Who: Amy & I

What: The stripped-down revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic, Oklahoma!

When: August 2019

Where: Circle in the Square Theatre, New York

Why: 1. I'm obsessed with R&H. 2. I won tickets!

Thoughts:

This production first hit my radar when rave reviews started pouring in for the off-Broadway production. As a certified Rodgers & Hammerstein geek, I read everything I could about this new take on Oklahoma! and was dying to see it.

Unfortunately, it closed before I had the chance.

Fortunately, it transferred to Broadway with a limited run that has already been extended.

Fortunately, it was among the shows I won tickets to.

Unfortunately, despite all the cool things I'd read about this revival, it just didn't work for me.

Don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting into. I knew about the stripped down orchestra and set and more modern costumes and new "tone" for the show. I was intrigued. I love different ways of looking at classic musicals. Some pieces worked for me: I loved that the actors were dancing on tables and throwing back Bud Lights. I cracked up at the cat fight happening between Laurie and Gertie as they violently snapped ears of corn during "Many a New Day". There were fun moments for sure.

Ultimately, stripped down was a little too stripped for me. Having the entire cast on stage made for an awkward lack of transitions. Oh, hey, Will Parker! Back from Kansas City just now? Even though you've literally been sitting on stage silently this whole time? Weird. There were way too many moments like that and it just felt weird. Ultimately, I would have just said the show was "meh". I didn't walk away with any new insights or feelings about the show.

Then we got to the ending. Again, I knew that I was in for something different. I love when revivals are true to the book but still make me see the story in a new light. Not the case here. The book is largely the same until the ending when they decide to spin the story in a whole new direction. No spoilers here, but...no thanks. I went from apathetic to angry (and slightly creeped out) in the final minutes of the show and ultimately walked away with one question:

Why?

I know my opinion is an unpopular one. The people I attended with felt the same way I did, but reviews remain high and the recently released cast recording is currently in the #2 spot, only behind Hamilton, so let's chat. If you love it, I'd love to hear why!

Who: My friend Amy & I

What: Mean Girls, Broadway's musical adaptation of the popular 2004 film

When: August 2019

Where: August Wilson Theatre, New York

Why: Three free shows wasn't enough so we bought tickets to two more. This was one of them. So fetch!

Thoughts: Confession time. I've only seen the movie once. It was so hyped up that by the time I saw it, I just kinda felt "meh" about it. Still, I know and enjoy the popular lines as much as the next girl and felt that a Broadway adaptation could be fun. Oh, and we got an amazing deal on our tickets.

Guys. The show was so much better than I expected. With Tina Fey on board for the show, they included all the classic moments from the film with a fun Broadway twist. Who knew you could do dance choreography with cafeteria trays? Or have an entire number dedicated to sexy Halloween costumes? The story was told well, the talent was amazing, and the songs are still stuck in my head -one of my ultimate indicators of musical success. Really, listen to the cast recording!

Seriously, I thought this would just be a fun fluffy show to enjoy during our trip, but of all the musicals we saw on this trip, Mean Girls was my favorite! Guess it's time to give the movie a revisit.

Oh, and shout out to the theatre for fun details. Seeing this in the ladies' room made my day:

Who: My friend Amy and I

What: To Kill a Mockingbird, the Broadway play based on the classic novel

When: August 2019

Where: Shubert Theatre, New York

Why: We won tickets—thanks Broadway Across America!

Thoughts: Like most people, I'm guessing, I read To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school and haven't since. I remember that I liked it and I remember basic plot points, but I don't remember the entire story and I didn't re-read this book before watching the play.

That being said, I could tell that this wasn't a purist adaptation of the book and I can tell you I absolutely love how they presented the play! I will always pick a musical over the play, but of the 3 shows we won tickets to, Mockingbird was by far my favorite. It captured the spirit of the story while making connections to society today without being preachy and still managed to make us laugh. 

Something unique about this show is that the child characters are played by adult actors. I thought this would be weird, but it actually worked very well as the children mostly serve as narrators sharing their memories with us. Their body language and costumes are that of children while their dialog is more mature. In fact, Celia Keenan-Bolger, who plays Scout, won a Tony this year for her role!

This was such a creative presentation/interpretation of a classic novel. I shouldn't be surprised since Bartlett Sher (who was behind two of my favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein musical revivals) worked on this. If I were to come back to New York with a friend, I wouldn't hesitate to bring them along to see this!

Something to consider if you're a purist: another person in our group mentioned she re-read the book right before coming to see the play and regretted that choice. The creative choices in this play worked for me but may not for some. Or maybe, just wait until after to read the book and compare notes. Either way, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this play!

Who: My friend Amy & I

What: Moulin Rouge!, the Broadway musical interpretation of Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film

When: August 2019

Where: Al Hirschfield theatre, New York

Why: We won a Broadway weekend getaway including tickets to three shows. This was the first.

Thoughts: Full disclosure: I didn't care for the movie when it came out in 2001. Amy and I watched it again shortly before our trip, and while I still didn't love it, I had hopes that the Broadway version would be more spectacular.

First things first, the set is amazing! One of the best I've seen. My personal recommendation would be to buy the cheapest nosebleed seats possible just to come to the theatre and appreciate how amazing everything looks. 

Our orchestra seats were partially obstructed by the mezzanine so you can't see the amazing elephant and windmill that reside in the boxes. If you sat closer though, I think the view would be incomplete. As an orchestra snob, this is one of few shows that I would say mezzanine seats are definitely the way to go!

Onto the show.

What I love best about movie adaptations on Broadway is that plot holes and storylines are often filled in and made more robust. This was not the case with Moulin Rouge! This adaptation is all about the music with the weaker-than-the-film book taking the back seat. Most plot points are the same, but most of the show's real estate was the 70+ songs they squeezed into the score. 

Film songs including "Come What May" and "Your Song" were included while many others such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Like a Virgin" didn't make the cut. New, mostly modern songs from artists ranging from Beyonce to Britney to Marilyn Manson were delivered as small snippets or full-fledged production numbers. 

Basically, Moulin Rouge! is one big concert with a really nice set. We had a fun time, but by the end of the show, I was mentally exhausted and ready to go. Fans of the film and of pop music in general will have a fun time at the show, but this doesn't rank as a personal favorite for me.

Bonus: I love it when shows have fun or unique themed drinks and Moulin Rouge! offered an Absynthe cart. I didn't partake but loved that they incorporated it!

Are you a Moulin Rouge fan? 

Did you like the Broadway production or are you planning to see it?

Happy Friday!



Earlier this year, I received the news that I'd won a trip to NYC courtesy of Broadway Across America. Last weekend, My friend Amy and I were flown to the city last week where we were put up in a hotel for three nights, given tickets to three shows, and taken on a walking theatre tour. To really make the most of our time in the city, we opted to take the bus home instead of an earlier flight so we could have even more time to see shows and play tourist the city.

1. Broadway

2. 9/11 Museum

3. Central Park

4. The High Line

5. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island