I heart NY
If you ever have the opportunity to ride in a cab in Manhattan, DON'T DO IT!
I spent my 18th birthday, Saturday the 8th, in New Jersey and New York City with my family. What would have been an enjoyable occasion turned into a somewhat miserable excursion due to the constant downpour and unseasonable cold. It wasn't even like it rained for a few hours and then stopped: it rained ALL FREAKING DAY. At any rate, we happened to get tickets at the last minute to see The Lion King on Broadway.
Unlike cab rides in Manhattan, the Lion King on Broadway is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. It was a truly phenomenal performance. The costumes and set design were the most outstanding components of the production, given the challenges of having human characters portraying lions and giraffes and gazelles and such. Honestly, I didn't have a clue how they would manage to pull of scenes like the stampede in the gorge and Mufasa appearing in the sky and talking to Simba, but the ingenuity of the directors and choreographers is such that the animals truly came to life on stage without coming off as cheesy or forced.
I could go on for hours and, in the process, bore the pants off all three of you who are reading this, but I'll be generous and consolidate my critique into a list:
The Top Five Best Things About The Lion King On Broadway
1. The two very mature and tremendously talented youngsters playing Young Simba and Nala.
2. The intensity of the ensemble and orchestra, especially the percussionists up in the balconies!
3. Patrick Page, the actor currently playing the villanous Scar. Though his quasi-British articulation faltered at times, this man was so comfortable in his skin and so charismatic. Hard not to love him.
4. The beautiful New Amsterdam Theatre, where the absolutely spectacular architecture almost makes up for the two inches of leg room and rock-hard seats.
5. Ed the Hyena in all his idiotic glory. I can't imagine how much fun it must be to play a character who babbles nonsense for the entire show.
I had wanted to see Wicked, but I definitely wasn't disappointed by Lion King. The production was flawless. I think it's amazing that, despite the fact that it's been running since 1997, the Saturday matinee was a full house--but then again, it doesn't surprise me. It's just that good.
I spent my 18th birthday, Saturday the 8th, in New Jersey and New York City with my family. What would have been an enjoyable occasion turned into a somewhat miserable excursion due to the constant downpour and unseasonable cold. It wasn't even like it rained for a few hours and then stopped: it rained ALL FREAKING DAY. At any rate, we happened to get tickets at the last minute to see The Lion King on Broadway.
Unlike cab rides in Manhattan, the Lion King on Broadway is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. It was a truly phenomenal performance. The costumes and set design were the most outstanding components of the production, given the challenges of having human characters portraying lions and giraffes and gazelles and such. Honestly, I didn't have a clue how they would manage to pull of scenes like the stampede in the gorge and Mufasa appearing in the sky and talking to Simba, but the ingenuity of the directors and choreographers is such that the animals truly came to life on stage without coming off as cheesy or forced.
I could go on for hours and, in the process, bore the pants off all three of you who are reading this, but I'll be generous and consolidate my critique into a list:
The Top Five Best Things About The Lion King On Broadway
1. The two very mature and tremendously talented youngsters playing Young Simba and Nala.
2. The intensity of the ensemble and orchestra, especially the percussionists up in the balconies!
3. Patrick Page, the actor currently playing the villanous Scar. Though his quasi-British articulation faltered at times, this man was so comfortable in his skin and so charismatic. Hard not to love him.
4. The beautiful New Amsterdam Theatre, where the absolutely spectacular architecture almost makes up for the two inches of leg room and rock-hard seats.
5. Ed the Hyena in all his idiotic glory. I can't imagine how much fun it must be to play a character who babbles nonsense for the entire show.
I had wanted to see Wicked, but I definitely wasn't disappointed by Lion King. The production was flawless. I think it's amazing that, despite the fact that it's been running since 1997, the Saturday matinee was a full house--but then again, it doesn't surprise me. It's just that good.