Broadway | Living on Love

Living on Love, A New Comedy with Music
Playing at Longacre Theatre
Musical or Play? Play
Rush? No
Best Place for Discount Tickets: Today Tix App (From $25)
Official Website: livingonlovebroadway.com

Renée Fleming makes her Broadway debut in the new comedy Living on Loveby two-time Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, based on the play Peccadillo by Garson Kanin, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall.

World-renowned soprano Renée Fleming takes to the stage as celebrated diva Raquel De Angelis. When Vito, her larger-than-life maestro husband, becomes enamored with the lovely young lady hired to ghostwrite his largely fictional autobiography, Raquel retaliates by hiring her own handsome, young scribe to chronicle her life as an opera star. Sparks fly, silverware is thrown, and romance blossoms in the most unexpected ways in this brand new hilarious comedy.

REVIEW

I'm not usually a play person, but when I had the opportunity to go see Living on Love for a discounted price, I decided to take a chance. I'm so glad I did! This comedy is one-of-a-kind. First and foremost, it's simple in that there is a very small cast of six characters, and the entirety of the show takes place in the same location – an upscale Manhattan apartment. Unlike other plays I've attended, Living on Love is also a short two hours (intermission included), which is quite manageable even for novice theatergoers. 

Moreover, Living on Love is unique in that it is a comedy with music, as the tagline suggests. The storyline focuses on a famous married couple. Maestro Vito De Angelis is set to narrate his autobiography to a ghostwriter, who ended up taking the job simply to meet the Maestro's wife, opera singer La Diva. Of course, things go wrong – the Maestro and La Diva's marriage is falling apart and they're running out of money. What follows is a hilarious family drama filled with ridiculousness, love, and opera. Yes, opera. Acclaimed opera singer Reneé Felming makes her Broadway debut as La Diva, and lends her voice to the show. It may sound weird, but it works.

I was definitely surprised with how much I enjoyed Living on Love. While the story is very predictable, it's still laugh-out-loud funny. The cast works flawlessly together, and each has great comedic timing. I really loved the incorporation of music into the show, as it fit perfectly with the storyline. Plus, it helped drag a musical lover like me to a play, thus making Living on Love accessible to a wider audience. 

I didn't try for the Stage Door after Living on Love, but I remember from a past experience at the Longacre a few years ago that barricades weren't set up until 10-15 minutes after the show. If you're interested in meeting the stars, I recommend asking an usher for more information. 

All in all, I'm glad I took the time to see Living on Love. I'm not sure that I would go see it a second time, but I do think it's worth seeing, especially if you're looking for a comedy. While the show is geared for adults, there is nothing inappropriate about it, and I would recommend it for families with children middle school age and up. If you'd like a light and quick Broadway experience, Living on Love is definitely the show to see. 

TodayTix App Brings the First Mobile Lottery to Audiences of On The Town!

If you've been an OpenLetter2NYC reader for a while, you'll know that I never attend a Broadway show at full price. Whether I wait in line for rush tickets, score a discount seat on the web, or enter the ticket lottery, I'm always on the hunt for the most affordable seats. I've been stalking the On The Town website recently, as one of my childhood friends is in the show and I just had to see her onstage as soon as possible. Imagine my surprise when I saw that On The Town is offering the first mobile lottery in Broadway history!

The TodayTix app makes entering the On The Town lottery super easy. All I had to do was download the app for free in the App Store on my iPhone (also available on Google Play and Amazon) and enter the lottery directly from my phone! Each day, I simply enter the On The Town lottery for free, and a few hours before the show I'm notified via email whether or not I scored tickets. For someone who lives in Downtown Manhattan, this app is absolutely perfect – I can enter the lottery no matter where in the city I am, and I don't have to wait in any lines at the theatre. Talk about convenient!

TodayTix is also a great app even if you're not looking to see On The Town (which you should, by the way!). The app allows you to get discounted tickets for many other Broadway shows, and is currently offering free tickets to the preview performances at The Public this season. There is no reason to stand in line out in the elements when you can buy discount tickets directly on your phone. With the time (and money) you save, you can enjoy New York City and pick up your tickets at the box office come showtime!

I also want to mention the great customer service I experienced with TodayTix. This past Saturday I entered the On The Town lottery, and figured I didn't win when showtime was getting close. Then my phone rang, and it was TodayTix! The original lottery winner cancelled, so they called and offered the ticket to me! I was so excited! I headed to the Lyric Theatre, handed my $20 in cash to the box office, and enjoyed the show from my orchestra seat. It was awesome!

I will have a full review of On The Town up on my blog once the show officially opens in October. For now, I definitely recommend that you take advantage of the TodayTix app. If you sign-up for TodayTix, please use my referral code, as you and I will both get $20 off our next ticket purchases through the app. Simply click HERE to be directed to the TodayTix website. I hope to see more Broadway shows using this app for their lottery systems soon!