The Pirate Queen

<p>Has anybody seen it yet? We are looking at a few options for an April trip into Manhttan.</p>

<p>Saw it on the last weekend of its Chicago run. Good music, excellent cast, superb costumes, sets and lighting. But the storyline seemed a bit disjointed to me, and none of the characters really grabbed me and swept me along on the journey.</p>

<p>I'll give it one-and-a-half thumbs up. :)</p>

<p>I have bought (June) tickets to Vanessa Redgrave's one-person show (not yet oepned) based on Joan Dideon's Year of Magical Thinking. There are some disocutns on broadwaybox.com. I'm sure the theme is heavy, but hey Vanessa Redgrave!</p>

<p>My relative just saw Curtains in previews and thought it was a lot of fun.</p>

<p>The Year of Magical Thinking opened in previews on March 6, as did The Pirate Queen. My D saw TPQ last week and her report was that the costumes (including fantastic wigs!), sets, special effects were all spectacular. The score is supposed to be beautiful. She loves Stephanie Block and said that she was fabulous as always. Vocally, she's wonderful in every role in which I've seen her (my favorite Elphaba, by far!) and, in reference to the discussion on another thread about MT actors being good actors, her acting is always close to perfection. I may see it next month if I can squeeze it into my trip to the city.</p>

<p>anothermom, not sure what the other options are that you're considering but I would highly recommend A Chorus Line, Drowsy Chaperone, Jersey Boys, and Curtains for musicals; there are some fabulous dramas running this spring, too, probably better than most of the musicals! A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Year of Magical Thinking, Inherit the Wind, The Coast of Utopia series, Coram Boy, Frost/Nixon, Journey's End, Radio Golf. </p>

<p>Off-Broadway also has some excellent offerings this spring: Jack Goes Boating, The Big Voice - God or Merman, Some Men, Dying City.</p>

<p>Hmm...thanks for the suggestions. </p>

<p>I showed my D, and we will see Curtains. It looks really fun. We also are seeing Mary Poppins, Spamalot and Legally Blonde. Yes, we like fun shallow stuff. Pathetic, isn't it?</p>

<p>We saw Chaperone at Thanksgiving and loved it.</p>

<p>Wow - great shows! We saw Mary Poppins over Christmas holidays and loved it - happen to have 2 friends who are in the cast.</p>

<p>Elon has a graduate in Curtains, and my son can't wait to see it soon. We've heard good things.</p>

<p>We saw Legally Blonde during its San Francisco run and it was a lot of fun! While in NY on our last go around we saw and loved Jersey Boys, Mary Poppins and Spring Awakening.</p>

<p>MTgrl08's mom (I need to get my own screen name...)</p>

<p>Thumbs down on Pirate Queen, at least the Chicago pre-run. Technically it's wonderful with a great set, lighting, special effects and solid cast, but I couldn't whistle or hum one song afterwards. The music has zippo impact on you...</p>

<p>Wondering about the whole idea of doing the "Pirate Queen" as a musical... the story itself has such power as these two women were incredibly strong willed and shared a bond a various times in their lives that was unusual (Grace was actually allowed to call Queen Elizabeth, "Bess" in private, which was only acccorded to very few). This story line makes me wish that the great playwrite Maxwell Anderson was still alive as he had a way of being able to draw you right into the story with his prose without damaging the intergrity of the storyline. I'd love to have seen this show as a "straight" play and could spend hours dreaming of the ideal cast- think about it, I'll bet more than one of you will end up doing the same thing!</p>

<p>Curtains is excellent, in my opinion. I saw it twice in L.A. and loved it. I'm also a HUGE fan of Grey Gardens, but more and more, I'm learning that it's not everyone's cup of tea. I strongly recommend the Coast of Utopia trilogy...it's epic (literally and figuratively). I'm also dying to see LoveMusik, because I love Kurt Weill and the cast and production team are amazing. Hope that helps...</p>