NYC Ballet Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is something that always comes at Christmas. I remember loving the music as a kid. We went to see this production with my cousin and her beau. He had never seen a ballet and Aaron didn't like ABT's version a couple years back. We weren't starting off good. Lo and behold, what a great production. Balanchine's choreography was so much better than ABT. The snowflake waltz was magnificent. SO much fake snow was on the stage. I know many people don't think about how hard it is for the ballerinas. The kids were great, though we should always remember that the Nutcracker is heavily for kids. The first act is almost ALL children's choreography. 

 These seats were an experiment. We sat in the 4th ring. We were WAY up there. We could see, but you couldn't really see any facial expressions. Lucky for us, ballet acting is always over the top.  I always forget to bring my opera glasses. I don't think I'd buy seats up there again. Aaron even mentioned that the 5th ring (side seats) would be better because they're closer and they are lower in the theater than our seats were.

I appreciated that NYC Ballet had Clara (or Marie as she was listed in the playbill) not be on pointe. If she's on pointe, it means she's around 15 years old and honestly, the love for a doll at that age is just not accepted in our society. It is much more endearing and believable from a little 10 year old girl.

Glengarry Glen Ross

I wanted to not love this show. There's not a single female role in it and from what I've read, there's only one minor walk on role for women in the film. But alas, the show is a great show. Entertaining, powerful, humorous. I can't wait to see the movie since Al Pacino switched roles, taking on the older big shot role this time. In the film, he was the hot shot that ran the place. Pacino was pretty good though at times, his timing was pretty much begging the audience to applaud him more like a clap whore. Bobby Cannavale really stole the show. I hope he gets a tony nomination for this role. Unfortunately, it's a limited Broadway engagement which means that the voters will not get another chance to see it. Also, ticket prices have been outrageous (Ive heard they're going for over $200, but luckily,  I got them for $110 on stubhub!)

 We had GREAT seats, second row mezz, center section right on the aisle. The only bad part about these seats was the Pacino fanatic sitting in front of us who hadn't showered in days, was the size of a boulder, and had crack for days. Everytime he stood up we got a whiff of him greasy locks and ominous crevice.

I can't say enough about this show that's great. I'm sorry that it's going to close so soon. Previous to this show, we've seen Bonnie and Clyde, The Motherfucker with the Hat, and A Chorus Line here.

Cyrano De Bergerac

I got free tickets from a friend to see Cyrano the day before it closed. I never knew that this play is what Roxanne is based off of. I went in literally knowing nothing about the story. It was a little slow, taking nearly an hour to get to anything good about the show. Cyrano is a poet and is in love with his cousin Roxanne. However, a young boy named Christian also loves Roxanne and he's gorgeous. Cyrano, afraid that he looks awful because of his enormous nose, woos Roxanne while playing as Christian so that at least one of them can have happiness.

 We sat in the rear of the orchestra and the seats were perfect. I notice that whenever I see a show at the American Airlines theater, I'm one of the youngest patrons in attendance. Roundabout should work on that.

Douglas Hodge was great and Clemence Poesy was fun to watch on stage. It's nice to know that Harry Potter isn't the only thing she can do.

A Christmas Story

 Wow, what a fun Christmas show. It's been a while since I've seen something new on Broadway that made me want to see it again! First off, the children's chorus in this ensemble is out of this world, including a 9 year old tapper that may very well be the greatest tapper I've ever seen.

All the comedy (minus the Little Orphan Annie) from the movie is thrown in for your enjoyment. The kid who played Ralphie was stellar. 

 I found the parents to be great as well. The "old man" really got those father moments where as a kid, you would've thought your dad would really kill you! The show had all the pizzazz of being a tourist trap but it wasn't 42nd Street.

I got a rush ticket to sit in the rear mezz row D. It was a little far back but the show was so BIG that you can sit father back and still see everything.

Chaplin

I went with my friend Todd to see Chaplin tonight. I'd been trying to see it for a while now but people kept bailing, or I'd suggest it to someone else and they'd groan with a "meh, I'm not that interested in seeing that." The show is an interesting one, literally a bio of Charlie Chaplin. You learn about his childhood (so sad) and how he came to be the funny tramp that we all know him as now. Rob McClure was a genius in the movements of Chaplin and carried the show, but none of the characters were particularly likable, not even Charlie himself. 

 The music was really bad. Okay, in act 2 there were 1 or 2 songs that I enjoyed, but nothing that I could hum for you. One aspect that I liked was everyone was wearing black and white clothing, had white makeup on, and an occasional "cigarette burn" from a film would be projected over the performers to make it appear as if we were watching a film. Todd definitely liked it more than myself. I'm not sure if this one will be open at Tonys time but McClure will probably muster up a nomination.

I sat in the rear orchestra and my seat was perfect. Joey Grey was in the audience that night as well.

Book of Mormon

 If you can't already tell, I really enjoy this show. I'd have to if I've already been 4 times, no? This time around, I bought my tickets MONTHS in advance. I took my husband and his friends who are big South Park fans. Both Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells are gone at this point, and I could tell that the show is a little less funny, but someone seeing the show for the first time wouldn't know the difference. Rory O'Malley was still great and everytime I see "Turn It Off," it gets better.

I don't really have much to say about the show because I've already said it 3 times before. I did sit in the front mezz and the seats were the best by definition but I always feel really far back from the stage when sitting in the mezz at this theater.

Spiderman Turn Off The Dark

 Wow, I needed an entire week to get the bad taste out of my mouth from this show. It shouldn't have ever been an idea for a show. Aaron and I actually laughed to each other during the show because it was THAT ridiculous! With a budget of 60 Million and with collaborators like Bono and The Edge, you would think that they could've done SOMETHING with the story. The show started out OK. I'm not saying it was even like Rock of Ages (which I hated as well). YOu can see where Julie Taymor barely touched this production. The production team fired her and got rid of most of her artistic ideas for a broader audience and ended up with crap.

 See, right about now, the show was still good. It was all about Arachne weaving a tapestry. There were 7 aerialists swinging on silks to make an awesome design. I was thoroughly enjoying the vision....Then enter this!

Card board cut outs. Okay, they're not card board. But they could've been. Rather than have the actors go on stage, they would bring out these weird pieces to "further the story." Yeah, no! Not buying it. I don't even know if an 8 year old boy would fully enjoy this show. It was disjointed and weird. The illusion of Peter Parker being Spiderman was shot as well, since they actually showed a Spiderman on stage at the same time that Reeve Carney was on stage. Also, the flying aspect that everyone was excited for was so boring. We were under the mezzanine so we couldn't see where he was landing on the balcony, but I don't think the extra fly time would've saved it for me.

Oh yeah, there were weird minions in comic book type masks. The show couldn't figure out if it was in the 60's or modern times, a comic book, or simply mocking one, and what vocal style it was supposed to be. Mary Jane was boring and Peter sounded like he had to shit for every song (pretty much just sounded like a bad Bono) I get that you want to sound like Bono, but I would've bought the character more had he started the show with a  "wimpy" voice and then gotten this awesome rock voice after the spider bite.

We sat in YY which was pretty good. We didn't miss anything except for when Peter swung above the mezzanine. Do not go see this show. I hate feeling like I wasted time and that's exactly what will happen if you see this show.