American Idiot

After waiting for what seemed like years, I finally saw American Idiot over this past weekend.

I've been listening to the cast recording since the day it came out, and I was so psyched to see the show. There is so much energy in that theatre that you don't get from listening to the cast recording, and I could not piece together how the story would go just from listening to it. There's almost no dialogue in the show, and the songs can't explain everything, so a good amount of the plot relies on the choreography and the set, which I thought were genius.

The story is clear enough, but I feel like there's room for interpretation, which I really enjoy. The person I was with and I had some good discussions about the show and the message after. This musical would have been perfect for me to see about a year ago when I was extremely rebellious; it really proves to me that even though some teenagers are rebellious and it seems right, everyone grows up and it's just a phase. Not only do I recommend it to people of my age, I also think it's important for people my age to see. It's somewhat of a reality check, and instead of being told by a parent or family member, it's shown in the musical, so it has a better chance of getting through to people my age because it is much less annoying than hearing it from an adult over and over again. Almost every teenager knows most of Green Day's songs, and the arrangements of the songs in this musical are beautiful, so they should have a good time. The adult I was with also really enjoyed it and said how true the message is, so parents won't be bored during the show.

You can get tickets for as cheap as $27 each through the lottery, and if that's all you can spend, it is definitely worth it. The person I was with won the lottery and was called early, so we were in the front row. I've sat in the front row for many shows, but none have been quite like this. There is so much energy that you can feel from the vibrations of the stage only a few feet away from you! It was a little overwhelming trying to take in and process all of the set because of how close we were, but that didn't hinder my experience. We agreed it would be nice to sit a little farther back next time, but it really was a fun experience being that close.

I can't forget to mention the absolutely amazing cast who play their parts so perfectly. It really adds to the experience. If you have any more questions or suggestions comment or e-mail me :)

Rock Of Ages

The first time I saw Rock Of Ages was with a group of about 20 kids from my school and three or four adults. I was basically forced to see it so I could write a review for my school paper, and even though I went in saying I didn't think it would be good, I had a great time!
Rock Of Ages is a jukebox musical featuring songs from the generation before mine, but they are songs that mostly everyone in my school group knew. It's safe to say we knew at least more than half of the songs, and the others weren't unfamiliar. i was immediately drawn in by the exciting, but not overdone set. One of the first songs, "Nothin' But A Good Time," basically describes the musical. By intermission all of us, adults included, were moving our heads along to the beat and having a great time. The show ends with "Don't Stop Believing" and even the audience members that looked extremely unimpressed seemed to have fun in the end. All of us left the theater saying how much fun we had, and everyone loved it.
I was surprised that I loved Rock Of Ages because I usually like theatre that I can relate to, makes me feel, and that makes me think. I'm usually not into fluffy fun stuff, because I can get that anywhere. There's not much to relate to other than the love story in the paper thin plot, and there's no deep, insightful points made during the musical, but I loved it so much I went back more than once. It is made clear by the narrator of the musical what exactly the show is aiming to do, and it does just that.
I'd recommend Rock Of Ages to anyone over the age of 12. There are some crude jokes and references to sex in the show, but most teenagers hear about these things in school, on TV, and on the internet constantly. Not only will teenagers love the "fun-ness" of the show, adults will love it too, and probably have a hard time not singing along. Every person I brought to the show, two teenagers and two adults, really enjoyed it. Seasoned theatergoers and newcomers alike had a great time, so literally anyone will be good to bring to the show. It's also great to see after seeing something deep and emotionally draining such as Next To Normal. If you have any questions e-mail me or comment :)

In The Heights

In The Heights is going to be very hard for me to review because I love it so much, but I will try my hardest.
I first saw In The Heights in April of 2008 and I absolutely loved it. I have gone back many times since then, and I'll speak the most about the last time I saw it, which was close to the current cast. I have only seen Corbin once, about a week after he joined, and I thought he did a fabulous job. You can tell from the current commercial that he really gets it; I really appreciate it. The show is in great shape with an exceptional cast carrying the strong message that Lin-Manuel Miranda created.
In The Heights creates such a strong sense of appreciation of home that I actually appreciate my own home more. I can't wait to live in New York, which I believe is my true home, but I have learned to love my own a bit more. Sure, the book isn't very strong, but the point still carries from the beginning to end. I also love how every character has a song to shine in. Most of the songs are extremely catchy and fun to listen to.
As I said, I have seen In The Heights many times. I loved it so much the first time I brought back my friend, her mom, my cousin, and my Aunt the second time, and a different Aunt the third time I saw it. My brother, who has only seen one other show, was also dragged into the Richard Rodgers Theater by me. Everyone, with the exception of my brother, loved the show and has either gone back or wanted to go back. I have also recommended In The Heights to many people, including my dentist, and many have come to me saying they saw it and loved it. I have many friends my age who have seen it multiple times, and some people have randomly talked to me about it because they love it too. Teenage boys and girls alike seem to enjoy themselves at In The Heights, and I'd recommend it to anyone of any age. It's a true feel-good musical with a great message. Teenage girls will also delight in seeing Corbin Bleu on stage and meeting him after the show. Also, Jordin Sparks will be joining the cast in August, so if you miss Corbin you will still get to see a big star. Everyone should make the trip to see In The Heights at least once; you'll probably leaving the theater feeling great. It has a lottery, so if you go 2 and a half hours before the show on most days [except Sunday, which is 2 hours before] and put your name in you can win front row seats for $26.50! These seats are great, and they come at a great price. If you have any questions comment or e-mail me :)

I'll start with one of the most popular shows: Wicked!

When I first got into Broadway about 3 years ago all I wanted to do was see Wicked. My interest in it died down a bit, but I finally got to see it this April for my friend's birthday.
I really wanted to love Wicked, especially because when some people hear "Broadway" the first show that comes to mind is Wicked, and some people swear it's the best thing on Broadway. I didn't love it, and I'm in no rush to get back to it unless I win seats through the lottery, but I did enjoy myself at some points. The score is quite wonderful, but it is a bit repetitive. The book lacks a lot, and that really bothered me. I felt every character was underdeveloped and there could have been so much more to them, especially the main characters. Mandy Gonzalez' performance was almost worth the ridiculous ticket price itself. Her version of Defying Gravity is breathtaking! I would see it again just to hear her. There were no other standout performers, but I though Andy Karl did a very nice job as Fiyero.
Wicked has a big fan following, and I can see how it would appeal to many people. The young girls in the audience wanted their parents to buy just about everything, and if they made a foam finger for Wicked, they would have been holding them up the whole time. Any young teenage girl will probably have a great time at Wicked, especially if it's one of their first shows. It would also be a good transition from Disney musicals to real Broadway for younger audience members. Everyone I was with, mostly 16 year old girls, at least liked it, and some loved it. For someone who has seen quite a few musicals and plays, it was not the most impressive show. If you don't have an extreme desire to see the show, wait until the attendance dies down and you can get cheap tickets. It's going to be around for a long time, so I wouldn't rush down there other than to see Mandy Gonzalez, but even then over $100 for one ticket isn't worth it.
If anyone wants any more of my thoughts or has more questions just comment or e-mail me! :)

Hi everybody!

Hello there :) I'm totally new to blogspot so if anything on here looks ugly or can be fixed, please make suggestions!
I'm a 16 year old girl who loves Broadway. I go at least once a month, so I have a lot of opportunities to see a lot of shows! I often ran into problems when I wanted to find a new show to see but no one could make any suggestions other than children's shows, so I want to help others who might be going through the same thing. I hope I can help!