Broadway Musical - Oh those fabulous shows
I have a habit, that if I am into something, I would just keep doing it until I get bored.
When I moved to NYC, I decided to go watch all the Broadway shows until I get sick of them :))) , because after all, what is one of the special things about NYC? - Broadway shows of course.
Up to this point (5/17/2017), I have watched 15 shows in total (13 of 15 since I moved to NYC). And I can tell that I am no longer that crazy about Broadway musicals anymore. I feel like I only want to watch a really good show from now on, because, admittedly, not all Broadway shows are good!
To finance my expensive hobby, I have mostly tried to watch Broadway shows on lottery tickets (about $40/per lottery ticket). I have watched 12 shows on lottery tickets so far, and I just want to share with you my reviews about all the 15 shows that I have seen.
I haven't watched some of the most popular shows such as Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen though, but it's ok, I already have Hamilton scheduled :))). UPDATED: I have watched Hamilton now!!! Yay!! Still can't find ticket for DEH though.
The nice thing about Broadway Musicals is that, after the show, you can go back home, listen to the music again on Youtube, and believe me, you'd either better appreciate the music (or maybe not) :))
Don't worry, no spoilers below :P , and of course, my reviews are highly subjective. Feel free to be critical about my reviews. I maybe know more music theory than you though :P (learned some instruments for a short time when I was young)
Without further ado, here are my reviews, ranked from most favorite show to the least one.
The undisputed #1 Broadway show. Just after half of Act I, I was already blown away, such energy! I was ready to declare Hamilton my most favorite show just after Act I - and I had already watched 15 shows before this.
Act I was about the American War, and the use of hip hop music perfectly conveyed the energy, and the urgency of the situation, while Act II was calmer, with great pop/ballad music.
Hamilton had great use of the ensemble and instrumental music! Every thing was just so great! The sudden change in tone too.
What's more, there was minimal narrations, because most narrations were done with rap/songs. Every act was so rich with music! There were a lot of catch phrases across multiple songs, so the music would stick to your head after the show for sure. Not just the main songs, side acts had great songs too.
It has one of the story line that makes you feel like you want to do great things in life, and to live with a purpose. The show was super moving too. You might be moved to tears during "Burn" or towards the end.
I was lucky enough to win the Hamilton lottery TWICE within 7 months since I moved to NYC. A friend told me that the chance to win this lottery was lower than being born with 6 fingers; lower than the chance to board an airplane with a drunk pilor; and lower than a chance to be able to date a millionaire. Well, that means I am one hell of a lucky guy then :P
Note: If English is not your native tongue, it might be helpful to sample some of the hip-hop songs from the show to make sure you can follow - because the rhymes can are fast. Even though I listened to the whole Album before this show, I was still impressed by a lot of songs such as "Take a Break" or "Satisfied," because they were much better watching LIVE. Even the song "My Shot" was much much energetic when watching LIVE.
Just check out one of the side song below and be amazed:
The only show that I felt fully satisfied watching so far. Pure comedy. Every act was hilarious, and the music was also very enjoyable. The acting was also so good! I enjoyed this show a lot. I would definitely watch it again after some time. This show won 9 Tony Awards for a reason, guys. It's my current most favorite show.
I watched this show through lottery ticket, which was fairly expensive for one (almost $60).
I Believe from the Book of Mormon Musical on... by tvtoday
My first Broadway show ever, and it set the bar for all my later shows. I remember watching it in 2013, when I had no idea what a musical was. And I still remember getting goosebumps over the last song of the First Act. Ahem, "Defying Gravity"..
Music was good, and story was good too. Costumes were nice! Very colorful show. Definitely a show for a beginner. Well worth $250 for a ticket during Xmas haha.
Defying Gravity Tony Awards 480p by tvtoday
I watched Lion king when they were touring in San Jose. Got the 3rd row seat for $170. They had to re-organize all the seats in the San Jose theatre just for this show. I got multiple goosebumps during the show, so you can tell music was superb.
The song "He lives in you" stuck in my head for a long time after the show. Also a very colorful show and a lot of costumes.
Only minor thing was that I already knew the script (I had already watched the Lion King Disney movie, just like you!), so it took away some enjoyment.
The Lion King cast performs 'He Lives in You... by tvtoday
I bought a ticket for $60 for the furthest row, because I heard that Jessie Mueller was retiring from the show soon.
I remember myself almost jumping out of my seat due to excitement during the song "Never ever getting rid of me." The song "She used to be mine" also showed off the singer's voice a lot!
Plot-wise, the show also had a strong story, very intriguing and moving. I myself think the acting in the movie was better than in the Broadway show though. Go watch the movie guys.
Nice little thing was that the hallway had a great smell of pie, and they sold little single serving pies during intermission.
Waitress - 2016 Tony Performance by tvtoday
This show's music was really good! There were at least 3 songs that I really liked, and I seem to connect with Andrew Lloyd Webber's music a lot.
The band was visible on stage, and when the actor sang "Sunset Boulevard" song, the solemn, conflicting instrumental sounds gave me goosebumps.
The plot was a little dark though, and yeah, lottery tix :P
Sunset Boulevard - Sunset Blvd, Broadway, 1996... by tvtoday
Even though I already watched the Tom Hanks' movie, I still enjoyed how they told the story in this show a lot!
It was just different how they went about telling the same story, and I liked the acting in this show more than the acting in the movie.
Not a lot of good music though. Just decent music. Thanks Lottery tix.
Groundhog Day - If I Had My Time Again Lyrics by tvtoday
The music was good, but the plot could be stronger. There were a couple good songs during the show, but none really gave me goosebumps. Music was better than Groudhog Day, but I enjoyed watching Groundhog Day more, so Kinky Boots ranks below.
For a show that was super hot in 2013 (I heard people camped outside the theater in 2013 just to get tickets), and won a couple Tony awards, it was a little underwhelming. Lottery tix :P
Music was really good. I got big goosebumps during the performance of "Memory" by Mamie Paris. The music by Mr Webber for this show made me feel like Xmas even though I watched it in February.
I appreciated the music from this show a lot more than Groundhog Day and Kinky Boots. Maybe even more than Sunset Boulevard, but this show ranks so low because there wasn't really any plot, and the stage felt kinda static, and every one wore the same costume throughout.
I would definitely love to watch this show again during Xmas season with a special someone :P. My first ever lottery ticket.
For a show that was based on a very famous movie, my feelings afterwards were underwhelming. Phillipa Soo tried really hard acting-wise, but the music composed for this show was just underwhleming. Soft and unimpressive.
Quite a colorful show. I have to watch the movie later. Nice thing was my lottery ticket seat was front row. My first front row ever!
I already watched the movie adaption, and I didn't like the movie. Story was super cliche. So the experience was kinda the same when I watched the Broadway musical version.
Story was cliche, dark, and not funny, but music was one of the best. The song "Think of Me" will stick in your head after the show. Plus, some nice effects during the show.
It was a fun show but music was underwhelming. Very colorful, fast, and fun. Music just wasn't there, and story was predictable due to it being a Disney adaption.
Nederlander theatres always gave me crappy lottery seats.
Nice little show about New York stories, with the subway as the central theme. The only A Capella show on Broadway. Music, stage, and plot just weren't as grand as other shows.
For this show I had to use an app to enter lottery.
I was really moved by the plot, but the plot was just too fast. I felt like there was so much going on that the story flow felt kinda rush. Also a lot of the songs were reprises from the past, so not much great music composition in this show.
I had a hard time trying to focus during this show. I just didn't connect with the plot, and neither was I impressed with any songs. Seemed like the 2 actress were really popular in the past though.
Maybe I went to see this show while I was recovering from a cold, but i felt like i just wanted to get out of there during the show. Or maybe I reached the point of getting sick of watching too many mediocre Broadway shows.
The only reason this show wasn't ranked high was because it wasn't a musical. That aside, Kevin Kline, an Oscar winner, had excellent acting, and made me laugh.
When I moved to NYC, I decided to go watch all the Broadway shows until I get sick of them :))) , because after all, what is one of the special things about NYC? - Broadway shows of course.
Up to this point (5/17/2017), I have watched 15 shows in total (13 of 15 since I moved to NYC). And I can tell that I am no longer that crazy about Broadway musicals anymore. I feel like I only want to watch a really good show from now on, because, admittedly, not all Broadway shows are good!
To finance my expensive hobby, I have mostly tried to watch Broadway shows on lottery tickets (about $40/per lottery ticket). I have watched 12 shows on lottery tickets so far, and I just want to share with you my reviews about all the 15 shows that I have seen.
I haven't watched some of the most popular shows such as Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen though, but it's ok, I already have Hamilton scheduled :))). UPDATED: I have watched Hamilton now!!! Yay!! Still can't find ticket for DEH though.
The nice thing about Broadway Musicals is that, after the show, you can go back home, listen to the music again on Youtube, and believe me, you'd either better appreciate the music (or maybe not) :))
Don't worry, no spoilers below :P , and of course, my reviews are highly subjective. Feel free to be critical about my reviews. I maybe know more music theory than you though :P (learned some instruments for a short time when I was young)
Without further ado, here are my reviews, ranked from most favorite show to the least one.
1. Hamilton
Act I was about the American War, and the use of hip hop music perfectly conveyed the energy, and the urgency of the situation, while Act II was calmer, with great pop/ballad music.
Hamilton had great use of the ensemble and instrumental music! Every thing was just so great! The sudden change in tone too.
What's more, there was minimal narrations, because most narrations were done with rap/songs. Every act was so rich with music! There were a lot of catch phrases across multiple songs, so the music would stick to your head after the show for sure. Not just the main songs, side acts had great songs too.
It has one of the story line that makes you feel like you want to do great things in life, and to live with a purpose. The show was super moving too. You might be moved to tears during "Burn" or towards the end.
I was lucky enough to win the Hamilton lottery TWICE within 7 months since I moved to NYC. A friend told me that the chance to win this lottery was lower than being born with 6 fingers; lower than the chance to board an airplane with a drunk pilor; and lower than a chance to be able to date a millionaire. Well, that means I am one hell of a lucky guy then :P
Note: If English is not your native tongue, it might be helpful to sample some of the hip-hop songs from the show to make sure you can follow - because the rhymes can are fast. Even though I listened to the whole Album before this show, I was still impressed by a lot of songs such as "Take a Break" or "Satisfied," because they were much better watching LIVE. Even the song "My Shot" was much much energetic when watching LIVE.
Just check out one of the side song below and be amazed:
2. Book Of Mormon
The only show that I felt fully satisfied watching so far. Pure comedy. Every act was hilarious, and the music was also very enjoyable. The acting was also so good! I enjoyed this show a lot. I would definitely watch it again after some time. This show won 9 Tony Awards for a reason, guys. It's my current most favorite show.
I watched this show through lottery ticket, which was fairly expensive for one (almost $60).
I Believe from the Book of Mormon Musical on... by tvtoday
3. Wicked
My first Broadway show ever, and it set the bar for all my later shows. I remember watching it in 2013, when I had no idea what a musical was. And I still remember getting goosebumps over the last song of the First Act. Ahem, "Defying Gravity"..
Music was good, and story was good too. Costumes were nice! Very colorful show. Definitely a show for a beginner. Well worth $250 for a ticket during Xmas haha.
Defying Gravity Tony Awards 480p by tvtoday
4. Lion King
I watched Lion king when they were touring in San Jose. Got the 3rd row seat for $170. They had to re-organize all the seats in the San Jose theatre just for this show. I got multiple goosebumps during the show, so you can tell music was superb.
The song "He lives in you" stuck in my head for a long time after the show. Also a very colorful show and a lot of costumes.
Only minor thing was that I already knew the script (I had already watched the Lion King Disney movie, just like you!), so it took away some enjoyment.
The Lion King cast performs 'He Lives in You... by tvtoday
5. Waitress
I bought a ticket for $60 for the furthest row, because I heard that Jessie Mueller was retiring from the show soon.
I remember myself almost jumping out of my seat due to excitement during the song "Never ever getting rid of me." The song "She used to be mine" also showed off the singer's voice a lot!
Plot-wise, the show also had a strong story, very intriguing and moving. I myself think the acting in the movie was better than in the Broadway show though. Go watch the movie guys.
Nice little thing was that the hallway had a great smell of pie, and they sold little single serving pies during intermission.
Waitress - 2016 Tony Performance by tvtoday
6. Sunset Boulevard
This show's music was really good! There were at least 3 songs that I really liked, and I seem to connect with Andrew Lloyd Webber's music a lot.
The band was visible on stage, and when the actor sang "Sunset Boulevard" song, the solemn, conflicting instrumental sounds gave me goosebumps.
The plot was a little dark though, and yeah, lottery tix :P
Sunset Boulevard - Sunset Blvd, Broadway, 1996... by tvtoday
7. Groundhog Day
Even though I already watched the Tom Hanks' movie, I still enjoyed how they told the story in this show a lot!
It was just different how they went about telling the same story, and I liked the acting in this show more than the acting in the movie.
Not a lot of good music though. Just decent music. Thanks Lottery tix.
Groundhog Day - If I Had My Time Again Lyrics by tvtoday
8. Kinky Boots
The music was good, but the plot could be stronger. There were a couple good songs during the show, but none really gave me goosebumps. Music was better than Groudhog Day, but I enjoyed watching Groundhog Day more, so Kinky Boots ranks below.
For a show that was super hot in 2013 (I heard people camped outside the theater in 2013 just to get tickets), and won a couple Tony awards, it was a little underwhelming. Lottery tix :P
9. Cats
Music was really good. I got big goosebumps during the performance of "Memory" by Mamie Paris. The music by Mr Webber for this show made me feel like Xmas even though I watched it in February.
I appreciated the music from this show a lot more than Groundhog Day and Kinky Boots. Maybe even more than Sunset Boulevard, but this show ranks so low because there wasn't really any plot, and the stage felt kinda static, and every one wore the same costume throughout.
I would definitely love to watch this show again during Xmas season with a special someone :P. My first ever lottery ticket.
10. Amelie
For a show that was based on a very famous movie, my feelings afterwards were underwhelming. Phillipa Soo tried really hard acting-wise, but the music composed for this show was just underwhleming. Soft and unimpressive.
Quite a colorful show. I have to watch the movie later. Nice thing was my lottery ticket seat was front row. My first front row ever!
11. Phantom of the Opera
I already watched the movie adaption, and I didn't like the movie. Story was super cliche. So the experience was kinda the same when I watched the Broadway musical version.
Story was cliche, dark, and not funny, but music was one of the best. The song "Think of Me" will stick in your head after the show. Plus, some nice effects during the show.
12. Aladdin
It was a fun show but music was underwhelming. Very colorful, fast, and fun. Music just wasn't there, and story was predictable due to it being a Disney adaption.
Nederlander theatres always gave me crappy lottery seats.
13. In transit
Nice little show about New York stories, with the subway as the central theme. The only A Capella show on Broadway. Music, stage, and plot just weren't as grand as other shows.
For this show I had to use an app to enter lottery.
14. On your feet
I was really moved by the plot, but the plot was just too fast. I felt like there was so much going on that the story flow felt kinda rush. Also a lot of the songs were reprises from the past, so not much great music composition in this show.
15. War Paint
I had a hard time trying to focus during this show. I just didn't connect with the plot, and neither was I impressed with any songs. Seemed like the 2 actress were really popular in the past though.
Maybe I went to see this show while I was recovering from a cold, but i felt like i just wanted to get out of there during the show. Or maybe I reached the point of getting sick of watching too many mediocre Broadway shows.
16. Present Laughter
The only reason this show wasn't ranked high was because it wasn't a musical. That aside, Kevin Kline, an Oscar winner, had excellent acting, and made me laugh.
Great survey, I'm sure you're getting a great response.
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