We're going to New York later this week. Can anyone suggest a good drama or dark comedy on or off Broadway?

Talk Radio or Journey's End on Broadway.

Or Prelude to a Kiss, which could easily be called a dark comedy.

Dying City off Broadway at the Mitzi Newhouse

or Jew of Malta or Merchant of Venice with F. Murray Abraham if you can get tickets -- those two end next week.

If you're going this week, there's a promotion for off Broadway for $20 tickets. www.20at20.com There are a few that should fit the bill.

What about Grey Gardens on Broadway? It's a musical but pretty dark.

Journey's End is certainly "dark" but not a comedy; Gray Gardens is dark and a musical and a "comedy" (tragic in many ways)...definitely worth seeing IMO if only for Christine Ebersole's wonderful performance.

Scratch Prelude to a Kiss IMO.
Admitedly saw it in previews but
didn't think the 2 lovers connected
& John Mahoney was just adequate.
OTOH, Journey's End might fit the bill.

Interesting review of Dying City in today's New York Times:

http://tinyurl.com/2o37co

Thanks so much for all the tips. I wanted to see Grey Gardens, but had some resistance in other parts of the family. The last play this person saw and liked was Urine Town. I'll take a look at the review of Dying City.

Oh, now you've thrown a curve at us, since I assumed you were only interested in "plays" not "musicals". But since Urinetown is an offbeat musical, and this person liked it, I too would suggest Grey Gardens.

He enjoyed Urine Town so much he was able to overlook the fact that it was a musical.

Well of all the shows mentioned above, the closest thing to Urinetown (even ignoring the music) is Act II of Grey Gardens. The others are all very serious. Urinetown is dark and over the top, as is Grey Gardens (but again, primarily ACT II -- he might have to "suffer through" ACT I).

Thanks to you, NeoPatrick, the recalcitrant member of the family has been persuaded to give Grey Gardens a try, which couldn't make me happier.

OK, just don't let them leave at intermission. They'll like the "dark side" of Act II much better.

We went to see "Spring Awakening", which is a good drama and a dark comedy on Broadway.

Grey Gardens is indeed a wise choice. Christine Ebersole's performance alone is worth more than the admission price!

All of the shows mentioned above are excellent. Whichever you choose, you get can get discount tickets online at Broadwaybox.com (like $65 for Grey Gardens or Spring Awakening). Not $20, but it's guaranteed - the 20at20 sounds like a lot of chance and queueing.

Yes, I couldn't quite understand the "rules" of that $20 thing. It sounded like you had to go early to a particular theatre, stand in line and wait. The tickets are released at 20 minutes before the show, so if you don't get any, then it's probably too late to go to another theatre, get in their line and still get tickets.