Lauren's Survival Guide to Broadway

Recently I've had several people come to me for advice on going to see shows and how I manage to cram so many in one weekend. I love sharing my tricks of the trade with everyone and I thought that making a little guide would be helpful since I really wouldn't be anywhere without my amazing friends who have taught me so much in the last few years. So, dear reader I give you my guide to theatre:

Currently, here is a list of shows that are on Broadway: http://theater.nytimes.com/venues/broadway.html

First and foremost:

NEVER EVER, EVER....EVER SETTLE FOR A FULL PRICE TICKET TO A BROADWAY SHOW.

I cannot stress that point enough, I see so many people paying up to $200 on a ticket when they could see up to four for that much. Now, granted most of these opportunities are for people under the age of 30 and college students; thanks to Playbill's wonderful list of Student rush policies, the avid theatregoer can discover just what shows offer such wonderful deals. All that is required is a valid student ID, and be sure to carry cash on you to the theatre because some of the rush tickets are cash only. Most of the shows don't tell you exactly where you'll be sitting, but I've never gotten a terrible seat; also the more popular the show, or if say someone famous is starring in it (i.e. Adam Pascal is currently the male lead in Memphis) you may want to get there at least two hours early. The general time for box office opening is 10am Mon-Sat and I believe they open at 11 on Sundays but don't quote me on that. If you are a student then I would also recommend signing up at StudentRush.org, they often have free ticket giveaways and they have a ton of information about rush policies that are currently going on and off Broadway.
Now if you are not currently a student or are kicking yourself for throwing away your student ID, then fret not dear reader! Most theatre companies understand that not everyone is going to be able to afford a ticket to a show but there are hundreds of people out there that would love to experience live theatre. Enter the wonderful programs that I like to call the "Under 30" programs. Roundabout Theatre Company, The Manhattan Theatre Club, and The Lincoln Center are just some of the notable theatre companies that offer discount tickets for patrons over 18 but under 30, RTC is 18-35. There are no fees, no jumping through hoops or pre-approval...all you do is sign up. The fine print: You MUST have proof that you are between the ages of 18-30 and in some cases whoever you're buying the tickets for must be in that age range as well; not a big deal, especially since you're getting a ticket to a show that probably would've cost you a hundred or more bucks.
Now what of the people who aren't in those age ranges or aren't students? Well my dear friends I have an answer for you as well: TKTS. That's T-K-T-S, not "ticketus" or "tickets," if you say it that way you will get laughed at or shunned by the New York theatregoing community. TKTS is a discount booth, they usually have good selection and have even better prices; I got to see Phantom for like $60, it normally would've cost me $175 for the seat I was in. The employees are super helpful and really nice, they'll answer any questions you may have...as long as its not too crazy there. The best times to go are usually weekdays and if you can't get there on weekdays then definitely get there early on the weekends because it can get pretty crazy very quickly. If you are one of those people that is all about apps for your smartphone, TKTS also has an official app for iPhone and Android; this comes in very handy when you want to know exactly what's currently being offered at the booth. Not every show on Broadway will be at the TKTS booth, but they usually have most of them.

As a final piece of advice, I would like to offer my list of recommendations. These are shows that are currently playing, and some of which are soon closing:
1.) Anything Goes
2.) Memphis
3.) Bonnie and Clyde (this show is closing on Dec 30th, go and see it if you can!)
4.) Follies (closing sometime in January)
5.) Mary Poppins
6.) The Lion King
7.) War Horse (I haven't seen this yet, but everyone is telling me that I must. I mean come on...the horses are life size puppets that people can ride)
8.) The Phantom of the Opera
9.) Wicked
10.) Billy Elliot (closing mid-January)

I also have an extensive list of shows that I want to see, but I won't bore you with those details. I hope that this list helps, and if you have any questions well that's what the comment box is for. Go see a Broadway show! They're much more accessible than you think.

#30: The Best of times is Now, I promise.

If you recall, I mentioned that I was going to New York again. It was the typical cram-as-many-shows-as-humanly-possible in three days trip. I started off in Pittsburgh and stayed with my friend Kate, waiting for my friends Rach and Lyds to show up so we could journey to New York together. I know you're just dying to hear what I saw and what I thought, so without further adieu, my reviews:

I did see A Little Night music...again, since I've already written a review on it I'll make this brief: I did not care for Bernadette Peters as Desiree Armfeldt *ducks flying objects* Now before you chomp my head off, please let me defend myself. I had seen the production before it came to Broadway and it became one of my favorite Sondheim musicals, granted it wasn't as grand as it was on The Great White Way but it was still an excellent production; plus my best friend kicked ass as Desiree. When I saw Catherine Zeta-Jones she was absolutely exquisite; charming, seductive and vulnerable: everything that Desiree should be. Bernadette did an okay job, but there were several points in the show where I felt that I was just watching Bernadette Peters play...herself. Which is a huge no-no when you're acting, you're supposed to embody the character from the time the curtain comes up, to the time the curtain comes down.

Now that I've discussed that...lets move on to the other two shows I saw:

Following Night Music, I saw the revival of Promises,Promises. I have to admit, the only reason I was interested in seeing it at all was the simple fact that I had never seen Kristin Chenoweth live on stage. I was surprised by how much I liked it, granted there were some songs I was like "Okay..this seriously doesn't need to be in here." But for the most part it was a much deeper show than what I thought.
Sean Hayes really surprised me, I had a feeling he was going to be good but I was not prepared for the brilliant stage presence that he had, nor the amazing voice. He was positively brilliant, able to be absolutely hysterical and incredibly serious with ease.
Kristin was everything I expected her to be and more. She's a powerhouse in a tiny package, she is able to sing as delicate as a lullaby then, without warning, she's belting out those notes like it's nothing. She seemed to really enjoy being back in her element, in case you'd forgotten she got her start on Broadway; she's well known for playing Glinda in Wicked, but she's played several other amazing roles.
Katie Finneran was positively amazing. She was only in a few scenes in the second act but she literally stole the stage the minute the lights went up. I can see why the Tony committee thought her worthy of the Best Featured Actress Award because you literally were swept away in a sea of laughter the second she opened her mouth.

While the rest of my merry troupe went to see Memphis, some for the second and third time, I went to see La Cage Aux Folles. It has become one of my favorite shows of all time. Douglas Hodge was absolutely amazing as Albin, I don't think I have seen a performance that amazing in a long time. Kelsey Grammer was a fine choice for my first Georges, he had a great voice and amazing stage presence. I have to briefly mention an amazing talent, Elena Shaddow. She played Anne, which isn't a large role but she had such a presence that I was absolutely captivated every time she had the stage. Just the smallest gesture of her hand or the tilt of her head was absolutely charming, plus she's absolutely adorable.

I apologize if they weren't as in-depth as you thought they would be, I tend to run on and on when I review shows so I have to cut them rather short ;]