Kid Friendly taking over?

Is it me, or has Broadway turned into a theme park? I can't help but notice all the kid musicals this season. Is this a particular kid heavy season? Or am I just noticing them more.

Thoughts?

Tking0012 said: "Is it me, or has Broadway turned into a theme park? I can't help but notice all the kid musicals this season. Is this a particular kid heavy season? Or am I just noticing them more.

Thoughts?"



It's you. I think it's cool that families with small children have a couple of choices for things to see. I find the big spectacle musicals with flying chandeliers, helicopters and such to be more "theme parky" than something specifically developed for kids. That's far from new, and there's nothing wrong with any of it, as long as there's something for everyone.

TKing0012: "Is it me, or has Broadway turned into a theme park? I can't help but notice all the kid musicals this season. Is this a particular kid heavy season?"



Frankly, the so-called "kid musicals" have turned out to be the only tolerable ones one can sit through nowadays. The "adult" kinds are all trials by dire: screeds, bores, dirgicals --- often all three combined --- with music-less music, all as painful and/or depressing as hell.

At least the "theme park" ones offer a good tune or two, maybe even some laughs.

So if Broadway as it now stands offers soda-pop instead of champagne, I'll gladly drink soda-pop, if the only other offering is dirty dish water.

I have also noticed younger kids attending more serious and adult themed shows, which I think is great when the parents know what they are seeing.

I attended BULLDOZER: The Ballad of Robert Moses last night and there was a young man who looked to be about 10 in the audience. He was eating up every moment of it and it was a joy to watch his enthusiasm. At one point Constantine Maroulis engagesndorectly with the audience and chose this young man. He was over the moon. It brought back memories of when I was in grade school and saw my first musical.

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I think the difference now is that the newer long-runners are kid-friendly. The older long runners---think Chorus Line, Les Miz, Phantom, Chicago---those are target to adults. The more recent long runners--Wicked, Aladdin and I suppose Lion King although it's only a year younger than Chicago (but maybe that's a good place to note the change) are geared toward kids. That said, there are plenty of kid-targeted shows that don't make it. We will have to see what happens with Frozen, and if Harry Potter gets labeled as a kids show or not.

Phantom4ever said: "I think the difference now is that the newer long-runners are kid-friendly. The older long runners---think Chorus Line, Les Miz, Phantom, Chicago---those are target to adults."

Well, seeing that every third movie is based on a comic book these days, it would make sense that Broadway would follow suit.

RippedMan said: "I agree, but let's not forget that there is The Book of Mormon, Come From Away, And Dear Evan Hansen all doing stellar business, and not exactly kid friendly."

I don't think the suggestion is that every show is kid friendly.