Broadway | On The Town

I am so excited to tell all of you about On The Town, as this was truly a one-of-a-kind Broadway experience for me. On The Town officially opened on October 16, but I rushed to the theatre during previews because one of my best childhood friends is in the show. I couldn't wait to see her perform, and it was a dream come true! We met as dancers growing up, and it was surreal to see her onstage in a classic musical. Thus, despite me being a bit biased about the show, I still wanted to share my thoughts on On The Town!

On The Town is now playing at the Lyric Theatre (formally the Foxwoods Theatre), and is revival of the classic musical that first performed on Broadway in 1944. The story follows three sailors who dock in New York City and have just twenty-four hours before they take off again. What plays out is a funny and romantic tale that takes the audience around New York in the span of two and a half hours.

I saw the show in previews, and as my friend explained, changes were being made on a daily basis. At the time, the show did feel a bit disjointed, but it was overall a joy to watch. Leonard Bernstein's score is recognizable and cheerful, and the well-known New York, New York! was stuck in my head for days. The entire cast was excellent, and I really appreciated the dancing. The strong dance numbers were not only entertaining, but they gave me the opportunity to see my friend onstage for most of the show! I should also mention that the set and costumes are amazing. I loved the bright colors and how seamlessly the stage was transformed in each new scene. I never knew what was going to happen next!

I do want to make a quick note in this review based off of my personal experience as an audience member. I attended a Saturday matinee, and the majority of the audience was made up of senior citizens who presumably wanted to view a favorite show of theirs. Yet unfortunately the crowd around me made some comments (in the middle of the performance, mind you) that need to be addressed. If you buy a ticket to On The Town expecting the movie starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, try to keep an open mind. The actors in the broadway show are incredible, and deserve to be respected in their own right. It's unfair to compare them to the greats of the past, and downright rude to comment "They're not as good," or "It's definitely not the same," both things I overheard from my neighbors in the middle of the show. Please, if you go see On The Town, keep your comparisons to yourself and don't spoil the performance by adding your own soundtrack.

Last but not least, I want to mention the Stage Door, which is located on 43rd Street. The actors did come out and sign autographs, and barricades were set up. I didn't get my Playbill signed this time around because I was getting a behind the scenes tour with my friend! I think that was definitely worth foregoing the autographs. Plus, there is always next time.

Overall, On The Town was a lovely experience. It's a show that's perfect for families, as younger audiences members will not catch on to the cheeky jokes that adults will love. I was luckily able to score an amazing seat in the orchestra thanks to the $20 lottery system (all details on that in THIS blog post). In fact, now that the show is officially open I plan on going again at some point in the future. I think that proves that On The Town was a great show, and I highly recommend it! Please let me know in the comments your thoughts on On The Town!

Broadway | If/Then with Idina Menzel

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see the new Broadway musical If/Then starring Idina Menzel. My friend and I entered the lottery, and though we lost out for $30 tickets we were able to get $50 seats in the front mezzanine. I knew nothing about the show, but thought anything with Idina and fellow RENT alum Anthony Rapp would be amazing. Luckily, I was quite right.

If/Then is truly a new musical. Idina is our protagonist, Elizabeth, and the show follows her life as she moves back to New York after leaving her first marriage. Elizabeth meets up with two friends, Lucas and Kate, who each invite her to join them on separate adventures. Instead of choosing just one path, If/Then shows Elizabeth's life from two points of view – we get Beth, who chooses to join Lucas at his protest, and Liz, who decides to hang out with Kate. The musical evolves into these two story lines, and the audience gets to see how each choice in Elizabeth's life, whether seemingly big or small, plays an important role in her destiny.

If you're confused by my If/Then summary, that's okay. I was definitely confused when the show first started, but slowly began to see the separate lives that Beth and Liz lead. While the show is certainly funny at parts, be aware that If/Then deals with serious topics (I highly recommend you bring tissues). The story is absolutely beautiful, and I say it is truly a new musical because it represents our society as it is today. The choices that Elizabeth must make, and the people she interacts with, are the people of 21st century America. For example, this is the first Broadway show I've seen that portrays homosexual couples as normal, everyday people, and not as over-the-top drag queens (not to bash those that do – you all know I loved Priscilla). I'm very impressed with If/Then being able to change the status quo of Broadway while using familiar Broadway faces to get the message across.

My Stage Door experience for If/Then was unfortunately a bit of a downer. Despite the beautiful weather we'd been experiencing, it was pouring rain when we exited the theatre. Many thanks to Anthony, James, and Jason, who still signed our Playbills in the rain. I know Idina does come out to sign autographs at the show, but we weren't so lucky. As with any Stage Door experience, hope for good weather!

Overall, if you're in New York, then you should see If/Then. The cast is brilliant, and it was such a privilege to hear Idina sing live. Keep in mind that this show is recommended for ages 12 and up, as it deals with some adult themes and the F-word makes several appearances. More information about the ticket lottery and If/Then can be found on the show's official website HERE. It is currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Pre-order the Original Broadway Case Recording on Amazon HERE.

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Broadway | Priscila Queen of the Desert

During my stay in New York City last spring, I attended a CD signing for the soundtrack release of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. (Learn more about that event HERE). Ever since then I've been dying to see the show. While walking through Times Square with my friend Lisa last weekend, I saw the Palace Theatre and had a great idea. It was about 5 minutes of 6:00PM on a Friday night, and if any of you are big broadway fans you know that means we had literally 5 minutes to enter the lottery at Priscilla. Lisa and I entered our names and about 20 minutes later we were holding in our hands front row tickets to see one of the biggest shows currently playing on broadway. We couldn't believe our luck! Not only had Lisa never been to a broadway show before, but this was the first time she had ever entered a lottery. We were definitely meant to have those tickets!

As 8:00PM rolled around, Lisa and I sat anxiously in our seats with our newly purchased pink boas. When the lights went down, the magic of Priscilla began. The story revolves around three drag queens that take a road trip from Sydney, Australia to Alice Springs so that Tick, played by Will Swenson, can meet his son for the first time. Their journey west is sometimes rough-- their bus breaks down, they get lost, and they're even tormented for being gay. Yet the serious moments of the show only compliment the rest of the lively and upbeat music and dancing. If you enjoy disco and eighties music, this show is for you! From Girls Just Want to Have Fun to Like a Prayer, you will definitely be dancing in your seat. I know we were!

Priscilla also features some amazing costumes. They're brightly colored and change throughout the entire show! I would love to have the Barbie jacket that Nick Adams wears. And speaking of Nick Adams, the cast of this production is one of the most talented I've seen. Tony Sheldon, Will, and Nick are such a wonderful team. It also doesn't help that all of the boys in the cast are extremely good looking. If you're not drooling simply by looking at Mr. Adams, there are plenty of other lovelies for you to stare at! By the end of Priscilla, our cheeks hurt from smiling so much, our voices were sore from cheering, and our hands a bit tired from clapping so hard. What was left for us to do besides run to the stage door?!

For those of you that haven't been to this theater before, the stage door is located to your right once you exit from the left side of the theater. Barricades will be set up. This was definitely the best organized stage door I've ever experienced! The security people had a bag of black sharpies for the stars of the show so you don't have to worry about bringing one. Also, the performers were out the door signing and taking pictures within 10-15 minutes! I would say that Iusually have to wait a half-hour before anyone comes out. Considering all of the make-up and fancy costumes this cast is getting out of, I was really surprised when they came out so soon. 

 

All of the stars were so nice and gracious. Tony Sheldon told me he liked my sparkly pink nail polish, one of the chorus boys asked us how the lottery seats were, and one of the divas, Ellyn Marsh, even recognized us from the front row! Apparently our big smiles and wide eyes let the actors know how much fun we were having. Of course, I had to snap a photo with the gorgeous Nick Adams and a few of the other performers. They were all so great both onstage and off!

If you're looking for a fun broadway show to go to, make sure to get tickets to Priscilla! The lottery begins 2.5 hours before each performance, and they stop taking names 2 hours before, as that's when the lottery takes place. You must have $40 cash only for each ticket. Although the seats are partial view, I would not have traded my front row ticket for anything! The amount of action you miss is minimal, and being up close is always exciting. Besides, the closer you sit the more likely it is that you'll catch a ping pong ball! Believe me, you do not want to miss Priscilla Queen of the Desert!

Broadway | American Idiot

American Idiot is a rock opera on broadway that takes the music of Green Day and attempts to mold it into a story. The show is closing on April 24th, and since I will be home for Easter during the weekend, I knew yesterday would really be my last chance to go see it. At 5:00PM, two hours before the show, I entered the lottery in hopes to win one of twenty-five seats in the first two rows of the orchestra for only $27. Unfortunately, there were literally at least a hundred people there (if not more) and I didn't win. However, I did end up paying $37 for a "partial view" seat. A little more than I would have liked to spend, but my seat was actually pretty decent. There were only a few moments where I missed part of the action. 

I'm not sure why I wanted to see this show so much. I only knew about half of the songs performed, and while it was really cool to see Billie Joe Armstrong perform live, I'm not the band's biggest fan. While the plot of the story definitely needed some work-- it's difficult to make a cohesive story with a bunch of songs that weren't written to relate-- the music was a lot of fun. If you have a chance to see it before it closes, definitely go if you like rock operas or Green Day. You'll see a great concert if nothing else. Just do me one favor-- no kids under 17! The audience was filled with little, punk teens (and even some young children!!), but this show is really not appropriate for them. The language is strong, and let's just say it sticks to the phrase "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." 

American Idiot has had a great run on broadway, but after seeing it I can understand why it's to close this weekend. Once you've seen a Green Day rock opera, you don't need to see it again. 

Don't do drugs, kids! 

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IN OTHER NEWS:

If you would like to see a video from the Priscilla Queen of the Desert CD Signing I attended, click here: http://www.broadway.com/shows/priscilla-queen-desert/videos/ Bonus points if you spot me in the video!

If you would like to know more in depth information about Student Rush/General Rush/Lottery for broadway shows, check out: Broadway Informer. She does an amazing job at giving you all the info you need to know!