Off-Broadway Recommendations?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 8:27am

Coming to town for the weekend.....Any recommendations for Off-Broadway shows?

[mominator]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 8:44am

Easily go see Forbidden Broadway. It's like seeing all the musicals all at once!

[mominator]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 8:45am

Ooops Sorry double post

Updated On: 6/29/04 at 08:45 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 9:54am

GO SEE THE NORMAL HEART!!!!!

*steps off soapbox*

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:00am

Gosh you guys beat me to the punch.
I would see both shows. See the Normal Heart one day and Forbidden Broadway after. You need to see FB after The Normal Heart as it is very depressing.
These two shows are my favorites and i see everything.

PS On Broadway must see Avenue Q. Updated On: 6/29/04 at 10:00 AM

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:03am

I also have to recommend TOXIC AUDIO...truly a fantastic show!

[bway_fanatic]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:09am

I second the recommendation for Toxic Audio!! Not a play, but still an awesome experience!!!

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:17am

The cast of Audio have more energy then anyone I have ever seen.
Especially the kid who does flips and Michael Jackson.
He is incredible. I liked Toxic Audio but if you are only in town for a short time it is not a first and must see.
It is a very entertaining concert though.
Great for kids.
But if it were a toss between Toxic Audio and Forbidden Broadway.
There is no contest.

[Craig]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:28am

Toxic Audio, hands down like Jamie said. Just saw the show last night and the crowd (very few kids) had a blast.

I respectfully disagree with you Corine that if someone is in town for a short time that it's not a must see. It definitely is, for the simple reason that unlike FB, a person doesn't need to have seen a bunch of shows to TRULY appreciate the sense of humor in FB. Also, there are other places that have FB, whereas Toxic Audio's LOUDMOUTH is only playing here in NYC.

Not knocking FB - it's a great show. You can't compare the two at all - two completely different experiences. If you want to see something fun, creative and more of a "show" - go see FB. If you want to have a unique, visceral and high-energy evening that will blow you away, check out Toxic Audio...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:29am

De La Guarda!! See it before it closes in September. Great show!

[Corine2]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 10:38am

Craig-
I liked Toxic Audio (It won a Drama Desk Award for best theater experience)
It was very entertaining but i guess I am not as interested in Theater experiences. I prefer solid plays and musicals.
Toxic Audio was the best in this category, and i enjoyed it.
Forbidden Broadway on the other hand is in a class by itself.
I adore it. I have seen it 30 times over the last 23 years.
I admit it is a passion of mine. No other show has ever moved me the way Forbidden Broadway has.

Stay a week and see all of the shows.
Enjoy. Updated On: 6/29/04 at 10:38 AM

[Craig]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 11:22am

Corine, I am confused by you. On a few other threads you have stated you've seen the show only 12 times and now it's 30. It's probably better for credibility if you stick to a number. As for FB being a moving experience, to each their own. I wouldn't refer to Forbidden Broadway as a moving experience myself in the same vane I wouldn't call The Normal Heart "entertaining". Both words don't exactly fit the nature of the content of the show. Like I said, just my opinion of course.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 11:54am

Go see "Bug" at the Barrow Street Theatre, probably the most gripping and intense play in town. Paranoia and conspiracy theories abound in a roadside motel where a woman trying to get away from her abusive ex-husband encounters a mysterious stranger. Darkly humorous and viscerally affecting, it's arguably the best production currently running in NY right now. Brilliant writing, acting, directing and design (Obies for Best Ensemble and Best Design; Lortel Awards for Best Play, Best Direction, Best Lighting, Best Sound).

I also recommend "Afterbirth: Kathy and Mo's Greatest Hits" at Second Stage Theatre. Reunited for the first time in 15 years, Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, Veronica's Closet, King of the Hill) and Mo Gaffney (Absolutely Fabulous, That 70's Show), perform some of their best loved sketches from their long-running, award-winning hit off-Broadway shows of the 80's. If you've never seen them (both of their shows were filmed for HBO and still pop up on the HBO Comedy channel occasionally), they are actor/comediennes in the Lily Tomlin / Mike Nichols & Elaine May tradition, with a feminist, pro-gay bent (though they're never preachy). Their sketches are smart, well-crafted and hilariously funny (with a poignant streak). They are two of the masters of the genre so try and catch them while they're back together for this brief time (through July 11th).

"Fabulation" by Lynn Nottage at Playwrights Horizons is definitely worth seeing, but I believe it's totally sold out for the remainder of this run (it's likely to move to a bigger theatre for an open-ended run).

Sarah Jones' "Bridge & Tunnel" (at 45 Bleeker) is absolutely brilliant -- one of the best solo performers around, she creates a stunning array of characters of different ages and ethnicities, a veritable melting pot of humor and compassion on the stage.

I'm not quite the fan of "Normal Heart" that many folks here seem to be -- I've always found the play to be more an example of polemic agit-prop than a truly first-rate piece of writing (Kramer's self-possession, neurotic obsessions and vendetta-settling overwhelm the narrative, IMO) and I think the performances in this production are wildly uneven -- but nevertheless, it's clearly a very powerful experience for many people who see it. And Esparza does very fine work as Ned Weeks.

Updated On: 6/29/04 at 11:54 AM

[twogaab2]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 12:34pm

Normal Heart (without a doubt-a MUST see). All the other choices mentioned above-extremely good. However, I would be VERY cautious about Fobidden Broadway, I have gone to at times when it was wildly funny and other times when it was very stale and flat (depending on the cast and length of time in the show-sometimes they seemed board). Another choice might be "Musical of Musicals", while I didn't find it that funny, many HAVE and the cast is excellent and very, very funny.

My opinion, I may be wrong.

[fiesta1]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 12:50pm

Many thanks Margo and others. I am coming up July 21-26, and was definitely seeking Normal Heart and Bridge/Tunnel. I will try and catch Bug and/or Afterbirth as well.

I'll add my voice to the chorus on F'bidden. I've seen it 3 times over the past 15 years. That is more than enough for me. I prefer what is edgy over what is predictable.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/29/04 at 1:09pm

Go for "Bug" -- "Afterbirth" closes 7/11.