Shows during non-traditional times

Hello,

I'm visiting NYC soon and will actually be able to pack my schedule more than usual since I'm by myself. I am there Friday-Sun in October, and have a plan for Friday evening, Sat matinee, Sat evening, Sunday matinee, Sunday evening already. Are there Friday matinee, or late night shows happening you guys know about? Very open to both Broadway and off-Broadway, plays and musicals. I typically don't like straight-up straight-people love stories unless the storytelling is compelling or performers are phenomenal.

Some weeks Wicked and most weeks Phantom have a weekday matinee on a day other than Wednesday so you could check those two if you want.

You can also search Telecharge for the one particular Friday you will be in nyc and look for the logo of the Sun telling you that show has a matinee that particular Friday.

If an evening show gets out before 10 pm I like to go to a jazz club like Bluenote, Vanguard, Birdland, or Cafe Carlyle.

Free style Love Supreme has some 10 pm shows on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

I don’t go there often but I think 54 Below probably has some late night shows some nights, even as late as 11 or 11:30 pm.

Every week is different, so you may find something fun on your particular Friday and Saturday, or you may not.

Updated On: 9/24/19 at 04:15 PM

I will never understand why more shows don’t offer matinees different from the rest. Phantom sells out their Thursday matinee almost all the time.

Whenever I am in town, I am always looking to see if I can find a matinee on Thursday or Friday. Whenever I find the rare show time that no one else is offering, it always seems to be sold out. Another example was July 4th. Only two shows were offering a July 4th show. I saw Beetlejuice and it was sold out. Too many tourists in town looking for a show. It seems like struggling productions would try to offer show times that don’t compete with the rest. I guarantee they will sell more tickets.

Updated On: 9/25/19 at 09:34 AM

magictodo123 said: "

Do you think there are certain times that would be more appealing to tourists? I think part of the fun of the current times is the planning you can do- you can have an early dinner and then see a show, make an event out of it. But I'm curious about what you think would be more appealing..."

I think Thursday and Friday matinees should be offered more. Too many people come into town like me to see a marathon of shows. I come in on Wednesday and leave Sunday night. I would love to fill my schedule with shows on Thursday and Friday. I get not offering a Friday matinee as you head into the weekend, but why not experiment with a Friday matinee and skip Saturday or Sunday matinee.

Another time slot I would explore is a 11am or noon show time. Schedule a time that allows the audience to still catch a 2pm matinee somewhere else. The Illusionists and I believe the Blue Man group offered mid day shows and they always seem to do well.

I’ve been to a Wicked matinee on a Friday before but I don’t think that it is a part of their routine schedule. I’ve noticed other Broadway and off Broadway shows have random Friday matinees occasionally, particularly if there is a nearby holiday including July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, an event that upcoming weekend that disrupts the weekend schedule, or a show is in previews. I saw that Edgar Alan Poe show a couple years ago as a Friday matinee (at least I think I did lol).

But I definitely agree with other posters who mentioned a need for more non Wednesday matinees. I wish Broadway shows would spread out the weekday matinees so there were an even number on each weekday. I come to NYC regularly just for the theatre like many other people. If I were in town 1 week and there were matinees every weekday, I would go to a matinee and evening show every day of the week.

Updated On: 9/27/19 at 04:01 PM