first time theater-hopping in new york, suggestions please...

-flower drum song?
-frankie and johnny?
-hairspray?
-take me out?

thanks.

Skip Flower Drum Song, nothing special but heavily discounted. Hasn't opened yet but I would expect poor reviews based on the preview we saw.

Hairspray is dyn-o-mite! But tickets are hard to come by. If you manage to get tickets, run to see it.

The Producers, T T Millie, Phantom, Les Miz, the 3 Disney shows, are all good choices for musicals.

May I suggest 42nd Street, which is a terrific first time NY theater experience, or Movin Out, if you like Billy Joel music.

You can check ebay.com
for hard to find theater tickets
happy broadway!

For a first-timer, there are lots of choices:
If you can beg, borrow or steal tickets for Hairspray and/or The Producers, get them! Otherwise....
Musicals (the ones where tickets are readily available)--Cabaret, Chicago, Les Miz, Oklahoma, Phantom of the Opera
Straight plays--Frankie and Johnny...., Proof
I believe it'll be tough to get tickets for Take Me Out, as it got good reviews and is playing is a small off-Broadway theater.

For a first-timer, there are lots of choices:
If you can beg, borrow or steal tickets for Hairspray and/or The Producers, get them! Otherwise....
Musicals (the ones where tickets are readily available)--Cabaret, Chicago, Les Miz, Oklahoma, Phantom of the Opera
Straight plays--Frankie and Johnny...., Proof
I believe it'll be tough to get tickets for Take Me Out, as it got good reviews and is playing in a small off-Broadway theater.

The best that I've seen (and I've seen most every play as I'm a theater student) are:
Hairspray
Phantom of the Opera
Mamma Mia
The Producers

(all 4 are really excellent and you can't go wrong!) To get tickets to Hairspray or The Producers, you probably will need to go to ebay.com as they're sold out.

Tickets for Phantom of the Opera are easier to come by but I wouldn't recommend the balcony for this one (mezzanine is OK, but the balcony is really up high with many many stairs to climb)
Brad

On 2nd thought....don't get balcony seats for the Producers either....way too high and too many stairs to climb. Lower mezzanine seats are fine. Orchestra seats for Phantom of the Opera may not be too great if you're far back as there's action going on that will be hidden due to the overhang.

thank you, folks.
already have tix for hairspray, frankie and johnny..., flower drum song (bad reviews, huh!), take me out, beauty and the beast.
need one more matinee...

Man of La Mancha is either in or going into previews. Skip Hollywood Arms, it practically put me to sleep. What about Urinetown, Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King?

Cabaret or Chicago, either well worth your time.

Mama Mia.....great fun. Wonderful music.

What about an off-bdway show.

www.playbill.com has the full listings.

Enjoy!

Saw Metamorphoses today. We really enjoyed it! At the Circle in the Square.
Howard, have you seen it?

No, nygirl, we haven't seen Metamorphisis yet. It's on our list. Busy is the word for us these days. We have, however, gotten tickets to see Paul Newman in Our Town in early December.

Saw Flower Drum Song and really liked it. The only downside was that they really didn't showcase Lia Solonga. She didn't have one memorable number. Too bad.

Saw Paul Newman in Our Town when it was at his wife's theater in CT. Same production is moving to NYC. I am not a big fan of that show, (find it irritatingly slow), but saw it because of Newman. He is the narrator and does a fine job of it. Jane Curtain was great and the only reason I stayed awake for the whole show. But, if you like the story, you should absolutely get tickets for this because you may never seen Newman on stage again. The last time he performed in theater was about 30 years ago.

Ellen, we seeing Our Town just to see Newman. As you said, it's his first NY stage appearance in 30 years....and this may be his last. That is reason enough for us!

cool

Another emphatic vote for Movin'Out. We saw the Saturday matinee and was blown away. The band is made up of musicians who've played for the biggest names in the music industry, and the lead vocal(Wade Peterson on Sat. aft.) was so good it will give you chills. Twyla Tharps choreography is unbelievable. If you're a fan of Billy Joel's music this is a can't miss!!

I'll throw another one in. Off Broadway down at Pace Univ. Two downside are that the show is 3 hrs long, & it is impossible to get a cab down there at night. The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Fascinating. Expensive. We paid about $150 per seat, but I believe that included the subscription fee for that theater. It is a small theater and there is not a bad seat in the house. Jaw dropping cast- Al Pacino, Tony Randall, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Paul Rudd, Charles Durning, Chaz Palmenari, and Billy Crudup. Only running through November 3rd. WORTH EVERY CENT.

thanks 4 all the responses!!! saw "movin' out" during their chicago run, it was good. how's "mamma mia" for a saturday matinee?
again, thanks for the suggestions.