Recently I visited New York City and had the good fortune to see six Broadway shows over the course of my stay. After viewing each show I logged my various thoughts on the production. With the Tony Awards upcoming, I’m presenting these thoughts for those of you interested in such things.
Five of the six productions I attended are up for multiple awards at this year’s Tonys (and the sixth, My Fair Lady, was nominated for best revival last year).
Also, if you’re wondering how the heck anyone can afford to see six Broadway shows, I’ve included the methods I used to obtain cheap tickets to each production.
Hadestown
Synopsis: The Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with a subplot featuring Hades and Persephone.
Notes:
- It’s interesting to listen to a soundtrack (and I’ve listened extensively to the gorgeous songs of Hadestown) before seeing a show and then discovering how the staging and book combine with the score to create the full production. The songs tell a lot of this story, but certainly not all of it.
- The staging and set are brilliant. I knew the show used a turntable, but I was delighted to learn the center of that turntable lowers and rises throughout the show. I was curious how characters would “travel” to Hadestown and seeing them sink into the ground is far better than any concepts I had imagined.
- The onstage band is incredible and their New Orleans-style jazz is red hot.
- What struck me most about this show is how relevant the themes are on both a societal level (I mean, there’s a song called “Build the Wall” which was written years before Trump’s slogan) and on a deeply personal level as characters struggle with self-doubt, acceptance, and how we are limited by the voices in our own head.
- I was unprepared for the anti-capitalist themes prevalent in the show. Hades is portrayed, not simply as god of the underworld, but as a king whose immense wealth is increased by the physical labor he commands of his servants (the dead). As the residents of Hadestown toil endlessly, they lose their identities and forget about, not only their own unique lives, but the potential power they hold when united. Meanwhile, Hades uses typical capitalist rhetoric to convince his workers that the work, which mostly benefits himself, is necessary to keep them “free” and they should be grateful to have such work. Never mind that the work is endless, back-breaking, and soul-crushing; it staves off poverty and other invisible enemies. In a powerful number, Orpheus inspires the workers to unite and organize, incensing Hades in the process.
- While each actor performs wonderfully, Amber Gray’s portrayal of Persephone rises to its own exceptional level. Her energetic and audacious performance is best exemplified in the opening number of Act 2 “Lady of the Underground.” The energy feels a lot like Thomas Jefferson’s introductory number in the opening of Act 2 of Hamilton.
- Perhaps the best compliment I can give this show is this: as Act 2 wound to a close I found myself, despite obviously knowing the ending, hoping against hope that Orpheus would somehow come out the winner. The audience audibly gasped when he turned around. Hadestown still causes heartbreak despite our knowing that heartbreak is coming all along.
Tickets:
I sat in the second to last row of the theater but it was the first row of the rear mezzanine so, while very high up, I had a good, unobstructed view. I bought this ticket many, many weeks in advance for $69 + fees.
Oklahoma!
Notes:
- This revival is not your typical Oklahoma! In many ways it’s not even your typical musical. The first peculiarity is made glaringly obvious when you enter the theater. Both the stage and the audience are fully lit in bright lights—a lighting scheme that doesn’t change once the show starts. The theater feels more like a big reception hall where we’re all, audience and actors, sitting together.
- Despite the bright lighting, this version of Oklahoma! is darker, grittier, and more realistic in terms of the harsh realities of frontier life. That isn’t to say the show has lost its humor, however. The show is oftentimes hilarious and the actors have mined humor from lines I’ve never laughed at previously (as well as delivering all the classic jokes).
- Curly accompanies himself on guitar for all his songs and he is so sexy.
- The cast doesn’t have a big ensemble and most of the actors stays on stage throughout the show. A lot of the cross-stage conversation feels like a family having an informal gab session around a giant thanksgiving table.
- Lighting plays plays a large role in the show. While fully lit most of the time, there are a few scenes when the entire theater goes black, leaving the audience blindly relying on spoken lines to follow the action. The most intense use of this lighting is in Act 2 when Jud pleads his love to Laurie. In the pitch darkness we hear heavy breathing, kisses, and finally the unbuckling of Jud’s belt. Listening in the dark while holding my breath, I found this scene to be one of the most intense, disquieting theatrical moments I’ve ever experienced. (In general, Jud’s harassment of Laurie is given more gravity in this revival).
This is the entire set. Very minimal with and onstage band and projection screen on the back wall.
- The new orchestrations are an improvement. The orchestra has been replaced by guitars, banjos, slide guitars, mandolins, etc. These instruments give the music an appropriate country-western feel. The band is placed on stage and even gets involved in the auction scene.
- At intermission the theater gives the audience free cornbread and chili!!!
- The Dream Ballet is either brilliant or insane. “Interpretive and extremely post-modern” might be a good description. If the ballet contains any semblance of a plot I sure couldn’t comprehend it. Why does Dream Laurie scoot around on her butt so much? Why do boots keep falling from the sky? I don’t know. But I loved Dream Laurie’s costume: an over-sized glitter t-shirt that says “DREAM BABY DREAM” in big block letters.
- During the auction scene an audience member’s cell phone went off and Aunt Eller yelled “Turn it off!” completely in character and in tempo with the scene. #livetheater
- The biggest shock comes with the show’s different ending. Nothing in the script has changed, rather the mood gets an overhaul. This revival takes the stance that you can’t kill a man and then have a happy ending five minutes later. Oklahoma! ends with Laurie’s white wedding dress and Curly’s white tux covered in blood. During the final reprise of the title song no one is smiling; everyone is upset, confused, or on the verge of tears. I admit this ending really messed with my brain. After the final note I remained seated, trying to process what had just happened.
Tickets:
I had great seats in the third row. The ticket office says these seats cost $150-$200 but I only paid $60 using a promo code emailed to me after entering and losing the digital lottery.
Side note:
After the show I met the actor who plays Ali Hakim. I noticed he was wearing a bike helmet so we talked biking. He rides to and from the theater every day. Eight miles from Brooklyn!
To Kill a Mockingbird
Notes:
- This adaptation is superior to other stage adaptations. It’s told as a memory play with Scout, Jem, and Dill narrating the events as their adult selves. But when a scene calls for it, they jump right in and play their younger versions. This happens naturally and with no awkwardness.
- The plot jumps back and forth between the trial of Tom Robinson and other events in the story. The very first scene of the play takes place in the courtroom even. This nonlinear structure makes the pacing of the show flow much better and avoids the typical problem of the trial dominating the entire second act.
The adults playing children is not a distraction
- Atticus is portrayed as a much more flawed character in this production. Focus is given to his naivete and ignorance regarding black issues and what it’s like to be black. Calpurnia’s role has been expanded, allowing her to call Atticus out on his shit. This version of Tom Robinson is also far more distrustful of Atticus, arguing with him at times. The reverence shown to Atticus in the book is absent, making him more palatable because Atticus is an actual human, not some mythical figure. It also allows the play to avoid some of the white savior tropes associated with this story.
- Two onstage musicians provide a backing score which adds emotion and intensity to various scenes.
- The performances are all brilliant. I’m so glad I got to see Jeff Daniels live. He’s been one of my favorite actors for a long time and he lived up to my expectations.
Tickets:
I paid $39 for this ticket by rushing the show. At 8:37am I was the 19th person in line to wait for the 10:00 opening of the box office. I had a standing-room ticket in the back of the orchestra, which was a decent “seat” except I was near the house door and the ushers. Sometimes I could hear them whispering or I became distracted by them seating late patrons.
The Prom
Synopsis: Four narcissistic Broadway stars, fresh off terrible reviews and professional setbacks, go to Indiana in an attempt to earn themselves positive publicity. Their plan: to protest a small-town high school prom that won’t let a lesbian student take another girl as her date.
Notes:
- This is a fun, well-written show. The acting and writing are equal parts hilarious and touching.
- The leads are all exceptional but the best is Beth Leavel who gives a masterful comedic performance.
- I myself would love to some day play the part of Trent Oliver, the former Juilliard student turned waiter turned drama teacher.
- In most musical comedies I always find a couple songs to be fillers. While there are definitely a few forgettable songs in this show, they help move the plot and never feel like they were added just to fill time.
- If you enjoy dancing this show has incredible, big, showy dance breaks.
- I didn’t find this show as “powerful” as the other shows I saw in New York, but I certainly would not label it as frivolous. Though comedic, the show aptly deals with issues facing LGBT youth and our communities as well as the ever-growing bridge between our city and rural populations.
Tickets:
I paid $40 for this ticket by rushing the show. At 10:12 am I was the 9th person in line to wait for the 12:00 opening of the box office. My seat was in the second row at the very edge of house left. My ticket was labeled “obstructed view” but I could see everything except for the rare moments when some of the ensemble were staged to the extreme right.
What the Constitution Means to Me
Synopsis: A (nearly) one-woman show that recounts Heidi Schreck’s time as a teenager giving speeches on the constitution for prize money in American Legion halls. One of the requirements of the contests is to relate the constitution to your own life. Thus Heidi tells us anecdotes from her own life and how the constitution relates, not only to her, but to issues of women’s rights.
Notes:
- Heidi is a skillful storyteller who is equally adept at utilizing humor and discussing serious, heartfelt issues.
- The audience is often forced to face uncomfortable truths as she relates disturbing statistics about women in our country. She also bravely recounts difficult stories from her own life.
- It isn’t easy to tell how much of her show is acting and how much is genuine storytelling. At times Heidi pauses to gather herself when telling us a difficult story or statistic, seemingly on the verge of tears. It seems very genuine, but I realize that she’s been telling these stories 8 times a week for several weeks. There’s no way it can be affecting her this strongly each time. Can it? Then I began to wonder about what parts of the show are “acting” and what are not. And what counts as “acting” anyway? And does it matter? Because either way, Heidi Schreck was brilliant in her performance.
- In the end Heidi debates a high school student over the question “Should we abolish the current constitution and write a new one?” An audience member gets to decide the winner. Everyone in the audience leaves the theater with a pocket constitution of their very own.
- Overall this is an enjoyable experience that is very different than the type of theater I’m used to seeing. The show resonates, especially in this day and age. And while much of the statistics and stories are disheartening, there is an overall feel of hope. Heidi gives a metaphor on progress that really struck me: If you watch a woman run on the beach with a dog, the dog will run up and down, back and forth, appearing to make no progress. But if you expand your view and notice how far the woman has traveled, you see how far the dog has gone too, despite its continued backtracking.
Tickets:
I was able to get a $42 rush ticket to this show. After getting my ticket to The Prom, I raced four blocks to Helen Hayes Theater to see if they had a single ticket for that night’s 7:00 show. They had one seat available in the very back row. Being a smaller theater, the view was adequate.
My Fair Lady
Notes:
- This is a lush and gorgeous show. The costumes are incredible and the set is as good as anything you could ever hope to see on a stage.
- The house, which rotates on a turntable, gives the audience glimpses into smaller, private rooms where we can follow tiny side-plots involving house staff. I really delighted in this small detail.
- Laura Benanti was absolutely brilliant but my favorite number was the show-stopping “I’m Getting Married in the Morning,” which was everything you could want from an over-the-top, golden-age-of-Broadway, chorus number.
- The ending is somewhat ambiguous, leaving us to wonder whether or not Higgins and Eliza end up together. I don’t mind that ambiguity as it gives us a lot to think about and debate. The confusing part, however, is Eliza’s exit. After entering Higgins’ house through the front door in the final scene, Eliza runs off through the fourth wall and into the audience.
Tickets:
I had a great seat in the third row, left of the thrust. I got this ticket weeks ago for $32 through LincTix. If you’re under 36 I highly recommend signing up for LincTix.
Brohemia 