By Nicole Pieri
It is the most wonderful time of the year: the beginning of the 2015-2016 Broadway season. Tickets too expensive? Do not know what to see? Here is a guide to some of the new and long-running shows that cannot be missed this season.
Ticket Tips: Most Broadway shows sell their regular-priced tickets on Ticketmaster.com, but those can be too pricey for college students. To get the best deals, sign up for free at Tix4students.com with your school email address. Additionally, Broadwaybox.com and the TodayTix app that is available to download for iOS, Android and Amazon are great resources for discount tickets. If you have a day to set aside and do not mind standing outside for long periods of time, most shows offer student rush tickets, a lottery for the best seats in the house, or affordable standing room only tickets.
NEW SHOWS
“Hamilton” The most highly anticipated show of the season, “Hamilton” is a groundbreaking musical about the life and death of founding father Alexander Hamilton that recently opened on Broadway after an incredibly successful run Off-Broadway at the Public Theater. With a score full of genre-crossing hip-hop and classic show tunes penned by Tony Award-winning composer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton” has been called revolutionary and described as unlike anything ever seen on Broadway. The downside? Tickets are expensive and in-demand; in fact, just about every performance through the fall is sold out. A lottery for ten dollar front-row tickets is held before each performance, and you may even get to see a #Ham4Ham show, where Miranda and a special guest (usually another big-name Broadway star) perform in front of the Richard Rodgers Theater. But with hundreds of people attending each lottery drawing, chances to win are slim. Still, it does not hurt to try since “Hamilton” is most definitely a musical not to be missed.
It is also important to note that Fordham has a very small part in the show’s history. Miranda spoke at Rose Hill in Sept. 2013 for the El Grito de Lares kickoff of Latino Heritage Month. He mentioned he was working on “Hamilton” and proceeded to perform one of the show’s rap numbers that was still in progress.
“Spring Awakening” Though the original production closed on Broadway only six years ago in 2009, this revival of the Tony-winning musical produced by Deaf West Theatre and directed by Michael Arden features deaf actors performing sign-language alongside hearing actors. After a well-received out-of-town run in Los Angeles, “Spring Awakening” begins this month and will have a limited eighteen-week engagement at the Brooks Atkinson Theater through January. Tickets are available at springawakeningthemusical.com, and discount tickets can be found on the TodayTix app.
“Allegiance” “Allegiance” stars Star Trek’s George Takei and tells the tale of a Japanese American family’s struggle to escape imprisonment during World War II, which was inspired by Takei’s own life. This musical promises to wow Broadway audiences when it begins previews at the Longacre Theatre on Oct. 6 and opens Nov. 8. Word-of-mouth suggests this could give “Hamilton” some serious competition once Tony season rolls around. Tickets can be purchased on allegiancemusical.com.
LONG-RUNNING SHOWS
“A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder” “A Gentleman Guide” is a laugh-out-loud musical about the great lengths one man takes to become royal. With a supremely talented cast and hilarious, catchy music, this show is perfect for a fun night out with friends and family. Be sure to see it soon, though; “A Gentleman’s Guide” will be closing in January. Tickets are available on agentlemansguidebroadway.com, and discount tickets can be purchased on the TodayTix app.
“Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
Based on the book by Mark Haddon, this play first premiered in London and opened to rave reviews along with receiving seven Olivier Awards. Its success continues on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, where it has won five Tony Awards in 2015 including Best Play and Best Actor in a Play for star Alex Sharp’s portrayal of Christopher, a twelve-year-old boy who goes on an adventure to find what happened to his neighbor’s dog. The breathtaking set takes on a life of its own and enhances the already emotional and poignant drama. Visit curiousonbroadway.com for tickets and more information.
“Fun Home” Winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Musical, “Fun Home” brings Alison Bechdel’s heartfelt biographical graphic novel to life at the Circle in the Square Theater on a theater-in-the-round stage. The story of the Bechdels will feel real and relatable to any audience member, and will be hard to forget long after the show is over. Tickets are available at funhomebroadway.com and a virtual lottery for performances can be found on the TodayTix app.
