Off-Broadway | Potted Potter

I finally had the chance to return to the theatre today to see Potted Potter off-broadway. While my last off-broadway experience was so bad that I had just about ruled out off-broadway altogether, I was able to get Potted Potter tickets for such an amazing price that I couldn't help but go. Plus, as a huge Harry Potter fan I'm pretty much always up for things HP related, and that includes theatre parodies. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Potted Potter, and wanted to share a bit of my experience for those who want to know more about the show. 70 minutes. 7 books. 2 guys. That pretty much sums up Potted Potter! But seriously, be ready for a two-man show that tells the story of Harry Potter in just over an hour (nope, there's no intermission, but you really don't need one). The show is quite lighthearted, and perfect for families. It's silly enough that kids will love it, but there are just enough inside jokes that serious HP fans will be cracking up throughout the show. Potted Potter also has some interactive moments, but nothing too embarrassing for audience members. Overall, the show left me with a smile, and I felt as though my time was well spent. Now even though I thoroughly enjoyed the show, just a heads up -- there is really no reason to be spending full price on these tickets. It really isn't worth $79.99. You can get $20 off tickets by shopping from Theatermania HERE, or stop by TKTS for discounted tickets as well (today tickets were 50% off!). If you get a great deal, you will definitely enjoy the show a lot more! To learn more about Potted Potter, stop by the official website HERE.

This Past Week in NYC

I realize I haven't updated much this past week or so. I've been keeping busy with work, school, and, of course, fun! I'm running out of time here in NYC, and I'm trying to get as much out of it as I can. Below I'll recap some of the more exciting moments I've had recently.

CD Signing: Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Last week I happened to come across by chance an awesome event happening at Barnes and Noble on the Upper East Side. Thanks to Twitter, I headed to the bookstore after work for a performance and CD signing with the cast of the broadway show Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The event was very cool. All I had to do was buy a CD for about $14 and I got to hear members from the show's Original Broadway Cast sing some of the songs for a select group of people. The music was tons of fun, and it was nice to get my CD signed as well. I'd love to check out this show-- the music features fun stuff like "I Will Survive," "Like a Prayer," and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." There's also drag queens involved, so you know it's gotta be good! Unfortunately the only rush tickets they offer are $45 for Sunday evenings. A bit pricey for me right now, but I've got to say this CD signing was a great way to get a sneak peak of the show. Here are a few photos I took:

This is the show's orchestrator. Hopefully my brother will be doing these events one day!

These are the Divas:

And here's one of the guys singing:

Lastly, my signed CD:

Dave and Busters

Last weekend my old neighbor in the house Jason came back for a visit. On Saturday he and I went to Dave and Busters in Times Square with Mary (my other neighbor) and her boyfriend Matt. While I can always go to D&B back in Boston, I had never been before. We didn't go for dinner, but the arcade was really fun. Of course, you're spending a little bit too much money for the "tokens," which are actually on a plastic card much like a credit card. That probably explains why it's so easy to just swipe it and run out of points quickly! The experience was really fun, but I would definitely not go there too often because you'll end up spending a lot. The good thing, though, is that your tickets are saved on your card so that any time you go back they're still available for use. If you're looking for something fun to do with a group of friends, Dave and Busters is a cool place to hang out. 

Off-Broadway: Love Song

After getting a late start on Sunday, I decided to get a ticket for an off-broadway show on my new favorite website StudentRush.org (seriously, you NEED to check it out). That way I didn't have to be in the city all day after waiting in line to get a ticket. I had been hearing praise for Love Song at the 59E59 theater on Twitter, so I decided to give it a shot. My ticket was free with the exception of the $5 I paid for a reservation fee with the website. I was pretty excited when I had a first row seat, but then the show started. Don't get me wrong-- the actors were amazing. All of them did a great job in their roles. The story, however, was not for me, and not what I was expecting. I wasn't the only one who felt this way either. The lady sitting two seats down from me fell asleep, and for the parts she was awake she shook her head at every swear (which there were many) and checked her watch literally every 5 minutes. I'm not mad that I went, but I definitely would not recommend this show to anyone. The story, in the end, was a good one, but getting there was a little painful. You can click the link above if you'd like to learn more about the story. 

That Championship Season

Thanks to StudentRush.org, I was able to see the broadway play That Championship Season on Thursday night for free (again, just the $5 to reserve the ticket). I was sitting in the center orchestra pretty far back, but still an awesome seat. The cast of this show is enough reason to see it-- Chris Noth, Jim Gaffigan, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Brian Cox. Who wouldn't want to see these guys in person?! The show was really good, too. The story revolves around four guys who are visiting their high school basketball coach to remember their infamous championship win when they were kids. What starts off as a happy reunion brings out a bunch of dark secrets. Things get pretty serious when you find out what the guys are hiding. In the end, they learn that life goes on, and sometimes you need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on. My only complaint about the show was that the intermission definitely does not split up the evening very well. The first act is over in about 40 minutes, but then the second act is about an hour and 15 minutes. By the end of the night I was ready to get out of there! I'm really glad I went to see this show, but I wouldn't go again. Once was enough for me! I recommend this those who are college age and older. It's really geared toward 30s and up, I think. 

Catch Me If You Can

One of this season's hottest new musicals is Catch Me If You Can. Today I went to the matinee by getting student rush tickets for $27. I got to theater an hour early thinking that since it is such a new show I'd need to get there early. Boy was I right-- there were already about 17 people ahead of me in line when I got there! Luckily I still got a seat in the boxes (not my favorite, but still great). I was unsure of how a musical rendition of the story would be, and let me tell you, it is tons of fun! The gorgeous Aaron Tveit stars as Frank Abagnale, Jr. Not only is he easy on the eyes, but he is one of the best performers broadway has to offer. The rest of the cast is to die for as well. Catchy songs, fabulous dance numbers, and, of course, a story that doesn't disappoint (but you already knew that part). Catch Me If You Can is the perfect musical adventure. Go see it.

Off-Broadway | My Big Gay Italian Wedding

Last night I went to see the Off-Broadway show "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" with my friend Patrick from high school. I had heard about this show because it is produced by one of the Real Housewives of NJ, Dina Manzo, and last week tickets were on sale at Groupon.com for the amazing price of $42 (regularly $70+). I didn't want to pass up such a great deal! 

Although I have been to a handful of Broadway shows in the past, I have never seen one Off-Broadway before. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The theater was rather small, with just chairs set up for the audience. The great thing about that, though, was it made the show more personal. The actors often interacted with the audience. At one point (during the wedding scene), the mother of the groom even yelled at Patrick for wearing jeans to her son's wedding! It was hilarious! 

If you are looking for a show to see that is cheaper than Broadway and in a more intimate setting, I would definitely recommend My Big Gay Italian Wedding. The show was so funny, and it had some really great moments in there. Something that made me laugh a lot was the cast's version of the Italian Ducky Dance that my family does. I couldn't believe it! The wedding reception was definitely my favorite scene, but I don't want to give too much away. 

Of course, I also found it touching that a Catholic, Italian family loved their gay son enough to throw him a wedding (okay, with a little begging involved). Civil rights is an issue that is extremely important to me, and plays like this one help to show people that gay marriage really isn't so bad after all. If two people love each other, that's what matters. While Anthony and Andrew could not get legally married in My Big Gay Italian Wedding, I hope that one day down the road they can rewrite the script because New York has made same-sex marriage legal. 

I also hope that I can go to many more shows, both Broadway and otherwise, while I'm here in New York City. They aren't always the most affordable form of entertainment, but they are worth every penny!