Broadway tips for people used to the west end

[Englishsteve]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 12:04pm

hi,

I'm just planning a trip to DC and New York in December, we'll only be in town December 8th to the 11th Which is already booked up for the Cowboys at the Giants so I only have 3 nights to organise. We are lucky enough to get to the west end fairly often, generally to the more mainstream shows, we've recently seen Harry Potter, kinky boots, phantom, Matilda, sunny afternoon, miss Saigon - nothing that cutting edge or out there really, wanted to see some shows on Broadway that are different to the shoes in the west end, ideally I'd love to see Hamilton but unless the cancellation line is worth braving in December or resale prices drop dramatically that may be just a pipe dream, was thinking perhaps the great comet, does anyone have any other recommendations or tips?

Updated On: 9/23/16 at 12:04 PM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 1:04pm

The Broadway prices are higher. Just be prepared.

I recommend Dear Evan Hansen & Great Comet. Updated On: 9/23/16 at 01:04 PM

[madbrian]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 1:06pm

The Color Purple

[Broadway_Boy]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 1:09pm

Your best bet for Hamilton is to wait until the day of and keep an eye on stubhub and watch the prices drop as showtime becomes closer.  Definitely second Color Purple if you missed that in London.  Dear Evan Hansen and Natashia Pierre and The Great Comet should also be on your list and maybe Something Rotten.  

[HSky]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 1:11pm

There isn't as much "spectacle" as most of the shows you've listed, so I'd recommend Dear Evan Hansen as a smaller, more intimate, but powerful show. I've also enjoyed The Great Comet.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 1:52pm

Personally, I'd put the Falsettos revival at the top of your list considering it's a limited engagement.  I consider the musical to be a must-see to anyone unfamiliar with it.

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 2:24pm

If you can see Hamilton see it, but be aware it's coming to London next year (and tickets go on sale soon) so you might want to save the money to see something else. Definitely shows like Dear Evan Hansen and Natasha Pierre, as these are shows that are unlikely to ever end up in London, at least in a big West End theatre. As for general tips, it's not all that different except the theatres are closer together, they don't let you in the theatre until half an hour before the show starts and obviously you get a Playbill so don't have to pay for a programme (unless you want a bigger, nicer brochure).

[Emma MK]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 2:30pm

I think the cancellation line for Hamilton is only a couple of hours long now, so that could be possible. Ive flown from London twice to see it and both times i did the cancellation line and its totally worth it!

Something Rotten is brilliant but i think its going to transfer eventually so maybe not that.

Im about to fly to DC next week for 4 days followed by 12 days in NY (my 3rd time this year lol) so if i remember i will post here to let you know which were the best shows i saw.

Cant really think of any tips but i do often use the todaytix app to buy tickets at short notice as they are usually quite reasonably priced.

[Englishsteve]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 4:52pm

Thanks for the tips, I'd noticed the prices on Broadway were a fair bit more than over here, and other than the big shows things are discounted quite a bit here to. I'm signed up for hamiltons presale when it transfers here, but I got very lucky with the cursed child, great seats for the very first (two) night(s) preview, so I think that probably used up all my luck for high demand tickets for a while, think Hamilton over here will become just as much of a mad scramble for tickets.

I'm going to look into the falsettos, great comet and the colour purple, I think with it being close to Christmas we might go traditional with the rockettes Christmas show? Expecting it to be a feel good, traditional, camp night out but worth seeing once if your in town around Christmas?

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 5:11pm

You definitely should see the Rockettes Christmas Show at least once. It is a feel good show that you don't have to think about and can just enjoy. There seems to always be discount codes too. 

[The Glenbuck Laird]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 5:17pm

My tip is avoid Times Square unless you have to get to TKTS for cheap tickets. It's beyond horrible  

[jbird5]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 5:24pm

Personally, I'd go with Waitress over Color Purple. Especially if Headley is gone.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 5:27pm

Definitely shows like Dear Evan Hansen and Natasha Pierre, as these are shows that are unlikely to ever end up in London, at least in a big West End theatre.

I could easily see Natasha Pierre with a West End production.  I remember when they changed the seating configuration at the Duchess for Blue/Orange with the audience seated on either side of the stage.

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 9/23/16 at 5:39pm

Anything is possible I suppose but I don't see it selling here unfortunately.

[Englishsteve]

Posted: 9/24/16 at 7:29am

Thanks for all the hints, especially the suggestion of promo codes for radio city at Christmas booked up for the late Saturday night show centre orchestra for $45 each, the money saved will go towards a nice meal beforehand still going to look at everyone else's suggestions for the Friday night

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 9/24/16 at 8:02am

Be aware that once the RCMH Christmas Spectacular has your email address that you'll get annual spam from them starting in August of each year. We saw (and enjoyed) it in 2005. I still get them. Rather than unsubscribe I look at them as a seasonal signal, not unlike the swallows returning to Capistrano.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 9/25/16 at 11:12am

Waitress is going to London so wait for it. Visit the TKTS Booths at South Street Seaport and Lincoln Center to avoid Times Square lines. If you are booking from the UK to see the Christmas Spectacular, be sure you can actually book off US Ticketmaster. Typically while we can book UK from the US on Ticketmaster, it doesn't always work the other way around.