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.

Hello Little Dream, Hello.

"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." - Oscar Wilde

I should be doing the immense amount of work that I've shamelessly procrastinated doing. But I was so overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions that I just had to get this down, besides I've been in school this long...whats a few more semesters?

I think that it is quite obvious that I love New York, and I've gushed several times about shows and the things I do when I am in the one place that I can truly disappear from the world; for a few days I don't have to worry about anything because I'm too far away to do a damn thing about it. Irresponsible? Perhaps, but I find a little irresponsibility now and then saves sanity in a world that can be terribly suffocating with all of its responsibility.

But I digress...

As always this weekend in New York was magical, and I think what makes each visit more magical (and more addicting) than the other is the obvious: the amazing people that I get to share this experience with. The gang was all together again and we had a new member to add to our merry troupe. It was such an amazing thing to finally be able to share this other world with someone from my everyday life, to be able to allow them into this other life that I escape to when my provincial one becomes too suffocating; to watch them fit like a glove to my world and the people in it makes me so happy I could cry. Call me over-dramatic, and maybe I am (I did want to be an actress...and part of my soul still yearns for that life) but I don't think anyone could possibly understand unless they were that exceptional person I allowed in, or they spent a week in my shoes; and I thank those who don't try to understand.

I was able to show her what makes this city amazing to me, my tips and tricks for seeing up to 4 shows in a weekend, the little holes in the walls with their wonderful gems, and the organized chaos that comes with rolling the dice and taking chances. We couldn't see the show we picked for our evening matinee, so we kept searching until we found one. You'd think that she'd been doing this all her life, by the second hour she was a pro; I wondered why I hadn't asked her to come with me before. Naturally the gang was warm and welcoming, I was so happy that she got to see why I adore them so much and why I need them in my life. I was finally able to give someone the looking glass and have them see into my own little world, and have someone know why I sometimes run to it so often. It was truly a beautiful weekend.

Now on to the shows:
I should just go ahead and face the music now: I saw Anything Goes this weekend with Stephanie J. Block and will be seeing it again next month with Sutton Foster thanks to my amazing sister. So I am sorry for lying to you Lindsey. Please don't tear up the tickets.

Besides Anything Goes, I also saw Follies and Memphis (for a second time) and was able to share another institution with her: the theatre. I was very surprised when we arrived at the Marquis to see that they still had student rush for Follies because it did have the legendary Bernadette Peters and Elaine Paige, not to mention the superb Jan Maxwell (who had just been HIT BY A CAR while crossing the street like TWO FREAKING WEEKS AGO), and Danny Burnstien. I had heard the music before and owned the soundtrack (the kicker was Marin Mazzie singing "Loosing My Mind" at Stephen Sondheim's birthday concert, hang on to your hats kids, this dame is amazing) and really didn't care for it that much, but after seeing the show I realized that it made much more sense.

Memphis was the reason (and a damn good one) we didn't get rush tickets to Bonnie and Clyde, see there's this little modern day legend called Adam Pascal whose currently starring in it as the role of Huey. I thought he did a fantastic job, and naturally sounded amazing with Montego. It's always good to see a show at least twice with two different casts or minor cast changes to the leads because 1.) it's almost like seeing a different show and 2.) if you're the kind that likes to see different interpretations that's the way to go. I mean there was a guy that literally saw every performance of Rent on Broadway...that's going a little too far in my book but whatever floats your boat pal...

Anything Goes was just...I mean that's what all my feelings are about right now. Sutton Foster is currently out because she's filming a TV pilot, but that's not the real star of the story: the real star is the magnificent, amazing and just damn good Stephanie J. Block. If you know anything about me, or if you're one of my many dedicated readers...you know how I feel about Steph, and when the opportunity came to see her in a Cole Porter musical I would be a terrible fan to pass it up (besides, seeing it with Sutton in December will be like a whole new show). Stephanie is a very natural and instinctive actress, she just knows what to do without being over-dramatic or looking like she's trying; she's that way with her singing too (mad, MAD props to her vocal coach) she just has this voice that flows and you're swept away on a sea of melody, vibrato, harmonies and belts. Her dancing...I mean...wow. I was simply speechless during that AMAZING, FANTASTIC, MIND-BLOWING tap number at the end of Act I. To make this even more spectacular is the fact that Steph only had TWO FREAKING WEEKS to learn that entire show. Its no wonder she's going straight home after most shows, I can't imagine how tired she must be. She performed Reno Sweeney the way Barbara Stanwyck would, I swear she even had the Stanwyck saunter down pat. Last time I saw her was at Vera Stark and we established that classic film is amazing, so that's why I went off on a Stany tangent, no apologies.

I would go on more about the show but I think I've procrastinated enough and I should probably get on the ball here. Thank you dear reader for putting up with this word vomit, and for just reading.

If I could sum up this weekend in just one phrase, I would use the phrase that Lord Evelyn Oakleigh used when talking to Moonface Martin: "You give me hot pants."

But in all seriousness, I think another one of my little dreams came true this weekend, and I am eternally grateful for it.