Broadway questions...

[LondonSean]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 9:35pm

Hello lovely Broadway types, I really love reading your comments and postings. Keep up the good work.

Anyway, I’m a London theatre lover, and an ardent Broadway fan too. But I would like some advice please:

I’m coming to Broadway (well, New York actually) from 20-29 Nov (I changed the flight by one day this morning so I can catch the first preview of the Apple Tree- I had a non changeable ticket but I begged the British Airways woman and she so kindly changed it for free!), and have a few problems with which shows to see/tickets.

My ideal, and partially booked, schedule is as follows:

Monday night: Spring Awakening
Tuesday night: Company (seeing another John Doyle production, Amadeus, in London next week too)
Wed matinee either: Heartbreak House, Jersey Boys or The Colour Purple.
Wed night: The Vertical Hour
Thursday (Thanksgiving so no B’way shows): Mat: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (as pure camp traditional Americana), eve: Altar Boyz
Friday matinee (extra performance): Butley
Friday night A Chorus Line
Sat mat: Voyage (Coast of Utopia). I’ve seen all 3 before, so don’t mind missing the other 2, and the cast is fab.
Sat night: Grey Gardens
Sunday mat: Drowsy Chaperone
Sunday eve; Tarzan (I know it’s had rubbish reviews and is not my sort of thing, but it seem to be the only show continuing with their Sunday eve show that weekend, Colour Purple seems to have cancelled. And I do want to have an opinion on it.)
Monday eve: Met Opera, Barber of Seville
Tuesday eve: The Apple Tree

Several questions arise from this schedule. (sorry there are so many/so long, but this is the biggest/most expensive week of my year, I have to get it right)

1. I am arriving at 4pm at JFK, I know it takes me about 1.5 hours to get from there to the Vanderbilt Y (I save my money for the shows!) from past experience, so what with baggage collection and customs I should be there by 6.30pm (I can walk to Times Sq in 15 mins from there). But of course flights can be delayed, and I don’t really want to buy a ticket for Spring Awakening in advance if there is a chance of me missing it (but also I really want to see it and would be really upset if I couldn’t get a ticket that night). Should I buy a ticket in advance or take a chance and wait for the evening itself; will it be full (I only want a single ticket)? As Spring Awakening (along with Company and The Vertical Hour, at least initially anyway), is one of the few shows on a Monday will that make a big difference for demand for tickets?

2. Due to the above should I not buy my Wed Matinee ticket in advance (for either Heartbreak, Jersey or Purple) and see Spring Awakening if I should happen to miss the Monday night show. Again, how easily will I be able to get a ticket (it is Thanksgiving week) on the day? Also that means missing another show. If I do see SA on Monday which other show would you recommend? I fancy Heartbreak House as I’m a big Shaw fan, I also want to see Jersey Boys but that looks like coming to London in 2007 anyway so can prob give it a miss here. The Colour Purple however is distinctly US fayre and would not transfer to the West End, so I feel drawn towards that… Also thinking about non British people doing Shaw makes me feel nervous (despite the Tony laden cast), sorry! By the way I’ve seen all the other major B’way shows on at the moment either there or in London (Ave Q, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, Mary Poppins, Lion King, Les Mis, Losing Louis, Producers, Rent, Mamma Mia, Phantom, Spamalot, and Wicked etc, so don’t need to see any of them again).

3. I’m not an American Express card holder (we don’t have them much over here), so am a bit worried about my ticket for The Vertical Hour in particular (and Company). I’ve bought the Radio City, Altar Boyz, Butley, Chorus Line, Voyage, Grey Gardens, Drowsy and Met tickets already (all the rear mez, one row behind the more expensive seats usually- I mean theatres like the Walter Kerr are hardly massive anyway, I was happy in the back row for Doubt). Do dates sell out before ‘public’ sale by AmEx members buying them up? Is it worth me getting a friend with an AmEx card to buy them for me (you can print them out with Telecharge so I wont have to be the cardholder)? By the way I won’t be at home until Monday 25th Sept, so can’t do an internet booking when the booking opens on 23rd (I’m in Stratford Upon Avon seeing Patrick Stewart in The Tempest, and another play, luck me). Hope this wont affect my chances of getting the tickets I want?

4. Also and very IMPORTANTLY, will the first preview of The Apple Tree go ahead; in London first previews are sometimes cancelled and I wouldn’t advise anyone to book for them to avoid disappointment. Does this happen regularly on Broadway? Obviously the 1st preview is my only choice though. Also again will those AmEx members buy all the tickets up (for that one performance I mean, the first being attractive to many people and fans in particular) in advance? If so I might be able to get one (an AmEx) before the booking opens on the 18/10, or 10/18 as you might say.

5. Any suggestions for an alternative Sunday night show (rather than Tarzan)? Off Broadway I would assume as I’m pretty sure no other B’way shows (that I’ve not seen) will be performing. Another play would be nice to balance things out, I like the look of Suddenly Last Summer (one of my favourite Williams’s) and The Voysey Inheritance (just seen at the National in London, and very good too), but I don’t think they’re playing then either.

6. As it’s Thanksgiving will the leads generally be on? Whenever I go to a Broadway show there is always at least one lead off, but I would imagine Thanksgiving is a pretty important week for the star to be present (or is it the perfect week to take a holiday)? By this I mean Nathan Lane really!

7. Just as a general question what affect does Thanksgiving have on New York that week? I’m planning to go the The Met, The Whitney, The Frick, MoMA, The Guggenheim, and possible a couple of other galleries that week, will it be worse than usual? Also on Thanksgiving Day how much of New York is shut up, I’m alone so don’t want to be too bored (I know all the Museums are closed, and the shows too)!

I’m avoiding the Bob Dylan Dance-a-thon, The Wedding Singer and High Fidelity. Not my cup of tea (Bring back Ragtime, haha). I’m not sure about Little Dog Laughed, but want to see it much less than anything mentioned before.

Also I’m planning to go to Joe’s pub for the cabaret featuring many Broadway performers on Monday 20th Nov, it starts at 11.30pm. Can anyone tell me how long Spring Awakening lasted off Broadway, this will let me know if I can make the 11.30pm showing.

Thanks very much for all your help!

Sean

P.S: Do any of you, as members of the public I mean, sing at ‘Don’t Tell Mama’s’? I love the place, but I’ve never had the courage to sing. This time though I might prepare something, but they all seem so professional.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 1:08am

Just my guess....

I wouldnt count too much on same-day purchases, even for a single. COMPANY will certainly sell out, and based on what I've read around here, SPRING AWAKENING will probably as well. However, some of the regulars here might better advise you on that.

You will LOVE Barber of Seville, I guarantee it. It's a truly manic production.

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 1:10am

That is quite a schedule and i'm pretty much in awe. You're very lucky! Haha.

[Anakela]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 1:27am

Are you sure there are no shows on Thanksgiving Day? I haven't looked, but it sounds like you have so I totally take your word for it, it's just that two years ago Thanksgiving my sister and I saw Wicked on Thanksgiving night, (yes the leads were in), so I just didn't automatically think that all shows would be dark that day.

If you're looking for Thanksgiving Day things to do in the city besides shows, my sister and I watched the parade from the street in the morning, and then went down to the Statue of Liberty in the afternoon, before seeing a show that night- I too was planning around everything that was closed that day.

(ps- watching the parade from the street is very cold and exhausting, which is why I have learned that most NYers watch it on tv instead :) Although, watching the balloons get inflated the night before is very cool, and something that you don't get on tv, if you want something to check out before/after your Wed night show.)

And yes, everything in the city will be crowded- not as bad as December holidays crowded, but still crowded.

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 4:28am

I have nothing to add, but I just hope you have a wonderful trip!

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 5:32am

It's a Monday and you're only looking for a single seat, I don't think Spring Awakening has that much buzz behind it to sell out that early on. Maybe if reviews are great will it start selling out once reviews are in.

[myManCape]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 11:07am

FYI:
The Official Thanksgiving Week Schedule has not been published. Last year several shows had thanksgiving performances. Spelling Bee, Phantom, Chicago and Rent among others that have closed.

To answer some of your questions that I remember. Spring Awakening on a Monday shouldn’t be sold out. The cheaper seats maybe but I doubt they’ll see out the entire show. Two, I would see Color Purple over Heartbreak house and jersey boys for 2 reasons. 1) You probably cant get Jersey Boys Tix. 2) Color Purple is just so good, even though I think LaChanze will be gone by then. Lets see what else... I dont remember the exact question but I heard Company has a good presale but again I doubt it'll be sold out. About the Apple Tree, you have 1 big thing going for you. Its Roundabout. Which means they have member presale not Amex (unless Im wrong ). And also I'd say Roundabout b/c of their subscribers would be much less likely to cancel a performance.

Well I hope that helps and you can make sense of it.

[mpw607]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 11:18am

LondonSean As a fellow Londoner, let me give you this advice: if you can beg, borrow, or steal a ticket for Jersey Boys, do so. It's a wonderful show that pumps out energy. There is a reason why it was the only show at over 100% occupancy last week, even beating Wicked (down to 99.7%). JB may well come to London in 2007, but you won't beat the atmosphere of seeing the show on "home territory".