The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

It's so refreshing to see inventive new theater pieces on Broadway. We have a bad habit of seeing only musicals (my fault, my profession) We took Jaime to see it since If/Then was SUCH a bust. It's based on a novel (I have read the first page and it's pretty much identical to what was put on the stage so I will be wanting to read it) A young man with Autism starts the show holding a dog that has been killed with a "garden fork" sticking straight up, much like this photo. Very shocking way to start a play. The play is all about how he interacts with people around him and his attempt to solve the mystery of who killed the dog Wellington. 

The play uses video screens and projections (such a trend right now) to show how bright lights or loud noises affect Christopher. Everyone in the cast was superb. The lighting designer will get nominated for a tony for sure! This play was AMAZING! When Christopher was going door to door, the lighting was etched out on the floor to show where each house's plot started and where it also ended. 

 After seeing the play, I felt like it was a way to see into the eyes of someone who is autistic. Granted, I'll never know for sure what it's like, but even the simplest things like getting a hug or changing your clothes were labored.

 I bought tickets the day before for the 3rd to last row in the mezzanine. While we could've sat closer, the show was somewhat big so sitting that far back was fine. We definitely thought that sitting under the mezzanine would have been a bad idea.

If/ Then

God this was AWFUL! I don't think I've ever spent more time during a show looking at the playbill to see how far the end was. This was a rare time where the second act was better than the first....and part of that could have been because it was shorter. Aaron and myself took Jaime and at intermission we were RAGGING on the show. Pretty much, Idina Menzel's character makes choices and has fate HAPPEN to her, and depending on which direction she goes, not only determines how HER life is changed but also the lives of others. In one story line, her friend was bi sexual. In the second life story, he was gay....so her choices affect his sexuality?! Makes no sense. 

 Nothing about the story was compelling to me. I can't even believe that people LIKE this show?! Anthony Rapp was SO fucking annoying. I hated the music, the lyrics....what did I like about it?! The set....the mirrored ceiling which I assume was supposed to be a metaphor for Liz/Beth's life choices. In one life, she had a great job, but no love life, while in the other life, she had an amazing love with children but didn't have work. How stupid that she can't have both!

 We had great seats (row G house left) and for once I didn't give a shit if we were sitting super close or far away. I honestly wanted it to be over. I didn't feel love connections between people on stage, and the story line dipped in places and took turns that were more than just a little off track....they derailed. Aaron did say that the 11 o'clock number was worth it to see the show, but I'm less forgiving. The show should be good all the way through.

Honeymoon in Vegas

I'm so glad we saw this show, and the night before opening night at that. Starring Tony Danza, it's the newest Jason Robert Brown musical, based on a movie from the 90's. Very comical and over the top, the plot is a little ridiculous, but hey, isn't breaking out into song on the street weird too? It's about Jack and Betsy, who love each other and have been dating for 5 years. Jack is afraid to get married but takes Betsy to Vegas anyway in the hope that they'll tie the knot. They run into a high roller named Tommy (Danza) who thinks that Betsy looks like his dead wife and instantly falls in love. Yes, far fetched and ridiculous. But the music was great, the lyrics were witty, and Rob McClure and Brynn O'Malley were phenomenal. Aaron even mentioned that he believed that both were in love.

We had excellent seats (row CC of the mezzanine) and we could see EVERYTHING. The seats were a bit tight (the woman next to me went shopping beforehand and tried to make me feel bad for wanting all my leg room to myself) The last time I saw something in this theater was Newsies and I hated my seat based on the sight lines being blocked by the monitor. 

 At one point there are 7 Elvises on stage, if that gives you an idea of how ridiculous the show is. But it has fans. One woman in front of us talked to her friend about how she'd already seen the show 3 times (it was still in previews, mind you).

 The poker game scene was hilarious and so well done, well done Rob McClure. I actually said an audible "OH NO" even though I knew what the outcome was going to be. The airport song was HILARIOUS. And I found many of the melancholy songs to be so creative with the lyrics that they were anything BUT melancholic.

Side Show

I went with Voon and his friend Robbie to see Side Show on the closing weekend. It was a very emotional show (so I was told both before AND after seeing it) though I didn't feel it. The music felt weird to me, meaning any song that isn't regularly played on the broadway sirius channel was unmemorable. I know that there's a cult following on this show, but I don't think I'll be joining its ranks anytime soon. The costuming was gorgeous but overall, the show was slow. 

 Very quickly, it is about a pair of conjoined twins Daisy (left) and Violet (right) who couldn't be more different from each other while being stuck together. It's the 30's so complications with surgeries are a main reason why they don't ever get the snip. They meet and pair of men who want to put them in vaudeville, make them sing and dance, and earn acclaim. All while maintaining their differences. They even have a fight (nearly fist fight) and it looked funny as they were stuck together at the hip.

 There's even some romance.....awkward.

We had great tickets (row C of the mezzanine) off to house left. The best part of the night was going backstage. Voon knew someone who knew Henry Kreiger, the creator of the music. Even though I wasn't in love with some of his work, overall, it was fantastic that he got to go to broadway for a second time with it. We met some cast members, took pictures, and even got some lindy shots with the theater in the background!

Cabaret

 Come to the Cabaret! This show was AMAZING last time, EXCEPT for Michelle Williams, so when I heard that Emma Stone was coming in to take over the role of Sally Bowles, I thought "why not?" I was a little nervous about the casting choice because I've never really heard her sing....

 When she first came out, I thought "I'm willing to give you a chance." Her first song went ok, but when she first started acting with Cliff, I started to BELIEVE that she was the character! What a relief. I could stop stressing and just enjoy the show. And I did. As usual, Alan Cumming is phenomenal! You can't take your eyes off him. However, with Emma on stage, she does command attention, unlike Michelle Williams! Great job, Emma!

 The only part of the show where I was disappointed was during the song "Cabaret" where Emma was struggling vocally. She was pitchy as HELL! It brought me out of the performance. Her acting was great during the song, but the pitch was too far off to stay in it as an audience member. Overall, if you saw it with Michelle Williams, I suggest returning to watch this version.

I went with my friend Lainey and we sat in the 3rd row of the mezzanine which had little cabaret arm tables and cabaret lights. It felt like the orchestra without the uncomfortable chairs. You could even get table service (we didn't as the drinks were $19!?)

On The Town

 What a beautiful piece of theater we saw this weekend. It has always been a great movie in my opinion, so I wanted to love it. I had heard from friends that the show was "beautiful for dancing, but the plot was too silly" so I began to think "how could it be sillier than it currently was in the movie?!" I was pleasantly surprised when it was the same storyline give or take. The characters I loved were the same, the songs I liked remained, and even a few that were not in the movie but I knew from school.

The lady that played Hildy the taxi driver, I ADORED her. She had it going on! I was a little nervous at the start of the show when the 3 sailors came out as I wasn't completely convinced that they were man enough/strong enough to be Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie. After they met their co stars however, I felt differently. Another perk was Jackie Hoffman, whom I was not aware of in the cast until her first line, and then I quickly grabbed my playbill and patted myself on the back for knowing my broadway royalty! She was hilarious!

We bought tickets through TDF and sat in row CC of the orchestra (OMG) off to the right, but the only thing I missed were entrances. Also, all of Jackie Hoffman's comedic exits were on the opposite side of the stage so I got to see everything in my opinion. 

Aaron mentioned that the pas de deux in the second act was the best dancing he's ever seen in a broadway show. We see TONS of stuff, so that's a huge feat, and we see ballet so he knows what is good. It really WAS amazing, and much better than the "Gene Kelly ballet" in the movie which I always thought was a little boring and just like all his other films.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

My oh my, what a great night of theater we encountered when we went to see Hedwig. I wasn't really sure what to expect except that a lot of my weirder friends liked this show. (weirder meaning the ones that really grab onto a trend and run with it till the end of time, even after the fad is over)

Michael C Hall had taken over the role 1 week prior. We went with my father in law (he picked it) and while he didn't like it, both me and my husband DID like it. We could see how the role would be very different with a different performer. (Neil Patrick Harris and Andrew Rannells probably were better as they have better voices and are gay whereas Michael is more of a tv actor and doesn't sing all the time, and is straight) I found his performance impressive and the scrim work in the show to be superb!

We had 1st row mezzanine. I couldn't see the stuff upstage right! But mostly everything happened center stage!

This is how the show ended. Yummy! We were all a little confused as to what the ending of the show really meant, or what the whole show even meant, except the underlying message which was to accept yourself as you are.