Broadway Buzz
by Jackie Shannon
Photo courtesy of Carina Lee
While most people think of Broadway in Manhattan as the place to see shows, fantastic musicals are popping up in cities all over the globe. For a world-wide musical experience, check out these shows and schedule a matinee or two into your itinerary for your next trip!
BOSTON
“Mean Girls,” produced by Tina Fey, is a musical based on the popular mid-2000s movie, “Mean Girls.” It opened in New York on April 8, 2018, but will be in Boston in 2020. Be sure to plan ahead and buy tickets in advance because the musical will only be in Boston from Jan. 28 to Feb. 9. The play, to be performed at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, is two and a half hours with one intermission.
“Cats” will be brought to Boston starting Jan. 7 and ending Jan. 19, 2020. The musical––which has a live-action movie coming out Dec. 20 and features music by Taylor Swift––was on Broadway in New York from 2016 to 2017. The two-hour-and-twenty-minute performance turns T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” into a musical featuring human-sized cats.
CHICAGO
Broadway in Chicago orchestrates a number of Broadway shows that are both classics and new––including “Mean Girls.”
“Waitress,” which opened in New York in 2016, is closing this upcoming January. But don’t worry––if you find yourself in Chicago between May 19 and May 24, you are in luck! The show features music by popular singer, Sara Bareilles, according to broadwayinchicago.com. The show is two and a half hours with an intermission.
“The Phantom of the Opera” revamped its production and will be showing in Chicago from Dec. 18 through Jan. 5. This updated version of the play will include new sets, costumes and lighting designs, in addition to new choreography.
LONDON
“Dear Evan Hansen” is a Tony Award winning Best Musical about a teenage boy who is a social outcast. The show will open in London at Noel Coward Theatre on Nov. 19. The theatre is in Covent Garden, which is home to a number of other theatres, and resembles Manhattan’s Broadway atmosphere.
“The Lion King,” which is a classic, has been showing in London since 1999. It is performed in the Lyceum Theatre, which is located near Noel Coward Theatre and is accessible via public transportation.
NEW YORK
For play-goers who still want to see a good show in Manhattan, there are always the classic musicals, such as “Wicked” and “Hamilton.” However, there are a handful of new shows as well. “Moulin Rouge,” based on Baz Luhrman’s film, opened July 25 and has been popular for its bright red and grandeur set. For those looking for a play featuring celebrities, “Plaza Suite” will feature actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Be sure to check-out broadway.com for information about shows in other cities!