We have officially reached our halfway point living in the Hudson Valley, and I figured I would commemorate this point by reminiscing about the different Broadway (and off-Broadway) productions I’ve been able to see. There are pros and cons to anywhere you live, but I have to admit that being just a 45-minute train ride from NYC is a pretty huge perk. I will never take for granted all the times I was able to wrap up at work, hop on a train, grab a nice dinner and catch a show, and make it home before bedtime. I’ve been able to see 17 shows in 18 months, and I have another dozen on my list I hope to see before we leave.
With all that being said, I’ve listed all the shows I’ve seen (from favorite to least), with my thoughts on each.
Come From Away – I went to this production with a bit of trepidation. Normally, I don’t like watching or reading anything too “serious” (life is serious enough without having to be reminded of it in my leisure time), but this was hands down the most outstanding Broadway production I have ever seen or will see. The balance of humor and honor was flawless, and the entire show was a rollercoaster of emotion. They never let us sit in one emotion for too long, and it was just…perfect. I watch it on AppleTV regularly now.
Cursed Child (Second Time) – This really doesn’t require much of an explanation. But Tom Felton as adult Draco Malfoy, on stage? Unforgettable. I felt like my entire childhood came full circle in that three-hour window, and it was so bittersweet (but mainly sweet). And it doesn’t hurt that we got to meet Tom after the production, as he left the theater. It was very cool that, even though this hotshot celebrity only had 90 minutes between performances, he still dedicated a significant chunk of that time to his fans.
Cursed Child (First Time) – I won a Friday 40 for my first time seeing Cursed Child. I’d fully expected a nosebleed seat or an obstructed view, but I was pleasantly surprised that our seats were in the front third, dead center at the orchestra level. I think it was definitely the best set of seats in the house. Aside from where we sat, Cursed Child just has the best special effects and production quality on Broadway. And they do nostalgia very, very well. There aren’t a lot of Broadway shows I’d watch multiple times in a year, but Cursed Child is definitely one of them.
Moulin Rouge – This has some of the best production quality I have ever seen, second only to Cursed Child. It was like being in a three-ring circus, with something going on everywhere, at all times. Plus, jukebox musicals are my favorite. The energy in the audience is so much higher when people recognize the songs. So between the sets and the costumes and the special effects and the great song choices, this one is just an ideal production to see on Broadway.
Suffs – I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this production. A friend invited me to go, and I thought it would have something to do with Dr. Seuss. I probably should have pieced together that it was about the suffragette movement, but I didn’t until we got there and the curtain went up. And I just have to say, I was blown away. Jenn Collella is incredible, the entire cast was top-notch, and it was a really heartfelt performance.
Book of Mormon – This show was so hilarious…but also unnecessarily vulgar. I’ve watched a lot of South Park, so I am familiar with that particular brand of humor. However, this production really took the typical South Park jokes to an extreme. A lot of it felt forced and wasn’t as funny as it could have been. I think if they toned back on some of that content, it would actually make the show a lot more humorous. But even as it stands, it had some of the funniest stand-alone moments I’ve ever experienced, so it still hovers in the top half of my list.
& Juliet (Second Time) – I reluctantly went back to see & Juliet again, and I am so glad I did. There was a new Juliet, and her energy was through the roof. Plus, our seats were only a few rows back from the orchestra pit, so we got to see a lot of the details up close, which just made everything so much better. I’d definitely go back to see it again before we move.
Boop – This one surprised me, mainly because we got the tickets for free, and usually free Broadway or off-Broadway tickets mean crappy productions (case in point: Not Ready for Primetime at the very bottom of this list). However, Boop was adorable! The cast was very talented, the plot was really entertaining, the songs were super catchy, and it was just a really great time. I hope they bring it back to Broadway again because it’s such a value add, and one of the few family-friendly productions in NYC.
Frozen – Obviously, Frozen is just an excellent family-friendly option. I saw this one off-Broadway, and it was great. And of course, if Disney does anything, I’m there without a question. I especially like Frozen because it is so family-friendly and geared toward Disney fans, so Disney-bounding is strongly encouraged. I went as Anna, and my friend went as Elsa, and it was just really fun and got us both excited about future Disney trips (which just goes to show how easily Disney can get its fingers into people, haha).
SIX – The music in this show is next level, and the fact that these six ladies (and the band) are going nonstop for nearly 90 minutes is pretty impressive. And the fact that the “queens” were doing the entire thing while dancing and in high heels? Even more impressive. We got seats wayyyy in the back, so it wasn’t the best audio/visual experience, but I definitely want to go back and see it again with better seats.
Anastasia – This was my first off-Broadway Broadway production in recent years,s and it was so much fun. The cast was extremely talented, but the girl scheduled initially to play Anastasia became ill midway through the performance and abruptly left the stage. The swing that replaced her was incredible, though. I think the biggest downside was that they removed the magical elements from the movie, which meant there was no “In the Dark of the Night,” and how do you have Anastasia without that creepy dream sequence?!
Aladdin – This was the first show I saw on Broadway after moving to the Hudson Valley, and it was a lot of fun but also somewhat underwhelming at times. We went on a Sunday evening, which means it was the cast’s last performance before getting the next day off, and it just felt like they were going through the motions. And the girl who played Jasmine had a very “Britney Spears” voice that just didn’t work with most of the songs.
& Juliet (First Time) – I loved the musical choices (I’m a sucker for jukebox musicals), but this particular showing left a lot to be desired. The gal playing Juliet was obviously very talented, but her energy was just very, very low. Maybe she wasn’t feeling her best, or perhaps because it was towards the end of her time in the role,e she had lost steam. But her performance felt very flat, which really dampened the rest of the show.
Hell’s Kitchen – I guess I just don’t care that much about Alicia Keys. I recognized a couple of the songs, and the cast was definitely talented, but the plot line just didn’t interest me much. But it was kind of cool because the night we went was the Broadway debut of the girl playing Alicia, so it was neat getting to see a young actress playing her first significant role, and on Broadway to boot.
Hadestown – I feel bad rating this one so low, because it’s one of my dear friend’s favorite productions of all time. Part of the reason I didn’t like it was my own fault: I didn’t do any research into the show or the myth behind it, and it turns out I am an uncultured swine and had no clue who Orpheus or Eurydice were, or what was happening at any given time. Probably didn’t help that we were sitting in a section with a kind of weird echo, so I was having a hard time making out what folks were saying/singing. So I was just kindof lost the whole time. During intermission, I looked up the plot, and it started to make more sense, so I enjoyed the second half more, at least up until the very end…#iykyk. I’m going to try to see it again before we move so that I can give it a more fair assessment!
Angry Alan – I went to see this (almost) one-person production exclusively because Jim Halpert (John Krasinsky) was starring. It was advertised as a dark comedy, but I didn’t really find much of it humorous or even engaging. It was cool seeing John K’s acting chops in real time; it’s not just any actor who can pull off a one-person production. But the content was…boring. It was the kind of show that tried so hard to be deepthat it ended up really shallow. And it was also significantly politically fueled (probably should have realized that, so that’s on me), and it was very clear that whoever wrote it operated in an echo chamber because it just wasn’t a realistic portrayal of most situations. So I’m glad I got to see John K perform live, but that was definitely a one-and-done.
Not Ready For Primetime – We got free tickets to this off (off, off) Broadway production. When we sat down and saw how fantastic the set was, we were SO excited. Unfortunately, our excitement turned to horror when the performers came out and immediately lit up a variety of cigarettes on stage. The theater quickly turned into a hotbox, and we left at intermission. Even if they weren’t hot boxing, we would have left at intermission anyway because…”Not Ready for Primetime” was not ready for public consumption.
And that’s the end of the shows I’ve seen, and here are the shows I hope to see before we leave in 2027:
1. Wicked
2. The Lion King
3. Hamilton
4. Operation Mincemeat
5. Death Becomes Her
6. Maybe Happy Ending
7. The Great Gatsby
8. Mama Mia
9. Chicago
10. Chess
11. Titanique
12. Oh, Mary
If there are any others you think I should add to my must-see list, please let me know!
Lydia Pert 