Broadway

Currently on Broadway there are quite a few films and television shows that have been adapted into musicals. Sister Act, Ghost, The Adams Family, Spiderman, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Mary Poppins, and The Lion King.   Other musicals like Anything Goes and Chicago have played on Broadway off and on for years.  Some other musicals that have become popular include Wicked, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, and Memphis.

There are many ways to buy Broadway tickets, but the most inexpensive is the TKTS booth at times square.  The booth can be found at 47^th and Broadway.  There is also a booth at the South Street Seaport and in Brooklyn.  Although the lines seem huge even if you arrive early, they move quickly.  The only drawback is the discounted tickets are given as they are available and only for same day performances.  Because of this you should head to the booths with a main idea of which musical you would like to see with some back-ups just in case those tickets are not available.

Most people want to see Wicked, The Lion King, of Phantom of the Opera because they are familiar and very popular right now.  Sometimes tickets are hard to come by and the prices could be steep. If you go to one of the less popular shows and are not picky about seating you can find an affordable musical.  If you want to go for the bigger productions you need to expect to pay more.

When I was 13 I saw the musical The Producers.  I went mainly because my mother and cousin were going and that is what they picked.  I wanted to see The Blue Man Group or Stomp.  In the end I liked it.  The story was funny and even though I didn’t think I would like seeing a musical there was something different about watching a live performance.  Last year I saw Mama Mia! I went with a group and this was the musical that was chosen.  The story line was more of a chick flick style, but it was okay.  I would still like to see Blue Man Group or Stomp if I go again.  They seem more my style.  I am also interested in comedy, so I would probably like to see Rock of Ages or Silence, a musical parody of the film Silence of the Lambs.

One of the most interesting things I came across about Broadway is the ghost stories regarding different theaters.  One of the most interesting is about the New Amsterdam Theater where The Lion King is performed.  The people that work there claim the theater is haunted by a Ziegfield Follies girl named Olive Thomas who died of an “accidental” overdose in 1920.  Workers, mostly men, claim they see her after the audiences leave. She wears her Follies dress and disappears into walls.  There is a picture of her in the lobby and the workers say, “Good Morning, Olive” when they arrive and “Good-night Olive” when they leave.

Attending a Broadway production is an experience that I recommend to anyone whether they are interested in theater or not.  It is different from other theater productions and an experience that you won’t forget.