Broadway shows
 

What are the favorite broadway shows? We will see one in March, and I cannot find any good review places on the web. I have seen Phantom and loved it. Since we can only see one, I want to make sure I research it and get some opinions. Thanks!

If you liked Phantom then I think you will love Les Mis. I like a lot of the others: Mama Mia, Hairspray, Chorus Line but I think the drama and wonderful music of Les Mis is a lot like Phantom's (only better IMHO)

No reviews? If you register for free you can read all the reviews at NYtimes.com

playbill.com and theatermania.com and http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/shows.htm
also have reviews.

"Spring Awakening" has opened to rave reviews and is being called the new Rent.

The music is by Duncan Sheik and is fantastic.

(Like Rent, "Spring Awakening" has adult themes - coming of age - and some discreet nudity.)

Thank you very much for the help!

How erotic is Spring Awakening? Would we be embarassed taking young adult children?

It's about teen-agers coming of age, and it has simulated (clothed) male masturbation, set to music, and a front-and-center sex scene between the two main characters. The actors are clothed, but a breast is revealed as is the male's butt when he takes down his trousers.

I wouldn't describe it as "erotic," and it's very well done.

I loved a Chorus Line. It was fabulous! :)

My favorite still after all this time is RENT. I think I've seen it about ten times and it still makes me laught and sing and cry. Loved Spamalot, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Chorus Line with Bebe Neuwirth is supposed to be good (anything she's in is always good, and no matter what the reviews say Wicked is wonderful. I don't have any friends or relatives that have seen it and did not like it. So here's few. People have loved Jersey Boys, it's one of those shows that you know all the words to the songs. The Drowsy Chaperone is still playing - a Tony winner and one that has been very well received. Off Broadway has some real gems but it's always a completely different experience. Some serious, some a little fun, some risque but always a great time. Hope this helped.

Jersey Boys

Chicago

Drowsey Chaperone

Bebe Neuwirth is not in Chorus Line (but it's a great idea!) she's in Chicago, playing Roxie Hart.

Advice please...Torn between Spelling Bee and Spamalot for family with teenage boys. I can't figure out what's good as far as seating for the Circle Theater for Spelling Bee. I don't want to look at the actors' backs! Lots of side seats available, even Row A on the side. And for the Shubert theater for Spamalot, the seats available are Right or Left Orchestra midway back, 7 or 8 seats off the aisle.

Spamalot is fantastic! I would think a perfect choice for teen boys (my 16yo loved it)- especially if they like Monty Python humor. And the seats sound great. Go for it!

Translations and Vertical Hour in mid month.
M

Spamalot
The Producers
Wicked
Hairspray

Has anyone seen Grey Gardens? is it enjoyable thanks

Grey Gardens is excellent....probably not for everyone's taste, but if you're a real lover of the theater, you shouldn't miss it. Christine Ebersole's performance is nothing short of great!
Responding to the original poster, it's tough to give the best recommendation unless we know a little bit about where your tastes lie and what shows you've seen.

Depending on when you're coming, the new Kander & Ebb musical "Curtains" begins playing at the end of February. It stars David Hyde Pierce, and it's one of the last K&E collaborations (they wrote Chicago and Cabaret, among many others)

Try to see something that wont be coming to a town near you. My favs are Spelling Bee (which is out on national tour right now), Spamalot was funny if you like the Python gang, Chaperone is VERY clever and funny! I would see that again!

I am going next weekend and seeing Sondheim/Goldman's Follies at Encore's and Sondheim/Furth's Company.

Pjay

Is the Lion King still playing? That was awesome!

Mama Mia is great too!

Loved the Producers!

8-)

If you loved Phantom, I really think you’ll love Les Mis. I’ve seen them both and I’m going to Les Mis again in Feb. Putnam County is funny but it isn’t a big, splashy production.

Les Miz would be a great choice, and this revival is quite good. Now that the show has ended its tour, it may be your last chance to see it for a while!

Virginiatraveler, the theater where Spelling Bee is playing is small. I made the mistake of paying full price for better/closer seats and would have preferred getting discount tix since sitting anywhere in that theater is fine. It's a small show (no big sets, orchestra etc.) and feels more like an off Broadway show (which is how it started). While it's very clever, I wouldn't select it instead of a bigger production, esp. if your sons' first Broadway experience.

Another vote for Grey Gardens - we were able to get discounted tickets through the TKTS booth, and they were great seats. LOVED IT!

DD and I just got back from NYC and saw 3 plays in 3 nights for <$100 each total. Get discounted tickets and see more than 1. besides half-price at TKTS, check out broadwaybow.com. Many shows have lotteries 2 hours before show time for a chance to buy 2 front row tickets for $25 apiece. Just saw the Drowsy chaperone for that price and laughed out loud the entire show. Would pay full price to see that one. Last year, we saw Putnam County Spelling Bee and thought it was only worth the $20 lottery ticket price.

As to other shows, the Lion King is unlike anything you have ever seen, but I wouldn't go unless you have decent seats. Les Miz is my all-time favorite.

I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels this past August, and it was fantastic! Very funny.

Not sure if it's playing currently, but I would definitely recommend it if it is.

Unfortunately, it closed a long while ago.

The show is touring, however, so if it stops near your city you should definitely consider it!

My favorite would be either Wicked or Jersey Boys. I have seen Wicked twice and it is fantastic yet last SPring saw Jersey Boys and still listen to the CD. Both would be worth your time.

Unfortunately, I imagine they're unlikely to get tickets to either Wicked or Jersey Boys in March, unless they're willing to pay VERY high premium prices!

LOVED Wicked, and The Producers was great as well. Tony Danza is only so-so, but Roger Bart is fabulous.

Wicked was great. We really enjoyed Mamma Mia too, and that's a much easier ticket to get. Bebe Neuwirth is back in Chicago, but she's playing Roxie this time around. We saw her as Velma.

Sorry, forgot to mention Les Miz. Saw the original twice; and loved the revival too, with the exception of some miscasting.

Arizona, I think the miscasting you refer to may be resolved in the near future- Lea Salonga is slated to play Fantine beginning March 6! I'm sure she'll be wonderful.

Oh, great. I'm going on 2/22. :(

My daughter and I saw Wicked and Jersey Boys last Oct. Wicked blew us away. Can't wait to see it again. Jersey Boys is fun if you enjoy that kind of music.

Ok, I am down to two choices. Drowsey Chaperone sounds wonderful, and there is a star in the show. Even if it eventually comes to Nashville, A. Lansbury won't be in it. I have seen the Les Mis movie, but never the show. When you say the tour is over, does that mean it will never tour again?
Between Chaperone and Les Mis? Your opinion please?
We are 35, if that helps.

First of all, I'm a little confused. Angela Lansbury has nothing to do with The Drowsy Chaperone. There are no "stars" in show. (Sutton Foster is an award-winning and talented performer, but I wouldn't call her a star at the Lansbury level.)
It's tough to recommend one show over t he other. Both are good....and totally different. If you want to have fun, fun evening, than it's The Drowsy Chaperone. If you want something more serious, with some beautiful music, then it's Les Miserables (which incidentally, as a musical, is quite different from its movie versions).
You can't go wrong with either.

In a moderately long list of shows that I have seen, Drowsy Chaperone is at the bottom of the list. But that is only my personal opinion. Many have enjoyed it. When we saw it at the beginning of Jan., Georgia Engel was in the production. That could be who you were thinking of.
I LOVED Les Mis.

I'm the opposite of the above post... but these shows are so opposite each other, that's not surprising.

First of all they are both amazing. You'll be blown away be either in regards to the sets, acting, spectacle, etc. So it really comes down to the style you prefer.

Les Miz is in that same operatic style as Phantom, but a "downer" of a tale. (Okay - so I was 9 mos pregnant and seated in the very last row of the theatre - not a great situation for a good review.) After all, they're all "miserable." It's a heavy plot. The set and costumes are dark and grey.

Drowsey Chaperone is light and fluffy and thoroughly delightful. Beware that it's a good deal shorter, and played with no intermission. Very funny and clever, but lots of "inside" jokes. If you were ever a kid who experienced Broadway by sitting next the stereo and reading along in the album cover, you will LOVE this show. (But you're probably too young for that! ) The sets and costumes are bright and colorful.

Hope this helps you make up your mind.
Enjoy either way!