What would be the latest time to leave JFK to be able to make an evening show on Friday? — Page 2

I agree with others that two hours is cutting it awfully close and everything would have to work out perfectly.

However, as a reference in case anyone might find this helpful later: on my last trip, my international flight touched down at JFK at 4.25pm. After going through immigration as an EU citizen, collecting my checked luggage and walking through customs, I was sitting in a cab by 5.00pm and I arrived at my hotel on W 39th St at 6.00pm. I considered this to be super fast (and therefore remember the timestamps) and even though it worked out really well that time, I would not count on being this lucky every time. This was on a Thursday, and the cab fare came out to the fixed JFK-to-Manhattan rate of USD 52 + tolls (approx. USD 11) + tip (20%).

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Updated On: 4/19/18 at 07:46 PM

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Updated On: 4/18/18 at 07:51 PM

Theatered100, Not really sure. I was recently looking at any show Broadway or Off that offered a Sunday evening performance for my trip next month. (The options were slim) Drunk Shakespeare stood out in my memory that offered later performances. There were more, but I can't tell you by memory, which shows they are. It also depends on what day of the week. I would just check each shows's website and see what time the curtain is. Off Broadway is going to offer more options for a later 8:00 pm curtain than Broadway. Also if you do find a show of interest that has a later curtain, check Groupon. Many are on there now, discounted. There is also an extra 20% off sale going on.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I just got back from my trip and reporting my experience.

I deplaned just around 6pm and I was about 30 minutes to 1 hour short to make it to an 8pm show. The biggest problem was the border control which took me an hour to get through. The lines for US and non-US citizens were both pretty crowded that day. Everything else went smooth.

So, I went to Drunk Shakespeare, as suggested here with a discount code, and it was fun! The show was actually sold out, but they let me in as stand-by. The place was a bit difficult to find for me. I passed the entrance three times and almost went back to my hotel without finding it. (I very much liked the other options 54 Below and Sleep No More too, but I decided to stay within a walking distance from my hotel.)

I pretty much enjoyed everything I saw during the week, except Frozen. I'm afraid it is going to be really long, but here are my thoughts:

SpongeBob: Absorbing like a sponge! My favorite of the season. By the end of the opening number Bikini Bottom Day, I was quite impressed by how much energy they have on stage and how engaging the show is. I never thought I would be standing at the end this show, but I was. It was a colorful, fun musical with catchy songs and good spirit.

The Band’s Visit: Extremely well-crafted piece. To be honest, when I listened to a few songs beforehand, they did not seem too attractive, but they worked so well in context. I felt like the music was “speaking”.

Mean Girls: Not my taste, but I still had a good time, particularly in the first act. All leads and supporting actors were strong in terms of acting and vocal skills and they were sort of on fire. The score was not memorable, but didn’t sound too terrible when performed live with tons of energy.

Frozen: I wanted to like it more. If I am to single out something I liked about the show, that has to be the scenic design. Due to lack of energy and charms on stage, it was hard to stay awake—falling asleep, then waking up when people applauded for a costume change, and falling asleep again, then waking up when people applauded for a set change. I liked the movie. It is such a shame to say this but the Broadway production did not seem to work for me.

My Fair Lady: Nice and beautiful. The 360-degree house was amazing! With this show, I liked the creative part more than the cast. I've seen other productions and I know the songs are good, but I am glad that I saw this production.

Once on This Island: Interesting and unique. I definitely liked the sand, water, tree, shadow acts, etc. However, I had a slight problem staying engaged. Actions are taking all over the place, which makes the show interesting, but I found many of the good moments were happening too far away from me or performed specifically toward people sitting opposite my area. I did not find performances were particularly strong either. Maybe my seat was not very good??

Carousel: Stunning performers. It seems the show is not well-received here, but I went anyway. Principal cast members were giving wonderful performances, but surprisingly, their performances did not make the show something special as a whole, and I felt it was more like a concert. It still had some really good moments such as Renée Fleming singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, and Lindsay Mendez was also my favorite of the show.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: I thought it was well-cast, and I liked the last 20 minutes of the show which fully focused on acting. The magic part was fun too, but I did not care about it too much. The theatre was beautiful.

Thanks again for helping me! I hope I'll come back again!!

Updated On: 5/6/18 at 06:15 AM

taylortrensch said: "Sorry to hear about your OOTI experience. Where did you sit? I always hear "every seat is a good seat" when it comes to Circle in the Square but I'm sure that's not really the case."

I sat behind the aisle which runs through the 200’s Odd section (I am too lazy to unpack to check my exact seat number, but it was a high number seat, close to the 400’s section). Actors frequently use the aisle, so you can be really close to them. The problem is you will not be seeing their faces because they perform towards the center stage from the aisle. It might have been a great seat for someone who likes to be in the middle of action, though.

Your best seat may also depend on who you want to be close to. You can be very close to Erzulie and hear her very well from where I sat because she is frequently using the aisle (but again you will not be seeing her face much). On the other hand, Mama Euralie, for example, rarely stayed around my area. I thought she was giving one of the best performances in the show, but she was kind of far away from my area most of the time, which was sad.

Anyway, the show is completely unique. I liked it and have no regret seeing it. It’s just seeing it from my particular seat once was not enough to fully enjoy the show. I hope you’ll like it and I hope you will make it to an 8 o’clock show on the day you arrive!

Updated On: 5/6/18 at 08:35 AM

I’m sorry to hear that some of your shows were disappointing and didn’t live up to expectations. It is especially disappointing when one travels so far to see theatre. I’ve had similar experiences when I’ve seen theater in London. Luckily, seeing theater is not the primary reason I travel internationally so it isn’t quite as disappointing when a show isn’t a homerun. Having said that, I have seen some great theater in London, too. I’m glad you enjoyed some of your shows.