Your opinion on which musicals to see for first timer family

[Annie_V]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 5:30pm

This is a long question, so feel free to bail now!

Our family of 4 (including 2 boys aged 10 and 13) are travelling from our small town not far from Toronto to visit New York City for the first time in August. I am trying to decide on a couple of musicals to go and see, and am looking for opinions. I'm not totally sure if this is the kind of question this message board would be eager to respond to, I figure I have nothing to lose!

So here are some of the things I am considering - if anyone has any thoughts or opinions of shows to avoid or consider I would appreciate it

I would like to get the tickets before we go (rather than take our chances and line up for TKS) and have found my way to Broadway box and Playbill.com, so I think I know where I am looking as far as getting discounted tickets. I want to spend less than $100 per ticket per show, and don't want to stress too much about specific shows with little availability, which I think might eliminate things like Wicked or Book of Mormon or maybe Billy Elliot?). I would prefer really good seats in a less popular show then not great seats at a popular show to stay in budget (but I am open to opinions on how bad 'not as good' seats might be)

We have seen and enjoyed a number of 'community theatre', amateur, school or semi-pro musical productions, but very few professional shows. Les Miz would be the family favourite (one touring company production in Toronto, plus several 'schools productions' and the soundtrack in the car on long driving holidays!). I have seen a touring company of Lion King - which I actually didn't really like because it followed so literally the plot, dialog and characters of the Disney movie I found it kind of gimmicky. I also saw a touring company of Rent, which I really enjoyed - and in spite of some of the subject matter (and the fact there is a '12 and older' recommendation) I would be comfortable taking my particular 10 year to see Rent.

We all enjoyed the movie versions of Chicago and Dreamgirls (and going back further Fiddler and my first musical theatre love Oliver).

Some of the shows that look like they will be playing that we have discussed include...

Hair
- I like the idea; Husband not so keen - too dated?

Priscilla
- Husband likes; I'm not too keen on the soundtrack of existing pop songs genre (but I'm open to be convinced!)

Chicago
- not sure whether seeing a theatre production of a movie version we really liked would be a good or bad idea

Rent
- I'd like to; husband indifferent

Wicked
- don't think that it is realistic from an availability and price standpoint

Sister Act
- didn't consider at first (a whoopi Goldberg movie?) but reading more here maybe should consider?

How to Succeed
- availability? price?

Mary Poppins
- too kiddie?

Anything goes
- availability? price?

So... if you have actually read all the way through to the end of this post do you have any thoughts or opinions on what pair of musicals you might go for (including options I haven't listed)

Thanks!

Annie

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 5:34pm

What about CATCH ME IF YOU CAN?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 5:41pm

If you're able to get tickets to it, I'd definitely suggest Anything Goes. This is a solid production of a classic musical.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 5:42pm

I agree with givesmevoice 100 percent.

[moncruzz]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 5:49pm

Skip Chicago. Is Priscilla even still showing?

It sounds like Billy Elliot is a good fit. The theatre isn't that big and Mezzanine seats can be as low as $41.50. I think your kids should be able to relate to the show's young cast.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 6:39pm

Hair and Rent are not appropriate, in my opinion, for a 10 year-old.

You're not going to be able to get Wicked tickets for your price range.

I agree that Anything Goes is a good choice.

I don't know how mature your kids (especially the 10 year-old) are, but Billy Elliot has strong language, Chicago is risque, etc.

[tking001]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 6:44pm

Hair has $37 cheap seats

[tking001]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 6:48pm

Chicago has $36.50 rush tickets that haven't been too hard to get

How to $ has $52 seats

Mary P. has cheap balcony seats

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 6:49pm

HOW TO SUCCEED... Is there a bad seat in the Hirschfeld?

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 7:09pm

Anything Goes for sure.

I though Mary Poppins was enjoyable, as well.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 7:18pm

HOW TO SUCCEED is another great suggstion. A classic musical, and if your kids are Harry Potter fans . . .

[deltatee]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 7:44pm

I wouldn't take a ten year old to either Hair or Rent. Billy Elliot is a great show, but it might be really boring for the kids. I think Mary Poppins would be the most fun for them. If you're not crazy about seeing a Disney show I think How to Succeed is a good suggestion.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 7:49pm

Anything Goes.
Its a superb show to make your kids first Broadway show

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 8:01pm

Some people clearly have no respect for a parent's choices about what is appropriate for her children. Clearly, she has decided that she feels that her child is mature enough to see the show. Respect that. I was only eleven when I saw the show for the first time, and it really started my interest in musical theatre. She knows the content of the show, and she obviously knows how mature her child is much better than you do. I'm sure she'd enjoy Rent (and Hair, if she so choses).

Clearly, Anything Goes and How to Succeed are favorites here, and they seem to be quite good shows. Of the shows on your list, I have seen Billy Elliot and Chicago, both of which I completely recommend. Billy Elliot was a great show your whole family will love (as did mine), and Chicago is definitely worth seeing if you're a fan of the movie--you might be surprised about how different the show is. Those two are definitely high on my list.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 8:03pm

Billy Elliot is a great show, but it might be really boring for the kids.

I don't know if I think it would be boring, but I would definitely make sure to explain at least the basics of the UK Miners' Strike (there's a summary of the strike and the political situation in the Playbill). When I saw it way back in November of 2008, there were two young women sitting next to me who kept asking each other what was happening. Clearly they had not read their Playbill.

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 9:01pm

Sister Act is a nice feel-good show, I think. Very family-friendly. You *could* try to get to the theater at around 7:30-8am with perhaps one of your children and wait until the box office opens at 10am (12pm on Sundays) for four (out of 14 in the front row) $27 tickets (2 per person), which is a bargain in my opinion. Patina Miller is fantastic as Delores.

Chicago tends to have very mixed reviews. Because of such a minimalist approach, a lot of the people expecting to see the stage replica of the movie version will be left underwhelmed, I think.

Mary Poppins is fun, but it's been touring and there aren't any must-see stars in the show currently.

Otherwise, I'll also recommend How to Succeed and Anything Goes. Catch Me is fun, but I just thought that the band taking up 2/3 of the stage was kind of a cop out way to fill the stage.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 9:12pm

Sister Act is the most family friendly - Anything Goes is a brilliant production, but it's so overbearingly "Broadway" that a kid who isn't into Broadway might not care for it. If you think your kids are up to it, take them to RENT - it was one of the shows that jumpstarted my interested in contemporary musical theatre, and now I'm majoring in it.

[wickedpoppinsfan]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 9:14pm

What about the Addams Family?!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 9:14pm

My 10 and 14 year olds loved Billy Elliot and How to Succeed. They liked Catch Me and loved Mary Poppins (but that was a few years ago.

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 11:08pm

I would say How To Succeed, Billy, and Sister act are you best bets. All of them have discounts available and are fun, strong, family friendly shows.

[Annie_V]

Posted: 6/17/11 at 11:29pm

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to answer!ime to answer!
And I appreciate the challenge of a question that seems both like an arts and a parenting question It is very useful to hear all the opinions!

As much as anything I am looking to use this opportunity to expose the kids to a new experience. From some of your descriptions and experiences have got me thinking that for us it might be good to try and get a mix of 'classic Broadway' (with How to Succeed and Anything goes looking like they are topping that list?) and something less 'traditional' (like Rent or Chicago - albeit mixed reviews - or even Billy Elliot in that category). It sounds like Rent - though in some opinions maybe a bit much for the 10 year old - had a strong impact on at least a couple of you as a theatre experience.

We watched the movie Billy Elliot (with PVR pauses to explain the significance of the minor strike and what impact that might have on Billy's family!).

Your feedback does actually leave me with the impression that in some ways as long as we go in with enthusiasm and an open mind, we will enjoy (or at least get something out of) whatever we chose!

So a couple of ticket / seat specific questions... Obviously I have never been to any of these theatres.

How to succeed and Sister Act - there are only discounted ticketsthat I can find up to July 10th. Would I expect discounted tickets for August to be available to chose online at some point over the next month?

Billy Elliot & Sister Act - I can get rear mezzanine for super cheap. Would those theatres in the rear mezzanine be a place to get a good experience of the show?

For Anything Goes - rear mezzanine at the Stephen Sondheim theatre is available in our budget, but for the same price as left orchestra for How to Succeed (based on July discounting!) Would the choice of show be worth the further away seating?

Rent - is off Broadway at New World Stages - is it too small of a venue to have any really poor seats?


Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

A

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 6/18/11 at 1:31am

For Anything Goes, I don't think rear mezzanine is bad at all. Same goes for How to Succeed.

I'm just not a fan of the rear mezz at the Imperial (Billy) nor the Broadway (Sister Act) so I think you should just try to go for the discount codes, although I'm not sure at all whether those are available for the summer touristy months.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 6/18/11 at 1:45am

The Broadway Theatre for Sister Act seemed gigantic to me, we were in H of the orchestra and it felt like the farthest away we had been for any show (although it wasn't row wise). That being said, the mezz might be different.

[sally1112]

Posted: 6/18/11 at 2:12am

Parade?

[Annie_V]

Posted: 6/18/11 at 8:18am

That seating specific information for certain theatres is really useful thanks!

You say you aren't sure if there were summer discounts during the busy summer months - does that mean if there are no discounts showing now for shows in August that they probably won't end up with discount codes?

And both boys have said they would also be interested in seeing Spiderman.... now I know that the previews have had terrible reviews - does anyone have an opinion (and do bad reviews mean that tickets will be easy to get discounted??) Or should I nip that line of thinking in the bud..