"I'm coming to NYC! What show should I see?" Look here!

I'm so happy for all you tourists out there who are coming to NYC! And even better that you are going to see a show (or 5, or 50, whatever)!

BWW has these great video features where you can watch clips from the show- see if you like the cast, the music, the set, the story, the theater, the stage manager, the bathrooms, etc.

There are hundreds of threads talking about each show and everyone's opinions! And those opinions will be good and bad for every single show out there!

Most of the shows even have a website so you can check it out before buying tickets! And there are websites with all the rush information about lotteries and standing room and if seat 103 is better than seat 847. http://www.talkinbroadway.com/boards/
And there is even information if the show is good for a 5 year old or a 200 year old grandmother from Albania.

How about giving those a try before another thread is posted saying "I'm so excited, I'm coming to NYC for Thanksgiving/ Christmas/ Hanukah/ My dog's half birthday! and what shows should I see????



BWW video previews of Broadway shows

Updated On: 11/16/05 at 11:56 AM

Thanks liotte.

While I have no problem with the "what should I see" threads, I think reminding people these are here is a great move. Even someone here as often as I can forget there are BWW features other than the message board itself.

jerseyboysfan, I guess if someone reads this looking that suggestion is warranted, you do realize liotte wasn't asking for suggestions, right?

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The problem with the question is that it's always a matter of taste. If you ask "What should I see?", we have no idea who you are or what you like. You might find my personal favorite show boring or offensive, or vice versa.

It's akin to asking "What should I have for dinner tonight?" It just won't end up being very helpful to you.

It's better to ask about specific shows you might be interested in, or just look through the threads/reviews to see what's already been said.

dancersmom, there's a thread every few days of someone posting: "I'm coming to NYC! What show should I see?" with no information whatsoever about themself, who they'll be with, what their tastes are, etc. It's not just a simple question with a simple answer, we don't want to end up sending a conservative grandmother and 3 young grandkids from the Midwest to see Avenue Q, we want to give an informed suggestion.

I'm not even a New Yorker. But unlike many of these posters, I just bother to read the boards and get an idea of what shows people are talking about first, so I at least have an idea of what's out there, before asking for advice. Once someone has looked over the links liotte posted, they can narrow down their choices more and THEN maybe we can give better answers.

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Updated On: 11/16/05 at 12:16 PM

I didn't mean to hit a nerve! And generally I do skip the threads that I don't like (and lately, even the Rent threads, which is a show I LOVE but have had enough of already!). And I don't mind helping people out with opinions about shows, especially since I have seen pretty much everything multiple times.

I guess seeing all the threads today struck a nerve with me, hence the post. :)

Actually, I can't really fault anyone for asking which show is recommended by the board members. I know I can read all the critiques I want, and watch videos and narrow my choices down, but sometimes, real experience form real people is an excellent measure. I think if someone comes in with parameters - for example if someone says "I prefer operatic love stories that have amazing lighting and sets but I'm having trouble deciding - would you recommend POTO or Piazza?" what's the harm? It seems people here enjoy giving advice and opinions on shows (among other things), so I would imagine they'd be happy to share their thoughts - no?

Of course if there are no paramaters and the poster has not even narrowed it down or given something to go on, it's a different story. But I actually think most of the "which one?" posts are well-intended, and show that the poster repsects the opinions of the board members.

Indeed they do count - and I'm glad you reminded people of the resources available to them because you are right, they are often overlooked.

But I do think sometimes people want also want to hear from regular theatre-goers like themselves (which can, to a degree, be found here), and remove the "theatre critics eye" from the equation (at the same time, of course, people will find both the theatregoer's and the critic's perspectives here!).

I guess my take is that, as long as someone has done his or her research, and is still having trouble making a decision, I don't see any harm in asking for a recommendation.

edit: typos!

Updated On: 11/16/05 at 03:19 PM

Excellent point. You are right, too often the research is not done beforehand, and with the holidays it can get a little crazy!