<<<but I think I might be irritated by the lack of story.>>>

Exactly! But (I repeat for the third time :-) ), the singing and dancing were so much fun.

<<<Of course I know that the musical is completely different, a real spectacular production>>>

Frankly, I was a little bored by Lion King. I loved the production and the story (from the movie), but the songs just didn't do it for me.

<<<I also want to see Anything Goes, but there are not currently broadway box discounts for the dates we are going, so our current plan is to keep a day open, and go to TKTS (in Brooklyn rather than TImes Square) and see what we can get.>>>

Tickets were available the Times Square TKTS booth last Friday.

AtlTravelr - Once was my pick (14yr old = Rent; 11yr old = Potted Potter; hubby = Chicago)

I loved the movie Once, and I am really intrigued to see how it is adapted to the stage. What I liked about the movie was that it was romantic and a love story but not a romantic love story.

I don't know how the kids will like it - but I thnk sometimes there is a risk of assuming kids aren't going to like something that isn't flashy and sometimes there are surprises to what connects. And I figure the worst thing that will happen is that they won't like it and we can have a conversation about why :-)

Even Priscilla from last summer - which wasn't our favourite -gave us something to talk about on why. And at the end of Priscilla the older couple who were sitting beside us asked how the kids found the 'innuendo' so we got into a wonderful conversation with them (until the ushers dimmed the lights and kicked us out!).

So bottom line is, I too am interested to see what they think of it, but I'm not worried about it :-)

My younger son had a sort of live theatre epiphany while we were planning. He observed that we saw How to Succeed with Daniel Radcliffe last summer, and nobody else is ever going to be able to see that show with that cast, and that nobody except the other people who were at the theatre that night are going to ever be able to see that performance of that show with that cast ever again. When I was picking my choice of show to see, I really wanted to see Once but I wasn't sure the rest of the family would want to go. (I even said I would go and see it alone if nobody else wanted to go)When he made that observation we decided that this would be the only time that anyone would be able to see this new show, with this specific cast, in the glow of 'we were just nominated for a Tony' or even 'we have just won a Tony' we'll see in a few days :-) so it will be a unique memory regardless.

VCanada - thanks for your informative responses. Not sure how to do this quote thing here (I mean quoting someone on the thread), but your sentence "I saw Lion King in Toronto a number of years ago, and I found it spectacular to look at but not engaging" so precisely depicts what I feel about Lion King, without ever having seen the show. I sort of feel a little "obligated" to see it - how can I not: it's stunning visually, an extravaganza, a serious broadway production...- but something is nagging at me, probably that I feel that aside from all the visuals, something is going to be missing. Your articulation that it wasn't engaging probably encapsulates what I feel but don't know I feel yet!

I so wish Les Mis was still around...

I'm going to check out How to Succeed - hadn't even looked at that one...

In the meantime, I think I'm somewhat leaning towards Wicked, Once and Newsies - Wicked for spectacular element and because it seems as though all teens love it, Once because I loved the movie and I feel it's a good contrast to Wicked (maybe a bit deeper?), and Newsies for the great dancing/energy. A fourth in the running is Lion King or Phantom. This is what I'm leaning towards at this second - it could totally change in the next few minutes. But now I"m going to check out some more suggestions that you gave!

<<<I saw Lion King in Toronto a number of years ago, and I found it spectacular to look at but not engaging>>>

I had missed this, but it says exactly what I was thinking (except substitute San Francisco for Toronto)!

I think that How to Succeed either just closed or is closing (had Nick Jonas in it).

The discount code for July for Anything Goes just came out, so I just bought tickets for the last of our shows for our visit in July. So we are now Rent/Potted Potter | Once | Chicago | Anything Goes.

I will make sure to come back to this thread after we go and let you know what the family thought!

What do you think for our family? Mom and Dad, 18year old (it is her graduation trip) and 10 year old? No profanity would be best and no nudity. We would like a musical. The girls have never been to anything but local live theater so I think anything would be great for them. Husband and I saw Showboat several years ago and loved it.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:

I just bought tickets for....Wicked and Newsies.

So two plays decided on. Halleluyah!

I am now deciding between Lion King and Once - I know...totally different. Either I have to choose one, or I decide to splurge on both and see four plays. I loved the movie Once, and am lukewarm about Lion King. However, I think my dd would love it.

But the question is, is seeing 4 plays in 8 days too much theatre? For me, I can never get enough, but considering that this is my daughter's first time in NY and there is so much other stuff to do, I'm wondering if this is taking up too many nights (four out of eight nights). I don't really want to see a matinee because I don't want to break up our days when there's so much to do.

thanks again everyone for all the amazing help.

Christian Bale was great in the movie, "Newsies". If you get a chance try to watch it with her before your trip.

Would you consider seeing a non-musical to break it up a little?

I started reading through all the notes - then skipped a few - and found that you'd chosen Wicked and Newsies.

I was going to comment that Newsies might be a good mix of Broadway spectacle (a la Anything Goes) with a little more meat. The story behind the play is a strike of the young boys who sell newspapers in NYC. The dancing is wonderful and there are big production numbers. I don't think you will be disappointed.

As far as whether 4 plays in 8 days is too much - not if you like plays. We went there over spring break and ended up seeing 6 plays between Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon - a play every evening and matinees on Wednesday and Saturday. Back home, I wish we'd had time to see 2 or 3 more of the current batch.

Thanks Bowsprit, I was thinking of seeing the movie with her, although I do really like the idea of seeing something and being surprised.

Travel2005, was that your group's first time in NY? My concern is not having enough time for other things.

Bowsprit, just realized I didn't answer your question. That's my big dilemma- I would consider a non- musical but am trying to pick play best experience for my daughter, and keep coming back to the wow factor. I am more interested in Once for its depth albeit a musical, as opposed to glitzy Lion King. I have this sort of nagging at me that I have to take her to Lion King because it's the" in" show (or one of the biggies - not-to-be- missed ones). And that Once might not be " wow" enough for her. I loved the movie and it's music. ( I also loved the lion king movie - the first time...)

Momddtravel2- I just read your trip report. Wow!! First of all, you and your dd look like sisters, honestly, both beautiful! And your trip report was a hoot!! You got me so excited to go - as though I need any more! I just can't wait to see my dd's face when she sees the buildings, the people, the shows, the excitement....

Anyways, I'd love to hear more about your Lion King experience. I know you were underwhelmed with the idea of going and were happily surprised at the end. As I said above, I feel sort of obligated to go because it's the thing to do, and maybe she'll love it, being 14 years old, but I am so not excited about it. I feel bored just thinking of the story- I know it too well, having 4 kids and the movie playing non- stop for some years!!

Thanks again!

Tamaraten-I think you should pull the plug and ditch Lion King for Once! Though you are trying to "wow" your daughter, this trip is for you too. Wicked is the show for her (though I loved it), newsies will be fun, and Once is beautiful and I don't think she'll be bored. It's actually the kind of romantic style that teens should very much appreciate. Sharing these things together will be wonderful for you both-a trip that is special not just because it is new york, but because you were there together. Okay, that's my final show suggestion for you! As to the timing-for someone like me ther is no such thing as too much theatre, but I did want to have one night this last trip for a nice dinner with friends so that was my matinee day. With 8 days (I am SO jealous!), you have lots of time-but I'll warn you again just in case you do decide to see Lion King, make sure it is an evening performance so that the smallest children aren't there-it has an effect on the feeling of the show.

Thanks AltTravlr for your words of wisdom. I think I'll book Once today and sit on the Lion King issue. I so want to see how we feel once we're there- are getting LK tickets at the last minute- I mean when we're actually in NY first week of August - unrealistic?

Re 8 days, I know it sounds like a lot and I thought so at first too. But now, after having seen all the amazing must-dos in NY, I'm wondering how to do it all in such a short time?!

Having great pizza, going to a matinee and then going to Top of the Rock or taking a Circle Line cruise later in the day makes for a very nice afternoon, indeed.

I'd ditch Lion King for Once, too.

FINALLY!!!

I made a decision!

I bought tickets now for three shows:

Wicked
Newsies
Once.

That's it - I'm done driving everyone and myself crazy!!

Re Lion King - I'm going to see what happens when we get there. If we feel like seeing it, I'll try to get last-minute. If it doesn't work, I guess it wasn't meant to be. And if we don't feel like seeing it, that's even better. And if we feel like seeing something else while we're there, we'll figure that out then.

Thanks again to everyone for all the fabulous advice and suggestions!!

I'm going to post back in August when we return on what our thoughts were on the choices.

Those all sound like great choices! We saw two of them on our recent trip and the one regret from that trip is that we did not see Once--I wish we had taken the time for that.

We saw four shows in seven days and I didn't feel it was too much. Two of those were matinees and you're right--they do break up the day quite a bit, but we did fine. And, as I previously mentioned, my DD is 24 so we could (and did) go out for drinks, etc. which is not an option for you so you might as well see lots of shows. Watch the Tony Awards this weekend--both Once and Newsies are up for multiple awards.

Tamaraten - I'll be looking out for your trip report!

Tamaraten - I think that seems like a great combo...

I would suggest not having her watch the movie Once, but have her become familiar with some of the music. Wicked and Newsies will be spectacles and Once will be a contrast (that is my expectation :-) )

We are going to be doing 4 shows in 5 nights - based on the fact that last time we saw 3 shows in 6 nights, and everyone said they would want to see more.

You will have a wonderful experience!

Oh, i'm so glad you picked Newsies! I haven't seen it yet, but judging from my D's reaction who has seen a ton ton ton of shows, your D will love it. My D also tap dances and with all the thousands of shows she sees (Broadway, underground, serious, shallow, whatever), she came out saying it was one of her favorite theater experiences ever. She is 19, btw, and currently lives in the NYC. I am seeing it next week (and she is joining me for her third time seeing it....)

I have to say that I thought Lion King was amazing. It was one of the most visually creative shows. I resisted seeing it and didn't take my kids to see it until they were 13 -- and they loved it too. Also Peter and the Starcatcher is so creative, in a different way than Lion King. If you want to see a fourth show, either one of these would be great. You're not really going to either one for the plot per se- but for the productions themselves.