Live Theatre / Musicals

[Parkscope Joe]

Back to the Future: The Musical is an absolute banger of a show. All of the heart, humor and passion of the film combined with some jaw dropping technical wizardry, it's hard not to come out of the show beaming like a school kid. I feel like it's even more relevant on these forums given the history of the film within the parks but if you're a fan of the film I find it hard that you wouldn't love this. Just like the films, the musical is all about the Power of Love in so many different directions and really rocks with the ideals of putting your mind to whatever you want and dreaming big.

That ending 'stunt' is just unbelievable in person. As a kid who grew up wanting nothing more than an adventure through time in the DeLorean, it just filled me with so much happiness.

I assume you saw it in previews?

 

[CoryLevy91]

I assume you saw it in previews?

Yep, yesterday afternoon on Broadway (coincidentally the same theater where Beetlejuice The Musical originally debuted on Broadway so that's fun)! There was one moment where there was a slight hiccup with the DeLorean but it was already in shadows and didn't really affect anything. Expected given how insane it must be to operate the thing. Other than that it was smooth as warm butter to me.

 

[MrBlonde]

Yep, yesterday afternoon on Broadway (coincidentally the same theater where Beetlejuice The Musical originally debuted on Broadway so that's fun)! There was one moment where there was a slight hiccup with the DeLorean but it was already in shadows and didn't really affect anything. Expected given how insane it must be to operate the thing. Other than that it was smooth as warm butter to me.

Was the music exactly the same as the London version? I felt a little underwhelmed by their cast album.

 

[CoryLevy91]

Was the music exactly the same as the London version? I felt a little underwhelmed by their cast album.

I only just started listening to the original cast soundtrack but so far it sounds pretty much the same!

I'm not theater or musical expert so I can't really vouch for the actual quality of the music. Comparing it to Beetlejuice The Musical since they're both movie-to-musical adaptations, BJ felt more varied and organic and like it fit into the film's world than BttF, music-wise. BttF' music feels more like a lot of songs in the similar vein/style/arrangement. BJ is full of songs I can easily remember whereas BttF might take a while, whatever that means.

 

[PenguinCowboy]

Just made a last minute trip down and saw Grey House ahead of its announcement that the run was being cut short, and was pleasantly surprised! It was a nice crossover between a folk horror piece and truly supernatural traditional ghost story, and it left me with just enough answers that I felt satisfied, but at the same time enough questions to keep turning it over in my head even today.

I wish the run had been able to continue until September as originally planned, as this would be one I would easily see again! The effects rode the line for me well between cinematic and fitting for the world, with the only complaint I have being that I wish they had integrated a few more scare moments (but I understand wanting to be sparing, especially when overuse could have become mighty tiring)

Spoiler: Scare Spoiler

The refrigerator scare with the Ancient was one of the most effective uses of misdirection I haver seen on stage in a while!

Very glad to have seen it, my boyfriend was giddy when he found out Aunt Jackie was in it, lol, and my other friend was excited to see Mrs. Loomis on stage, and they both loved it, so a good sample size of the appeal (Laurie Metcalf was excellent, along with the rest of the cast). Won't say it was a winner for everyone, it got pretty abstract at times, but nothing worse than an A24 film, so if that is your cup of tea, I'd say try to catch it if you can. Personally I could also see this becoming a very tightly shot and well done horror film too.

 

[Disneyhead]

This looks interesting.

'The Shark Is Broken' brings 'Jaws' to Broadway: Here's a first look

Broadway might need a bigger boat for new play 'The Shark Is Broken' about the making of 'Jaws.' EW has your first look at Ian Shaw, Colin Donnell, and Alex Brightman in the play.

ew.com

 

[Jake S]

This looks interesting.

'The Shark Is Broken' brings 'Jaws' to Broadway: Here's a first look

Broadway might need a bigger boat for new play 'The Shark Is Broken' about the making of 'Jaws.' EW has your first look at Ian Shaw, Colin Donnell, and Alex Brightman in the play.

ew.com

yeah, I thought this was an interesting piece on it.

 

[CoryLevy91]

Managed to catch one of the last few showings of Grey House and it's a really fun, foreboding show! Not quite sure what I was expecting but it really delivered some great twists on the haunted, decrepit old abode formula. I wish I had been lucky enough to see from closer up on ground level but it's a testament to the show that it still hit from high up! The cast is phenomenal, the stage design is a haunted house lovers' dream, the scares and spooks are done so well and when it pulls all of its connecting threads together it packs such a wallop of a punch.

It's a shame it didn't seem to become a big hit on Broadway but I can just as easily see how hard it would be to find an audience, with as heavily rooted in genre lore as it is. I'm glad I got to see it in person! That final... "revealing" gag was pure magic to watch as a horror fan.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Got back from NYC about two weeks ago and had a blast. I hit up some small restaurants, hung out in parks, talked with friends, and saw some shows! But first...

The Museum of Broadway (~$40 per person) - a little steep in price but worth the visit as it's a very creative museum. I won't spoil the museum but the Wicked diorama is incredible and I got star-struck seeing Andre's Hermes outfit and the Princeton and Kate Monster puppets. I had a lot of fun, and I would recommend it. ****

Here Lies Love - The reason I did this trip in the first place, I'm a huge fan of David Byrne's work and this whole concept swept me up. HLL is the story of the Filipino people coming to terms with their history. The setting is Club Millennium, a giant ass dance club set up in the orchestra for the Broadway, and it's WILD. The narrator is the DJ and the whole night is the arc of a dance club, from the initial party of the Marcos to the hangover of a fascist dictatorship. We danced, we jumped, Ariell Jacobs and Conrad Riccamora both performed RIGHT in front of me on the floor, and we learned a lot. It's ironic this show opened here since Evita, the last musical about a female authoritarian, debuted here too. But unlike Evita this show actually has some teeth, criticises the Marcos, and end with the People's Power Revolution. An incredible show with incredible performances. OH AND I SAW LEA. Run, do not walk, to see this show. I have no idea if this thing can ever tour. *****

Back to the Future - The curveball of the trip. At first I was adamant that I'll just see this in Cleveland when it starts the tour but my friend really, really, REALLY wanted to see this so we did. The show was good but not great, I think the overall show worked much better than the touring version of Beetlejuice I saw but you're really at this show for like three thins. 1) the car 2) Power of Love 3) to see the movie in a new form. Is the show bad? Not at all, and I'd say it's even memorable! But it's very much Kids First Broadway Musical. ***

Sleep No More - Ah the big one. I talked to @Clive a bit before my trip on what to expect and do because it's not very clear what the game plan should be (by design). Overally I really enjoyed SNM and felt the experience was completely worth it but my buddy had some other thoughts. He basically tried to do the investigative stuff and be open but basically was turned away from one-on-ones constantly and it left a bad taste in his mouth. He does wish to return to discover more of the story, soon. I personally had a small moment in an investigation between Malcom and Macbeth which was really cool (about five of us). Sorry to keep this so vague but half the fun is the mystery so I'll just leave it at that. **** 1/2

Shucked - What a wonderful surprise, full of heart, humor*, wonderful songs, and amazing performances. Maizy leaves Cobb County to find a reason why all the corn is dying and the relationships in town are tested. But Maizy's folksy nievite in the end saves the day. I got to see Alex Newell sing Independently Owned which is up there with Eva singing Flowers as my favorite Broadway performance I've ever seen. The show is also hilarious, focusing on puns and wordplay to light up the script. And as it should be, as the writer created Designing Women. I mean, come on. A really fun show but this is NOT for foreigners (or anyone who hasn't visited the Midwest or Georgia). Also, A+ merch game. ****

*Line from the show "Or that time I cut down my Christmas tree and you asked if i needed help putting it up myself and I said 'no, it's just going in the living room'."

 

[Legacy]

*gasp*

It never ever registered this was a show! Like, I know it is, but it was supposed to run forever!

Sleep No More to Close Off-Broadway After 5,000 Performances

The beloved adaptation of Macbeth kickstarted a craze for immersive theatre throughout New York City.

playbill.com

 

[Clive]

*gasp*

It never ever registered this was a show! Like, I know it is, but it was supposed to run forever!

Sleep No More to Close Off-Broadway After 5,000 Performances

The beloved adaptation of Macbeth kickstarted a craze for immersive theatre throughout New York City.

playbill.com

I am very upset. Already had two performances booked for our December trip, but we booked at least two more. A very avoidable tragedy.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

*gasp*

It never ever registered this was a show! Like, I know it is, but it was supposed to run forever!

Sleep No More to Close Off-Broadway After 5,000 Performances

The beloved adaptation of Macbeth kickstarted a craze for immersive theatre throughout New York City.

playbill.com

Well I'm in the EWR airport after a last-minute trip to say goodbye to the Manderley and Club Millennium. Also I got to see Gutenberg with Idina Manzel as the producer!

 

[Imperius]

Not sure where to put this, but we drove to Atlanta over the weekend to finally see The Empire Strips Back. Amazing show and must see if you’re into burlesque. Hilarious show and well worth the trip.

 

[Clive]

Heading to NYC next week for a marathon of shows. So far we have the following booked —

Sleep No More x5 (I know, I know)
Sweeney Todd
Merrily We Roll Along
Here We Are
Back to the Future
I Need That
Gavin Creel’s Walk on Through
The McKittrick Hotel’s The Last New Year’s Eve

We are also hoping to catch —
Gutenberg!
Spamalot
Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here
The Mind Mangler

Will report back with thoughts and reactions!

 

[PenguinCowboy]

This weekend we will

Heading to NYC next week for a marathon of shows. So far we have the following booked —

Sleep No More x5 (I know, I know)
Sweeney Todd
Merrily We Roll Along
Here We Are
Back to the Future
I Need That
Gavin Creel’s Walk on Through
The McKittrick Hotel’s The Last New Year’s Eve

We are also hoping to catch —
Gutenberg!
Spamalot
Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here
The Mind Mangler

Will report back with thoughts and reactions!

Headed down this weekend to see Spamalot and we have our tickets for January for Sleep No More! Definitely will need a rundown from you to make the most of the experience for SNM, will report back on Spam!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Heading to NYC next week for a marathon of shows. So far we have the following booked —

Sleep No More x5 (I know, I know)
Sweeney Todd
Merrily We Roll Along
Here We Are
Back to the Future
I Need That
Gavin Creel’s Walk on Through
The McKittrick Hotel’s The Last New Year’s Eve

We are also hoping to catch —
Gutenberg!
Spamalot
Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here
The Mind Mangler

Will report back with thoughts and reactions!

Sucks HLL closed before you could see, what a special show.

 

[Legacy]

Musical Stage Adaptation of The Lost Boys in Development

Tony winner Michael Arden is attached to direct the musical version of the 1987 vampire story.

playbill.com

 

[Tobias]

And in rather exciting news, Jamie Lloyd's revival of Sunset Boulevard (SUNSET BLVD.) starring Nicole Scherzinger is coming to Broadway this year.

Sunset Boulevard, Starring Nicole Scherzinger, Will Open on Broadway in 2024

Along with Scherzinger, the show is transferring the other three leads of the show as well, Tom Francis, Grace Hodgett Young and Davind Thaxton. No word on what theater or when, but some are feeling it'll be in the fall as Grace Hodgett Young is playing Eurydice in West End's return to Hadestown. Chances are, this'll be a limited engagement, too.

But no matter when the show arrives, it's turning heads for all the right reasons. It's a different take on the musical as it's a mix of minimal, contemporary and cinema, making for some very striking visuals and movie magic that feels fitting for the story. That and by many accounts Nicole shows her chops and just kills it, and the other leads do a great job, too!

Definitely hoping more info arrives soon, since this is very much a show that would coax me to making a trip up to Broadway.

 

[PenguinCowboy]

Finally made my first venture into the McKittrick Hotel for Sleep No More, and I really enjoyed it! I genuinely fought myself until the last minute whether or not to reach out to some of the veterans on this thread and get some inside intel, and ultimately I decided it was best to truly go in blind 100%.

I could RAVE about the set design and sprawling nature of the experience for days. Excruciatingly detailed, meticulously themed and I was still finding new corners to explore up until the very last seconds. As a haunt person, I knew I wasn't in for an overtly frightening experience, but the atmosphere was so incredibly effective and chilling, it definitely transported me for the duration of my time.

This wasn't our group's first immersive theater experience, so there was a different benchmark for expectations and knowledge kind of off the bat, and but the two experiences were definitely apples and oranges; both fruit, but wildly different tastes. Delusion in California was probably the closest comparison, but fundamentally the two have entirely different philosophies when it comes to the approach to storytelling.

Delusion is very personal (groups of no more than 5 typically) with the actors paying very individual attention to each member at different times. You play an active role in moving the story forward, with your choices and actions very directly effecting the outcome and direction. This is even reflected down to their slogan, "Play your part". This is at direct odds with Sleep No More, which is very much so a voyeuristic experience. You are ghosts in this space, observers (unless singled out, but odds are low with larger crowds) and the events will continue to manifest around you no matter if you are in that room or not. The crowds are accordingly much bigger, but the space also allows for this and still allows you to make your free choices exercise control, just more so over your own experience, tailored to your own taste.

Ultimately the two experiences are both fantastic, but I think I found that my personal taste leans slightly toward the interactivity and personal connection of Delusion. I know that such personal one-on-ones do exist at SNM, there are ways to make them more likely to happen than not, and because of the rarity they are that much more special when they happen, but as an experience Delusion has these baked into their storylines and you are (mostly) guaranteed to have at least one during the arc.

I would absolutely do it again if I knew I was going to have the time, but I do wish there was a "Returning Guests" rate, as that would probably be my only immediate barrier to going back before it closes. Definite solid ****1/2 for me though; there is a reason it has run for 15 years and is looked at as a landmark in the immersive theater genre!

 

[Clive]

Heading to NYC next week for a marathon of shows. So far we have the following booked —

Sleep No More x5 (I know, I know)
Sweeney Todd
Merrily We Roll Along
Here We Are
Back to the Future
I Need That
Gavin Creel’s Walk on Through
The McKittrick Hotel’s The Last New Year’s Eve

We are also hoping to catch —
Gutenberg!
Spamalot
Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here
The Mind Mangler

Will report back with thoughts and reactions!

Following up on this, since we ended up seeing everything I named here...

• Sweeney: Great production with a strong ensemble. Groban is riding on his name a bit, something about his performance felt a little detached. Annaleigh Ashford runs away with the show and it's clear they shaped much of it around her infectious energy.
• Merrily We Roll Along: To echo some of the reviews, I can't imagine this show will ever be this good again. There is an undeniable magic to the core trio, but there were great, memorable performances in many of the supporting roles, too, including Gussie. Lindsay Mendez has been out a lot but was present for our performance - and man, her pipes. Her "Now You Know" was unforgettable. Also, great use of the theater for show's final image (no spoilers).
• Gutenberg!: A lightweight but uproarious show that I can't imagine works without its perfect leads. Just when you think the schtick might start to wear thin, they find new ways to liven things up and keep the audience on their toes. Because we saw the show on Christmas Eve, our "guest producer" was Santa Claus.
• I Need That: I enjoyed this much more than I expected given the middling reviews. DeVito was in good form, though his daughter - while very talented - needed a scene or two to find her groove during our performance. It's a much sadder show than I think many are expecting, and I did feel like the play could have used another structural pass or two to tighten things up and better resolve some frustrating dangling threads. A fantastic magic trick with the set change, though!
• Back to the Future: It's a full-length theme park show on steroids, so your enjoyment will vary depending on what you want out of a night out on Broadway. I adjusted my expectations accordingly and had a fine time. I found Roger Bart's Doc to be pretty disappointing - not only are his songs kind of snoozers, it also felt like he was already going through the motions. I found the supporting cast, particularly the actors playing George McFly, Biff, and Lorraine McFly, to be the standouts. Yes, the flying DeLorean is very cool. It was a packed and pleased house, so I could see this having a fairly long run not unlike Disney's Aladdin.
• Gavin Creel's Walk on Through: Intimate, unrelenting, and simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming. Creel proves he's as talented a writer as he is a performer. While it's essentially an advertisement for the Met, Creel makes the most of the assignment and crafts a show that can absolutely stand on its own merits. Really hoping we get a cast album, as I'm doing everything I can to keep some of the best songs in my brain as long as possible.
• Here We Are: It definitely feels unfinished in the sense that the Second Act abruptly stops having songs a third of the way through. With that said, what's here is sublime. What a cast. What a set. Glad Sondheim went out swinging with something as weird and provocative as this.
• Spamalot: I had good fun, and the cast is game, but this often felt a bit tedious. The set has many tour-ready digital components that rob us of many of the more amusing tactile elements of the original run (such as the physical appearances from "god"). Leslie Kritzker is a gift as the Lady of the Lake, though, and she has become someone I will make a point to see in anything.
• The Mind Mangler: I get why this isn't doing well - their limited run has already been cut short a month - it's a very small show tackling a very niche area of magic. It also loses the decently useful "goes wrong" branding since it can't honestly call itself Magic Goes Wrong (which was apparently another now-dormant production I wish I had seen). Though it doesn't have the spectacle and organized chaos of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, it does feature two remarkable and underrated performances from the Mangler himself and his foolish audience plant. The actual successful magic is well-executed and at times invisible (I was invited to participate at one point and realized I had been duped in a way that no one else had picked up on, for example), and the mentalism is also pretty nifty. Not sure if this will tour given the frosty reception in NYC, but if it does make its way around the states, it's worth checking out.
• Patrick Page's All the Devils Are Here: A master of craft delivers a supercharged lecture. Wonderfully put together and punctuated by legitimately brilliant Shakespearean performances. The talkback was very illuminating and appreciated.
• Sleep No More: All shows are basically sold out now, which means the hotel is far more packed than usual. At times, this isn't too much of an issue, but one of our shows was filled with so many unruly and inconsiderate guests that it became unpleasant to be there. Fortunately, the rest of our shows were brilliant. I was able to enjoy quite a few 1:1s, including a new one that was only introduced to the show that very week! I was also able to reconnect with some of the performers, including a few who were able to give me some extra special attention. If this is my goodbye to the hotel - and I do think it is - I think I am satisfied.
• The McKittrick Hotel's Last New Year's Eve: The fun quirk of these parties is you have the folks who are huge Sleep No More and immersive fans and then the finance guys who just wanted to go to a weird splashy shindig. The vibe shifted by floor, but the place was packed with performances with numerous nods to the hotel and its lore. There was definitely a pivot to add more Sleep No More stuff after the closure announcement popped up, but I had a blast taking everything in, including a very special Hecate 1:1 that serves as a devastating but gorgeous coda to the entire Sleep No More experience.