I don't know what show to see!

[katshrodinger]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 6:53pm

So I've seen Gentleman's Guide, Wicked, Lion King, Spring Awakening, and Hamilton! (All of which blew me away in their own ways.) But I have a family friend visiting soon, and they'd like to see a show. The daughter is 15, my age, and her mother is... Much more conservative than mine (who sat right next to me and stared at me during the sex, masturbation, and beating scenes in Spring Awakening). I want to see something that will blow us all away, but that her mother won't be uncomfortable with and I'm just not as Broadway-knowledgeable as I should be, so I was wondering if anyone had ideas? 

Note: We would like to avoid seeing An American in Paris.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:05pm

When is soon?  Lots opening in the spring. 

 

I adored the Color Purple revival. Moving and the cast is fantastic. I liked it far better than when I saw it on tour. I would like to see it again. 

 

School of Rock also might be a good choice. It exceeded my expectations. Not exactly groundbreaking but it's lots of fun, age appropriate for a teenager, and not offensive. 

 

Otherwise Fiddler and King and I are good classics that would be appropriate for anyone. I enjoyed TKAI more but my mom enjoyed fiddler more. 

 

YOU should see Fun Home if you can but I wouldn't take your conservative friend. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:09pm

You don't say when so hard to guess what will and wont be open but Fiddler, clearly, is open and "comfortable" -perhaps Color Purple, She Love Me? 

[_IrisTInkerbell]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:33pm

I would also throw Beautiful and Finding Neverland into the mix. Both are comfortable, and I personally loved Neverland. Still haven't see Beautiful (one of those days), but it seems like a good show to take your mum to! (I took mine to Finding Neverland, but it she doesn't speak much English so I'm always looking for things where she can see/read the source material so make it easier to follow the plot...)

Edit: Or Matilda! I love Matilda!

Updated On: 1/19/16 at 07:33 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:52pm

Matilda

The King and I

Fiddler on the Roof

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 7:57pm

I would say Matilda and Finding Neverland (good show for people that don't go the theater often), maybe School of Rock.

[katshrodinger]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 8:01pm

Thank you so much! I think she might actually be okay with Fun Home, I'll have to ask my friend (on behalf of her mother) and I've so been wanting to see it!

[katshrodinger]

Posted: 1/19/16 at 8:02pm

Thank you! I have been wanting to see Finding Neverland also, so I'll add that to my list!

[little_sally]

Posted: 1/20/16 at 11:01am

Favorite things running right now are Something Rotten, The King and I, and if you'd like a play, Curious Incident. This production of Fiddler is very  good, can't go wrong with that.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 1/20/16 at 12:26pm

katshrodinger said: "Thank you so much! I think she might actually be okay with Fun Home, I'll have to ask my friend (on behalf of her mother) and I've so been wanting to see it!

 

"

If she would be cool with that I'd totally recommend it. It depends on what you mean by conservative. Of course there may be some people who will not like foul language or raunchy shows but may have no problem with the themes of this show. (And of course, on the flip side, there are people who are not comfortable with homosexual themes but don't mind foul language.). In my view, there is nothing inappropriate or offensive in the show. It is about a gay woman discovering herself and there are allusions to sex, but nothing explicit. If it were about a heterosexual relationship no one would think anything of taking a teenager. It's a very sweet, innocent love story. I don't think it should make a difference, but unfortunately for some people it does, so you should just think of whether it's the kind of thing she'd enjoy. (Personally I think it's great to expose people to the type of theater they may not be exposed to otherwise, but only you will know what will be enjoyable for her and comfortable for you.)

 

There were other shows I personally enjoyed more than Fun Home but it really is something new and different, which I think is always exciting. And the Circle in the Square is so cool and makes for a very intimate show. Even though it wasn't my favorite show running right now, I always recommend it, and no one has ever come back to me and said they didn't like it. (Certainly those people are out there, though.)

[mpkie]

Posted: 1/20/16 at 2:10pm

I didn't enjoy Fun Home but it does promote meaningful post-show discourse and I can always appreciate a show like that. I think it's wonderful how people are gravitating towards it and feel connected to the story and characters. If you want something emotionally impactful, yes definitely go see it. Also the cast, besides putting on great performances, is so friendly.

 

For a more light-hearted affair full of shenanigans and wordplay, I would highly recommend Something Rotten. It's a polished spectacle jam-packed with catchy (if not too over-the-top!) upbeat tunes. I thought it was spectacular both times I saw it, and my friends enjoyed a lot it as well.

 

I second/ third/ fourth The King and I. It's such a lovely production.

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/20/16 at 2:25pm

If you truly "want to see something that will blow us all away", then you should go to Curious Incident.  I doubt you have seen anything with that kind of staging before.   

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/20/16 at 7:09pm

I don't know about blowing you away but I agree with other people that "School Of Rock" would be be good to see and I found "Something Rotten" to be a lot of fun and can't imagine you would not enjoy seeing Christian Borle and Brian D'arcy James". The closest thing to blowing you away IMO is "Matilda", think the 15 yr old would love it. As for plays, I have not seen "Curious Incident" (will see it in London later this year) but everybody raves about it.