Your best and worst from this Broadway Season

[saveusmike]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 4:07am

Pretty soon Broadway will look completly diffrent with so many shows closing and more taking there place.

From this past year what have been your favorite and least favorite shows that opened up..

Mine

BEST:
Next to Normal- I was so pleasently suprised with this show with the exception of not seeing Aaron Tveit (yet).

Shrek the Musical- Not riveting theater or very deep; but a simple story that is cute and entertaning

Blithe Spirit- I only went for Angela but boy I enjoyed the production so much; I didnt get Angelas Signature but I did not leave dissapointed

9 to 5- Like Shrek, Nothing groundbreaking, just entertaining and fun to watch.

God of Carnage- The 4 stars made this play and I was so happy to see a broadway play that isint a revival or based on something written a hundred years ago. I feel like we dont see many original plays anymore.

Worst:
Waiting for Godot: I absolutly love the story and I have seen much better more entertaing productions than this one. I was bored the entire time and wanted it to end. I enjoyed Nathan Lane but to me it was Nathan Lane acting like Nathan Lane trying to act like Estagon.

Billy Elliot- I have no idea what everyone else sees in this show and (stealing from larry david) it upsets me because Im missing what everyone else finds so amazing, I just wish I got it. The plot was mediocre that tried to be deeper than it actually is, the songs were OK except for a handful. I just didnt enjoy it that much at all.

Hair- Hair fans dont hate me. I honestly just didnt like the revival that much. I never really got into it as much as the auidence did it was good for what I paid for the tickets but I know if I payed full price Orch tickets, I would chew myself up over it.

Rock of ages- My friend loved it, I much prefered Toxic Avenger which we saw at the 2 pm show. I cant say I didnt like it because I did, and occasionally I found myself singing along but I just never got into it like everyone else did and felt akward with everyone singing around me and I just had no urge too and I usually enjoy that stuff. Like I said its good for what I paid and im glad I did see it, but I wouldnt be rushing to the theater to see it again.

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 5:06am

I can't say I agree with all of your choices but I do appreciate your enthusiasm. By the way, "Hair" was an overrated ordeal for me as well. Don't feel you have to apologize for your opinion. But I was quite impressed with BE's choreography, despite other shortcomings with that show. N2N didn't quite work for me, but so many people enjoy that show that I can't say I'm right in my assessment. My big joy of this season is (gasp) "West Side Story", which I was dubious about and ending up loving. I saw Matt, Josefina and Karen (which is apparently a rare occasion) and I thought the whole production was impressive.

The other show that impressed me was "Mary Stuart", where Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter did some of the best work of their careers.

Thanks for the thread.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 5:43am

Best
Next to Normal
Billy Elliot
Guys and Dolls (I know people hated it but I enjoyed myself throughly)

Worst
9 to 5 (Garbage imo)
West Side Story (With the exception of Karen and Josefina) I thought this was actually better on CD. Weird?

[Elke]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 7:00am

Best
Next To Normal
The Story Of My Life

Worst
The Philantropist

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 7:45am

Best: women in plays. Remarkable performances everywhere you turned. You could make an impressive list of performances from those NOT nominated for a Tony.

Worst: 9 To 5. Not a bad 'worst', as worsts go, but I found it disappointing. Janney is a terrific actress and comedienne, but she isn't a singer. I don't think they accomodated for her shortcomings at all.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 7:50am

Best- Hair, BY FAR.

Worst- Of what I saw, Exit The King, I don't know what the hell people saw in this production. I wanted to sleep so badly, I was SO bored.

[massofmen]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 7:59am

you put rock of ages in your "worst" category but this is your review

"I cant say I didnt like it because I did, and occasionally I found myself singing along"

so maybe you need a really really worst category. Cause if you "liked it" doesn't that mean that is not one of your "worst" shows?

why i even talk to 16 yr olds who just joined this site I will never know.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:03am

It is okay for someone to not like Rock of Ages, massofmen.

Not everyone does.


Best:

Next to Normal and Hair

Worst:

Billy Elliot (I just think it is so overrated, and when I revisited it 2 weeks ago...none of the actors were trying)

[singtopher]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:05am

BEST
Next to Normal
Billy Elliott
Hair
Exit the King
Ruined
Norman Conquests

WORST
WSS was my only disappointment

[massofmen]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:24am

thats not the point of my post CS, reading is a wonderful thing isn't it.
it really hurts you that the show is doing so well doesn't it.
I kinda love that.

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:25am

Best: Dividing the Estate
Hair

Worst: The Story of My Life
Becky Shaw
Three Changes
The American Plan
The Philanthropist
Impressionism

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:25am

No...I really don't mind the show as much as I used to

[massofmen]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 8:45am

wow,


Lemme ask you something and this is serious..do you just follow public opinion?

At first you hated it seemingly because everyone else did (wait did you even see it when you first bad mouthed it over and over again saying that it was the worst show ever created by man?)but now that conventional wisdom has swayed, you seem to like it..thats interesting to me.

What caused the change of heart? You saw it 3 times and realized it was good and that you were "wrong" before? or because the vast majority of people love the show? Seems like it's one or the other.


So which is it...are you a sheep or were you just...wrong?

[jonmbway4652]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:20am

I completely disagree with your choices... My best of the season were, without a doubt, Billy Elliot and Hair. Out of every Broadway show I have seen these were by far the best. I was extremely disappointed in Shrek,

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:24am

Best: NEXT TO NORMAL

Worst: IMPRESSIONISM

[Leia947]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:25am

Wow, is it possible to NOT turn a thread into an argument for once and just answer the question posed?

Best:
Hair - the casting is just superb, the energy amazing.

Rock of Ages - though I don't like Constantine, the songs bring me back to my childhood. That, and Mitchell Jarvis is amazing.

Worst:
West Side Story - I don't know what the casting directors were thinking. Josefina can sing, but not act. Matt Cavanaugh - I never wanted anyone to shut up more in my life. The bright spot in the show is Karen Olivo.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:27am

BEST:
Next to Normal
9to5
Hair

INDIFFERENT:
Shrek
Rock of Ages
Blithe Spirit

WORST:
Billy Elliot
West Side Story

[Marianne2]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:37am

I actually haven't seen that many shows from this season. I've just been trying to see what I can, when I can.

Best: Shrek-It was cute, and I haven't seen much else to compare.

Worst-West Side Story-I didn't dislike it, but there were things that could have made it better.

[saveusmike]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:01am

Alright massofmen I will do what backwoodsbarbie did and put Rock of Ages into my "indiffrent" catergory.

I mean the show was OK but, compared to other shows I really found myself enjoying, it was not. It didnt do much for me and I cant say I HATED it but for the ticket price I paid, and the product I saw it was decent at best, a way too pass 2 hours. Would I see it again, Most likely not. Thats what I was trying to express since I didnt make a "Like a little category".

And im not 16, Boy do I wish I could be sixteen again.

[wexy]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:21am

I don't know if I have a best but 'The Philanthropist' was the worst. "Impressionism' was close.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:23am

Best- Exit the King

Worst- Tie between Hedda Gabler and The Philanthropist (Great job this year Roundabout)

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:52am

I do not follow the vast majority. Notice how my worst pick was Billy Elliot??

The show has GROWN on me. Is that okay? Is it allowed to grow on me? Oh, guess not.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:55am

Best: HAIR or THE SEAGULL

Worst: BILLY ELLIOT (saw it in London, not B'way) or THE PHILANTHROPIST

EDIT: Adding EXIT THE KING to my best. Updated On: 8/17/09 at 10:55 AM

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 10:57am

Best
Next to Normal
Shrek

Worst
Exit the King(Too long, too boring except for Geoffrey Rush's performance. It was the only thing that kept me awake.)

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 11:54am

In no particular order...

BEST:
-HAIR
-BILLY ELLIOT
-NEXT TO NORMAL
-REASONS TO BE PRETTY
-LIZA'S AT THE PALACE
-TABLE MANNERS and LIVING TOGETHER of THE NORMAN CONQUESTS
-EXIT THE KING

WORST:
-WAITING FOR GODOT
-THE PHILANTHROPIST
-13
-PAL JOEY
-THE STORY OF MY LIFE
-ROCK OF AGES
-ACCENT ON YOUTH

Updated On: 8/17/09 at 11:54 AM