South Pacific on Broadway
 

I am looking into getting my father in law tickets for South Pacific on Broadway. I did read an article on the play last weekend in the New York Times but I wanted to hear from the experts ...ie, Patrick and CP Girl.

andrew8 - it was wonderful - lovely music with a full orchestra under a moving stage. The cast is excellent - so much talent! When Kelly O'Hara sings "Wash that Man," you want to sing along too! The venue is great because it is not too large. It's one of the few plays this season, IMO, that is worth paying full price.

One other suggestion - get tix for you and your wife as well.

BTW the cast CD is being released this week and there's a website where you can see and hear some songs. I'll look for the site and post it for you.

Here it is:

http://www.lct.org/showMedia.htm?id=174

Thank you CP Girl for your quick response. It really looks like a winner.
I am going to get tickets for my wife and father in law. In fact I may splurge on premium tickets through a ticket broker. My father in law hasn't been doing well and I feel this would be very uplifting for him. I should mention that he loves musicals.

Sorry to hear that. This musical is probably of his generation or close to it and should give him a nice lift.
You are very thoughtful.

Has he seen "Gypsy?"

Thank you CP Girl.
He hasn't seen Gypsy, is that just as good as South Pacific?

Yes it is. Tough choice. If I were taking my father, I would base my decision on familiarity of music. I think that adds a special element to a performance especially for an older person. Of course, only if we're talking about good music and both plays have it.

In regards to Gypsy, are the original lead performers still in the play?

Yes. I guess you can call telecharge and see how long Patti LuPone is in it. She IS Rose!

I wish that O'Hara and LuPone could share the Tony.

Thank you CP Girl. Its vital that he see's Gypsy with Patti Lupone in it.

I just read that Bernadette Peters is playing Rose...is it still worth seeing the play with her as Rose?

Can't be - where did you read it?

I saw Bernadette in it during the last revival and she doesn't come close to Patti LuPone. If it's true, go to "South Pacific."

Bernadette Peters played Rose in the previous revival of Gypsy.

Patti LuPone is playing Rose in the current production of Gypsy. I saw her in the Encores production and was blown away. She and the entire production are supposedly even better now. Go see it.

I have not seen South Pacific, but everyone who has seen it has said this is another must see.

Bernadette's website shows concerts through 12/08.

I want to get this straight, is Patty Lupone in the current production of Gypsy?

I saw it here CP....
http://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/i...hp?showid=4949

andrew8 - this is like a scene out of Twilight Zone! That site shows the revival from years ago - different cast, different director and different theater. See the site below through Playbill.com.

http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/13800.html

Maybe after the NYGTG, we can all go see Ethel Merman in it! LOL

Very good CP....she sounds great here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv1p1Vea0iY

About two months ago I called for tickets to South Pacific. I wanted two tickets for "any date in the month of June". They couldn't help me. They had two or three nights with one ticket left, and one night with two tickets well separated, but both in the far back and sides. That was it. So we won't be seeing it in June.

I am SO looking forward to Gypsy. Not only the critics are raving, but theatre friends whose opinions I really trust have all said it is by far the best revival of the show ever -- and most of them have seen all the revivals. Patti Lupone IS Mama Rose, and the entire production is supposed to be simply wonderful.

andrew8 - it looks like they're selling tix through Jan 2009. So you should be able to find something decent.

Gypsy is next for my father in law after he see's South Pacific on June 21st. I just paid a premium for my wife and father in law to see the show


We ended up not seeing the Country Girl or Dangerous Liaisons on our anniversary. I am going to work on getting tickets for the 3 of us to see Gypsy.

Good for you! "Country Girl" is not great and I'm seeing "Dangerous L" on 6/10. I'm getting tired of spending a lot on actors I love who are 'miscast.'

I totally understand your point CP.
Just checked online and can get regular priced tickets for Gypsy which works out perfectly.
Thank you for help CP and Patrick

andrew, why get regular priced tickets for Gypsy? You can get discount tickets (best seats available so they are the same seats you'd get at full price) via discount codes fromPlaybill.com -- 40% off until early July. I got 5th row orchestra that way (side section, just off the aisle).

Incidentally, I have 21 shows lined up for our month in June (about half are Broadway, half are off-Broadway). All but one of those I have bought in advance with sizeable discounts. The one night only staged concert of Showboat at Carnegie Hall is the only show I've paid full price for.

Wow-Patrick, I am jealous, 21 shows. My DD didn't get Louise at Sacramento Music Circus but she wasn't too disappointed as it was a long shot.

I am still hoping to get to NYC in Sept. I hope Patti Lupone is still in the show. Also would like to see South Pacific if I can get tickets. I guess I better start planning now. My DD's friend, Andrew Samonsky, is in South Pacific. You saw him in Tick Tick Boom in LA where he played the Jonathan Larson character. I think Andrew's just in the chorus but it would be fun to see him in the show.

Despite my complaint, much of what I see is with a sizable discount (South Pacific $50, Passing Strange $30 - all orchestra).

Thank for the link Patrick.
I am having trouble finding aisle seats but in due time I hope to find some.

Good Morning CP

GM a8!

What are you people doing up at 5 in the morning? It's Sunday on a holiday weekend!

I recently got South Pacific tickets for late July and had no problem getting them.
Incidentally, the good thing about its theater--the Vivian Beaumont--is that there really aren't any bad seats there. So can feel fairly in ordering them, regardless of location.

I paddled my surfski early this morning before having brunch in NYC.

CP or anyone else who has seen Gypsy, how is the leg room in the theater?
I am concerned about the legroom as I am between 6-2 and 6-3. Our last play was Grey Gardens and the legroom was beyond uncomfortable.
I have had no luck getting isle seats through Playbill but its not going to stop me from seeing Gypsy.

I've never thought about leg room being a problem at the St. James (Gypsy), but like you I LOVE getting those aisle seats. And while I agree with Howard that all seats in the Vivian Beaumont (South Pacific) have great views, and the "stadium" style seating gives great unobstructed viewing there generally, I find that otherwise wonderful theatre to have about the worst leg room of any. I have been absolutely miserable there, and was thrilled when the person next to me left at intermission at the last show I saw there (Light in the Piazza) so I could sit a little sideways and release the cramps in my legs.

Patrick, do you think I would be OK not having an isle seat for Gypsy given my height. I don't want to have what happened to me at the Walter Kerr theater.

Well, I'm not sure that the St. James is much different from the Walter Kerr.
My issue, by the way, at the Vivian Beaumont is that because the seats are so high above the ones in front of you, you can't even put your feet under the seat in front of you, they are blocked off. But in the St. James, that at least isn't a problem. Compared to the older theatres in London, I find none of the Broadway ones to be quite so bad.

One last question Patrick, I was able to find second row center balcony on the isle. Are these seats Ok at the St James? My father in law doesn't have the greatest sight at a distance.

Balcony and not mezzanine? That's further up and back than I like to sit -- I can't see any expressions from that distance, but the overall staging looks good from there.

I don't think I've ever sat further up and back than the front row of the mezzanine there -- which is really wonderful.

I remember the lousy seating at Grey Gardens!! I was in the mezzanine, though. But, the leg room was non-existent at best. I've never felt so cramped, and I am on the short and moderately slender side (that's a nicer way of saying i'm not abnormally overweigh!t)

Frank Rich's column in today's NYT was about South Pacific and Memorial Day. Didn't read the whole thing, because I don't want to find out too much what it's about (I remember watching the movie long time ago, but not sure I've ever really seen the whole thing.) But, he does talk about people willing to pay more to get seats to it. Also, the relevance of the show today. I am saving it to read after I see it, but others might want to read it now.

Thanks Patrick...back to my ticket hunting for Gypsy

Andrew, if you're playing with the website, forget it. I worked and worked with their "best available", and finally gave up and called and spoke to a very helpful young man who found me 5th row orchestra in the side section but just in from the aisle. There is no way those seats were ever coming up on the website. And yes, you can give them the discount code first and they'll really work with you if you tell them where you want to be and give them a few dates to choose from.

andrew8 - if you haven't gotten the tix yet, I would suggest not getting balcony. IMO it's too far away especially for your father-in-law. My vision's not perfect and I hate it when the faces aren't clear - you miss a lot. Can't help you on the leg room - I'm not tall and although DH is, I saw Gypsy with a cousin who's shorter than me.....sorry.

NeoP - 5 am is the middle of the night on a Sunday, but I got up to drive my son to LAG for an early flight. I set two alarms - I am so paranoid.