show that the two actors were highly praised at that time, but that the play itself was not! Further, his point was not to make comparisons, but to show where and how this production was a disappointment.
To me, that's all fair comment.

Has anyone seen The Addams Family? Tickets are 95-100, want to make sure it is worth it!

When I first heard that The Miracle Worker was being staged at Circle in the Square in the round, my first thought was "how would I know which seat faced Helen as she learns the word water?" That is the defining moment in the play and the idea of not being able to see the actress make that recognition in her face would leave me feeling very empty (it's even known as "THE recognition scene"). So I was not surprised that nearly every critic mentioned how the staging of the play did NOT work in the round.

Howard, I stand corrected on Brantley's age, etc. That's what I get for reading the Times at 6:30 am when I'm half asleep! But seriously, there are other reviews - many - where the critic compares the new version to the original. That in itself isn't always a bad thing, but in THIS case, what I am saying - and I'll say it again - is that I didn't see the original, therefore I can't make the comparison and I very much enjoyed the play. Sometimes, I repeat, sometimes, a critic may pan a decent production and its days are numbered. That is a reality. Sometimes, bad productions defy critics and go on for a long time. That is also a reality. My opinion was that the Miracle Worker was very enjoyable and moving and I liked it - as did the audience on the day I was there. Conclusion: I recommend it, especially discounted.

As far as the play NOT working in the round, well, it did for me. Maybe I got lucky, but as I mentioned in another post, I liked the staging especially the set suspended from wires above the stage. As far as where I was seated, Helen was not directly in front of me, but I had no problem seeing her in 'THE recognition scene.' I saw well enough to be extremely moved. As far as every other seat in the theater, I can't vouch, but neither could I for balcony or corners, etc. in a traditional theater setting. Or for that matter sitting behind a very tall person (which is happening more and more to me lately.)

CPG, it all boils down to a basic difference of opinion. You liked the show and Bend Brantley didn't!

Howard - Exactly - which really means nothing in the scheme of things! I have a friend who goes to theater at least 4 times per week. Theater is a great passion in her life and many times we don't enjoy the same productions - that's life!

Hey, if it's any consolation, I'm among the minority that didn't like Wicked!
My favorites? In alphabetical order: musicals--A Chorus Line, Follies and West Side Story; straight plays--Long Day's Journey into Night (the Vanessa Redgrave/Brian Denehy production--no other straight play comes close to that one!)

I didn't love 'Wicked' - thought it was okay.

I saw the original 'Chorus Line' three times - was so disappointed in the revival.

Just curious - was it this production of 'West Side Story' or the original?

I don't like to list favorites, but one of the best dramatic performances I ever saw was Christopher Plummer as 'King Lear.'

I also saw that great production of LDJ.

It was both productions of West Side Story....well, actually, it was four different productions that I've seen and loved all four....the music and dancing is what that show's all about and all four sparkled using those two criteria!
I saw the original A Chorus Line six times!
Yes, Christopher Plummer was an outstanding Lear, but we enjoyed him more as Barrymore a few years earlier. And, let us not forget Brian Denehy's performance as Willy Loman!

Talk about memory lane! I saw Denehy in 'Death of a Salesman' too - WOW!

Back to WSS - Where were the four productions?
Did you ever see the NYC Ballet do 'West Side Story Suite?' I've seen it many times and it's just wonderful, but short.

Let's see...I saw the original West Side Story, then a summer stock production (I forget where), then a revival that featured Debbie Allen ( forgot who else was in it) and the current revival. And, yes, we've seen the NYC Ballet's West Side Story Suite as well. And to further validate my love of the show, I have the LP, tape and CD of the original cast!

Howard has had far better luck with West Side Story than I have. I first saw a touring production in Dayton, Ohio when I was in high school. I sat down front very near the side and could see into the wings. The girl playing Maria (Wendy Waring) would race off into the wings at every break she had, where a dresser would hand her a lit cigarette so she could take a few quick drags. It somehow overpowered my good memories of the show.

Then a few years ago at Stratford, Ontario I saw a bizarre production. I'm normally OK with "color blind casting", but when the play is essentially about race, having a Maria who was Asian with an Asian accent just didn't work for me. Nor did the petite and very feminine tony with bleached blonde hair. I remember the audience laughing out loud when one of the Jets said, "but we need Tony for the rumble".

I've seen a few very good ones too, and when the dancing is on (assuming it is the original Jerome Robbins stuff) it is amazing. But that's all I really liked at this last revival. Sadly the understudy was on for Anita and she had no fire at all that I could see. Maria and Tony were just sort of OK to me, and didn't really seem to have major lovestruck chemistry. And while Maria had a very trained voice, it just wasn't a "pretty one" to me.

My husband and I will be in New York in early October and want to see a few shows. My question is, if the shows we want to see are open ended, should we buy tickets now (or in a few months) to get good seats? What if they close--do we get a refund? Also, how do we find out if the current cast will still be doing the show?

A bit off-topic:
The Wall Street Journal has an article & slideshow yesterday on Edward Albee's Manhattan Loft (click on the slideshow tab if you want to see pics of his loft):
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...645297394.html

A GTG?!?! Yay!
I'll be in town te last week of Mar. leaving on Apr 4.

Answering Im4Wine:
1. Unless the show is a huge hit (like Wicked or Jersey Boys), there's no point in getting tickets that far in advance. In fact, I'd venture to say that there is no show right now--including Wicked and Jersey Boys--that is that hot that you must get October tickets now. You can safely wait until, say, April or May.
2. If you buy tickets and the show closes ahead of that performance, yes, you do get a refund. No problem.
3. There is usually no way of knowing what the cast will be that far in advance. The usual exception is when a big star is cast, there sometimes is mentioned how how long he/she has signed up for.
What particular shows are interested in seeing? If we know that, we can be advise the best route for getting tickets for each one. For example, some shows will definitely have discount offers and some definitely (or probably) won't.

Arriving on Monday for a week and have tickets for Wednesday's performance of 'Come Fly Away' in preview. Anyone seen it yet? Any comments?

Also looking for Thursday evening and based on comments here am leaning to 'A Behanding in Spokane' ... need a second option ... Billy Elliot seems to get mixed reviews ... what about 'A view from the bridge?"

It's a very wide span from Billy Elliot to A View from the Bridge. Do you want to see a musical or a drama? Either one is a good choice.

Thanks Howard. Just trying to have a backup plan in place in case the tickets to my first choice aren't available. My first choice would probably be a drama so A View if available but if not, something else. Have been reading this afternoon about "A behanding in Spokane" and now I'm really torn! Thoughts on that?

Has anyone seen Addams Family, and if so, is it any good?

Im4wine - the only thing I will add to what Howard said, is that in general, the earlier you buy tickets, the better your seats might be. On the other hand, sometimes later will yield a greater discount.

This weekend, I took my dh to see 'South Pacific' (I saw it when it opened). Anyway, I bought the tix quite some time ago - the seats were in the 7th row and fantastic. I enjoyed it as much as the first time - such a great production!

Ricardamundo - you probably won't go wrong with either choice. Seeing Liev Schreiber is always a treat. I liked the play very much. Am seeing a 'Behanding' in 10 days and expect that to be very good theater as well, but very different. Can you fit in both?

For anyone interested, today's review of 'Looped:'


http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/03/1...=looped&st=cse

About 'Looking for Billy Haines' off B'way - don't look! I left this sophomoric production (complete with lead with speech impediment) during intermission!

CPG...thanks for the info on Looped. I have tickets next week and I'm looking forward to this show!

Just back after a great 5-day trip to Manhattan.
Saw Come Fly Away in previews and we both really enjoyed it. Probably not for everyone but if you like dance and great music you'll enjoy it. The dancers were stellar and I thought the concept held together quite well. Almost all the dancers were outstanding with Charlie Neshyba Hodges being the most amazing. His partner was no slouch either. Rika Okamoto was not quite up to the standards of the rest of the leads.
Our second night was supposed to be Billy Elliot but the only good tickets left were in the $200 range and that was just too steep. So, we walked across the street to pick up tickets for 'A Behanding in Spokane' which was a very pleasant surprise .... er, strike that, unpleasant surprise. I mean that in a good way as the dark humour was not what you could call pleasant. However, the writing was very crisp and the acting was very good, with Christopher Walken just owning the stage. He has great comedic timing and the rest of the ensemble was solid, with the actor playing the 'receptionist guy' particularly good (sorry, am at my notebook and can't remember his name). He was a great foil for Walken's character.
Again, this might not be for everyone but we thoroughly enjoyed it.
I came to this site looking for advice for my trip so thanks to those who helped and I hope this provides a little insight for other travellers with Broadway plans.

Ricardamundo - seeing both soon. Thanks for the info.

Saw 'Red' last weekend. We all enjoyed it. I'm not a fan of modern art, but the performances were strong and the premise 'engaging.' btw, I had deeply discounted seats; I'd think twice or choose very carefully if I were paying $125! Not a lot is worth that, imo.

Hi CPG, thanks for the review on RED. I'm thinking of going to see it in late April when DH & I are in town. The discounts offered right now only run through 4/18; but our trip is after that. So I'm sitting tight for now hoping for new discount offers for after 4/19. We really want to see it because of all the rave reviews it received in London; plus Eddie Redmayne just won the Olivier Award for his portrayal of Ken in the London version of Red.

Thank's for the review of "Come Fly Away". We're considering that one.

I'm convinced that Ticketmaster and Telecharge significantly manipulate ticket availability. Whether or not they're discounted, sometimes better seats are available early on, sometimes later. But, I do check regularly, since I'd rather be center and closer than to the right or left or many rows farther back for the same price.

I'm another who was underwhelmed with "Wicked". We left at intermission and gave our tickets to a couple of young ladies outside the theater. If I'd known they be out there and that thrilled, we'd have left earlier.

Often, you can find out on Playbill or on a performer's website their initial and subsequent length of contract. And, twice, I was able to get refunds when the cast changed after I bought the tickets. But, unless you have your heart set on seeing a particular performer, the replacements are just as amazing (at least in my experience). We've even seen some incredible (unknown) understudies.

djkbooks, one thing to note is that the websites for Ticketmaster and Telecharge are also a little misleading. I hate the Ticketmaster one which tends to only show you one set of tickets for your chosen date and won't let you pick others instead. But phone calls to either of them will often yield what I'd call "much better" seats than will come up on line.
For example I'd much rather have front row mezzanine seats even in one of the side sections -- being centered in the mezzanine means little so long as you're not at the extreme ends. Yet it usually seems impossible for them to show you those, but rather their "next best" keeps moving further and further back.

I've given up on new shows that tout "advance tickets available to American Express card holders only". Every time I've tried that -- the tickets were really lousy, but once the general tickets went on sale to the public, there were MUCH better ones available.

First, I apologize if this information is accessed elsewhere on this website. If it is, please direct me and thank you.

My family (me, hubby & daughter 11) are venturing to NYC for the very first time the week of April 5-9. It is all the time we have. We would LOVE to take in a Broadway Musical. I looked online for age appropriate ones and found that the only Wednesday matinee (we are going very casual on this vacation and cannot do a night performance) available is for WICKED. Alas, there are no tickets available -- except for 'discount scalpers' for $180+ each. I am aware of same day tickets and the TKTS area on Times Sq. Is there anyplace I should scour for tickets that won't scalp me $$ that I am not aware of?

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

To be perfectly blunt, it is very doubtful you will get tickets at all for Wicked for that week (Easter) without being scalped. The show is clearly fully sold out.

How about another show? South Pacific? West Side Story? Billy Elliot has some strong language but I'd call it totally age appropriate.