<p>On a happier note, Hair is opening on Broadway, right?</p>
<p>There was much mourning in our house last night when my girls learned Spring Awakening was closing. This is my 14 year olds favorite show! We saw the tour this summer here in San Diego and it was wonderful. Older D saw the show 3 times while they were in town. She bought a poster and had the tour cast sign it and we framed it for her. It is her most prized possesion along with her signed Wicked poster!</p>
<p>My girls were glad they saw Spamlaot on our trip to New York last summer. Older D saw Hairspray on Broadway when she went back east in 8th grade.</p>
<p>Hopefully good news for theatre is that the tours coming here to San Diego all seem to be doing well. I had to pick 4 different dates before I could get tickets for Xanadu which comes to the La Jolla Playhouse next month.</p>
<p>And to end on a happy note my D was just cast as Eponine in Les Mis in a regional production here that has kids and equity people working together. She had been called back for Cosette, then on Weds the director called her and wanted her to come in again, but she couldn't go that afternoon, so he had her singing on the speakerphone! She would have been happy as Cosette, but she is excited beyond belief to be Eponine!</p>
<p>showmom858...congrats! That is great! Where and when is the show. We are in SoCal, so maybe we could see it. </p>
<p>I continue to be amazed at the fabulous opportunities that our kids these days have to enhance their education in the arts. My son and the cast of his hs play were recently coached by Danny Gurwin for his role as Laurie in Little Women. </p>
<p>How exciting it is to see these kids forging forward even though the world seems to be in a mess all around them :) </p>
<p>Keep us posted on Les Mis!</p>
<p>britbrat - Thanks! The show will be in February running for 3 weekends. Congratulations to your son on Laurie. My D was Amy in Little Women (the musical) last summer and had a great time. She was the only one in the cast who was in hs. All the other cast members were musical theatre and theatre majors in college. It was a great show and she had a blast being the bratty Amy!</p>
<p>Congrats, showmom!! What a great part!!</p>
<p>alwaysmom, I would love to see you in NYC, but I teach and for a few weekends I am doing my own kid stuff, so I can't go in.... :( but I can't wait to hear WHO you see and what you think! I still can't stop singing the songs in my head! Have a great trip!!!!!</p>
<p>And congrats to all those talented kids who will keep entertaining despite the turn in the economy! We all need the lift!</p>
<p>So alwaysamom... what did you think of Billy Elliot?</p>
<p>Hi snoggie,</p>
<p>Trent Kowalik was on as Billy and he was wonderful. I loved the show, almost as much as I did when I saw it in London. I'm guessing that the Broadway production will be closer to 'perfection' the closer it gets to opening night. Another couple of weeks of previews and that should do the trick. It is currently running at 2 hrs. 55 mins. which is way too long. Some tweaking is still in the works. </p>
<p>The casting is strong. Greg Jbara is very good as Jackie and Carole Shelley excellent as Grandma. I'm happy that Haydn Gwynne was brought over from London to reprise her role as Mrs. Wilkinson. When I saw her two years ago, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role, even with all the actors I know! David Bologna played Michael and, although I enjoyed him tremendously - he's adorable and obviously talented - I think he looks too young for the role and he played Michael as too confident, in my opinion. The boy whom I saw in the role in London was a more subtle actor and it worked better. Stephen Hanna who plays the older Billy was spectacular. That scene is so beautifully done and his dancing is truly indescribable. I'm sure the NYCB fans are missing him this season!</p>
<p>The audience was very responsive and hugely positive buzz was flowing through the theatre at intermission. My guess is that this show is going to have a long run here, despite what many people thought when it was announced. It is a show that has huge appeal, to all demographics. A good, poignant story; fabulous dancing; a good score; and a huge cast. It's always nice to see shows that manage to employ a good number of older actors. Even with the numerous children in this show, I think that the number of older actors is something not seen very often in Broadway musicals.</p>
<p>Okay, have to stop there and get ready to head out to another show tonight! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the review. I enjoyed this movie when it came out and I would definitely be interested in seeing the musical on Broadway some day. And so, now curious minds want to know what show you are seeing tonight....:D</p>
<p>alwaysamom, are you involved in the arts professionally? I know many members are and I couldn't remember. You write about the play so well! I really enjoy your observations. I thought you might be involved in theater somehow! But I teach 7 year olds. All wonderful writing is very exciting to me!</p>
<p>snoggie, sorry for not replying sooner but I hadn’t looked at this thread since my last post here. I came back to it tonight to post about shows closing in the next little while and saw your question. No, I’m not professionally involved in the arts but have many friends and family members who are, back to the days when my grandparents were young. 
</p>
<p>I know that a lot of people travel to NYC over the holidays, and shortly thereafter for auditions, and I just wanted to let people know what shows are closing in the near future, in case you want to catch one or two before they’re gone. Sadly, it’s a long list that keeps getting longer by the day it seems.</p>
<p>The Seagull
Hairspray
Spamalot
All My Sons
Spring Awakening
Boeing Boeing
13
Young Frankenstein
Slava’s Snowshow
Dividing the Estate
A Man for All Seasons
Grease
Equus (Feb. 8)
Speed the Plow (Feb. 22)
Gypsy (March 1)</p>
<p>Others that are hanging on tenuously, but may be joining that list, are -
August: Osage County
Avenue Q
Phantom of the Opera
Chicago
Mary Poppins</p>
<p>Funny you should post this as I was just looking into what I could find for this Sunday on Broadway. We’re gonna be in NYC to see our daughter in two different performances and may see a show in between. I really need to get a discount though. The things I REALLY want to see are not at a discount (or may not even have any tickets anyway).</p>
<p>Susan, have you checked broadwaybox?</p>
<p>[BroadwayBox.com:</a> free Broadway shows Discount codes for broadway theater tickets](<a href=“http://www.broadwaybox.com/]BroadwayBox.com:”>http://www.broadwaybox.com/)</p>
<p>It’s frustrating when the show you want to see doesn’t have a discount, but with the way things are going, it’s likely to have one before the winter’s through!</p>
<p>Yes, for sure I checked that source as I have used it before. Same with Playbill. I also only have one time I could see a show in between D’s shows. This is just my husband and I and not D who will be at her a capella group rehearsal between the two different things she is performing in this weekend (never a spare moment!). </p>
<p>Some shows are very popular and sold out at regular prices and so there are prices over the ticket value and some are simply at ticket value but no discount. If I could see anything with no regard to price, I’d like to see Billy Elliot (sold out I think), In the Heights (found it at $127)…actually D was gonna try to get tickets through NYU yesterday for a date coming up and I wonder if she got them?..Jersey Boys (I have always wanted to see and both my kids have seen it, my older one saw it with my Mom this summer, their last thing they ever did together) but even bad seats are $141…maybe Hair…could get for $113. So, those are my ideal preferences but likely not gonna be able to do those. </p>
<p>We were gonna go to TKTS and see what we can get but either there are shows I have already seen or ones I am not that excited to see. However, last week TKTS did have Shrek and Avenue Q and I would see those two. Both are also on Broadway Box which is more than for TKTS but then again, are not taking a chance. I prefer to see a musical and my husband likely would too, though my kids saw August Osage County and thought it was wonderful. But this just came up over dinner at my husband’s suggestion and so it was not preplanned (though we have known we are going to NYC for some time now).</p>
<p>Hair doesn’t open til February, so I don’t think you’ll get to see it on Sunday. :)</p>
<p>It’s probably a good time to see Avenue Q and discounts are certainly available for it. My H saw it for the first time this summer when the tour (and Jed!) were in town, I’d seen it several times by then. I wasn’t sure what he’d think but he loved it. August is a fabulous play but it’s long so if time is a concern that might not work. I’m guessing Billy Elliot will be around for a long time so no need to rush to see that. Jersey Boys is a great show, and the current Bob Gaudio in the NY cast is wonderful (know him!), but it, too, will be around both in NY and on tour for years to come. Not sure about Shrek but from what I’ve heard, ticket sales are very slow.</p>
<p>I didn’t think Hair was open yet but for some odd reason when I used the ticket finder at Broadway Box for this Sunday, it had tickets for $113 in the rear mezzanine!!! ??? !!!</p>
<p>You are right that Jersey Boys and Billy Eliot will be around for a while. Hopefully also In the Heights. Too hard to get tickets even at the normal price. </p>
<p>I have always wanted to see Avenue Q and so would lean toward that. It is often at TKTS. I could take a chance it will be there or get the discount at Broadway Box which is just a little more than TKTS, since lots of shows at TKTS I have either seen or don’t care that much about seeing. Shrek is not one I have a strong desire to see though stars some good people. I have always thought the lyrics in Avenue Q are very clever and my kid has performed songs from that show. Is Jed still in it? I’d love to see him of course in it. So, that’s where I’m at. I doubt my husband would want to see August Osage County and I know it is long though the performance my D is in that night in the city (not at school) is not until 9:30 PM! Her other show is Saturday night at school.</p>
<p>The more I think about it, it makes sense to get the Broadway Box tix for Avenue Q as we would not have to go earlier to TKTS and could spend the morning with D and so I think I’ll suggest that.</p>
<p>Susan, I think you’re right that it makes sense to order through Broadway Box rather than have to line up and wait at TKTS. The difference in price isn’t worth it. Would love to hear about S’s shows when you get back. Enjoy your weekend!</p>
<p>Just wanted to add that no, I think Jed was only there for a week. He’s likely now getting ready for rehearsals to begin next week for Rent.</p>
<p>Yeah, I figured Jed is no longer in Avenue Q given starting the RENT tour rehearsals. </p>
<p>I don’t usually use TKTS but have done it a couple of times at the last minute. But given what is usually available there and what I have already seen or am not so excited to see, and the fact that the discount at BB is not much more than TKTS, for Avenue Q, I’m gonna ask my husband about that. I wasn’t even expecting to see a show (other than the two my kid is in of course…LOL…which she got tickets for the one for us today and she was very limited with that and I’d like to see that show more than once but she said too many people want to see it who won’t be able to and so she could just get us tickets for one performance of that and her sister is traveling to the city for a few hours just to see her in that too).</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.broadwayoffers.com/OnlineBoxOffice/Show.aspx?reset=1&BrandName=BroadwayOffers.com&prodID=6347&promo=SHBWW27[/url]”>https://www.broadwayoffers.com/OnlineBoxOffice/Show.aspx?reset=1&BrandName=BroadwayOffers.com&prodID=6347&promo=SHBWW27</a></p>
<p>BroadwayWorld offer for tickets to Shrek the Musical at the Broadway Theatre.
Select Orchestra & Front Mezzanine: $78.50 Rear Mezzanine rows A-C: $68.50 Rear Mezzanine rows D-J: $58.50 Rear Mezzanine rows K-P: $43.50
An additional $1.50 facility fee will be added tothe above prices.
Offer valid 12/1/08 - 1/18/09 excluding ; 12/14/08; and 12/26/08 - 1/4/09.
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<p>Code SHBWW27</p>
<p>Thanks, Melsmom. There is already a discount for that musical on BroadwayBox (it is also one that is sometimes at TKTS). I’m going to ask my husband about Avenue Q and get the discount tickets in advance.</p>