Cooper

I saw Bromance. Glad I read a synopsis before going otherwise I won’t have understood why they were smelling each other’s armpits, shaking hands, & twisting their nipples. Lots of children in the audience. They seemed to enjoy the 3 Stooges type of routines. The acrobatics were excellent. Show picked up for me when the 3 amigos stripped down to only their gym shorts & did some amazing routines. Very handsome & talented young men with solid muscular builds. Got to see the cast after the show. They were sitting at a table, chatting with fans, & giving out autographs. Seemed like really nice guys.

Sara Bareilles singing her hit song “She Used to be Mine” from Waitress.

The play is based on the 2007 movie, "Waitress". It centers around the lives of 3 waitresses who work at Joe's Pie Diner. Jenna (Sara Bareilles) is a gifted pie maker and bakes a special pie with an unusual name for everyday and every occasion. She loves her job but has an abusive husband. When Jenna learns she's pregnant, she's unhappy but strikes up a romantic relationship with her new gynecologist, Dr. Pomatter (Drew Gehling). It's an enjoyable musical with some amazing voices and songs. Sara Bareilles who stars in it also wrote the music and lyrics for the play. One issue some audience members mentioned was that it was over-miked. Some of the songs were hard on the ears. The band is right up on the stage and takes part in the show. There's dancing, baking, romance, fighting, lots of laughs, and even an American Revolution themed wedding. At this occasion the band wears their 3 corner hats. The play has been opened for awhile and the theater had many empty seats. TKTS was only selling premium seats at 50% discount. Got a less expensive seat at the box office.

@Bluealpha3225, During the weekdays/nights I frequent NYC bars in an area of Manhattan called Hell’s Kitchen. There are several gay bars near each other. Right now my favorite is RISE. It’s located @ 859 9th Ave between 55th & 56th Sts. You’ll find a younger crowd (under 35) &, as long as you’re not creepy, you’ll have a good chance of meeting people. If you’re not comfortable there, try HARDWARE 697 10th Ave & 48th St. or Atlas Social 753 9th Ave & 50th St. or POSH 405 W 51st St. These 4 bars are in walking distance of each other. Do a search for their websites. There are many other gay bars that attract a younger crowd but the ones I mentioned are ones I’ve been to. I wasn’t happy @Boxers II, also in Hell’s Kitchen. Hope it works out for you. Cooper

Yes, also on my to see list. Looks good. Music by Jimmy Buffett.

That is one amazing list of upcoming shows.

Shows to look for this Spring: MUSICALS Escape to Margaritaville Marquis Theatre. Previews start February 16th Frozen St. James Theatre. Previews start February 22nd Carousel Imperial Theatre. Previews start February 28th Mean Girls August Wilson Theatre. Previews start March 12th My Fair Lady Vivian Beaumont Theatre. Previews start March 15th Rocktopia Broadway Theatre. Previews start March 20th Summer: The Donna Summer Musical Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Previews start March 28th PLAYS John Lithgow: Stories of the Heart American Airlines Theatre. Already open, closes March 4th Angels in America Neil Simon Theatre. Previews February 23rd Three Tall Women John Golden Theatre. Previews February 27th Lobby Hero Helen Hayes Theatre. Previews March 1st Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Lyric Theatre. Previews March 16th. Two Parts Children of a Lesser God Studio 54. Previews March 22nd The Iceman Cometh Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Previews March 22nd Travesties American Airlines Theatre. Previews March 29th Saint Joan Samuel J. Theatre. Previews April 3rd The Boys in the Band Booth Theatre. Previews April 30th

Awaiting the opening of some new Broadway shows, I took a chance in seeing, SpongeBob SquarePants, at the Palace Theatre. The theatre and stage are decorated in bright colors with all sorts of beach toys from surfboards to noodles. The orchestra is to the right and the members are dressed in colorful tropical wear. The entertainment is geared for young children. For a Wednesday matinee and a school day, I was surprised to see so many children under the age of 11, however, there were also a lot of empty seats in the orchestra. The kids loved it. They oohed and aahed throughout the play. The drama evolves around the eruption of Mount Humongous which threatens to destroy their town, Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob and his 2 friends come up with a plan to stop the volcano from destroying their village. I found it entertaining and enjoyed the songs, dance, and acting. I didn't go in with high expectations but left with a big smile on my face. As the play concludes and the island is saved there are bubbles, streamers, and beach balls shooting out all over the theatre. Again, it's for children and it certainly captured their attention. Like all Broadway shows there is no use of cell phones or taking photos during play. And, I didn't see any. As for the kids in the audience, their youthful enthusiasm was not a distraction but added to the fun. One young girl seated near me shouted out, "they did it", in response to saving the island. She definitely was caught up in the story. Coop

According to USA Today, Alexa losing her voice was the winning commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6-8DQALGt4

NFL Bad Lip Reading:

It’s reported that a Super Bowl commercial costs $5 million for 30 seconds.

Australia Tourism Commercial. Danny McBride & Chris Hemsworth.

M&M’s Super Bowl Commercial with Danny DeVito: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfZcxeqa1g4

Doritos Blaze vs Mountain Dew Ice. Peter Dinklage & Morgan Freeman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XLkru5Nzd4

Odell Beckham Jr. & Eli Manning. Doing some Dirty Dancing!

As the title suggests, The Play That Goes Wrong, is about all sorts of mishaps that can occur during a live production. As the audience is being seated, some actors are searching the theater for a lost dog, others are stage hands fixing doors, floor boards, fireplace mantel, books, pictures, etc. The plot is a murder mystery with several suspects. Unfortunately, while the investigation is taking place, everything on stage begins to fall apart and some actors are injured. The cast is very talented and manages to carry out their lines with several obstacles to overcome. Many in the theater were lol. It's fun entertainment and, if you've seen almost everything else on Broadway, I'd suggest looking into this play. There were several school groups in the audience which added to the loud laughs and participation. It's a 2 hour show with an intermission. Tickets are easy to get.

I was reluctant in seeing Anastasia as the reviews were not good, fortunately, I'm not a critic and loved it. This musical ain't just for kids! Most of us already know the story of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and the assassination of the royal family. So, was it possible one child, Anastasia, survived? This production is very lively with a wonderful and talented cast of characters. Excellent musical numbers that left me humming some song, not sure its name but it was catchy. Most impressive was the scenery. You go on an amazing train ride from St. Petersburg to Paris. The depiction of the landmarks along the way was incredible. The dancing was very entertaining, from formal ballroom, to night club, to ballet. And, the costumes were done to perfection. There were 2 young, well behaved, children sitting in front of me. They were mesmerized by this show and were laughing, along with me, at some of the very funny acts. The leads who played Anya, Dmitry, Gleb, Vlad, Countess Lily, and Dowager Empress were excellent! Dimitry, played by Derek Klena, is a hunk. Regardless of what the critics had to say, I'm glad I saw it. Coop

If you were watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, you might have caught a number from Dear Evan Hansen. This musical won 6 Tony Awards &, now, has a new lead. Noah Galvin, from the TV show The Real O'Neal's, has taken over for Ben Platt. Other than Noah, the cast remains the same. Here's the cast singing, "You Will Be Found". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjmwAwMUID8

Today's NY Post features a story of people purchasing their Broadway tickets from scalpers only to find out they were scammed. I've seen these scalpers around TKTS & theaters offering tickets for hard to see shows like Hello Dolly, Hamilton, & Dear Evan Hansen. Tourists are an easy target & often get ripped off. Has anyone had an experience like this? A scam artist was busted for selling nearly $800 in fake tickets to the hit Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen,” authorities said Monday as the accused crook was arraigned. Bruno Lisa, 34, allegedly swindled $400 from his first victim for two forged tickets on Nov. 11, 2017, according to the criminal complaint. The accused fraudster ensnared his second mark three days later, selling another pair of bogus tickets for $398 to the Tony Award-winning musical, the complaint states. Both victims had their nights ruined when the Music Box Theatre turned them away and reported the scam to cops. Last Sunday, Det. Thomas Schick arrested Lisa on the corner of East 39th Street and Madison Avenue and found two more forged tickets in his jacket pocket, court papers charge.

Meet the cast of Afterglow & hear what the play means to them:

I certainly won't ask about your circumstances but hope by being a member here you can find what you are looking for. Coop

Sorry to hear that. Is that by choice?

Well, that's amazing. You've been a member for just 2 months & have already reached 1,000 posts. How do you find the time? Coop

@RyanDean. The play runs till Jan 15, 2018. As @foxy & I mentioned, it's better than we thought. There was no line @ TKTS. Just remember, there's a separate line for "plays". Ticket cost $48.50. It's in the loft of a small theater. Lots of stairs to climb. I was told there's an elevator. The stage is in the center, so, all seats are good. Bathrooms are in the basement. ;-) Hope you get to see it. Coop