I will be In NYC from Aug 12 to 18th and I want to go to a Broadway show which will appeal to my Italian wife whose English is not so strong.
Clearly shakespeare and wordy or slangy stuff is out, yet I don't want to to go for something too childish.

So far I've selected: Moving'out; the Lion King; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Chicago.
I think Spamalot and the Producer may already be too colloquial.

Does anybody have any advice howI can find something easy to understand without going for the Kid's stuff? What do you think of my Choices so far?

Thanks for any help offered.

Marc

I would suggest "Lion King". It is not childish, but the plot is relatively simple and can be understood from the music and action alone.

Also, it is a real spectacle, with puppets, costumes, and elaborate sets. Think of it as "American Opera".

You are right about Spamalot and The Producers- a lot of the humor depends on twists of language. Chicago has a complex plot.

Moving Out would be good if your wife really loves the music of Billy Joel. Otherwise, skip it.

Another vote for the Lion King. The animals and sets are amazing!

We've had the same situation a couple of times, when we get non-English speaking friends to visit.

I'd also suggest Lion King and the Phantom of the Opera, for simple storylineas and for sheer visual impact. I would also consider Stomp, Blue Man Group and Slava's Snowshow. Those three are pretty cool, with almost no words at all.

Thanks for the suggestions.

With regards to the Lion King, we are already over-familiar with the story (our Kids at home watch the Disney DVD regularly).

Is there a risk of Overkill from knowing the story inside out or does the musical still carry lots of surprises?

By the way any other suggestions?

All Shook Up

I agree -- All Shook Up. Whether you're a fan of Elvis or not, the music is great, and it's a simple, "feel good" plot that will leave you with a big smile on your face.

For me, seeing the Lion King wasn't necessarily about the plot. I've also seen the movie about a hundred times. It was about how the production team and actors brought the movie to life. I actually had tears in my eyes as the animals came down the aisles in the opening number because I was so amazed at how the actors become one with the puppets.

Chameleon2, I know what you mean about feeling overly familiar with the Lion King story from video. You will find that to be true of the storyline and music. However the staging, costumes and the power of the performances will be something completely different from the movie. Well worth seeing in my opinion.

"The Light in the Piazza" at Lincoln Center. Some of it is in Italian.

I'm not sure if this is your type of show, but "A Light In The Piazza," at Lincoln Center Theatre, takes place in Italy, and actually involves some singing and speaking in Italian. It might be a nice compromise for both of you

It's a beautiful show, but it's not a big Broadway spectacle like the others you mentioned. So, it's completely up to your preference, but I thought I would throw it out as an option!