3 Must-See Broadway Plays
Let’s face it - Plays deserve more appreciation. And sadly, in the New York City theatre scene, they are often denied the same credit as the musicals which are so widely advertised. While I am typically partial to the musical (with my background in singing, it’s hardly a stretch), sometimes I just have to work in a good play to spice things up. And I’m always glad I did. With the variety of plays that the City has to offer, there really is something for everyone. So here are three must-see plays that will make your Broadway experience!
Cort Theatre / 138 West 48th Street, New York, NY 10036
The revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s This is Our Youth, playing at the Cort Theatre, is taking Broadway by storm! With a charming and talented young cast led by Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and teen fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson, (not to mention emotional and honest performances all around), This is Our Youth is one of the best plays currently on Broadway! Although the play is set in the early 1980s in Manhattan, the angst and uncertainty that the characters experience while trying to cope with the daunting concept of growing up are timeless.
Circle in the Square Theatre / 235 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019
It is clear to anybody with even a modicum of sense that Hugh Jackman can do pretty much anything. I almost wouldn’t be too surprised if he turned out to be super-human. I mean, this is the same guy who played Wolverine, and a little too convincingly, I might add. He can dance, sing, and act, and as far as I can tell, he has managed to remain unaffected by the ravages of time. And on November 16th, he’ll return to Broadway in Jez Butterworth’s new play, The River, playing at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Jackman plays a man trying to convince a young woman to accompany him on a late-night fishing trip. The consequences of this seemingly harmless fishing trip quickly turn mysterious, leaving the audience with no choice but to piece together what might have happened. The River is expected to run until January 25th, 2015.
Lyceum Theater / 149 West 45th Street (between 6th and 7th avenues), New York, NY 10036
Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Disgraced, will run at Broadway’s Lyceum Theater from October 23rd, 2014, to January 18th, 2015. In 90 minutes, Disgraced invites us into the world of four people at a dinner party - to be specific, a former Muslim, a Jew, a WASP, and an African American - and their rather tense exchanges. Over the course of their dinner, these people proceed to heatedly discuss heavy subject matters such as race, holy texts, the events of September 11th, and religious faith. This immensely thought-provoking play makes us reexamine our beliefs and attempt to confront some potentially harsh realities.
This article was previously published on Apartments.com on September 29th, 2014.
