When my parents come in town, they ask me to find a Broadway show appropriate for the whole family. That includes two teens and my parents, who are in the senior age range. Just with my parents alone it’s hard to find a show they’ll both like. Disney shows aren’t going to cut it. Last year we saw Oh, Hello! That was great for everyone except my youngest child, who was an early teen and didn’t get a lot of the jokes.
How can you not want to see a musical featuring Patty LuPone and Christine Ebersole, two giants of the Broadway stage? I was shocked to see these tickets discounted, relatively early in the run (admittedly this review is from late July). War Paint is closing on November 5, earlier than expected as Patti LuPone is getting hip replacement surgery. So get your tickets now!
If you find yourself looking for a play that both you and the kids will enjoy – that is not a Disney-type show aimed at kids – The Play That Goes Wrong is a great option. I took my teen daughter and realized that my younger nieces would have loved it as well.
Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel, courtesy of The Play That Goes Wrong
Waitress the musical was not high on my list to see in terms of Broadway shows. But I went for my annual writer’s group show night during a conference, and that was the show selected. My goal was not only to hopefully enjoy the show but answer this question for the blog: is Waitress appropriate for kids? I did no reading about the show beforehand, though I knew Sara Bareilles was playing the lead and that she had written the lyrics. I knew it had something to do with pie. That’s it.
That pie smell wafted by the second we walked into the show. What a cute set-up. It smelled good, and we passed by a dessert stand. Inside the theater, the women selling snacks and drinks were wearing diner uniforms. The screen looked like a lattice cherry pie. It had the possibility of being too cutesy. But it wasn’t. Continue reading “Waitress Broadway Review: Is Waitress Appropriate for Kids?”
My daughter and I loved Pitch Perfect, so when I heard about In Transit, Broadway’s first a capella musical, I wanted to go. And naturally, I took her with me. The crew bringing you In Transit has some serious cred. The four writers in different combinations brought us Pitch Perfect and Frozen, and have a lot of a capella experience in other venues.
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly Broadway show, School of Rock should be on your list.
School of Rock Broadway show curtain. Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
The plot: Failing rock guitar player and overall sloth needs money to pay the rent, so he poses as his teacher roommate when offered a substitute teaching job at an elite school. He can’t teach, of course, so he starts a class band to compete in the rock competition and hopefully win enough money so he can pay his rent. The kids get into it and chaos ensues.
The pros: The kids are adorable and talented. Lots of kids (I think 13), so this is a great show for kids! The kids play their own music and of course sing as well. The cast is diverse (different ethnicities, gay couple etc.). The show is lively and the music good. The set is great too.
The cons: You’re going to have to suspend your disbelief a lot in this show. First, the main character Dewey moves very quickly to start the rock band in the classroom. Probably the first day or two. Most of the characters are charicatures and stereotypes. Against all odds, the kids are able to sneak out of the classroom to get to the competition and even though they don’t win (spoiler alert!) the crowd goes so crazy the judges change their mind. Parents discover new things to love about their kids, everyone (except the losing rock band) is happy. Continue reading “Review: School of Rock on Broadway”
I wasn’t sure what to expect for Oh, Hello on Broadway, given that I didn’t know much about the show (we had relatives in town for Thanksgiving, and they chose it). And if you’re wondering, is Oh, Hello on Broadway appropriate for kids, my answer is below. My one-liner about the show: it was a hilarious (partly stand-up) routine with two comedians who seemed to be having a great time on stage, right along with us.
Is Oh, Hello on Broadway appropriate for kids? Copyright Deborah Abrams Kaplan
I’ve been to a lot of Broadway theaters, but the Gershwin Theater is really made for audiences. Some theaters don’t allow you in before the show, resulting in the long lines you see when walking down the streets around Times Square. Patrons stand out in line, resulting in a rush for the restrooms, rush to get in the door, and concerns about being late even though they are already holding their tickets. So I was thrilled that not only were we allowed in early, but that there was plenty of space and things to do and see before the show (and no line at Will Call 30 minutes before).
If you’re not familiar with the premise of An Act of God, the show is basically a monologue with God coming to you through the physical body of an actor (in this case Sean Hayes). God riffs on a whole lot of things, including misconceptions about God and the 10 Commandments. And then he introduces a new set of 10 Commandments because he’s pretty sick of the old ones and never intended those to be his greatest hits.
As you probably know, getting Hamilton tickets is not easy or affordable these days. The next block is going on sale Sunday, June 12 at 8 p.m., to the general public. Tickets are for shows January 31-May 21, 2017. They’ll start at $179 face value.
Timing coincides with the start of the Tony Awards, where Hamilton will be well represented with 16 Tony nominations (timing coincidence? I think not). So if you want tickets, move quickly, as tickets are already available this week to American Express Centurion and Platinum card holders, and you’ll be fighting against fans as well as scalpers.
