Murder For Two - Perfect for Halloween!

If you're planning to get last minute tickets to a show for Halloween tonight I can't think of a show that would fit the theme better than Murder for Two.  The spoof musical is playing right now at New World Stages, they might even have rush tickets available for tonight, since I know they usually have rush for Avenue Q and Peter and the Starcatcher.

I saw Murder back when it was playing at the Second Stage Uptown theater.  I didn't know very much about it going in and ended up having an amazing time watching it.  The show is hilarious from the very beginning and extremely clever.

Brett Ryback and Jeff Blumenkrantz

The two person show features Brett Ryback as a police officer investigating a murder and Jeff Blumenkrantz as all of the suspects.  It's amazing how full the stage feels with only these two on it.  Not only do they portray over a dozen characters they also provide their own orchestra music by taking turns playing the piano together and apart throughout the show.

I loved them both!  Brett is extremely cute in this show, you can't help but enjoy his performance and laugh at all of his lines.  Jeff is an outright physical theater genius.  He's able to portray a dozen different characters in the span of 90 minutes and somehow make each one distinct and memorable.  Jeff's switch to a new character is usually indicated by a small prop or hat he puts on but even without those props Jeff does an amazing job of changing his physical pose and voice to nail each character.  I especially loved his portrayal of a group of 9 year old boys in which he constantly switches back and forth from boy to boy while on his knees.  I also loved his portrayal of Steph, an annoying and overwhelming college girl who has a crush on the police officer.

There was nothing about this show I didn't like.  If you're looking for a reasonably priced show where you can have a good time, laugh a lot and see some amazing acting skills check this out.  It's currently in previews at New World Stages with an official opening date of November 6th and a closing date of January 5th.

Oh and also, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (I couldn't resist sharing the piggies!)

I'm back

I know it's been a while since I've updated this blog.  The last few months have been very busy to say the least.  To give a little update I'm now a Hoboken resident.  I know I know... ewww New Jersey.  But it's clean, has a lot to do and is only a 15 minute Path ride from the city so I'm enjoying myself.  That is it was only a 15 minute Path ride from the city, Sandy did a good job of destroying the Hoboken station and shutting it down for the last month or so but hopefully it will be up and running again soon!

Anyway, I'm back and ready to dedicate time to make this blog a valuable and fun place for people to come for Broadway information, show reviews (from me of course), updates on openings/closings and advice for cheap tickets and discounts.

Please feel free to leave comments along the way on any of my posts, let me know if there is a certain topic you want to hear about, if you agree/disagree with my reviews or if you just have a random comment.  I want this blog to be fun.  I know there is no shortage of Broadway show reviews from all of the major newspapers so I want this to be a different perspective.  Broadway from the view of a 24 year old theater lover, on a budget, trying to make it in the city.

"Without a hurt the heart is hollow" - The Fantasticks

One of my favorite things about working in midtown Manhattan is anytime I have a broadway craving after work I can walk a few blocks to the theaters and usually always find last minute tickets to something.  Yesterday when I got this craving I decided to finally check out the off-broadway show, The Fantasticks. I'm a little bit ashamed that it took me this long to go see the world's longest running musical, but unfortunately the big lights of the broadway theaters surrounding the small Snapple Theater tend to superficially outshine it most days.  However, that's definitely all it is, is a superficial outshine.  The Fantasticks originally opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village in May 1960, a revival of the show opened at the Snapple Theater Center in June 2008.

The poetic beginning to the show sets the mood perfectly:

Let's go back beyond the smart of you 

Back to the special childlike part of you 

Back where your dreams are fancy free...

I absolutely loved The Fantasticks! The show doesn't depend on big spectacle through large cast dance numbers, special effects and scenery.  It's a small cast, on a small simple set, telling a genuine story full of romance, humor and real life lessons that leave you thinking about the show long after you've left.  Seeing The Fantasticks was like going back in time... I didn't feel like I was seeing the typical 2012 NYC theater production, it felt more like a traveling classic play that sucks in the audience and consumes them simply by having a good story, poetic script, music and quality actors to deliver the whole thing with passion.

I have to say that I was impressed by the entire cast, however my favorite of the night (and probably every other girl's in the audience) was Edward Watts as the narrator and heartthrob bandit El Gallo.  He has one of those old fashioned strong broadway voices that I can't resist.

Edward Watts as El Gallo

Also starring in the show was Aaron Carter, I guess trying to grow up and try new things after his teeny bobber days.  I was never a fan of Aaron Carter, but I went into the show with an open mind.  I was not blown away but I thought he did a good job.  I find that most of the time when celebrities are brought into any broadway show they lack that "bring you to the edge of your seat" voice that in my opinion is the best part of seeing a show. But if Aaron Carter will bring people to the show who otherwise would never have seen it I'm all for it.

Juliette Trafton as Luisa & Aaron Carter as Matt

If you're a theater fan I would recommend The Fantasticks as a MUST SEE!  If you're a tourist who is looking to see a lavish production as a treat on your vacation this is probably not for you.  I'll leave you with the ending poem that delivers the central theme to the show, that pain must be felt before real love can ever be, it has been in my head ever since:

There is a curious paradox that no one can explain. 

Who understands the secret of the reaping of the grain? 

Who understands why Spring is born out of Winter's laboring pain? 

Or why we all must die a bit before we grow again. 

I do not know the answer. 

I merely know it's true. 

I hurt them for that reason and myself a little bit too.