What shows you saw in 2017

[BroadwayDave]

I thought it would be interesting to hear what everyone else saw in 2017. Since I don’t live near NYC and it’s a bit difficult for me to get away I rely on the National Tours. This year was a good one for me attending eleven performances:

 

1 - “Something Rotten”

2 - “The Book of Mormon”

3- “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time”

4 - “The King and I”

5 - “Fun Home”

6 - “Dirty Dancing”

7 - “An American in Paris”

8 - “School of Rock”

9 - “Phantom of the Opera” (new version)

10 - “The Color Purple”

11 - Disney’s “The Lion King”

 

Looking forward to 2018 as the first six months start off with six shows including “Love Never Dies”, “Wicked”, “Waitress”, “Rent”, “The Humans”, and Disney’s “Aladdin”.

 

Once the 2018-2019 season is announced in late March for Pittsburgh (can’t wait!) I’m sure there’ll be a dozen more that’ll keep me busy well into 2019!

Edited January 15, 2018 by BroadwayDave

[N13]

Dear Evan Hanson blew everything else away!

Saw a number of shows on your list but I don't think it was in 2017.

 

“The Book of Mormon” ok but nothing special

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” Supurb!

“Fun Home” Hated it

“An American in Paris ok

"American Psycho" Loved it

"Come Back to the Dime Store Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean" dated

"Sweeney Todd" in the village Very good

"A Clockwork Orange" Dreadful

Edited December 31, 2017 by N13

[+ Seaninsf]

Agree N13!

 

Dear Evan Hansen is astounding! I have not been so overwhelmed (in a good way) by a play and performance in years. Ben Platt is amazing. I cannot imagine someone else in this role.

 

Add to your list(s) the revival of Sunday in the Park with George. Jake was wonderful - who knew the guy had a voice like that?

 

Looking forward to starting my list for 2018!

[OCClient]

Saw Fun Home national tour at the Ahmanson. Loved it. (Yeah we're easy to please out here. )

 

 

 

Saw Hedwig at the Pantages. Rock and Roll!

 

D. Criss was mouthwatering. I think Criss' performance got the reviewer at the LA Times all wet, like she was in love. I will always remember the platform arising for WLT, Criss in just those short shorts. What a bod! The audience loved him.

 

 

 

Looks like we don't get Wicked next year.

[+ VictorPowers]

I'm seeing the Book of Mormon on my NY trip in March! I have wanted to see it for so long now. As a longtime Utahn, I bet it'll be hilarious.

[BroadwayDave]

I thought it was the funniest thing I have ever seen, but as you can see above in Post 2 opinions differ widely: I also LOVED “Fun Home” which that person hated, and “An American in Paris” which was just OK to them.

 

This won’t ruin any part of it for you, but one of the continuing funny parts in “The Book of Mormon” is how the Arnold Cunningham can’t seem to remember Nabulungi’s name. Just follow along on that one.

 

And the scene where the mismatched pair meet their Uganda counterparts for the first time. Priceless.

 

Yes it’s blasphemy gone wild, obnoxious, and vulgar. And I for one loved it.

Edited February 3, 2018 by BroadwayDave

[OCClient]

I thought it was the funniest thing I have ever seen, but as you can see above in Post 2 opinions differ widely: I also LOVED “Fun Home” which that person hated, and “An American in Paris” which was just OK to them.

 

This won’t ruin any part of it for you, but one of the continuing funny parts in “The Book of Mormon” is how the Arnold Cunningham can’t seem to remember Nabulungi’s name. Just follow along on that one.

 

And the scene where the mismatched pair meet their Uganda counterparts for the first time. Priceless.

 

Yes it’s blasphemy gone wild, obnoxious, and vulgar. And I for one loved it.

I remember reading when Book of Mormon first opened on Broadway how it struck a chord with audience members that grew up with the doctrine. It's showing here next month. I should finally see it!

[Doe Be Doe]

I saw:

 

The Last Match - okay

Follies via National Theatre Live - really liked it

The Children - Good

Assassins - very well done but getting past the subject matter was hard

Prince of Broadway - okay

Company - staged reading - Good

Marvin's Room - okay

Indecent - liked it

The One True Phoenix - small neighborhood play - odd

Big River (Enclores) - okay

Sunday in the Park with George - loved it

The Price - good

New Yorkers (Encores) - okay

Private Lives - funny

Pacific Overtures - okay

The Golden Apple (Encores) - okay

[BroadwayDave]

I remember reading when Book of Mormon first opened on Broadway how it struck a chord with audience members that grew up with the doctrine. It's showing here next month. I should finally see it!

 

Definitely check it out, then form you’re own opinion. Don’t let it pass you by!

[BroadwayDave]

I saw...

 

Wow!!! Quite the impressive list! I wish I lived a LOT closer to NYC, because I would have LOVED to have seen “Sunday in the Park with George”...BIG Jake Gyllenhaal fan.

 

On another note: now that “Hello, Dolly” is touring in 2018/2019 I’ll catch it one way or another, if it’s announced as part of the Pittsburgh season or at the National Launch in Cleveland in October. Would loved to have seen it with Bette Midler.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Would loved to have seen it with Bette Midler.

 

You were missing very little. Donna Murphy and Peters are creating much better characters up there.

 

It'll be interesting to see what Betty Buckley does with Dolly on tour. Warmth has never been her strong suit.

[BroadwayDave]

You were missing very little. Donna Murphy and Peters are creating much better characters up there.

 

It'll be interesting to see what Betty Buckley does with Dolly on tour. Warmth has never been her strong suit.

 

I’ve heard that about Betty Buckley. I’m just hoping she pulls a rabbit out of her acting hat and does this role proud.

 

As far as Bette Midler, it was more for bragging rights to have seen the entertainment icon in person, in a role everyone is familiar with. Apparently those who saw both Bette and Donna preferred the latter. Bernadette has some big shoes to fill.

 

NYC is 7hrs, Cleveland 4hrs, and Pittsburgh just under 2hrs drive. It’s easier for me to see the tour than to get to Broadway, even though I could have probably knocked out another show while I was there. I just found out way, way too late it was showing, and by then ticket prices were astronomical for the dates I could get away when adding in all the other extras. It would have been a nice way to wrap up 2017.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I’ve heard that about Betty Buckley. I’m just hoping she pulls a rabbit out of her acting hat and does this role proud.

 

As far as Bette Midler, it was more for bragging rights to have seen the entertainment icon in person, in a role everyone is familiar with. Apparently those who saw both Bette and Donna preferred the latter. Bernadette has some big shoes to fill.

 

NYC is 7hrs, Cleveland 4hrs, and Pittsburgh just under 2hrs drive. It’s easier for me to see the tour than to get to Broadway, even though I could have probably knocked out another show while I was there. I just found out way, way too late it was showing, and by then ticket prices were astronomical for the dates I could get away when adding in all the other extras. It would have been a nice way to wrap up 2017.

 

Good observations.

 

Buckley is a force of nature in the right role. As a kid, I remember seeing her in Sunset Blvd. She was ELECTRIC.

 

I don't much believe in seeing 'names' just for the sake of seeing names: You have to EARN that Broadway cred, come to play 8x a week and keep every performance as crisp as the first one. That's being a Broadway performer. Leave your star ego at the door. NYC stages separate the wheat from the chaff.

[BroadwayDave]

I don't much believe in seeing 'names' just for the sake of seeing names: You have to EARN that Broadway cred, come to play 8x a week and keep every performance as crisp as the first one. That's being a Broadway performer. Leave your star ego at the door. NYC stages separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

Every show I’ve seen - 17 of them since November 2015 (that was my very first) - were for the show itself. They were all National Tours, and since I was, and am still, new to this, the names of the cast leads were/are unfamiliar and mattered not. It was all about the show. And I truly enjoyed every single one of them.

 

On other websites people wring their hands and gnash teeth over “seeing 'names' just for the sake of seeing names”, and shows like “Hello, Dolly” (with Bette, and premium tickets selling for $599 and higher), or “Dear Evan Hansen” with Ben Platt and ONLY Ben, come to mind. However, in small town WV we never get the opportunity to see big name stars, so seeing Bette Midler, Jake Gyllenhaal, or even Clive Owen would have been a real treat despite their Broadway cred, or lack thereof.

 

I’ll go see Betty Buckley, even having never heard of her before this National Tour, and will still enjoy the show.

Edited February 18, 2018 by BroadwayDave