Been away so long, help us pick some shows for mid November visit

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 11:17am

We moved to the west coast 2 years ago.  No longer are we able to see 20-25 shows on and Off Broadway like we used to.  We are doing the best we can out here (have tix for Fiddler with Jason Alexander, Mattress with Sutton, and Godot with Rainn Wilson and Aasif Mandvi) but it isn't the same thing.

To help guide you guide us, here are some of our recent shows as well as a short list of what we've liked the best in recent years:

We were in the city in April and saw Tommy, Hamilton (again), Sweeney Todd, Merrily, and Dead Outlaw.  We thought Outlaw was one of the best things we ever saw and if it should transfer to Broadway we'd fly over just to see it again.

 

Some of our other favorites include:

Sarah Silverman's Bedwetter, Come From Away, the 2021 Company and To Kill A Mockingbird, The Band's Visit, Sweet Charity (with Sutton), Hedwig, and Cambodian Rock Band.

 Things we have not liked:  American Psycho, Whirligig, Cardinal, Clueless, Gary, The Minutes,

Our knowledge even about what's available is quite weak, I am afraid.  We failed to get tix to $h!t Meets Fan.

Assume we know about and have seen or chosen not to see anything that has been playing for more than 2 years

 

On or Off Broadway are all in play, as long as we can get there via Subway (so New Jersey is right out).

 

I appreciate any and all suggestions, including "move back to the East Coast", but that isn't happening I am afraid.

 

Updated On: 10/22/24 at 11:17 AM

[gibsons2]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 11:41am

Sunset Blvd, Hills of California, The Outsiders, Swept Away, Suffs would be my top priorities to see. Cult of Love play looks interesting as well. 

Updated On: 10/22/24 at 11:41 AM

[Piparoo]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 4:34pm

Hills of California definitely. Such a great cast and show! And if you’re cheap like me, just buy the surprisingly good mezzanine seats at the Broadhurst and asked to be moved closer. The theatre is nearly half empty.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 5:17pm

Suffs is on our list. We saw the very first preview of Outsiders at La Jolla so don't need to see it again.  Our review was "needs work" and it seems to have gotten it, but neither of us thought it would be right for us even if it was it's best self.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming!

[Dan6]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 5:55pm

I'm very much in your boat...former NYer who now lives in LA and gets to NY 2-3 times a year to pack in as much theater as possible (and otherwise, like you, frequents the Geffen, Ahmanson, La Jolla Playhouse, La Mirada, and others). My wife and I have a packed trip in early November that will include Maybe Happy Ending, SH*T Meet Fan, A Wonderful World, Our Town, Gatz, The Counter, Ragtime, Tammy Faye, Sunset Boulevard, Yellow Face, The Roommate, Death Becomes Her, Teeth, Hills of California, and Swept Away...so I can't speak to any of those yet. But of our trips in the last couple of years, the standouts that are still playing are unquestionably Suffs and Stereophonic. Also really enjoyed & Juliet and Oh, Mary! And while not must-sees, we found a lot to appreciate in Great Gatsby and The Notebook. We still have one open slot on the November trip (got rid of our McNeal tix based on the reviews), and are thinking of filling it with Babe, The Blood Quilt, Big Gay Jamboree, or (and this will probably win out) a return to Suffs before it closes. Have a great trip!

Updated On: 10/22/24 at 05:55 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 7:55pm

I would see Water for Elephants for sure and Once, but you are seeing it already.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 10/22/24 at 8:13pm

Oh Mary.  Sunset.  Suffs.  And go see Patti and Mia.

[inception]

Posted: 10/23/24 at 6:17am

Something that starts this week is Kenneth Branagh's King Lear at The Shed off-bwy.  Many dates are already sold out, and tickets left are mostly at high prices.  

When tickets first went on sale I passed & have been trying to not second guess myself.  But, Lear isn't a play I have ever enjoyed.

Updated On: 10/23/24 at 06:17 AM

[The8re phan]

Posted: 10/23/24 at 5:09pm

Definitely put Oh, Mary! at the top of your list, especially if you like to laugh.

 

I'd also second Sunset Blvd, Stereophonic, and Water for Elephants.

Updated On: 10/23/24 at 05:09 PM

[bwayfan1979]

Posted: 10/24/24 at 8:32am

If you want to laugh, definitely Oh, Mary. Also seconding Sunset Blvd and Stereophonic!

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 10/24/24 at 10:54am

This is VERY helpful!  I had read about Oh Mary and that's as close to a definite as I can say now.

 

I'd love to travel with @Dan6!  Maybe I'll see you at the Geffen or La Mirada!

 

We will be back in April or May for another round.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 10/29/24 at 11:44am

Oh Mary is pretty much sold out for our visit.  Just single seats.

 

Hills of California is high on the list, we love Jez.  Yellow Face looks good, too.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/29/24 at 12:04pm

Water is a must!

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 11/17/24 at 4:53pm

80% of the way thru our visit.  We got $hit/Fan tix online for face value two days before we headed east.  Lots of website reloading did the trick, so we saw that last night.  Everything else was TKTS.  We got to Lincoln Center at 10:30 Friday AM, about 30th in line.

 

Friday night: Yellow Face.  Really enjoyed this, B+

Saturday matinee: Hills of California.  Excellent show, A-

Saturday night: Fan.  A friend told me it was “worth $100”, and we agreed.  Great actors, beautiful set, script was meh. B-. Different cast and it would have been C-

 

back to TKTS this morning, thanks to Fast Pass. 
 

Sunday matinee: Swept Away. Wow.  I really like the Avett Brothers. This is jukeboxy, but it works.  Short show, 90 minutes. Avoid first five rows as it is a high stage, but really well done.  Solid A.

tonight: Teeth. Looking forward to it and will post a review later.