Broadway help please!

lamplighter

Sun, Nov 06 2011, 4:03 pm

I want to buy tickets to a broadway show as a thank you for my 2 sisters who have helped considerably with my new baby and the aftermath including being booted out of their rooms for days at end. Honestly I have never been to a broadway show (although they have gone on occasion) so I am clueless!

How much money should I expect to spend?
What seats are normal seats (not cheapo but not super expensive)?
Any suggestions of shows?
How do I buy the tickets?

bigsis144

Sun, Nov 06 2011, 5:35 pm

If you or your sisters are students, you can get student rush tickets the day of the show for cheap. But you might not get your pick of shows that way - you can find tickets for $30-$40 this way, but amounts are VERY limited.

Are you looking to buy Sunday matinee tickets, or weeknight evening tickets? That will affect availability and pricing. I think $80 is pretty standard for cheap seats if you buy them in advance, unfortunately.

(I'm only listing shows I've actually seen.)

The Lion King is a real visual feast, I would LOVE to see it again. Feels deeper than the kiddie film.
Warning: on a few costumes that look revealing, but are actually skin-colored fabric (like ice-skater tights, but even more of the body is "exposed")

Wicked is slightly more adult than the average Disney musical, but also really good. Whimsical yet dark.
Warning: the very first scene involves marital infidelity, a large source of conflict throughout the story is two girls fighting over a boy

How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying is ADORABLE and REALLY funny. Like, I couldn't breathe at certain points I was laughing so hard. I think Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) is still playing the lead (he's who I saw), and Darren Criss (from Glee) is taking over in January. Great songs, also a REALLY cool set (all classy and 1960s-ish)
Warning: a song called "A Secretary is Not a Toy" is full of innuendo, many men are implied to be having affairs with buxom secretaries, some kissing, etc.

Billy Elliot has VERY FREQUENT coarse language. Even the little kids curse. But the dancing is magical.

Stomp is off-Broadway, but it's sooo good.

I hope to go see Cathy Rigby in Peter Pan -- it's only showing for two weeks in December, and my sister and I LOVE her in the filmed version of the musical. I see they have $35 tickets - http://www.beacontheatre.com/e......html

We sadly missed Newsies at the Papermill Theater in NJ, hopefully that'll come back on Broadway one day!

Flower97

Sun, Nov 06 2011, 6:31 pm

Yes you need to chose which night you want to go. The weeknights are easier to get tickets for. Like the previous poster said check out brodwaybox.com they always have discount tickets. The lion king is very expensive dont know if you can get a discount for that. I saw wicked and loved it. Of course orchestra seats are the most expensive but if you get front mezzanine its pretty good.

bwaybabe85

Sun, Nov 06 2011, 6:31 pm

Out of everything currently on Broadway I'd recommend Anything Goes. It's a hysterical musical starring Sutton Foster and Joey Grey. We sat a few rows back in the mezzanine and saw everything just fine.

Other good shows playing now are How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Follies, Addams Family (closing in January), Billy Elliot (closing in January), Sister Act, Memphis. Lots of teenage girls are really obsessed with Wicked, so that might be a good one to pick if they haven't seen it yet. Phantom of the Opera has been around forever and is a classic. Book of Mormon is the current hot ticket on Broadway but is sold out for quite some time. I haven't seen any of the Disneys, but Lion King and Mary Poppins are supposed to be good.

In general, center orchestra seats are considered best. Other seats in the orchestra or front mezzanine are fine as well.

When you buy tickets, whether it's to a weekday or weekend show you buy specific seats at a specific performance (on a specific night). Tuesday night shows often start at 7 pm whereas Wednesday and Thursday are usually 8 pm. It all depends on the show.