Posts filed under 'Theatre On Tour'
According to Broadway League, these are the top selling Broadway tickets from last week. There has been a recent surge in interest in Broadway and sales have been seeing some significant jumps, which is excellent news for the consumer and ticket industry! The classics have been holding steady and a few new productions have been gaining popularity. Here you will find a list of the top 10 must-see broadway productions, in order of their gross ticket sales for last week.
1. Wicked hands down, Wicked is the most popular Broadway production to date. Fans all over the world are able to experience the story of The Wicked Witch of the West. The first showing of Wicked happened to be in San Francisco, but it was quickly moved to Broadway. Traveling Wicked productions are featured world-wide.
2. Lion King in my opinion, a big draw of this production is the fact it is family friendly. Finding a Broadway musical for the entire family to enjoy can be difficult at times, but Lion King hits the mark. The Lion King musical has been performed all over the work and features a musical score created by the immensely talented Elton John. This musical opened in 1997.
3. Jersey Boys the story of the popular rock ‘n roll band, The Four Season has turned out to be one of the most successful Broadway productions ever created. The music in Jersey Boys is absolutely delightful. Accompany the bands and Frankie Valli’s rise to success in this truly wonderful story of life, love and music.
4. Billy Elliot the first showing of this Broadway production was in 2008, so it is a relatively new production. The story is based off the film “Billy Elliot”, which is a touching story about a young boy who is an aspiring dancer. It chronicles the many trials and tribulations during his journey. Keep in mind; this is a musical and not a play. It has received numinous awards since its opening. Including; 10 Tony Awards and 10 awards from Drama Desk. Billy Elliot the musical is also wildly popular in Australia and in the West End.
5. A Steady Rain this Broadway play is brand spanking new. It was officially opened to the public in September of this year. It stars Hugh Jackman & Daniel Craig, who both happen to be established mainstream Hollywood actors. The story line is rather dark and intriguing; it follows these two Chicago police officers (and best friends) through a tale of bad decisions and intense emotions. It is a non-musical production and definitely a story for adults only.
6. A West Side Story the plot of this story is based loosely off the ever-popular Romeo & Juliet writings by William Shakespeare. The story is set in the 1950’s and tells the take of two star-crossed lovers, living in an American city. The cast deals with racism and other cultural issues of the time. This production is always a favorite of new and long time theater fanatics.
7. God of Carnage Originally, the first production of God of Carnage opened in London in 2006. The popularity of the play grew and soon an adaptation was opened on Broadway in the beginning of 2009. God of Carnage features James Gandolfini (from HBO’s The Sopranos), Hope Davis, Jeff Daniels and Marcia Gay Harden. This production has been awarded a handful of Tony Awards, most importantly Best Play!
8. Mama Mia ABBA fans rejoice! I know you all love their songs; they are catchy and pop genius. This Broadway musical is a story created based on all the hits of ABBA. The story is sewn together flawlessly, hence why this musical has been a Broadway favorite for over 10 years.
9. Phantom of the Opera is undoubtedly one of the most beloved musicals of all time. It is a love story, filled with drama, passion and so much more. The plot allows for perfect adaptation on stage and the music and atmosphere is absolutely
10. Hair follows a tribe of friends, political advocates and acquaintances (mostly hippies, groovy man!) through one of the biggest revolutions and most controversial periods of all time. Hair is a classic musical, focused mostly on the rock genre and was first opened in 1967. Hair is still very successful today.
October 7th, 2009
So, you want to check out a Broadway play, but haven’t yet? I know it can seem a little intimidating getting into this scene. What to wear? Where to get theater tickets? Bring a date? I am going to give you a quick run down on the best current Broadway productions and some tips for those of you interested in theater.
1. Wicked this is an epic tale based on the wildly popular novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”. Written originally by Gregor Maguire and produced by giant, Universal Pictures. I would highly recommend this Broadway adaption for all Wizard of Oz fans; however it may not be appropriate for young children due to strong graphic images and some violence.
2. The Lion King The Lion King film was a huge success for Disney and its no surprise this story was adapted into a musical format in 1997. The entire musical score was created by the one and only Sir Elton John. Masterpieces like “Circle of Life”, “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”, “Hakuna Matata”, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and many more are brought to life on stage. The Lion King is a visually stunning Broadway play for the entire family, great for new theater buffs as well.
3. Phantom of the Opera one of the all-time classics, this love story definitely pulls at the heart strings. It is guaranteed to bring out the true romantic in us all. Adapted by the talented Andrew Lloyd Webber, this is the longest running Broadway production in history. Phantom of the Opera is a true icon in American andFrench culture/literature. I would suggest taking your good friends or partner to this musical.
4. Jersey Boys this musical follows the career of popular 60’s band; The Four Seasons and Frankie Vallie This theater production has won a plethora of awards through the years and continues to dazzle crowds with the amazing rock-n-roll inspired sound track.
5. Cats another tale by Andrew Lloyd Webber, of the hard life of a cat in our modern world. It is adapted from the novel “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”, written by T.S Elliot. Cats the musical is definitely made its mark in the Broadway world and is considered by many a cult classic. This theater production has traveled world wide for years. Currently, you can catch a Cats theater show in most major cities. I highly suggest this theater production for all kids, ages 5-99!
Theatermania and Playbill are excellent resources for up-to-date theater information, tickets, reviews, articles and Broadway tips. Set aside a budget for your tickets. The more popular shows will cost more, so keep that in mind.
Research the theater venue online, many times you will be able to find a dress code. It’s always a good idea to dress in semi-formal attire. Take the opportunity to get dolled up, it can’t hurt. Once the curtain falls, be sure to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices. Silence is golden!
July 8th, 2009
Hey, are you a Broadway fan? Do you administer a website or blog? Do you want to see Wicked on Broadway for free in 2008 and earn a $1,000 advertising agreement with TickCo Premium Seating?
If so you’re in luck because I want to trade two Wicked tickets and $1,000 in exchange for advertising TickCo.com on your website or blog.
Here’s How To Apply:
1) Link to my Wicked Tickets page at TickCo.com.
2) Leave a comment here on this Insider post and let me know where I can find the link. Make sure your email address is valid, in case I reply.
3) On January 15th, 2008 I will select the most relevant site effectively advertising my Wicked Tickets page and sign a 1-year agreement with them for $1,000 to keep the advertisement up for 2008.
It’s that easy.
Feel free to post a comment with a valid email address if you have any questions.
May 10th, 2007
High School Musical, a Disney Channel Original movie, is the biggest show to hit the concert and theatre stage in 2006. High School Musical has seen much success in DVD sales while the soundtrack is having triple-platinum success. High School Musical is the most successful movie to come off of the Disney Channel ever, and it’s popularity continues to grow worldwide.
Currently, High School Musical is touring around the US as a major concert tour featuring the stars of the movie. Opening the concert will be Jordan Pruitt, and during breaks, you will see previews for Disney Channel shows like Hannah Montana and Cory in the House, and much more. This is sure to be a great concert event fun for the entire family.
High School Musical has also been adapted to a stage musical. This show was adapted in August, and is preparing for tours in January 2007. So far, the High School Musical Theatre production will be performing in Atlanta (1/12-1/28/07) and Thousand Oaks, CA (1/13-1/14/07), with many more theatre show dates to follow.
When you go out to buy your tickets to either the concert or theatre show, make sure that you are purchasing the right tickets. Look for either High School Musical - The Concert, or for the theatre or stage production of High School Musical. Check for available tickets to High School Musical - the concert or the stage production by going to Ticketmaster in the primary market, or also try going to TickCo.com for hard-to-get-tickets. Also, try visiting either the official High School Musical website, or Disney.com
*Update for August 7, 2008*
Hey HSMers! Just as a reminder, High School Musical 2 debut is on August 17th. get together with some friends and have a great time watching the movie! You know that High School Musical 2 hype will push a concert tour. Keep your eyes open for any dates by going to Disney or by visiting our friends at TickCo.com.
Remember, if you have any trouble getting these tickets out of the box office, we have High School Musical tickets at TickCo.com.
See ya next show,
Chris Haro
December 13th, 2006
Many people look at the pop music industry today and see today’s top artists as spoiled brats, money-hungry, untalented synthesized singers and musicians stealing the limelight out of true musicians and talented songwriters.
Yes-many of today’s performers have the look to put them on top, but music critics have recently questioned the validity of their talent. Some pop artists have taken those questions and doubts, and marked them as a challenge. They have taken this challenge straight to the lights on Broadway.
R&B star Usher, Disney’s Haylie Duff and Diana Degarmo of American Idol fame have all taken their pop singing abilities to the Broadway stage in major roles.
Usher, has landed a limited time appearance in the Tony Award winning musical Chicago, playing the furiously witty attorney, Billy Flynn. His talent is among the top in R&B and Pop music. Since he started his role in Chicago, Usher has been praised for his abilities in song and dance in live performances.
Everyone in America remembers the night that Ashlee Simpson was caught singing a song on Saturday Night Live via Memorex… right? Well Ashlee is back. With a new outlook on life as well as a new look - literaly. With some minor surgery and a determination to prove herself once and for all, Ashlee has landed herself a major role in The Musical Chicago in London, as Roxie Hart. This punker-turned-pretty-girl has a major score to settle with her critics and hopes her role in a major, live stage production will be enough to sway them.
What do you think? Do you think these performers have what it takes to make it on Broadway? If not, who do you see in today’s pop music scene as Broadway worthy?
September 15th, 2006