Friday Favorites: Broadway Shows are my Favorite!

As many of you know I'm obsessed with Broadway and used to post little reviews on this blog. I just love going to see all the shows nominated for Tony's. My Broadway show intake has decreased drastically since getting married (which is ok by me since I love Jeff), so I have to choose wisely which shows I want to see. I have now seen three shows in 2012.

War Horse: Jeff and I went to see War Horse as a Valentines day treat. I'd heard great things about the show and Jeff and I had been talking for some time about seeing it.

The show was okay. I LOVED the puppets and how they used them to tell the story, but I didn't really care for it. The story was kind of slow in parts and seemed to drag on. It had a long running time and I think they could have cut out a few things. I know they needed to set up the story, but I thought they could have done it a little more quickly.

However, I'm really glad that I went to see it (seriously, the puppets were breathtaking). If anything go and see it for the puppets.

Newsies: I've always been a big Newsies fan and couldn't wait to see the show. Sarah and I bought tickets the day the box office opened, because we wanted the best seats in the house (luckily we bought them early because they raised the price of our tickets by $100 a few weeks later...phew).

We both LOVED it. The dancing was amazing and there was a great energy in the theater. I've heard that some people don't like the new songs, but I'm going to disagree. I thought they worked well with the story and were needed for a Broadway Musical.

They replaced Jacks quiet, awkward love interest in the movie with a fun quirky reporter (also replacing Bryan Denton - Bill Pullman's character). While I didn't really care for the vocal talent of the actress they chose, I really liked the idea of the character. Really improved the love story.

Jack did a really nice job. I don't know if it's Tony worthy, but I'm glad he got the nomination.

I just hope that it's still open when my family comes in September, because I would really like to see it again with them. I just know they will love it.

Once the Musical: Sarah and I wanted to celebrate our five year anniversary in the city with  dinner and a show...the best way possible! We decided to go see Once the Musical since it had the most Tony nominations, despite not knowing anything about it (I actually prefer it that way...makes everything more of a surprise)

How was it? The music is wonderful. The acting was superb. I really enjoyed the female lead (not at first, but she totally few on me). The show all in all was pleasantly simple. However, it wasn't my favorite. It wasn't my "type" of musical (I love the shows with the big song and dance numbers...like Newsies). I really appreciate the show and understand the the Tony nominations, but I probably would never go to see the show again or take family or friends.

What's next? Well, I'm hoping to get in to see Nice Work If You Can Get It and Evita this summer. I will let you know how that goes.

Friday Favorites: Favorite Events of 2009

Favorite events of 2009!

• Seeing Billy Elliot (Broadway Musical)- It's still one of my favorite shows of all time!
• Promotion to Senior Analyst!
• Elizabeth coming to play in NYC
• Seeing David Duchovny on the bus.
• Sarah coming to play times 2! - She came in April and November! Can't get enough Sarah!
• Going to Disney World with the family
• Hike with Selki
• Going to the Visa Signature Tony Awards Season Celebration
• Seeing Next to Normal (Broadway Musical)
• Seeing Rock of Ages
• Backpacking with Dad and Kari - I can't wait until next summer!
• Seeing The Norman Conquest (Broadway Play) - I would pay good money to see all three plays again
• Several Cooking with Ashley sessions - I hope there are many more next year.
• Dad, Kari, and Aunt Susan coming to play
• 25th Birthday! - I can't believe i'm so old!
• Going to Tavern on the Green for my Birthday
• Surprise Birthday party
• Going to a Yankee game and witnessing Jeter breaking the Yankee hits record
• Going to the US Open!
• Going Pumpkin picking with the girls
• Going to Utah to visit Elizabeth
• Hiking the Y

• Seeing A Steady Rain and Hamlet
• Spending Thanksgiving in Texas
• Going to the UT football game
• Meeting David :)
• Going home to play with the family for Christmas!

I hope 2010 is as memorable!

Day 2 with Sarah

Is it possible to top the amazing Friday we had? Yes! Sarah and I started off our Saturday with a walk in Central Park. It’s so beautiful in the fall. I really should spend more time in the park.

We then caught the matinee of Hamlet. Wow! I’m not really a fan of Hamlet, but I’m a fan of Jude Law! Yes, Jude Law was playing Hamlet. It was really good. It was so funny! Yeah, I know…Funny? Jude played a very sarcastic, crazy, adorable, prince. It was so fun seeing him in action. His performance took Hamlet to a whole new level for me. There were scenes that I couldn’t remember from previous performances, but the way Jude performed them made them memorable. I’m glad we went.

We then made our way over to Serendipity. We love Serendipity! It was a two hour wait, so Sarah and I got some needed shopping in while we waited. It actually worked out beautifully. We were seated seconds after we returned. The food was amazing! We ended up getting dessert (we didn’t do this the first time we went). We couldn’t decide on what was best so we had the waiter surprise us. I can’t remember what it was called, but it was peanut butter goodness. I really don’t know why I don’t go there more often.

Another great day!

SARAH! Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah...

Sarah came for a short visit this weekend. I have been looking forward to her coming for some time and I'm so excited that she's finally here.
I took Friday afternoon off work so we could go out and play. After lounging about the apartment for awhile we went out to eat at Mughlai. KZ recommended it and I'm sure glad she did, because it was amazing. Sarah and I both love Indian food, so this was the place for us.


We then headed down to Time Square to see A Steady Rain. It's a two man play about two Chicago cops. Oh, and who were the two men playing the cops? Well, that would be Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman (insert high pitch girly scream here). It was amazing! I wasn't so sure how I would like the two man show thing, but these guys pulled it off sooo well. I truly have a new found respect for Daniel Craig. He started talking in his Chicago accent and I couldn't believe that this man was James Bond. He truly is a talented actor. Hugh Jackman did a fabulous job as well. The two had great chemistry. I really enjoyed the play. It kind of jumps around a lot, but I thought it was written so well that you could follow. It had a lot of surprises. Good show!


My favorite part was at the end when both actors came out to do a little blurb about donating money to Broadway Cares (most shows do this this time of year). This show was slightly different because instead of just donating money they had an auction for the two white beaters that Daniel and Hugh were wearing for the show. Sarah and I almost lost it when they started stripping down to the white beaters. Both shirts went for $10k! The people that won got to go back and meet the guys and have their pictures taken with them. They also offered for people to donate $2k to go back and get your picture taken with them. I was so tempted, but I was strong and restrained myself.

It was a great Friday night!

A Day with the Chimps....

So Dad, Aunt Susan, and Kari showed up bright and early on Wednesday morning. They didn't wait long to get out and play. Well, Dad and Aunt Susan didn't. Kari slept and took a shower. Dad and Susan spent most of the morning in Time Square waiting for me to get off work. I met them for lunch at PAX. I think it's sooo funny that out of all the amazing restaurants in the city my dad loves PAX.

We then went up to see Shrek. Dad really liked it. There was one part in the show where he started laughing and just couldn't stop. I must confess I liked it better this time than when I first saw it. We then went to Ellen's Stardust Diner.
Kari really wanted to see another show, so she and I went and got some last min tickets for the 39 steps. I really love this play. It's one of the better ones playing on Broadway and I'm glad I got to see it again. Kari really liked it.
What a first day!

Broadway: I just wanted to make you happy!

You know how facebook has those apps were you pick your top five of somethings. I did my top five musicals the other day (it wasn't overly difficult to decide on five), but when I tried to do my top five plays...I got stuck. There were so many great plays running through my mind, and I was having a hard time deeming five that I felt were far superior to the rest. I picked two (both comedies), but then I froze.

Well, ladies and gentlemen (do men read my blog?...you don't count Dad) I have found a show that most defiantly deserves the award of being in my top five. What's the show?...The Norman Conquest. I haven't laughed this hard since Boeing Boeing. I'm not sure if I like this one more than Boeing Boeing or 39 Steps, but it's right up there with them. I might have to call it a tie.The Norman Conquest is a trilogy, so you have to devot a lot of time to see the whole show (it's well worth it). I'm not sure which of the three shows I like best. They all had things that I loved about them. I loved the first one (Table Manners) for the first scene of the second act (I just ordered the script...Norman has some amazingly funny lines). I loved the second one (Living Together), because I had seen the first one, which made it really funny. I loved the third one (Round and Round the Garden), because it was out of control!

The acting in this shoe is trully amazing. Four of the six actors/actresses are nominated for a Tony! I really hope Stephen Mangan (Norman) gets it! I really loved Paul Ritter too (Reg), so it's ok if he takes it (they are nominated for the same category). Same goes for the ladies nominated. They both deserve it.

I recommend seeing the show in order (Table Manners, Living Together, and Round and Round the Garden). You can see it in any order, but I feel like things would get confusing (and not as funny) if you go out of order. Here's the schedule.Now I have to find two shows to fill the remaining spots of my top five. I feel like they should be dramas, but I can't decide. I really like A Man For All Season, All My Sons, Marry Stuart, Macbeth, and 33 Variations. I don't know which ones to choose!