My December Broadway Trip !

Hello everyone !

Loooong time member here, haven't posted in ages but I always visit and read your posts, since it is the best way to stay connected to my beloved Broadway scene !

I will be staying in Washington DC from late November to early January and there was, of course, nothing that could stop me, from travelling for a few weekdays to NYC and getting a good dose of some, much-needed, Broadway magic !

I initially thought of being in the city December 3-7, since from what I remember reading here, the week right after Thanksgiving, is a relatively good one for finding good tickets. But lately I have been also contemplating the next one, December 10-14, since availability for the shows I plan to buy tickets very soon, looks even better. Please keep in mind that I like to sit up close and have a flexible budget but not for the crazy prices some shows ask. So, the shows I plan on seeing are:

Tuesday Evening - Wednesday Matinee HADESTOWN - HAMILTON

This is open, depending on availability. I would love to see Hadestown but not at the crazy prices I see at Ticketmaster. By checking TM the last couple of weeks, it looks like there are always great last minute tickets, popping up a day of two before that I could snatch. But I don't know if that would be the case in December. Thoughts ?

I have seen Hamilton in London and fell in love with it. Again, almost every day, a coupe of side Orch seats pop up at around the $230 mark, that I would be willing to get, in order to revisit this amazing show. But again, I don' t know if this will be the case in early December. This is the only show that I would love to see again but if I don't, it's OK.

Wednesday Evening DEAR EVAN HANSEN

It wasn't on my radar, for some reason, don't know why, I just wasn't very interested but I lately changed my mind and want to catch it. There are 2nd Row center Orchestra seats and also Front Row mezannine seats available. I am an Orchestra guy, love being up close, especially on an emotional show like this but I think that this is a show that can also really be enjoyed from the Mezannine. Thoughts ?

Thursday Evening MOULIN ROUGE

This is the #1 unmissable show for me and the only one I will spent that obscene Premium Price ticket of $399 for Front Row Center Orch. I have never paid that much but seeing this show and...well...Aaron from so close, is worth it for me .TM is crazy, it used to be $299 until a week ago for those dates but now it shot up to $399, with some seats right next to those, going for $499. Actually there is more availability for the week of December 10-14, which is the reason that I am thinking that, since I will pay all that money anyway, why not move my whole trip that week and be closer to Xmas. Thoughts ?

Friday FROZEN

I know that reviews are not that great but I am a Disney fan and I am not missing it. And Premium Front Central Orchestra for any date is $150, so compared to other shows I am happy to get it.

So, any help, thoughts and advice from the wonderful community here will be much appreciated ! Thanks in advance

Updated On: 9/28/19 at 08:12 AM

Welcome back to the boards!

For FROZEN, I would recommend sitting front row mezz. There are projections on the floor itself that are pretty cool to see that only mezz folks will experience. Also, if you sit front row orchestra, there will be moments where you'll be fanning away smoke/dry ice. 

 

Hello everyone and thank you so much for your useful comments, I knew I could count on you, keep them coming !

I hadn't thought about Mezannine for Frozen, food for thought and as for Hadestown, most of good last minute tickets I've been checking are Orchestra, I don't remember having seen a really good Mezanine ticket popping up but if one pops up at that time, I will seriously take all your advice into consideration ! I always have the feeling that Mezannine puts a distance between me and the show, compared to Front Orchestra, it's just a matter of personal preference. I am not very tall, I'm 5' 8" so legroom is rarely a problem, it's just that I was never a big fan of Mezannine.

So DEH is better from the Orch ? I saw some pics and videos that look like all the projections and the technical aspects of the show are better viewed from higher up, that's why I thought that maybe Mezannine would be the way to go.

I know about the MR matinee on Thursdays but I am very worried to pay all that money and find out on the day that Karen or even worse, Aaron will not not performing, as sometimes happens in matinees on 2-show days.

Anout the last minute tickets for Hadestown and Hamilton do you think availability will be much different on the Dec 7-10 week compared to the Dec 3-7 right after Thanksgiving ?

Greekmusicalfan said: "Hello everyone and thank you so much for your useful comments, I knew I could count on you, keep them coming !

I hadn't thought about Mezannine for Frozen, food for thought and as for Hadestown, most of good last minute tickets I've been checking are Orchestra, I don't remember having seen a really good Mezanine ticket popping up but if one pops up at that time, I will seriously take all your advice into consideration ! I always have the feeling that Mezannine puts a distance between me and the show, compared to Front Orchestra, it's just a matter of personal preference. I am not very tall, I'm 5' 8" so legroom is rarely a problem, it's just that I was never a big fan of Mezannine.

So DEH is better from the Orch ? I saw some pics and videos that look like all the projections and the technical aspects of the show are better viewed from higher up, that's why I thought that maybe Mezannine would be the way to go."

I'm like you; I LOVE sitting in front orchestra and will choose front side orchestra over center mezz almost everytime. Whenever I sit in rear orchestra or the mezz or balcony, I walk away from the show with a "meh" feeling. I NEED to see facial expressions.

That being said, I saw Hadestown from mezz row E and walked away thinking I had the perfect seat. It's a very intimate theatre, so the mezz allows you to still see facial expressions while also seeing all the staging.

I'm also going to echo that you should do front orchestra for DEH. That's a show where you really want to be as close as possible to get the most out of the actors' performances. It isn't a spectacle show with huge dance numbers or an elaborate set that is best viewed from afar so you can take it all in. It's a small show.

 

Thank you again, everyone,

I plan to start booking tickets for my 3 unmissable shows this coming week (MR, DEH and Frozen) and it looks like availability right now for good (expensive) seats is MUCH better for the week of December 10-14, compared to Dec 3-7, so it looks like my trip is 95% locked for then. I will do DEH for Wed evening, MR for Thursday evening and Frozen on Friday evening and leave Tuesday, the day of my arrival and Wed matinee open, to look for Hadestown and Hamilton last minute tickets. If I don't get Hamilton, I will think of something else, maybe TINA (though it looks almost sold out from now for December, wow). I am not that interested in Tootsie, Come from Away or Waitress and have seen most of the other long running ones. Maybe revisit Book of Mormon as a last resort.

I had initially thought of the Inheritance for Wednesday but as great as it sounds, I can't spend almost a whole day out of the 4 I have in a theater, for a 7 hour play... I am usually tired from all the walking and have fallen momentarily asleep a lot of times in plays, the only one that didn't happen was Harry Potter in London but that was because I am a huge fan

Updated On: 9/29/19 at 05:39 AM

carolinaguy said: "I personally think HADESTOWN is best seen from the mezzanine, which is excellent at the Kerr. The staging of some sequences is more effective from a little distance. That may help with pricing too."

Another nice place to see Hadestown (especially since you said a lot of last-minute tickets are for the orchestra) is towards the back of the theatre, a little left of center.  That's where my family and I sat when we saw the show, and we could see the sets and lighting pretty perfectly.  In general, no matter where you sit, try to go left of center instead of right - the farther right you go, the more chance you have of missing a pretty pivotal moment in the show due to the sight lines.

Chowd95 said: "Greekmusicalfan said: "Thank you again, everyone,

I plan to start booking tickets for my 3 unmissable shows this coming week (MR, DEH and Frozen) and it looks like availability right now for good (expensive) seats is MUCH better for the week of December 10-14, compared to Dec 3-7, so it looks like my trip is 95% locked for then. I will do DEH for Wed evening, MR for Thursday evening and Frozen on Friday evening and leave Tuesday, the day of my arrival and Wed matinee open, to look for Hadestown and Hamilton last minute tickets. If I don't get Hamilton, I will think of something else, maybe TINA (though it looks almost sold out from now for December, wow). I am not that interested in Tootsie, Come from Away or Waitress and have seen most of the other long running ones. Maybe revisit Book of Mormon as a last resort.

I had initially thought of the Inheritance for Wednesday but as great as it sounds, I can't spend almost a whole day out of the 4 I have in a theater, for a 7 hour play... I am usually tired from all the walking and have fallen momentarily asleep a lot of times in plays, the only one that didn't happen was Harry Potter in London but that was because I am a huge fan "

I would honestly say that even if you don't think you're interested in Come From Away.. if you have a slot left put it at the top of your list. I wasn't really looking forward to it when the tour was announced as part of our subscription but after I saw it I understood the hype. It sounds cliche but if you want to see something that you makes you feel better about the world and sends you out on a legal high then go see it :)
"

Agreed. Saw CFA 2 years ago blind and thought it was one of the most enjoyable performances I've ever seen.

The OP really didnt need to make a post for recommendations to see the 4 most popular shows currently on broadway and a show they were going to see anyway regardless of reviews.

Then note their alternative was a show no one had suggested.

Odd.

Greekmusicalfan said: "Joe Mayo, I believe that this is a DISCUSSION Forum and it has been this way since 2003, which is when I joined. So what Posts someone NEEDS or Doesn't Need to make, are up to himself and other members can choose to participate in the discussion or ignore the thread. I really can't understand why you find my post odd but you have the right to your opinion and I respect it.

The main reason for my Post was to reconnect with a Board that has been a part of my life for many years and share my joy of coming to NYC again to see Shows. I didn't originally ask for recommendations, not because I don't respect opinions but because of my limited time in NYC, though they are certainly welcome. I just said what my plan is and asked for thoughts and info on usual last-minute availability during the time I will be there. Many people offered advice about seats, which is more than welcome ! You have been helpful on both my questions, so, respectfully, I don't really understand the point of your last post. I am very excited about my upcoming trip and any discussion around it is pleasurable to me. The title of the Post is "My December Trip", so I am surprised you find anything in my posts "odd", are there any rules I should have stuck on that I didn't ? I certainly don't and will not start a fight with anyone but I just can't understand what annoyed you so much to make this comment...

"

Here's a cliff notes version of how this post plays out

GMF: Hi everyone! Coming to NYC in December to see some Broadway shows. I've done my own research and I think I'd like to see the four most popular shows on Broadway including three of the last four Tony Award winners for best muscial! I know the fifth show thats non negotiable doesn't get great reviews, but I'm not going to miss it. 

I like to sit front center orchestra, I find these are the best seats in the house.This seems like a pretty good plan, although two of the shows might be a bit more than I am willing to pay on this trip. Does anyone have any thoughts on my plan for each show? I'm looking for confirmation that my plan to sit in the front center orchestra for these well reviewed popular shows is a good one.

Board: Responds with

     1. Good plan, those are all the most popular shows

     2. Since you might not be able to see two of your shows based on price and given you asked for thougts within virtually every paragraph of your plan, here are some alternatives.....

GMF: Thanks for the responses everyone! This board really is a wealth of information. Turns out I didn't really need any additional information, my plan to see the same well reviewed popular shows in front center orchestra that I previously researched was a sound one.

I know I previously noted that two of the shows might not happen because I might not pay those exorbitant Broadway prices. Good news! I've done some additional research and wanted to inform you that although other shows were suggested, I'm really not interested in seeing any of them. I've settled on my top alternative for a show that isn't yet on Broadway and no one has seen in its current iteration to comment on.

Have a great day!

Your trip sounds fantastic! Just wanted to pipe in--while I'm not sure how the secondary market will be so close to the holidays, my daughter and I recently scored Hamilton tix for an incredible price via StubHub. Keep in mind, we live in NJ and have been trying to see the show forever.....I'm a bit frugal and didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for subpar seats. I am constantly checking the secondary sites and one Saturday happened to be doing my usual perusing. I found 6th row side orchestra seats for $179/ticket for that Wednesday's evening show. We were right side orchestra, but in the center of the row and it was AMAZING! Granted, the fees bumped the prices up to over $200/ticket, but I feel like we got a bargain.  Fingers crossed you have the same kind of luck!