@lookingforward – IK! I’ve been to the opera at Lincoln Center; H took me for my 50th birthday.
H and I (we live in MA) are subscribers to Trinity Rep (Providence) and before that to the American Repertory Theater (Cambridge,MA). We go to shows in the evening, rarely matinees. Last year we also saw two shows at the Huntington Theater in Boston. Maybe regional theaters attract an older crowd?
Let me tell you what had me crawling the walls this weekend:
Happy Days with Dianne Weist
I could not wait to hot-tail it outta there at intermission!!! I hated every seat squirming second, final proof I am not intellectual! The good news is, II was not alone, there was a crush for the exit at intermission.
The first “real” professional play I saw was My Fair Lady on the West End in London as a teenager. I was mesmerized.Next professional play I can remember seeing was Camelot with a way too old Robert Goulet at the Jordan School of Music in Indianapolis.
I really fell in love with theatre in college seeing lots of productions at Trinity Rep. The one I remember most was Lovecraft’s Follies.
Later I moved in NYC and for a lot of years went to London at least twice a year for theatre.
Among the truly amazing performances I saw during that time frame were
Othello at the National Theatre (UK) with Paul Scofield, whom I consider one of the greatest if not the greatest Shakespearean actor of the 2oth century, and Felicity Kendall, Michael Gambon, Penelope Wilton, and others.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Othello starring Ben Kingsley.
Scofield in Volpone with John Gielgud.
Lettice and Lovage with Maggie Smith and Margaret Tyzack.
First Monday In October with Henry Fonda and Jane Alexander.
On the 20th Century with Kevin Kline.
I don’t remember any particular star, but Les Mis blew me away the first time I saw it.
Then post-divorce I saw a lot less theatre, but I did see Rent and Cherry Jones in Doubt, both of which I liked.
A few years ago I got back into theatre. However, I see very little B’way–it’s just too expensive, though I do splurge on lottery tickets once in a while and, very rarely, I get to be “paper” at a Broadway show. I see about 60 Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway a year, almost always as “paper,” which runs me about $375 or so a year.
Among my favorite Off and Off-Off B’way shows or performances in recent years are Figaro (90210); Michael Urie in The Government Inspector; Mairin Ireland in Summer and Smoke–the play isn’t that great, but Ireland was excellent; White Guy On the Bus with Robert Cuccioli and The State of the Union, a revival of a 1947 play.
It’s amazing how much real good theatre there is in New York, even if you’re on a budget.
@jonri, what does “paper” mean as it relates to Broadway?
When I was in college (100 years ago) I dated a guy who went to medical school in NYC. They had student $5 tickets to pretty much any Broadway show you wanted. He would get me a ticket and I would go alone as he was always studying. So I probably saw 50 shows in four years? Kind of embarrassing, but I probably saw every Broadway show from 1980 to 1984 unless it opened and closed in the same week. Could never list them all and I certainly didn’t appreciate the gift I was given.
@collage1 Sorry I used jargon. “Paper” basically means a theatre gives away tickets to shows, usually (but not always) to make sure there are enough people in the audience. Sometimes, theatres target particular groups to give paper to–a producer might think that the audience for a show is a particular demographic–e.g., 18-25 year old males, African-Americans, etc. and will try to build “word of mouth” by giving out paper during previews to those particular groups.
Most theatres don’t like to give out paper directly. They don’t want you walking up to the box office asking for a free ticket while someone else is paying for theirs. So, they give them to other organizations to distribute. Those organizations usually charge a small fee to process the transaction. Some recipients are for-profit companies; some are neighborhood associations–senior centers are often beneficiaries; some are local colleges. (That’s not an exhaustive list.) Some of the for-profit companies charge a monthly or yearly membership fee. You join and then get invitations when producers give them tickets.
I suspect–though I can’t prove–that most paper is given out during previews or, in the case of Broadway, late in the run. Sometimes, it’s given out on a night when fewer people want to go to the theatre. (I snagged some paper on Super Bowl Sunday, for example.)
Most of the paper I get is during previews. You’re taking a chance; the show might be great or it may be awful. Since I’m usually not paying a lot, I’m much more willing to take a chance.
Young struggling companies often give out a LOT of paper. They want to get “butts in the seats.” It can be really exciting if you’re a theatre geek to see something great.
Cliff Richards was my first crush (he’s a British singer) whe I was 18 I went to London for the weekend and just came up from the underground and saw a big billboard showing that Cliff Richards was starring in the musical ‘Time.’ I walked up to the box office and got 1/2 price tix 6th row for a show that was starting in 30 minutes. I have to say this was my favorite musical but that could be because it was my first, and it was so unexpected. Since then I’ve been hooked.
My favorites have been—
Time
Come from Away (so uplifting and emotional).
The Lion King
Hamilton
Phantom of the Opera
Jersey Boys
Kinky Boots
Starlight Express was fun
Book of Morman is funny
Fun Home
I’ve seen Evita a few times and it would have been on my favorite list a year ago, but I just saw it again on this current 2019 tour and I found it soulless, so disappointing.
My least favorite is Cats, I found it boring and pointless and is the only play I’ve left during intermission.
Yes, @cypresspat was getting “paper.”
Don’t think I’m getting tickets to Hamilton, Hadestown, or Dear Evan Hansen. I’m talking mostly Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway.
@alwaysamom – Guilty as charged. Thanks for the correction.
Most of my NY friends and relatives belong to TDF – the Theatre Development Fund. They are the same people that run the TKTS booths, but the tix are much cheaper through TDF (under $50 for Broadway musicals; less for non-musicals; $9 for Off Off Broadway.) There in nowhere near the selection for TDF than there is for the TKTS booth but there are several advantages: 1) it is much cheaper (even half-price at TKTS a good Broadway musical will set you back close to $100); 2) you don’t have to stand in line (often in inclement weather) for same-day tickets; and 3) you can purchase tickets online. Often they’re for previews or the beginning or runs or before a show closes.
@Jonri, thank you for the explanation.
I love theater, especially musicals. Went to my first on Broadway shows in 1979. First was On the 20th Century with Emogene Coca. Very funny. Next night we had standing room to Annie (original, but Andrea McCartle wasn’t there that night and I think it might have been Sarah Jessica Parker), but got bumped up to the front at showtime.
My favorite thing in the last ~18 years has been watching my daughter fall in love with theater and ballet. When we went to a ballet for kids event when she was about 5, the theater was set up for the ballet ‘Dracula.’ She insisted I take her. I called and they said it wasn’t recommended for anyone under 10 years old attend because of the blood and noise. She insisted. I relented and got tickets toward the back, thinking we could leave if she was scared. She didn’t blink for 3 straight hours. Loved every second of it. Wanted to go again and again like we could just rewind it like a video.
She also really liked ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ (can you tell I have a little ghoul?). When we were leaving, she asked if she could have a plant like Audrey. I ask what she would do if the plant wanted to eat us. Without missing a beat, she said, “I’ll ask her if she likes Chinese Food.”
Her sister is Chinese.
What does getting what does getting “paper” mean?
@cypresspat Jonri explains it in post #85.