For those of you who live in the city, do you see EVERY show?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:44pm

The thread with the question about how many Broadway houses you have visited got me wondering... Those of you who live in the city (or close to it), do you see every Broadway show? I was just wondering. I know when I move to the city in a couple years I will probably be one of those people that goes to every first preview. Also, how often do you return to shows that you have already seen?

[gstrus2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:47pm

The city is a 30 minute bus ride away. I started seeing shows last summer, and haven't stopped since. I've seen every new musical and some plays. I come early, rush, then enjoy the show! I come back to a show if I enjoyed it so much the first time. I've returned to Matilda, Kinky Boots, Pippin, A Christmas Story, and Drood on more than one occasion.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 8:56pm

No. I simply don't have the time or money to even see everything I'd LIKE to see.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:02pm

Every show? That would be amazing..and expensive!!!! - even with rush/lottery (and some rushes are just for students so that doesn't work for me). And I have to find the free time too.

I see a lot and I am definitely a repeater, sometimes because I really want to see something again that I loved. But sometimes I see something again because it's the only show I was able to get cheap tickets too..and even if it's not my fav show, I can always find something to enjoy in it again. The one show I have not seen yet is Book of Mormon - I can't tell you how often I have tried the lottery and lost. But I keep trying....now I am just stubborn about it.

But I do live close enough to walk to most theaters so I do tend to see shows last minute, as opposed to long term plans.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:06pm

nope. I'm not a theater freak. But when I was working in the theater I got to see quite a few. These days it has to be something I'm dying to see.

[BWFan101]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:13pm

I usually see most, but not all shows. Either I'm not interested or it closes too fast.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:18pm

I see a lot of shows... not all, some just don't interest me in the least. Like I have no interest in Once, Matilda, Annie, Rock of Ages. Never felt the desire to see Phantom (even though I worked on it for a while).

[jnb9872]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:36pm

I used to work consistently in a number of the Broadway houses for a few years, which gave me the opportunity to see a number of shows I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. That job also qualified me for a TDF membership, which I've used since stepping back from that line of employment for other career advancements. I believe I still have a few more years before they check my qualifications so I intend to make the most of the time I have...

Also, I don't drink or smoke, so I have a little more of my budget available than many of my friends for tickets!

[ARTc]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:49pm

I see most Broadway musicals and a few Broadway plays each year. In addition to Broadway, I see most of the Off-Broadway offerings (plays and musicals) and even a fair amount of the Off-Off-Broadway shows. I can also be found at the Joyce - and other dance venues - quite frequently.

I think I definitely have an addiction to live performances. Is there a program?

[TFMH18]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 9:51pm

Most but not all. Who has the time or money? T'would be nice but certainly not feasible for the average New Yorker, I'd say.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:24pm

I see everything on Broadway and try to see as much off-Broadway as I can. I guess it is as much an addiction as a passion for me, but I go with two friends and we've really bonded over the years attending each show.

[Citygirl.grace]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:25pm

I've seen pretty much almost every show. haha! Definitely a repeater also.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:33pm

This past March I was working in Manhattan, so pigged out on Broadway (and a bit of Off Broadway) and saw 3 or 4 shows a week, often basing my choices on scuttlebutt I'd glean from these boards. Most of the year I'm in LA, so plan 3 or 4 trips back to NYC each year with my hubby to get our intravenous New York fix.

(And yes, for those LA partisans, we DO hit the Music Center and elsewhere for homegrown theater when there's something that snares us -- Tribes at the Mark Taper was our last great night out locally.)

Updated On: 5/20/13 at 10:33 PM

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:35pm

Been seeing several shows a week in season for 50 years. One of the main reasons I stay in New York.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:55pm

I live in midtown, but no, I don't make an effort to see every show. I'd rather see a few I want to see than go just so I can have another checkmark next to a list of shows that season (I know not everyone sees it that way, but I'm not that kind of a completist).

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:06pm

I live just across the Hudson. Have been here for 2 years and have seen about 50 shows. Some more than once.

[Movidude742]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:13pm

I have never quite gotten to see everything, but I see most. this year I hope to have seen every new musical and already have seen every broadway musical that has been held over. I already missed one play so I can't do everything this year.

I keep a wall calendar where I list every show I see. last year, if you add up all the Broadway, off Broadway, Festival shows, readings of new plays, concerts by Broadway people, touring companies, regional theater, BC/EFA Events, Being a seat filler at the Tonys and even 2 HS productions I attended 127 shows in 2012. But I enter a ton of contests every week and am fortunate to get the occasional comp beyond that, so my average price was just under $18 a show. I usually only pay full price once a year.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:13pm

My name is not Donald Trump.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:28pm

The only show in the past few years that I can recall missing is Stick Fly as I just wasn't able to make it befoe closing.

The only two long running shows I haven't seen are Wicked and Mamma Mia but I should be seeing both this year. The only thing I skip are a lot of the concerts like Manilow and the like and Mike Tysons nonsense because they aren't real Broadway shows anyway.

I don't always see stuff right away either but if something gets announced that its closing I will go see it before it does. The other thing that I do that the majority don't probably do is that I like to go see shows without really knowing the plot to most of them. I like being suprised and sometimes I end up really loving something and sometimes I can't wait to leave. I'm not as critical as most people here. I either enjoy something or don't for the most part and some shows are just meh.

I also don't go see shows twice except for a very rare occasion. Updated On: 5/20/13 at 11:28 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:33pm

I see every Broadway show each season and most of the major, high-profile off-Broadway stuff. When I've seen all of those things and still have some free time, I start exploring some of the smaller scale stuff that sounds interesting to me. For instance, since I've seen all of the Broadway shows from this season and most of the big off-Broadway ones already, I just went to see A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney as produced by Soho Rep. I most likely wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't already hit all the big shows this season. That's why I like the summers in NY. It allows me to see many more things outside of midtown.

[Newsiesgirl67]

Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:33pm

I would love to but I don't really have the money for it but I try to see as many shows as I can. I try to see at least one show a month, two if I can.

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:02am

I grew up in Northern NJ, and saw quite a few shows as a kid, but DEFINITELY not everything -- my parents weren't exactly filthy rich. Now that I live in the DC area, and my family has all left NJ, I don't get up to NY very much. However, when I was sent up there last fall with my job to help with Hurricane Sandy relief, I made it to Broadway the night I arrived and the night before I left. That one was a repeater: Phantom both times. I'm dying to catch up with Wicked and Book of Mormon either in NY or on tour (I got shut out of BOM tickets at the Kennedy Center -- there were only crummy seats left by the time I logged on). I debated seeing Le Mis when the new production toured -- I only saw that once, at Wolf Trap, and it wasn't a very good production -- but in the end I skipped it. I try to catch My Fair Lady whenever it comes around. Of course, I plan to catch up with the Phantom tour to see the new production.

I guess my philosophy is that, with the price of tickets what it is, I'd rather see something I know I love, rather than take a chance on wasting a fortune. I got adventurous with Jekyll and Hyde at the Kennedy Center and ... let's just say I'm not surprised the Broadway run was so short. On the other hand, I was one of the first ones who bought tickets for Rebecca. One of these years, it may actually make it to Broadway.

What musical am I waiting for that hasn't been written yet? "Star Trek." I'm dying to hear Captain Kirk sing to one of his lady loves, "I'm so glad you have four hands, because I can keep them all busy at once."

[hanabana]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:47am

I live about an hour and a half away from Manhattan by bus & subway, but I definitely do not see every show. I really wish I could, but it will be too expensive. I also haven't rushed shows that I would need to line up for at 6 or 7 am or so because there are few buses that run so early. Ideally, I'd like to see at least a show or two per month, but I hardly even get to do that. I think these days I get to see six shows per year or so. (This is pretty good, since there was a time when I rarely got to see any shows at all.) There are so many shows I want to see this season, so I have to figure out a way to go more often...

[gchris11]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 2:15am

I live on the Bowery and we belong to several theater groups (Roundabout, NYTW, Playwrights Horizons) and we have a TDF membership so we see a lot of theater. Mostly musicals but some plays. but not everything. This is the first year I have seen most Tony nominated shows. But I was also not working my regular shifts due to Sandy.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 2:16am

I try to. The past few seasons, I have missed one or two shows (I think the only Broadway production I missed last season was THE COLUMNIST). So far this season, I've seen every new Broadway production except ANN, LUCKY GUY, CINDERELLA, & THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES. I hope to see all of them before the Tonys, but will certainly make sure I catch them at some point. I also try to keep a fair amount of Off Broadway shows on my radar as well. That, for me, is where my TDF membership really comes in handy. Their Off Broadway prices are usually within the $25 range, which is a great deal.

I am very, very lucky to have the ability to see so much theater...and no matter how horrible or how spectacular a show is, I never take it for granted. Updated On: 5/21/13 at 02:16 AM