What Musical to see?
 

I'm going to be in nyc 6/28-7/11 and being a big fan of broadway musicals am planning on seeing two. My biggest problem is that I've seen most the "must see's" on my list. I prefer to be able to see shos where I can wait for rush tickets (although it's not a must if I can get tickets at a reasonable price but I think it's part of the fun of seeing a show) Spamalot, although I'd love to see it is obviously too hard to get tickets for and way out of my price range. I am also set on seeing a musical over a play.

Planning on getting tickets for Ave. Q (the end of my "must see list") In the past I've seen Aida, Cabaret, Movin' Out, The Producers, Rent,Wicked, Brooklyn, Hairspray and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (as well as Phantom in Toronto) I enjoyed Aida, Wicked and Hairspray the most for the music, Chitty for the way the show was done with the car and other props and Brooklyn and Rent as well. (the other ones were good, but maybe not my favorites) Any suggestions as to what I should see now?

Some of the shows that have Rush tickets avaliable are The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, All Shook Up, Chicago, Dirty Rotten, Fiddler, The Light in the Piazza, Mama Mia!, and Sweet Charity.

Also, I know what SRO is, but is it worth it? I don't know if I could stand that long for a show. What about Spamalot SRO? I know how to get it, but is it worth it and how hard is it to get? Finally has anyone had seats that are obstructed view for Spamalot because of the overhang? I may have the chance to get realatively cheap tickets for the seats and was wondering if it was worth it/how bad they were.

Thanks in advance for the help/opinions!

From your proposed list I most recently saw Spelling Bee, Chicago, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Fiddler. The best in Dirty Rotten - by far. Musical comedy at its best with a daringly over-the-top performance by Norbert Leo Butz. Clever book, great cast and a genuinely tuneful and witty score. A funny, funny show that deserves to be more successful than it is. The first Broadway muscial where I've wanted to see it again immediately. I have the soundtrack in my car and listen to it constantly.

Spelling Bee is a very small piece. While cute...you won't think its much of a "Broadway musical". It feels a lot like an expanded Saturday Night Live skit.

Fiddler is good...espcially if you are a Harvey Firestein fan. Chicago felt a bit dated, but has a strong cast now.

Finally has anyone had seats that are obstructed view for Spamalot because of the overhang?

I saw Spamalot from Row Q (center orchestra) under the overhang. The seats were great. We could see and hear everything perfectly.

If you want tickets for Avenue Q, get them now. The show regularly sells out or very close to sellout. So, if you wait and are lucky enough to get tickets, they probably won't be very good ones.

Avenue Q is great!

Fiddler on the Roof - skip it! Harvey Fierstein ruins it - he cannot sing! He sounds like a monster muppet or something. I've seen it years ago and enjoyed it, this time around I *almost* left early, but stayed, hoping it would improve. No such luck. It's 3 LONG hours. Saw it on a friday night and there were TONS of empty seats - that should tell you something.

Dirty Rotton Scoundrels on the other hand, looks great! Only going by the Tony's performance...but I thought it looked really good.

From your list, Dirty Rotten, All Shook Up, Mama Mia, Spelling Bee (I agree with TC but it's cute at a discount price). If you're going to stand, All Shook Up might not be a bad one to stand for. Forget Chicago. Current production is tired. You're better off with the movie video. I agree about skipping Fiddler too. I haven't seen Piazza but friends thought it was nothing much.

I have seen A Light in the Piazza twice, and thought it was phenomenal- however, based on the other shows you said you've enjoyed, it may not be your cup of tea. It has a classical feel to it, and is beautiful and romantic through and through, but it is not a big extravaganza.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a good bet, though I can't give a first-hand account of that one. I noticed that neither Lion King nor Beauty and the Beast are on your list, but if you can get tickets, both are worth seeing.

Have fun!

My son was in NYC a couple weeks ago and saw All Shook Up. He loved it and said he'd go again in a minute.

I know you've already seen it, Cinderella, but I'd like to ask about Wicked.

Any input? The soundtrack is fabulous. I may fly to NYC for a couple of days if I can get tix.

Daughter and I have seen Wicked twice - first time with original cast which was awesome. The music is gorgeous and the sets are too. Well worth a visit.

I am absolutely mesmerized by the soundtrack. I'll keep checking playbill.com. I would love to fly to any city where Idina is reprising the role of the Wicked Witch!

I also saw Wicked original cast and it soon became one of my favorite shows I've ever seen. I was just blown away. I took my best friend to see it (it was her first broadway experience) and she was also totally blown over by it. I haven't seen who plays it now, but I can imagine it still would be a wonderful show. I recommend it 100%, and very visit worthy.

Did I miss it? Have you seen Lion King? Honestly it is amazing. Friends and I went a few months ago, it wasn't my pick but I loved it so much I just recommended it to some others and they thought it was awesome too.

Idina was the best part about seeing the original - she has a phenomenal voice and completely filled the stage with her performance of "The Wizard and I", I believe the song was called. I think she's busy making the film version of Rent (still?) and not sure if she'll return to the production but if she did, she'd sure draw a crowd.

While I loved Idina and was amazed by her voice, am I the only one who felt that Kristen Chenowith outshone her in stage presence? I was even more taken with her than with Idina.

I'm jealous, Patrick, that you are able to have a first hand opinion - and I am not :-(

On the soundtrack, Idina's voice just reaches out and grabs me. It would have been wonderful to have seen them together on stage. I've seen Kristen perform before and she was awesome. I'm checking to Playbill to see who's in which role in which city and watching AirTran fares. Consolation prize is just waiting for the touring company to come to Atlanta next year.

Incidentally, I happened to note before we booked tickets to Wicked that Kristen was going to be off for a week doing Candide for the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. Fortunately I was able to get tickets for the week BEFORE she was to be absent, and was also able to get tickets to Candide. That staged concert version was wonderful, and it now appears from time to time on PBS. If you see it's on, be sure to watch it.

Lest anyone think that Fodorites give unimous raves for Wicked, we did not like the show....and neither did our grandchildren.

I'd have to agree with Kristen being my favorite part of the show. While I was totally drawn in by both of them and both of their voices were amazing, Kristen stole my heart. I figured it might have been because I could relate more to an extent with the character of Glinda then I could Elfie.

Howard - why didn't you and your family like Wicked? Not trying to change your opinion or argue with you, but I'm interested to know.

I didn't think I was going to like Mama Mia! but I really did. Definetly worth seeing! How about The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast? Those were both spectacular , whether you are a Disney fan or not.

Cindarella02, my wife and I found the music boring and repetitious and felt the show went on for about a half hour too long. We didn't see the original stars and thought that Ephedra's singing was right out of the American Idol school of shouting.
As for our grandkids, they were bored. Our 12-year-old really loved both Hairspray and Fiddler on the Roof, while the nine-year-old thought that Little Women was much better!

I can see your point ...I too loved Hairspray although unfortunately for me, my housemate hates it...that leaves me to listening to the soundtrack only when she's not home :)

I can highly recommend Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and All Shook Up. Norbert Leo Butz is amazing in DRS and the rest of the cast is also very good. All Shook Up surprised me-it wasn't my choice but I ended up loving it. Just an overall fun show and some great voices.

I also really liked Spamalot. Hank Azaria is gone for the summer and he was one of the highlights of the show but David Hyde Pierce, Tim Cury and Sara Ramirez are also outstanding. I had a seat in the back of the mezzanine-the view was a little obstructed when some the action was happening high up. I was able to just lean down a little to see it. In the mezzanine at least you aren't as far back as in the balcony. I was just happy to get my tickets.

I have done SRO before in smaller theatres. One was for Hairspray when it first came out and I thought it was worth it. The Shubert is pretty big so don''t know how good the view is from the SRO spots. I know that people line up early every day for the Spamalot SRO's so keep that in mind also.

Have fun whatever shows you see.

I received a notice from Playbill.com yesterday for discount tickets of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. While its nice to have the discount, this is usually not a good omen for a shows longevity. How sad if it closes soon, one of the current best on Broadway.

dirty rotten scoundrels is on discount? that's a surprise as most people in my office have been paying scalpers to get decent seats.

I just looked at Playbill.com about the discount tickets for DRS and the only thing I saw was offers for discounts if you join the Playbill Club. They had many shows listed for discounts if you belong to the club including those that have been running for a long time and continue to draw big audiences. I looked at grosses for the week of June 13-19 just for the musicals. Beauty & the Beast was at 93% attendance, DRS at 94%, Hairspray at 98% and Phantom at 97%. All those shows were being offered a discount if you belong to the Playbill Club. So I hope this means that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will be around for a while because I agree it's one of the best (or at least the funniest)playing right now.

Paula, I'm not sure what you mean. Joining the Playbill Club is no big deal. You simply sign up. I wasn't aware that you get any discounts via Playbill.com without joining their club.

Meanwhile Dirty Rotten Scoundrels discounts are also available to anyone who clicks on www.broadwaybox.com

While starting discounts may sometimes seem like a bad omen to a show, there are many long running shows which have been offering discounts for years now! So it does NOT mean it is nearing the end of its run.

I agree Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a wonderful show!! And I think I enjoyed Joanna Gleason as much as the two leads.

To those of you who are raving about Norbert Leo Butz, he will not be doing the show the week that I am in New York. Playbill is offering somewhat discounted tickets, ($75 instead of $100) maybe for that reason. Should I see the show anyway?

Patrick-you're right about Playbill Club. I didn't make that very clear. And yes anyone can sign up and get the discount. And as you said and my numbers show-long running shows do offer discounts.

The day I saw DRS, Joanna Gleason was sick so she seemed a little bit off. She even mentioned it when she came at at the stage door-wouldn't stop because she was sick. I know she has a reputation for not sticking around at the stage door but you could tell by her voice she wasn't feeling well. I really liked the chemistry between John Lithgow and Norbert Leo Butz but one reason I like this show so much is because I think the chemistry between all the cast members is very strong.

MercersX5 - I don't know that I would see the show without Norbert because his performance is so outstanding. The other leads are great, though and as I said before the whole cast really works together well as an ensemble. Don't know if Norbert's understudy will have the same chemistry with the other players. It's a hard call so I'll be interested to see what some of the other Fodorites think.

Patrick is quite right about discount tickets. Many shows--Rent, Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, just to name three--have been making discount tickets available for years. Just about all the current shows--except for the major hits like Wicked, The Lion King and Avenue Q--offer discount tickets, some regular and some occasionally.

It's always a tough call to see a show without one of the stars. I have to admit I'm sure I liked Spamalot a little less because of the absence of Hank Azaria (and in fact, even saw his replacement's understudy -- not the replacement himself) and also missed the award winning "Lady of the Lake" who was out sick. Clearly I did not see the show in its best form -- but still very good and fun.

On the other hand I remember some shows that were greeted by boos at the announcement of understudies, that turned out to be remarkable performances by "unknowns". Last year in London, I saw Thoroughly Modern Millie with an understudy, who I swear out "Millied" Sutton Foster whom I had loved in the role.

Booing? That is so rude!

Last Monday I ordered tickets for the Odd Couple in February! I can't wait :D

Yes, booing. One clear example was going to see Patti Lupone in Anything Goes years ago at the Vivian Beaumont. The show was delayed. At about 15 or 20 minutes after 8, they finally announced that her understudy was going on, and the opening was delayed maybe another 15 minutes. A very large portion of the audience booed, and many got up to go get a refund. Linda Hart was the WONDERFUL understudy who was simply amazing in the role -- but not to the people who came merely to see Ms. Lupone.