Back to Broadway, finally! What should I see?

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:15pm

Hello fellow Broadway World chatters,

It's not that, technically, I've been away from Broadway. For six months I worked at 43rd & Broadway, having moved to New York from the DC area for a new job. After many years of commuting every month or two for a Broadway weekend, I thought I'd get to see shows every week. Turned out, between my schedule and exhaustion, I saw all of three shows the entire time. For a variety of reasons, I ended up moving back to the DC area earlier this year. It's all been a financial catastrophe, which is one of the reasons I haven't been traveling and buying theater tickets most of this year.

Finally, though, I'm heading up for Thanksgiving weekend. It's a bit of a last-minute decision, but I'm hoping to see at least three shows. I'll be going over the message board, other sites and reviews but thought it might be expedient to ask what you'd recommend. I see more musicals than plays, but I love both, especially plays that have a political or philosophical undercurrent.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:19pm

It’s possible you can score some cheap tickets for Donna Murphy in Hello Dolly on Friday.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:23pm

Hello, Dolly!, without question, and there are some $229 seats available for Bette's shows this weekend. Right mezzanine seat A 8 is an especially excellent seat that's on Telecharge for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:31pm

Thank you so much -- honestly, I was going to look for Hello Dolly tickets but didn't think I had a prayer of getting one. Can anyone tell me about the front row of the Shubert mezzanine? It can be the best place to sit, except when you've got one of those railings right smack in your eye line. I think I've only sat in the orchestra at the Shubert in the past. Thanks!

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:38pm

There's no railing, but, unfortunately, it looks like that seat is gone. Most of the other options this weekend are in the rear orchestra. However, right mezzanine seat B 8 is available for Sunday. To answer your question, though, the view from the front of the mezzanine is spectacular.

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 05:38 PM

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:46pm

Hope to see Bette Midler another time, but for now I bought a $79 balcony ticket for the Friday matinee. It appears the handling fees have increased since I last bought a ticket (February). On Telecharge and Ticketmaster it had been a straight $10 markup. Now it's $11 PLUS a $3 "service fee." Or something like that. Give me a break... :)

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:54pm

Darn, there's a discount through Telecharge Offers for Donna's performances. $99 for mezzanine seats, and 2 seats, A 103-104, are available in the front row center mezzanine for Friday. If you're so inclined, you can call Telecharge 212-239-6210 and ask them if they'll upgrade you using the discount. It's definitely worth the extra $20, and it can't hurt to ask. BTW, Donna's amazing!

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 05:54 PM

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 5:57pm

Damn... I checked BroadwayBox.com, as I always do, but should have looked further. BroadwayBox only brought up "best-priced tickets" as opposed to discounts. But maybe I will give Telecharge a call. Thank you so much!

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:00pm

No problem! Orchestra seats are $109 with that discount, and there are also some excellent choices down there, but I sat in A 104 in the mezzanine, and the view was perfection!

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 06:00 PM

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:22pm

I really appreciate your help. I've normally been one of those people helping hapless others. Hopefully I can return to that status.

I just posted another question. Do you know anything about the far-side orchestra seating at the Barrymore? I'm holding, for about four more minutes, the only ticket I could find to The Band's Visit. It's one seat from the wall of the right orchestra. Normally, I always choose center seats even if they're much higher up than side section seats that are available. My experiences sitting this far to the side haven't been great. Do you know how of my view of the stage would be obstructed? 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:27pm

I sat in the mezzanine, but I think you should be ok off to the side. If you have to be far house left or far house right, I think house right is preferable, since less action takes place on that side.

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:35pm

Very good advice, though that now complicates things. Another seat just popped up, two rows further back, house left, but roughly in the middle of the row. It seems like it would put me about 10 feet closer to center, not that it's really close at all. Hmmmm. :)

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:38pm

That changes things, but I think closer to center is the better choice. 10 feet can make a big difference.

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:41pm

Thanks! Going for it -- though even at a non-premium price it's a good deal more than I normally spend. But in catching up with what's hot right, it certainly seems like the show has quite a following and great reviews. I take it you liked it?

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 6:54pm

I did. It's a quiet, intimate show, so I felt a little detached in the mezzanine. I'd like to see it again from the orchestra.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:04pm

I just returned from short 5-night NYC vacation last Monday. I saw 6 shows and would highly recommend 5 of them. Come From Away was good, but probably my least favorite, likely because the others were so superb.

Hello Dolly with Bette was my favorite (sounds like you have  already settled on seeing it - Great Choice!)

My second favorite was The Band’s Visit - I was in tears at the end (I will say I wisely followed others’ advice on the boards and called Telecharge and paid $20 to move from Front mezzanine to second row center Orchestra - well worth. It is an intiimate show that some say loses something from farther away. I cannot speak to that, but I loved it!).

I also saw Dear Evan Hansen with Ben. Great show. I wish I hadn’t listened to the cast recording (my most listened to album this year) so much as I had hyped myself to expect it to be one big cryfest for me. It wasn’t. But when the tears hit, they were  at an unexpected moment and I sobbed like a baby. I suspect it is easier to get tickets now that Ben has left the show. I would definitely want to see the show again on Broadway on my next visit. 

I also highly recommend Sweeney Todd off-broadway. It’s an immersive show - depending on where your seat is, you may be sitting in the meat shop and the actors may interact with you. Carolee is playing Mrs. Lovett. Rothman was playing Sweeney Todd (in for Hugh). In fact after the show, I found out from Carolee that it was his first performance in the show. He was the superb as well. Also you can pay an upcharge at the time you purchase your ticket to get a meat pie and some wine or beer or whatever nonalcoholic beverage of your choice before the show. The meat pies are made by the Obama’s previous White House pastry chef. He actually helped serve the pies and couldn’t have been more gracious when I talked to him about how much I miss having the Obamas in the White House. He actually offered to take a selfie with me which was awesome. 

My last show of my trip was Waitress, which I have to say exceeded my expectations. The most pleasant surprise was that Jason Mraz was really good in the show. I figured he was just stunt casting which he is but he was pleasantly great and was also awesome at stage door. I have never been a big fan of his music, but I was able to tell him at stage door that I pleasantly look forward to his next performance on Broadway. 

Come From Away probably didn’t resonate with me as much because a) it was a two-show day - I saw the Band’s Visit at the matinee which was a hard show to follow and b) it tries real hard to be a lighthearted show (nothing wrong with that - see Hello Dolly - just wasn’t as impactful, and c) I was tired - fast paced agenda for my five days plus those pre-theatre drinks at  Sardi’s may have been stronger than I thought. I actually dosed off a couple times early on which I have never done.  

 

Hope that helps!

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 07:04 PM

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:16pm

I'll be far enough back and off-center in the orchestra to feel detached, too, I expect. On the other hand, I have seen many shows from high up and once I'm into the expire ce I don't tend to think about where I am in the theater. And I have a good little pair of opera glasses if I want to see something more clearly. Once upon a time, before ticket prices went crazy and when there were no restrictions on discount codes (an orchestra code applied to all orchestra seats, for instance), I sometimes sat in what are now premium center-orchestra seats for about 60 bucks, sometimes less. Now you're lucky to get an upper balcony ticket at that price. 

Oh, one more question: Four shows have Thanksgiving performances. I've seen all but the revival of "Cats." I saw the original but remember little about it, beyond some of the iconic music. I'm not sure I have a particular desire to see it, but there are quite a few tickets available. Have you seen in and would you recommend?

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:22pm

I think since you are in the Orchestra, you will be more than fine.

I detest Cats. It is actually my least favorite musical. So sadly I cannot endorse it. What other shows are playing on Thanksgiving?

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 07:22 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:29pm

I just looked. So your other options are Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, and Waitress.

I would hands-down vote for Waitress, especially since I am guessing you have seen the other options before. Plus, something about Waitress just speaks Thanksgiving to me. After all, it’s partially about food and community. Lol

Of course, based on last week’s grosses, it may be hard to snag a ticket to Waitress. It’s a hot ticket again now that Jason Mraz is in the show. In that case I might suggest looking to see what’s playing off Broadway? Although Phantom of the Opera might be worth another visit now they don’t have a sex offender playing the Phantom. I have to admit though that I’m also not a big fan of Phantom. 

I actually love Chicago, but I’ve heard that the production is just not what it used to be although its box office lately has not been stellar so you could probably snag a decent seat.

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 07:29 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:48pm

Here is a link to what is playing off-Broadway on Thanksgiving. Not much although Imbible sounds like fun and spirited. 

https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/whats-on/off-broadway/calendar/nov/23

[phan24]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:49pm

Home for the Holidays

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 7:54pm

phan24 said: "Home for the Holidays "

Well, it would definitely be easy for him to get a ticket as it only took in 6% of its potential gross in ticket sales. Lol

Updated On: 11/21/17 at 07:54 PM

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 8:06pm

Thank you! It kills me not to have seen "Dear Evan Hansen" yet as I was not only working very close to the theater, the wife of a man I worked with is the show's wardrobe manager (or whatever the title is... taking care of wardrobe). So I really should have managed to get to it. It's still on the list.

I did get a ticket for "Hello Dolly!" though not with Bette Midler. Happily, though, Donna Murphy is also getting great reviews. And even though I'd like to see Bette, I've always wanted to see the show.

Fortunately, I saw "Waitress" last year, before my disastrous move to New York. I liked it a lot. "Come From Away" has sort of been on my list. It sounds like you enjoyed it, but not as much as the other shows. As for "Sweeney Todd," I saw the Broadway revival years ago and didn't love it. It sounds like the off-Broadway version is different. And it's actually one of six off-Broadway shows with performances on Thanksgiving. So I may check it out.

Thanks so much for sharing.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 8:14pm

Oh that is awesome. I missed that Sweeney Todd was playing on Thanksgiving. I def recommend it although you have to consider what it was you did not like about it the last time. 

[pacificnorthwest]

Posted: 11/21/17 at 8:15pm

I agree, it would be "Waitress" for sure, except I've seen it. I enjoyed it, but not sure I want to see it again. Actually, "Chicago" wears very well. I've seen it three or four times. No interest in "Phantom." I'll go back and look the off-Broadway list. Nothing jumped out at me at first, but you've suggest "Imbible" and someone else recommended "Sweeney Todd." I didn't love the Broadway revival, but this sounds a bit different.

Oh, as for "Cats," I think I liked it so many years ago (would have been 87 or 88, I think) as I was a young and largely inexperienced theatergoer. I expect I'm far less likely to enjoy it at this point, having seen so many incredible shows over the years.

Thanks so much for all your help today. :)