I recently spend a weekend in New York City. One of my favorite things to do when I am there is to fill up on musicals.
Night #1 brought us Promises, Promises. The show had only been open a couple weeks when mom and I saw it. It's a musical adaptation of the movie The Apartment. Sean Hayes and Kristen Chenoweth star in the show.
This show was a delight. I had no idea Sean Hayes (making his Broadway debut) could sing. I think his comedic style was perfect for his role. Now Kristen Chenoweth can sing. For a few years I've listened to her on the Wicked soundtrack, perfection.
The show was funny and lovely but a little long. Mom and I both felt they might have cut something out as the show was 3 hours long. If you've never seen a Broadway show before, don't start with this one, but if you're a pro, you'll enjoy this.
Night #2 was Billy Elliot. WOW!
First off, the young man playing Billy was AMAZING! The play had great singing, a great story line and great dancing. The show is based on a movie released in 2000. It takes place in in England during the coal miner's strike in the early 80's. The story is about one boy realizing his place in the world while the town realizes theirs.
Mom and I both left the show feeling like we'd seen something great. No wonder it won the Tony a year ago. If this musical comes anywhere close to where you live, go see it!
Night #3, In the Heights.
I'd read some good things about this show before going and almost bought tickets for it. Instead we got tickets the night of the show.
It was good. I enjoyed it for sure. Seeing Corbin Bleu (of High School Musical fame) was a definite plus of the show.
It had us laughing and even crying a little bit. The singing was good. The story line was just ok, it's about a small neighborhood in Washington Heights and what a few days in their lives are like.
Would I recommend it, sure, but it's defiantly not one of the best I've seen.
(As a reference, my favorite musical is a tie between Rent and Wicked)
