The current Broadway season is one of the best in years. However, the plethora of options can be overwhelming – especially if you only have a few days to spend in New York City. Here’s a summary of some of the recent shows we checked out:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Our take: A must see!
Curious Incident is likely to win this year’s Tony Award® for Best Play. The riveting story revolves around a teenage boy with Asperger’s, Christopher Boone, who is on the hunt to find the murderer of a local dog. The scenery is fabulous. Alex Sharp’s performance as Christopher is triumphant. If you only have time to see one play on Broadway, this is the one to see.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Our take: Great lighthearted fun
A Gentleman’s Guide is a delightful farce and won the Tony Award® for Best Musical in 2014 . After his mother dies, Monty Navarro (who was raised in poverty) discovers that he is heir to a family fortune. He sets out to jump the line of succession by murdering the eight relatives who stand in his way. When he’s not murdering, the handsome Monty has to juggle his mistress and his fiancée. A delightful new musical that is guaranteed great fun. Read our complete show guide to learn more about the plot and characters.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Our take: An energetic rock concert experience.
Hedwig is more rock concert than typical Broadway musical. Performing at the large Belasco Theatre, the story of the show revolves around a “slip of a girlyboy” from communist East Berlin, Hanschel. After a botched sex change operation, Hanschel becomes the “internationally ignored song stylist” known as Hedwig. The show daringly breaks the fourth wall, as Hedwig directly tells the audience of her past tribulations and heartbreak in the form of an extended monologue paired with rock songs. Make sure to read our full Hedwig guide.
Note: Hedwig is definitely intended for an adult audience.
On the Town
Our take: Traditional Broadway singing and dancing
On the Town is the tale of three sailors on a 24 hour leave from their ship docked in New York City – the greatest city in the world. Of course, with only 24 hours in New York, the sailors are the hunt to find girls! Filled with fabulous dancing and traditional Broadway fun, the show is reasonably enjoyable for the whole family. It’s a solid production but there are better shows currently playing on Broadway. If you only have a weekend in New York, skip it.
Living on Love
Our take: Skip it
The story is a farce about two washed out opera stars and their swooning ghost writers. While the play certainly has some funny moments, the play feels more like good community theatre instead of Broadway. Save your money and go see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time instead.
