Drop a Show from My List?

[midorigal]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 8:44pm

Hi there!

Long time lurker and first time poster. I've read the boards off and on for the last couple of years. When we went to New York in 2012, we used to board to plan out our shows. We are coming again next Saturday for a week and we are so excited!

A little background, we are in Los Angeles and love attending shows and go at least once a month.

We have the following planned for our upcoming trip:

It's Only a Play (bought tix already)
On the Town (bought tix already)
Here Lies Love (must see)
This is Our Youth (hubby's must see)

Gentleman's Guide
If/Then
You Can't Take it with You
Hedwig
Cabaret
Curious Incident

Now I am having 2nd thoughts. Kinky Boots is touring LA but someone on the board said that Billy Porter is not to be missed. So if we add Kinky Boots I'd need to drop one. I am thinking If/Then, I've never seen Idina perform and although I'm not a big fan, the concept sounds neat. I loved Sliding Doors. I actually want to drop This Is Our Youth but hubby doesn't ask for much.

Any advice/ideas?

Thank you all in advance!

[TazTarney]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 8:47pm

Drop cabaret and just watch the recorded 1998 version. it's the same show.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 8:54pm

I would say drop A gentalmans guide and Cabaret is MUST SEE!!!! its soooo good and AGGTLAM is quite boring and you can see they same show in great quality online while cabaret you can't.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:01pm

Billy Porter is not a "must-see" in my opinion. The actor on tour will be just as good.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:03pm

IF/THEN is easily the outlier. The concept has been done better many other times and places, and if that's the draw for the show then you will be disappointed (especially if you miss another show for it.)

GENT'S GUIDE, CAN'T TAKE, HEDWIG, CABARET, and CURIOUS INCIDENT are all wonderful-to-extraordinary productions to varying degrees of innovation or classicism. You have a good list, minus IF/THEN a better one.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:08pm

Just see the Kinky Boots tour. Billy Porter's performance hardly qualifies as a "must see" in my book. LOVED If/Then, Cabaret, and Hedwig.

[ramblingwreck97]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:12pm

It's Only A Play really is the weakest,so I would not have made that a must. but CABARET is totally unnecessary. It's a carbon copy of 1998 and the other pieces are more intriguing. Billy Porter is going to be out of KINKY BOOTS a lot with producing his own show, and the rest of the OBC is essentially gone, so I would just keep your current ideas. If/Then is truly great and different, and will feel fresh compared to the other shows you're seeing.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:17pm

I'd just catch the Kinky Boots tour, unless your intention is to see the actor first and the show second.

YCTIWY and Cabaret are classics. Hedwig is a modern classic. AGGTLM and Curious Incident are original and were well received by critics and this board. Of the shows you listed as definitely going to see, If/Then is the LEAST similar. I'd personally go for YCTIWY or Cabaret. The cast of YCTIWY is truly an all star cast and is really well. Cabaret has Alan Cumming who is still a delight, but Danny Burstein and Linda Emond play Herr Schulz and Fräulein Schneider in a way that surpasses most. I thought the '98 revival of Cabaret was better with Natasha Richardson as Sally, but the revised version of the show is such a critical part of the modern theater experiences.

Updated On: 10/6/14 at 09:17 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:19pm

Having seen both Kinky Boots on Broadway with Billy Porter and on tour, I can honestly say both performances were equal. I may have even enjoyed the tour Lola on tour a little bit more...

[goldenboy]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:21pm

If I didn't go to If Then, then i could have done my laundry and watched it dry in the dryer and had a better time. Skip if Then.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:32pm

IF/THEN was the worst Broadway show i ever saw!!! I'd say drop it and see Kinky Boots!!!!!!!!!

[midorigal]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 9:39pm

Thank you everyone!

I really appreciate you taking the time out to respond and it's interesting to see differing opinions on some of the shows.

It sounds like I should just see the touring company of Kinky Boots and stick to my list. It also sounds like I should drop If/Then anyways. Although some suggested dropping Cabaret (I heart Alan Cumming-he's delicious in The Good Wife) or Gentleman's Guide. Perhaps another question should have been if I should add anything. I was debating on:'

The Last Ship (the board seem to dislike it as a whole)
Disgraced
The Real Thing

How I wish we were coming in later so I can see The River, Elephant Man and Honeymoon in Vegas!

Again, thank you all so much!

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 10:11pm

I HATED If/Then and the current production of Cabaret is tired. I was very disappointed to find the energy so lacking when I went.

I think you should drop them and leave two slots for OFF BROADWAY or some cabaret performances. Sometimes not planning everything is a good thing-unstructured time can lead to pleasant surprises.

[artisn'teasy]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 10:36pm

Definitely drop If/Then. Great concept, disappointing execution. I wanted so much to like it but I just couldn't.

Keep Gentleman's Guide! I went in thinking I wouldn't care for it and was surprised I ended up loving it. I can't remember seeing a similar show.

It seems like as far as Cabaret goes, the consensus seems to be- see it if you didn't see the 1998 revival, skip it if you did. I haven't seen it yet- from what I've heard, the concept is the same, a great production but not necessarily worth a second viewing if you saw the last revival.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 10:44pm

If/Then is a tough call, since as you see, people either love it or hate it, with no middle ground, so it's hard to know which side of the equation you'll fall on... I'm in the group that loves it, but it is split pretty evenly.

Also, I just saw This Is Our Youth tonight, and had a great time, so I wouldn't worry too much about your husband's pick. It's a great production.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 10:44pm

Keep a Gentleman's Guide. And add in The Real Thing--particularly if you've never seen Stoppard.

[brdway411]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 10:58pm

I would drop If /Then. Hated it, and if you are not huge Idina fans it is not worth seeing. I had mixed feelings on Cabaret. CATCH CURIOUS INCIDENT, It is AMAZING!!!!!!!

[hanabana]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 11:03pm

I personally loved If/Then, I thought it was very thought-provoking, and that the acting was amazing. I was never one of those crazy Idina Menzel fans, but I was curious to see the show because the idea of the show sounded interesting to me. I stayed engaged the whole show, and thought the score is pretty great (it was enough to make me buy a cast recording). It's definitely not one of those energetic, feel-good musical though. But I enjoyed it. I thought the entire cast was great, and Idina's acting was top-notch, she (and the show's plot) really moved me, and I am glad I was able to see this show live.

I agree with those that said if you have seen the previous Cabaret production in 1998, maybe you should consider dropping that.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 11:11pm

The Real Thing is a fabulously written play. Most of the time, it succeeds on stage. This cast is solid and I expect it will do well.

I haven't heard a single negative about Disgraced and was disappointed to miss it this past weekend.

Off-Broadway does have some great things right now. I'm personally intrigued by Billy & Ray, The Oldest Boy, and Stalking the Bogeyman. If you're familiar with "Found" magazine, a musical based on it us in previews. I expect that one to get very mixed reviews. Joely Richardson begins performances tomorrow in The Belle of Amherst, a showI hope to catch in winter.

(for reference, I'm a 30 y/o female from the Midwest active in cultural events and theater. My usual companion is my 28 y/o boyfriend who enjoys going to the theater with me, but never really chooses a show)

[Queen of the Night]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 11:15pm

Definitely see Gentleman's Guide! My husband and I loved it! A great night of funny, old school theater. It's a nice balance to the other shows you are planning to see. We saw Billy Porter in Kinky Boots, but yes he is out a bit right now because he is working on his play. The tour Lola was one of his understudies in NY and people who saw him go on in Billy's place have said good things about him. So you are probably safe with seeing Kinky Boots on tour.

[Fantod]

Posted: 10/6/14 at 11:34pm

Out of your list, I only saw GG, Cabaret, and If/Then, but I would say to drop If/Then if only because the other two are more historically relevant (a classic and a best musical winner) and I liked both of those better than I/T.

[midorigal]

Posted: 10/7/14 at 12:08am

Oh my goodness. Why aren't we in New York for 2 weeks?

Ok, Kinky Boots-tour

If/Then does sound totally divisive among the board. I have never seen Cabaret so I am looking forward to it. Curious Incident is one of my favorite books and I'm re-reading it now.

Dreaming-I hear you about not planning things too much and just enjoy and let things happen. I need to practice that more!

Haterobics-thanks for the vote on This is Our Youth. My husband went to school in New York during that period so I think he's looking forward to reminiscing that time period/feel.

It sounds like I really can't go wrong with most on my list.

Such a predicament, so many good shows so little time!

Thank you!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/7/14 at 12:14am

There are an awful lot of "amazings" in this thread. It could get a body all turned around.

[loliveve]

Posted: 10/7/14 at 2:21am

Welcome to the boards! I'm from the great but oh-so-drought-ridden state of CA too From your list, I'd recommend dropping If/Then. I enjoyed Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and it kept me smiling. If/Then was kind of "meh" ... Of the others on your list, the only one I have seen was Cabaret, which was a wonderful production!

Enjoy your trip!!

[HorseTears]

Posted: 10/7/14 at 2:26am

As much as I disliked the charmless Gentleman's Guide, I'd still drop If/Then. Unless you're a big fan of he leading lady, there's no reason to see that one.