BEST SHOW OF THE SEASON

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:23pm

ok so:

apparently, i've been too busy. seriously, i'm TOTALLY out of it. i have NO idea what's on broadway or what's good this season. AAND i'm planning an emergency trip this weekend to fix it.

now, what are the THREE IT SHOWS of the broadway (not off) season? and can i lottery/rush/tkts them? what do i absolutely HAVE TO SEE???

here's a list of questions/options to get us started:
1) lestat features music by elton john, which would make it good. but it features a script based on a novel of anne rice. does that make it bad? do they cancel each other out? do i see this show?
2) odd couple...can i get standing room tickets? is it worth it?
3) threepenny opera? is it good or should the name cindy lauper make me run in the opposite direction?
4) wedding singer...should i see this if i've never seen the movie? is it LIKE hairspray or BETTER than hairspray?
5) the chaperone (aka sutton foster) musical: good or bad? millie or little women?
6) are ANY of the jukebox musicals good? is ring of fire the new "titanic: the musical?"
7) i already saw sweeney todd revival so don't bother.
hot feet? what's that?
9) color purple? i'm assuming this is a must?
10) pajama game? can i skip this or is it too good to miss?
11) tarzan...is this show amazing visually and musically? will it make the disney cutesyness bearable? (ie lion king) or not (ie beauty and the beast?) IS THIS SHOW WORTH SEEING?

remember. 3 shows. take your pick....
.....and GO!

ps. i'm interested mostly in musicals. also, i haven't seen piazza or spelling bee...do these factor in anywhere? i probably won't be going back to new york untilll...maybe thanksgiving. time's a wastin'.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:25pm

Definitely use the search feature. There's reviews on every one of these shows.

Add Jersey Boys to your list :).

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:28pm

Why would Cyndi Lauper make you run in the other direction?

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:29pm

i've sortof browsed the reviews but i still can't make up my mind....i really neeed someone to just slap me and tell me what to see...

also problem is i gotta do improv ticket buying, so i figured somebody who knows the ropes of the season could guide me through that whole mess...

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:37pm

Piazza
Drowsy Chaperone
The Color Purple

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:39pm

PIAZZA isn't this season.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:39pm

You're just going to do three? I'm going to do more than 3 because I don't know what you like.

1. Drowsy Chaperone - More Millie than Little Women, I thought it was better than both. Very clever.

2. If you're going to go for a Jukebox, "Jersey Boys" is actually... good. I enjoyed myself. The book is great, which is unusual for the jukebox genre. I'm not even sure I'd CALL Jersey Boys jukebox.

3. I enjoyed the hell out of myself at Wedding Singer, despite being sure I was going to hate it. It's LIKE Hairspray, not BETTER than Hairspray. If you're an 80's reference person or if you find it amusing, do it, it's adorable and worth the price just for Amy Spanger.

4. Despite all the muddled things I heard about Color Purple going in, I enjoyed it. It was a bit much to cover in the time they had, but the acting was first rate and I thought it was overall a powerful evening.

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:45pm

well i'll definetely look into jersey boys...

as for piazza, well, yea it's last season...but since i haven't had the chance to see it i'm wondering if i should.

ps. i heart cindy lauper but i question her acting ability on the sheer reason that i've never seen her perform. i just wonder whether she can carry a musical?

NEW QUESTION: what's an easy show to get into? lottery/rush-wise?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:46pm

She doesn't carry the show...it's an ensemble piece.

And she's a damn fine actress.

[greeneyed_one]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:47pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundels is my number one must. Norbert is amazing (as is the rest of the cast) but definetly see it before he leaves.
Other than that, I've heard good things about Drowsy so I'm blindly putting my faith into that even though I know nothing about the music.
My third pick would be Piazza.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Drowsy Chaperone
The Light In the Piazza

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:50pm

PIAZZA isn't this season.


Yes, but they asked about it.

[Crazy_for_the_Q]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:51pm

The Drowsy Chaperone - just so hilarious.
The Wedding Singer - enjoyable. You'll really have fun.
Lestat - better than I expected. Hugh Panaro is fantastic

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 7:56pm

i've already seen DDS - LOVED it.

i'd also like to see potential tony wins, just so that i can catch them before they hike up the prices - does that help at all?

hmmm that's good to hear about cindy. see? otherwise i wouldn't find out about these things!

how lovable is lestat's music? i mean i saw aida, and i love elton john's work there...i just dont wanna be dissappointed in that department...

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 8:00pm

Not To Be Missed (from someone who has seen pretty much everything this season so far):
The Pajama Game
The Threepenny Opera
Tarzan (the aerials alone made it worth it)
Three Days of Rain
Ring of Fire

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 8:02pm

Please tell me RING OF FIRE is "not to be missed" because it's so bad you just HAVE to see it!

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 8:03pm

ooo what's three days of rain about?


can i see ring of fire even though i know NOTHING about johnny cash or his music? (dont judge me i'm foreign!)

:)

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 8:05pm

THREE DAYS OF RAIN is nearly sold out.

They only way you'll see it is if you by Standing Room tickets.

[neomystyk29]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 9:55pm

The Drowsy Chaperone
The Color Purple
The Light In The Piazza

However, if you think you'll be able to see Piazza before it closes go see Jersey Boys.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:01pm

The Wedding Singer
Drowsy Chaperone

Avoid Ring of Fire, Hot Feet and Lestat!!

Updated On: 4/5/06 at 10:01 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:03pm

Foa - Yes and no. I honestly enjoyed RoF far more than a lot of other things I've seen. But yes, it's so bad its good.

Three Days and Pajama Game are both sold out.

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:08pm

I don't think Ring of Fire is so bad it's good (aka In My Life), its just plain boring.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 10:25pm

In My Life was just plain boring. Like Brooklyn and Lennon. Ring of Fire and Good Vibrations were so bad they were good.

In my opinion, at least.

[Hawker]

Posted: 4/5/06 at 11:42pm

I think "Mo" is almost everything as the Tony Awards approach.The only show out there right now that is a runaway freight train is "Jersey Boys". Certainly, something could jump up and bite it, but it has such a head start on something like
"Drowsy Chaperone", TDC may just have too much ground to make up in the stretch.

"The Color Purple" got a major boost from Oprah's inexhaustible resources and clout but I don't think it wil help.

"Jersy Boys", I think, will be the big winer (Best Musical) but TDC may actually win more awards just as "The Light in the Piaza" beat up on "Spamalot" last year.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/6/06 at 12:01am

1. LESTAT - Haven't seen the show, but have heard nothing but horrid comments. If you can only see three shows, I would say there are plenty of other things.

2. THE ODD COUPLE - You could probably get standing room, but it's not worth it. It's horrible in every way.

3. THE THREEPENNY OPERA - Very interesting, bizzare production with a less than stunning translation, but some of the cast and concepts make up for it. It wouldn't be in my top three, but I wouldn't say don't see it - it depends on taste - it's certainly not for everyone.

4. THE WEDDING SINGER - You don't have to see the movie to enjoy the show - if in fact you WILL enjoy the show. It's not like HAIRSPRAY at all - HAIRSPRAY is fantastic, while TWS is less than stellar.

5. THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - While certainly creative, it's not a very good show. While it succeeds on certain levels, it fails on others - and it sort of evens out to just okay.

6. RING OF FIRE - The new TITANIC? Um...try the new GOOD VIBRATIONS. I liked TITANIC, but even if I didn't - RING OF FIRE makes TITANIC look like Shakespeare. There IS a jukebox musical that's worth it, and it's called JERSEY BOYS.

9. THE COLOR PURPLE - brilliant movie and novel, terribly misguided and uneven show. Some rewarding moments. IF you love the story, see the show. There are certainly some good points.

10. THE PAJAMA GAME - See it. It's better than any of the shows you mentioned above - it's just marvelous.

I would recommend:

(not season specific, just the best - despite SWEENEY, which you already saw:)

1. The Light in the Piazza
2. Jersey Boys/Doubt
3. The Pajama Game

New shows only:

1. Jersey Boys
2. The Pajama Game
3. The Threepenny Opera or Bridge and Tunnel