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. 

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.