Little Bytes Recommends...Before They Close

It's a crazy time for every industry.  CEO's of car companies are acting humble, publishers are taking a break from buying books, and the world of Broadway is being turned upside down.  The existence of Wednesday matinees is being seriously reconsidered and producers are having to shutter some very popular productions, including several Tony winners for Best Musical.

By the end of January, the following Broadway shows will be gone:  Hairspray, Spring Awakening, Spamalot, Young Frankenstein, 13, Boeing Boeing, Grease, and Gypsy.  (This doesn't include the limited engagement productions like The Seagull and All My Sons or the holiday shows like Irving Berlin's White Christmas which will also be gone by February.)  A number of shows closed in the last few months--Legally Blonde, title of show, A Tale of Two Cities, Xanadu, American Buffalo, and the groundbreaking musical Rent, which ran for twelve years.

So if you can only afford the time or money to see one, which would be the show to see?  Well, 18 Little Bytes alumni voted.  Our recommendations after the jump.

Susan Burns:  "Spring Awakening."

Cayce Crown:  "Gypsy #1 pick."

Peter Flynn:  "It's a toss up between Boeing, Boeing or Gypsy...apples and oranges."

Berda Gilmore:  "Definitely Spamalot!"

Sarah Gippin:  "I loved Spring Awakening, but I haven't seen too many of these, so I may not be the best person to ask. :-) "

Janice Goldberg:  "For middle school:  Hairspray.  For high school, if their parents say ok:  Spring Awakening.  But I really liked Boeing Boeing."

Walter Hershman:  "I am probably not the right person to ask this question, because I am a believer that some of these shows shouldn't have been made.  Why another Grease in my lifetime?  I would vote for Spring Awakening or 13.  If I was in a real silly mood then Young Frankenstein"

 

Nina Kane:  "Spring Awakening."

Nona Lloyd:  "Spring Awakening or Gypsy."

 

Lauren Oliva:  "Gypsy is my favorite show of all time and I've never seen anyone kick Rose's butt like Patti Lupone. "Mamma, I'm Pretty."  However, if the person wanted to see something innovative and they are not a super musical type of person - Spring Awakening is brilliant. Can't beat the music! I listened to that soundtrack for months! "

 

April Ortiz:  "I loved Spring Awakening when it was the Atlantic.  I saw it on Broadway and I thought it just belonged in a more intimate space, so I would have to say Spamalot is my pick.  I was never a Monty Python fan, but I loved it anyway.  And...my experience as a bartender tells me that if a person can afford one ticket and they want to see a musical, they are looking for happy singing and dancing--tappity-tap-cha-cha-cha, not the angst of adolescence.  Especially if they are not New Yorkers.  Maybe sad, but maybe true.  I haven't seen Gypsy on Broadway, but I did see it at City Center...now I am torn.  You should never miss Patti Lupone in anything in my humble opinion.  And I would actually see it again just for Electra...I was weeping!"   (April goes with Spamalot and Gypsy.) 

 

Bruce Roberts:  "Hairspray.  The original leads are back!"  (RW--Hairspray is offering the return of Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein, who won multiple awards for originating the roles of Tracy and Edna, for the last several weeks of the run.)

 

Elizabeth Meadows Rouse:  "Anyway, The only one of those that I have seen would be my pick. Spamalot with Clay Aiken! *sneer*"

 

Marta Sanders:  "Gypsy!"

 

Nicole Stefonek:  "Gypsy. Hands down.  It's Patti LaPone for Pete's sake!"

 

Travis Stroesenreuther:  "Depends on who it is, but I'd absolutely go with Spring Awakening.  Or Gypsy.  Or 13.  Don't judge me.  OK, kidding about 13.  But the other two, I loved."

 

Robert Westfield:  Spring Awakening or Gypsy.

 

So some of us could not narrow it down to one.  Fine.  The final tally (one vote for every mention):  Gypsy (9), Spring Awakening (9), Spamalot (3), Hairspray (2), Boeing, Boeing (2), 13 (1), Young Frankenstein (1), Grease (0).

 

Notice four of us actually picked the same combo:  Spring Awakening or Gypsy.

Comments

[Cayce]

Well, since you missed the opportunity to see Spring Awakening at the Atlantic like April & myself(where it worked much better), then, perhaps it is OK to see it on Broadway, but only AFTER you've seen Gypsy. You can thank me later.

[Laura Clement]

Spring Awakening. No question!