NY Theater
 

We will be going into the City to see a play or two in May. Is there a good website where I can find reviews and the like?

Would love some feedback here too.

When you say "play" are you confining your self to dramas? or will you consider musicals too?

What have you seen previously and liked/disliked (big production #'s, clever/witty, heavy duty???)?

www.playbill.com
www.theatremania.com
www.broadway.com
www.broadwaybox.com
www.allthatchat.com

Ok went to these sites and now my problem is that I need some suggestions for a good show I just didn't seem to get excited about any on the list..I've seen the usual ones like Producers, Phantom, Mama Mia, La Cage.. Curious as to what people like now.

Thanks...

You still have give us absolutely no insights into where your tastes lie except "what people like now." We don't know if you'll like what the proverbial "they" like!
I assume you're interested in musicals since you only mention three veterans in that category. Okay, the most popular show right now is Wicked. Avenue Q is another favorite, as is Hairspray. However, if you haven't see Chicago (a veteran), I would put that at the top of the list.
Now, tell us what you are looking for?

Since you say you couldn't get excited by any on the list, and the list includes everything playing on Broadway and off Broadway, I'm tempted to say you'd be smart to stay home and save your money. I get excited by practically everything on the list.

I'm with Howard. You mention three big musicals, but you don't even tell us if those thrilled you. What is it you're looking for? A compelling modern social drama with some meaning? An evening of fun music, elaborate sets, and lots of dancing? A funny comedy with a top name star? Or are you mainly wanting to see the thing that other people tell you that you should see, regardless of their varying tastes?

I did see Chicago and loved that too. Perhaps my post was too vague. Sorry about that. I guess it's difficult to ask a question like that on here without being more specific but I thought someone might respond with something they saw and loved.

Anyone see "12 Angry Men" recently?

seetheworld, we saw 12 Angry Men last week and thought it was extremely well done, one of the best productions we've seen in a long time. The ensemble cast was outstanding.
Even better news is that discount tickets are available!

Thanks, Howard! My husband wants to go into the city tomorrow and see a show and I've had my eye on this one.

In response to lois co, besides the above-mentioned 12 Angry Men, I can strongly endorse Gem of the Ocean with Felicia Rachad ( but only if you are familiar with August Wilson's work), Avenue Q (but not if you're a conservative Republican--no joke, if you're a GOP diehard, you won't enjoy it!), the revival of La Cage aux Folles (worth seeing even if you saw the original), Hairspray (a fun show).

seetheworld, don't where you're coming from, but if you and your husband get into the city tomorrow, you may be one of the few people at the theater. ;)

Mclaurie: Well, this is HIS crazy idea (we usually make an attempt during every blizzard - lol) but the DH thinks things will be up and running tomorrow.

We would take Metro North into Grand Central from Westchester. And yes, we were hoping to be the only ones in the theater, other than the performers :)

seetheworld, I heard on the radio that tomorrow Metro North Trains are only running once every two hours making every stop. You better check with Metro North to make sure you don't have a long wait in either direction.
By the way, the matinee for 12 Angry Men starts at 2 p.m., not the usual 3 p.m. for most Sunday matinees.
If you're smart, you'll go to Duffy Square for your tickets. I would think that the line would not be that long tomorrow.

LoisCo - Avenue Q employs some of the is one of the cleverest and innovative shows I've seen recently. Esp enjoyable if you grew up in the age of Electric Company and Sesame Street.

By the way, Duffy Square has just added a separate line for non-musical productions. You could add to some advance purchase tickets, if you are willingto wait in line.

seetheworld, This wouldn't be the weekend I'd just pop in, though, transpo to NJ was stopped at 7:30 tonight for example. Watching Ralph Stanley & Firends and waiting for Coupling in a few minutes. That's my entertainment, & tomorrow, a walk and some snow angels before the pristine snow banks are disturbed. :)

As bad as it sounds like it is getting in NYC, even the cast may have trouble getting there. Don't be surprised if tomorrow you don't see "Seven Angry Men" or maybe "112 Angry Theatregoers".

Loisco - It definitely helps to know what type of show you like. I am like Patrick, just about everything excites me.

Several of the shows that are opening soon are having pretty brisk ticket sales for the next few months so if you want May you should book now. La Cage Aux Folles seems to be getting good reviews. You can read about Spamalot on this forum. Those that have seen it in Chicago liked it. I am not a Monty Python fan but decided to see it and had trouble getting seats in March. I know Patrick already has his for June.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opens in New York for preview Jan 31 but I saw it in San Diego in October. It will be interesting to see how it does in NYC but I really enjoyed it. It's definitely a light, comedic show. John Lithgow's is perfect for the sauve Lawrence and Sherie Renee Scott is beautiful and can sing. However, Norbert Leo Butz steals the show. He has a great singing voice but is so funny. The crowds were laughing so hard at his antics. There were actually a couple of tunes that I was humming when I left the theatre so the songs are not unforgetable.

Of course these are all big musicals. I believe 12 Angry Men closes in March but other dramas are opening such as "Virginia Wolf" and "A Streetcar named Desire". I will have to back to New York to see those!

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much. I had wanted to see Hairspray (I am in San Diego by the way) but my sister who lives in NY area told me that without Harvey F. in it that it wasn't a good choice...!! Is she right?

The other one that sounded good was Democracy..Thanks for helping.

loisco, I saw Democracy last weekend. I did find it interesting, but the consensus of my party was that there wasn't enough dramatic tension to work well (for us) as a play. I found the second act more gripping than the first, however. It did make for interesting conversation afterwards, and that is one of my chief criteria.

We got a discount code from Playbill.com, but I don't know whether there are tickets available under that code as far in the future as May.

Couple responses:
*No one can replace Harvey Fierstein, but Hairspray is still a good show without him.
*Democracy may not still be around in May.

Never made it in to see "Twelve Angry Men" :(. Just like you said Howard, Metro North was only running every two hours - just way too cold do that kind of waiting. It sounds like the morning commute might be slow going as well.

I had no great desire to see Fiddler on the Roof, but now that Harvey Fierstein has taken over as Tevye, I could easily change my mind. There's a "review" on Playbill, that almost makes it sound like rare theatre magic!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/90747.html

I have a related question that "broadway mavens" might be able to answer:
Is anyone aware of any upcoming productions of Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris?
Love the music and the adaptability of it to our modern day morass.

Patrick - I also had no desire to see "Fiddler On The Roof". It's not really one of my favorite shows. But I had read another review besides the one on Playbill and I am also having second thoughts. Sounds like Harvey Fierstein really warms up the show and Andrea Martin as Golde seems to compliment him. There was also another good review on broadway.com. Just don't think I can fit it in this trip but you never know.

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/5558

Hmmm. Since posting earlier I've looked through a few more reviews of the "new Tevye" and they are not all glowing. Maybe the new production isn't quite so magical as I thought. Still, I think it's a Tevye I'd rather see than Alfred Molina's. And Andrea Martin seems to be getting nothing but high praise for her performance as well.

As for Jacques Brel, sorry but nary a worry about this one in years.
As for Fiddler, Harvey Fierstein got mostly favorable reviews, but it wasn't unanimous. However, even the detractors said he livened up the show. To be honest, however, we enjoyed the show with Alfred Molina in the lead.