Recommended Broadway / Off-Broadway Shows for twenty-somethings
 

Hey all,
My fiance and I are heading to NYC in October, and we wanted to see a couple of Broadway shows. We're both college-educated and in our late-20s.

Unfortunately, I'm completely clueless when it comes to shows/musicals. What would you recommend for a couple like us in our age group? I've heard of Avenue Q, Wicked, A Chorus Line, and Jersey Boys. I'm sure there are others....

Thank you in advance!

Hi Johnnyman,

I just returned from two back-to-back trips to NYC to see shows. (I'm 24 and have a degree, if that helps give you a frame of reference.)

I'd recommend:

Spring Awakening: The music is amazing, and the young cast is incredibly talented. The message and theme of the show is heavy. It won the 2008 Tony for best musical. I saw it once from the orchestra and once from the stage. Sitting on stage is a very cool (and inexpensive) experience if you can get tickets.

Avenue Q: very smart, very clever, very funny, and quite naughty. Check broadwaybox.com and playbill for discounts.

Jersey Boys: the singing is amazing, and it's a great story. You'll recognize most of the music. Tickets are a tough get.

Rent: It's been around for over 11 years, and I adore it. It's a rock opera, adult themes (AIDS, homosexuality, drug addiction) - amazing story. I've seen it 4 times, and loved it each time, but it's not for everyone. This show is often discounted and available at TKTS.

Wicked: A huge production with great singing and great costumes. It's a feel-good show with a terrific message. Tickets are generally scarce.

I seriously adore all of these shows, and would have a tough time choosing a favorite (hence my taking two trips in 2 months.)

Enjoy NYC - October is supposed to be a great time to visit.

In no particular order, I'd choose from Avenue Q, Rent and Spring Awakening. You can definitely get discount tickets for the first two.

Spamalot

#1 - Spring Awakening

#2 - Rent, in the East Village

Enjoy NYC!

Avenue Q is great and very unique. Wicked was also very good.

I found rent t be dated,
definitely Spring awakening and avenue Q

I'm curious how Rent was dated, but Spring Awakening is recommended.

Rent is about the sexual and social mores of the 1990's. Spring Awakening is about the sexual and social mores of the 1890's.

Both have a historical feature to them and contain things that would not happen today.

Just curious what the difference was to make one dated and the other not dated.

I'm curious, johnnyman, if you're interested in serious plays or comedys in addition to the mainstream musicals? If so, we could suggest some.

Incidentally, some of the recommendations above are extremely hard or impossible tickets unless you're looking at spending a couple hundred dollars a ticket through "scalpers".

Avenue Q was a lot of fun. I don't think you'll get Jersey Boys tickets for this October without paying an absolute fortune for them. There are other choices that you won't be robbed for, so I'd pick something else.

Rent - now a tradition - but deal with a lot of topical issues and is great entertainment ( actually a take-off of Puccini's La Boheme). You can get discount tickets at broadwaybox.com

Wicked - still a big hit - try to get tickets ASAP

A Chorus Line - a classic broadway show with fantastic dancing

Jersey Boys - but tickets practically impossible for you now unless you use a scalper

Thanks everyone! I think the consensus is that Avenue Q, Rent, Wicked, and Jersey Boys are top-notch.

What about Xanadu? I heard it's brand new...but is it good?

Sorry for the double-post, but one more play I would like opinions on:

Spamalot

If you HAD to choose between Spamalot and Avenue Q, which would you pick?

I'd choose Avenue Q, hands down. It's very relevant for twentysomethings, and I personally enjoy the music more.

Are you a big Monty Python fan? It might play into your decision.

And I wouldn't rule out Spring Awakening either - tickets seem to pop up at TKTS a few times a week (I think it's worth full price, but that's me:). )

Have fun - just thinking about shows makes me wish I was in NYC right now!

Leaglly Blond is adorable and a lot of fun - about educated people in theire 20's!

I just wanted to thank everybody here for replying. You've helped me out alot!

Have a great week!

Now let's all hope a possible stage hands' strike doesn't close down Broadway between now and Thanksgiving!!!