How's this for total Broadway overkill?

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 11:43am

I've been in New York for five weeks (I'm here for a two month vacation!) and, so far, these are the theatre related shows I've seen (I won't include the concerts, comedy and jazz clubs etc.)

South Pacific
Bebe Neuwirth at Feinstein's
Passing Strange
Cry Baby
August:Osage County
The Country Girl
Simply Barbra at Birdland
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Grease
In The Heights
A Catered Affair
Eartha Kitt at Cafe Carlyle
The Tony Awards
Spring Awakening (on stage)
Jackie Mason - The Ultimate Jew
War Of The Mama Roses
Boeing Boeing
Broadway Bares - Midnight show (I was in costume, white rabbit/Playboy bunny)
Curtains
Xanadu (on stage and in costume, denim cut-offs, headband etc.)
Adding Machine
Don't Quit Your Night Job

to come:
Christine Ebersole at Birdland (tonight)
Young Frankenstein
Fuerzabruta
Arias With A Twist
Lucie Arnaz at Birdland
[title of show]
Damn Yankees

anything else that I can fit into the schedule!

I imagine that, when I get home to London, I will need to lie down in a darkened room for a week. Oh no, I can't 'cos I've got a ton of shows to see in London also!

Do I need therapy?
Updated On: 6/30/08 at 11:43 AM

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 11:46am

DAMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. You're lucky!

:)

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 11:53am

Wow, holy $hit, that's a lot!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 11:59am

Well, you could look at it this way... The pound is almost double what the dollar is- you are getting all the shows at half price!!!! Lucky you!

[bundy5000]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:00pm

what kind of job do you have?!

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:10pm

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 12:10 PM

[Weez]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:11pm

Deena - um nooooo, it doesn't work like that, skippy. West End show (best seat, before any discount) = £55. Broadway show (ditto previous parentheses) = $110. The exchange rate being what it is, anyone who buys a ticket for a Broadway show is paying pretty much the same as they'd be paying for a West End show. :P

Updated On: 6/30/08 at 12:11 PM

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:12pm

I thought after it all worked out, West End was cheaper.......

[matty159]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:13pm

WOW!!! Amazing. And I thought I did overkill two weeks ago - but wouldn't trade that week for anything!

Enjoy and see as much as you can, I say. No therapy necessary!

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:15pm

I'm a graphic designer and with my laptop and a broadband internet connection, I can do my work anywhere (not that I'm doing that much while I'm over here).

Some of the shows I've seen have been half-price from TKTS and BroadwayBox, so that's a quarter price in English money!

I've been playing all the tricks I can find like TKTS at the South Street Seaport - get there for 11am, hardly ever a line and you can get a ticket for that evening and the next day's matinee. Or turn up at TKTS Times Square at 6pm (or 5pm on Tuesdays) and walk right up to the window, especially easy if you are after a play as there's a dedicated window which is never busy at that time. If your dates are flexible play around with BroadwayBox offers- I tried for about six different performances of Young Frankenstein until I found a great seat near the front of the centre orchestra. Don't always go with the first seats you're offered - Telecharge, via BroadwayBox, gave me rear orchestra for Boeing Boeing, only after I clicked for the next best seat about six times did it offer me front row centre section!

[Weez]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:16pm

Wow, did you use your maths for that? I mean, I just ran $110 USD through http://www.xe.com/ucc and it came out at £55.2507 GBP. So yeah, it's cheaper. By, like, 25p. Really, the difference in general cost is pretty negligible.

Obviously, it depends on show though. Quite a lot of plays won't charge as much as musicals, some musicals charge even more *koffhairsprayahem*, there's a variety of discounts about, and no one's forcing anyone to buy a full-price ticket. But it's just plain naive to think that exchange rate = Broadway so much cheaper than West End!!!.

Updated On: 6/30/08 at 12:16 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:18pm

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 12:18 PM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:45pm

You MUST see GYPSY!!!

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:53pm

It always used to be the case that prices in New York for everything were much lower than London apart from theatre tickets which were considerably more expensive. Over the years ticket prices in London have shot up far higher and quicker than NY to a point where they're almost exactly the same now (Andrew and Cameron must have been struggling to make ends meet).

Food for thought: In the late 1920's a scandal ensued when Broadway ticket prices hit an all-time high - two dollars for the best seat in the house. Seats could also be bought for as little as thirty cents!

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:56pm

I saw Gypsy when I was over for a few days in March.

I also caught Spamalot (for the third time and just to see Clay Aiken - I was curious), Young Frankenstein, November and The Little Mermaid.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 2:11pm

I live in Florida but do a lot of NYC theatre and a lot of London theatre. While we all complain about the increased prices of Broadway, the increases in prices in London have been MUCH more dramatic in the past 10 years. London theatre used to be a huge bargain compared to Broadway. Not so any more. They are pretty much equal. I will say I have better luck getting really good seats at the London TKTS to almost everything than I ever have in New York. But discounts are available pretty much the same in London as in NYC.

Incidentally. I arrived in NYC on June 1 and leave tomorrow -- July 1. I've seen 23 shows in the month. I only paid full price for two -- Gypsy (to be safe, ordering great seats months ago) and the Carnegie Hall concert of Showboat. All other shows at pre-ordered or "go the boxoffice" discounts. I did not buy any tickets at TKTS this time.

[Select a Member Name]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 4:58pm

A two month vacation? In New York?! LUCKY.

[oohshizz146]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 5:14pm

CRAP! I am jealous!!! How do you pay for this?!

[hotjohn]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 5:17pm

Yes, a whole two months in NYC.

Well, it is a special occasion, the extended run-up to my 50th birthday next week. For the big day itself I'll be joined in Las Vegas by my partner and some friends from England - we'll be seeing Bette Midler, Cirque du Soliei's "The Beatles Love" and "O".

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 6:20pm

What do you do in your spare time?

Does the Brinks truck follow you around to pay for all these show?

Seriously, if you can do it more power to you & enjoy.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:52pm

Hey John....what day did you see Xanadu?

[antonijan]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 8:55am

Call it the Broadway Therapy :)

You should see the Red Piano in LV!
Help me be the One

[hotjohn]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 9:47am

I saw Xanadu last Wednesday, June 25th (Boy's Night). Having seen the show from the orchestra stalls last year I very much wanted to experience it from the stage. I arrived early, at 6.45pm, so I could have my pick of the seats. I chose the seat on the extreme right-hand side (looking from the audience) - it curves around so far it really is not a restricted view at all. It was well worth it, and the stage seats are the cheapest at $40.

I've seen Elton's Red Piano show twice already (first time in his first week a few years back). I also saw Celine Dionne and, last month, Cher. The Coliseum is a fantastic venue, a huge stage but no seats are too far from it.

[gonepishing]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:50am

How was Bebe Neuwirth at Feinstein's?