38 Down, One To Go (Plus One)
38 Down, One To Go (Plus One)Even if I wasn't so enamored by the current revival of Guys And Dolls, it did afford me the opportunity of crossing another Broadway theatre off my list. Thirty-eight down, one more to go ... if you don't count that "new" theatre coming to a Broadway near you in September.
It may be heresy to other theatre lovers, but up until seeing Guys And Dolls during one of its last previews prior to opening, I had never set foot inside the wonderfully restored Nederlander Theatre (pictured here, photo by Matthew Blank). That's right, I never saw its previous occupant Rent there, even though it squatted at the Nederlander through 5,123 performances. Fear not, Rent-heads, I actually took in the very first "Angel" touring company of Rent during its initial stint in Boston (way back in 1996), as well as a later tour of St. Paul (2000).
Which of Broadway's current 39 theatrical venues have I visited the most? That would be the Booth Theatre -- home to countless prestige shows and arguably the Great White Way's most uncomfortable seats -- beginning with the 1992 revival of The Most Happy Fella and as recently as its current occupant, next to normal. Which brings me full circle: Frank Loesser wrote the scores to both Guys And Dolls and The Most Happy Fella , while Michael Greif directed both Rent and next to normal.
So, dear readers, how many Broadway theatres have you visited? And do you think I should just bite the bullet and finally see that last remaining show (even though I have seen it in London, Los Angeles and Las Vegas) to round out my overall Rialto experience?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Booth Theatre, Broadway, Broadway Venues, Frank Loesser, Guys And Dolls, Michael Greif, Nederlander Theatre, Next To Normal, Rent, The Most Happy Fella
posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, May 29, 2009
7 Comments:
ahahaha... I was thinking on my last trip to NY that I'm NEVER going to get to see the Majestic will I? Since Phantom will never seem to die. (hmm... what a perfect concept for a sequel... oh wait...). And I refuse to see it again. Don't do it. Don't keep the numbers up. It'll just add fuel to the neverending fire (or 1000 candles actually).
Right now I'm waiting for The Little Mermaid to close so that The Addams Family can take over so that I can finally go the Lunt Fontaine. Actually, I'm missing all the ones with long running shows, Ambassadors, Neil Simon (soon finally!), Majestic, Minskoff (saw LK at New Ams), and Music Box (saw AOC at Imperial). (I've been to the old Henry Miller. does that count?!!!). Granted, most of my visits have been in the last 3 years. Not bad at catching up eh?!
I have several more... Ambassador, August Wilson, Cort, Nederlander, Hilton and of course "that theatre."
But like I said, I'll bite that bullet with you!
I've only been to New York once and I have been in the St. James (The Producers), Golden (Avenue Q), and the Gershwin (Wicked).
A friend of mine went to New York in December and saw "Phantom". She saw it when she was little (she grew up in New Jersey) and fell in love with it then. She said the second time, and this was largely her observation, it seemed stale, like the actors were tired of performing it. If you want to be adventurous, you could see it.
Ok, I just counted. I've been in 24 Broadway theatres - and that's in two years. This summer I'll check a few more off the list!
While I think Vance has a valid point, personally, I think you should bite the bullet. I've never seen that show anywhere in any form, so I would definitely be up for a group event. Then we could all toast you with champagne afterward to celebrate!
Esther, we may need the champagne beforehand, but I say we make it an event. Afterall solidarity forever, right?
Still several on my list:
Ambassador
Lunt-Fontaine
Majestic
Minskoff
Nederlander
I've been in THAT theatre to see THAT production...believe me, you'll need something stronger than champagne. (Really, SOB, you saw that show THREE times else where? Oh dear. )
My only two remaining are the Henry Miller and the Brooks Atkinson.
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