Two shows in a day?

[reginula]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 12:01am

Hello there!
Hope you're doing well.
I'm going to NYC in June and there are so many shows I want to see but alas, so little time. That's why I'm thinking of doing two shows in a day (One at 3 and one at 7), but I wanted to ask you, theatergoers, if that's doable. Have you ever done it? Will I still have time for stage-door-ing? Is there a lot to take in after a show to just run to the next one? Distance shouldn't be an issue since the theaters are just four blocks away.

Anyway, thanks a lot in advance!

[ameleigh]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 12:13am

It can definitely be done and I have done it. I think it all depends on what shows you are seeing, a show that has heavier/more serious content is obviously going to take more time to process than a comedic/lighter piece. It also depends on how you feel about sitting in a theatre for the length of 2 shows, basically back to back. It's really a matter of preference. But when you're working with a limited amount of time, I say go for it!

[smidge]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 12:13am

reginula said: "Hello there!
Hope you're doing well.
I'm going to NYC in June and there are so many shows I want to see but alas, so little time. That's why I'm thinking of doing two shows in a day (One at 3 and one at 7), but I wanted to ask you, theatergoers, if that's doable. Have you ever done it? Will I still have time for stage-door-ing? Is there a lot to take in after a show to just run to the next one? Distance shouldn't be an issue since the theaters are just four blocks away.

Anyway, thanks a lot in advance!

Just check out the run times of the shows to see if it's manageable.  I have done 3 shows in one day, but 2 of those shows were only 90 minutes. 

 

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 12:29am

Of course it's been done. You just need to work out your timing and prioritize eating over the stage door so you don't faint during the second show.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 1:59am

In my experience it's very possible to do it WITH the stage door. I usually plan to eat a good lunch before the matinee. Also it helps to have snacks for in between if I happen to have a few minutes to spare, if you carry some kind of bag or backpack (please don't eat during the show, don't be that person). I also agree that the shows you see can have an impact on your enjoyment. My last trip I did a matinee of Waitress and and evening performance of Fun Home (if you do have a darker show, put it as the latter), then the day after I did a matinee of She Loves Me and and evening performance of School of Rock (both light and fun in different ways). 

[@z5]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 2:02am

very, very doable. Very doable with stage door, too, depending on how long the actors the come out mixed with the length of the 3PM show. But, overall there is plenty of time to do it all, and even have time for coffee between the two. 

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 2:13am

If you have a choice of where you are sitting I highly recommend getting aisle seats, especially for the second show so at least you can stretch out a bit. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 4:15am

I do it all the time, usually without stagedooring. If you're doing it soon, you can just buy a signed BC/EFA Playbill or poster, and miss the stage door, too.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 5:42am

I do it all the time. Most best theaters are within a ten minute walk of each other.  Except for Lincoln Center's  Vivian Beaumont.

 

 

[itsshowtime2]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 5:44am

I have done it dozens of times!  Just check the run time of the shows you are interested in so you can figure out how much time you have in between to do the stage door and get to your next show.  Have a good meal before the matinee and then scout out some place to grab a slice of pizza or other quick snack (there are lots of delis in the Times Square area that have hot food buffets that are very quick to get some food - not the highest quality but when time is limited, can be a god send).  Sometimes I like to do a heavier show at the matinee and then have a fun show in the evening so my brain can relax a bit.

Have a great time!

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 6:57am

Definitely doable. I've done 3 shows in a day before. Wicked at 2:00 , School of Rock at 6:00 and a 9:30 show at 54 Below. It helped that they all were within 3 blocks of each other. Had no issue doing the stagedoor or getting food between the first 2. Didn't have to eat between the last 2 since 54 Below has that food and drink minimun.

Updated On: 4/11/17 at 06:57 AM

[Lot666]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:12am

What you're proposing is definitely not uncommon or difficult; when I visited NY in March, I went to the theatre four times in two days. I flew in on a Wednesday morning and saw the matinee of Sunday in the Park with George, went to the stage door after, and then saw Sunset Boulevard that evening and went to the stage door after that one as well. On Thursday I saw the matinee of Phantom of the Opera and then returned for a second viewing of Sunset Boulevard that evening. I then flew back home on Friday morning. 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:17am

I love seeing two shows in one day. Lots to do in between shows, or you can keep it simple. I wish there was a matinee every day of the week. 

[amaklo]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:30am

I love doing 2 shows in a day. In fact I'm doing a Sondheim double feature at the end of the month--Pacific Overtures matinee and Sweeney Todd in the evening.  I've also done 3 shows in a day, and the schedule was Broadway (Lucky Guy), Public Theater downtown (Here Lies Love), then an 8PM comedy show back uptown.  It meant a lot of subway trips and running around, and dinner was a sandwich from Pret a Manger, but it can be done!

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:45am

Actors do two shows in a day--why wouldn't an audience member? I've done it more times than I can count.

Personal tip: I usually prefer to see a longer show at the matinee and a shorter show in the evening. If I'm interested in two shows and one is 90 minutes with no intermission, and the other is 2.5 hours with intermission, I'll see the 2.5 hour show in the afternoon and the shorter show at night. 

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 9:10am

Heck I've done a five show day (but I wouldn't recommend it).

5am bus to NYC from DC

11am How The Grinch Stole Christmas

2pm Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me

5pm Forbidden Broadway

8pm A Chorus Line

11pm Evil Dead

2am bus back to DC

[kellyhallo]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 9:25am

Yes, I do it all the time. This past weekend I did it on both Saturday and Sunday. I find that I always have at least two hours to kill between shows.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 12:35pm

I've done 3 shows in a single day: 11 am GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW, 2pm FINDING NEVERLAND, 8 pm AMERICAN IN PARIS

 

(Then, of course, there was that weekend I spent at the Foxwood Casino in Ledyard, CT where I saw Carol Channing in HELLO DOLLY ! 5 times in three days)

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 1:28pm

As everyone has said - very doable. I prefer it - primarily because my husband has trouble walking, we aren't shoppers, and long ago "saw the sights" in midtown Manhattan. To also echo the advice of others, we prefer to do the lighter fare/musical in the afternoon and the more serious/play/shorter show in the evening.

Thus during our visits in recent years, we've seen On Your Feet before The Humans, The King and I before Fun Home, Something Rotten before Hand to God, Newsies before Venus in Fur. 

This year, Dear Evan Hansen before Glass Menagerie. (But also, contrary to advice because of Sunday schedules, Come From Away before Sweeney Todd). I just can't resist filling in all available slots (and later justify the cost) - this year nine shows in six days.

Just have lunch before the matinee at Juniors. That'll fill you up!

Updated On: 4/11/17 at 01:28 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 1:31pm

I do it every time I'm in NYC.

[JPeterman]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 1:40pm

Two shows in a day ..... Hell yeah!

If you are a theatre fan, you are coming from out of town, your main reason for visiting is theatre, and your budget allows it, you should go to as many shows as you can!

I have a visit scheduled in July and on the Saturday of my trip I am seeing 3 shows at 2 pm (Come From Away) 5 pm (1984 at the Hudson)) and 8 pm (DEH).

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 1:49pm

Very impressed by the five shows in one day post above...

I have done two show days many times - GYPSY (matinee)/NINE (evening) and CAROLINE OR CHANGE (matinee)/AIDA (evening) come to mind. Two times I have actually seen THE SAME show twice on the same day (13, BONNIE & CLYDE).

My biggest feat though, was in 2006 seeing LEGENDS in Philadelphia for the Saturday matinee and making it back in time to see THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED in NYC at 8pm.

What we do for the love of theater...

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 2:23pm

More than doable. I do this all the time. There's even time for an early sit down dinner if you go see a shorter show for the matinee. I usually go to a pretty nice dinner on 2-show Saturdays but those have shows at 2 and 8 so it's a bit easier. 

Closest shows I ever had back to back were an 8 pm showing of constellations and a 10 pm showing of Hedwig. Constellations was 80 minutes, started about 10 min late, the theaters weren't that close to each other, and we still had 10 min to spare.  

 

I do the 3 pm/7 pm combo almost every Sunday I'm in New York if there's anything I am interested on playing Sunday night. I usually pick a shorter show for the matinee and it still gives me time for a sit down dinner. 

[nealb1]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 2:36pm

2 shows in 1 day - absolutely!  Doesn't everybody do that?  Ha, ha..

Yes, it's very easy and doable.  I do it all the time when I'm in NYC and have 6 double show days coming up for my NYC trip.  I've even seen 3 shows in one day.  Radio City Spring show 2 years ago I saw their 11am show, then a 2pm matinee and a 8pm show.  Same with the RC Christmas Show.

A number of years ago I saw 3 shows in the same day..........Christine Ebersole in "Grey Gardens" at 2pm, Audra McDonald in "110 In The Shade," and Linda Eder at Feinstein's at The Regency for her 11pm show.

Where else but NYC can you see such talent in 1 day?  

[canadian fan]

Posted: 4/11/17 at 3:23pm

We to have seen the sights of NY in past trips, so on our visit next month we are going all in!! 8 shows in 5 days. So needless to say 3 days of double headers!! woot woot! :)