7 Broadway Shows Brooklynites Should Travel To Manhattan For

While I always believe Brooklynites never need to leave the borough for anything (we literally have everything here) and Manhattan is our ugly step-sister (stay away from her) there are a few Broadway shows that warrant a $2.75 single ride metro-card into “the city.”

Broadway happens to be my second love, everything comes after Brooklyn, and I attend shows quite often. While I may not be an “expert reviewer” I think I know what Brooklynites are into — I’ve been one for 28 years. Here are a few of my personal favorites thus far and why you should go to them!

1. Hamilton – Broadway Musical

Lin-Manuel “The Genius” Miranda did it with this one. Famous for his TONY award winning Broadway production, In The Heights, the composer/actor has hit a slam dunk with this hip-hop history musical. The musical follows the life journey of one of America’s founding-fathers, Alexander Hamilton, before he became the face of the $10 bill. The music, though not your typical “broadway musical sing-along,” is phenomenal and the way the story-line is presented has you wondering why New York City schools never taught history class this way. The cast recording has already won a Grammy and the musical is expected to take over the 2016 TONYs. Grabbing a ticket to this show may also be a little tricky and re-sellers are charging a fortune, but there is a special daily ticket lottery, where if you are one of the lucky 21 persons to be selected out of the thousands that enter daily, you can score a front-row seat for only $10! Good-luck with that one…I know no-one personally who has one yet!

2. Kinky Boots – Broadway Musical

Seriously this is one of THE best musicals on Broadway, that many people don’t know about. Kinky Boots is based on the Miramax motion picture with the same name. Comedic actor and singer extraordinaire, Wayne Brady, stars as the lead character “Lola”, a drag queen summoned to help a failing shoe factory. With music by the great Cyndi Lauper and the play already scoring 6 TONY awards, you can’t afford to miss this one. FYI Wayne Brady is only there until March 27th, approximately two weeks from today. There is also a lottery available to enter and possibly score $35 orchestra seat tickets!

3. The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time – Broadway Play

While Broadway musicals are always a little bit more exciting and upbeat, this play cannot and should not be overlooked. Based on a 2003 novel written by Mark Haddon, with the same title, the extraordinary play follows a 15-year-old autistic boy who sets out on an adventure to find out who killed his neighbor’s dog. Thou Christopher is exceptionally smart, due to his disease, he has trouble interpreting daily life. This play, having won 5 TONY awards, will catch you by surprise and make you feel every emotion available to man. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll leave with a full understanding and sensitivity to people with autism.

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4. Finding Neverland – Broadway Musical

Who doesn’t love the classic story of Peter Pan? But have you ever wondered how the little boy came to be? Inspired by the 2004 Academy award winning film with the same name, a playwright J.M Barrie who is searching everywhere for inspiration for his next play. Barrie finally finds the inspiration he needs when he meets and falls in love with a widow and her four young sons: Jack, Michael, George and Peter. While the play and the music is damn near perfect, it’s the set design that’ll take you to another dimension. The set that constantly changes is straight out of a children’s book and the costumes are all pretty spectacular.

5. The Book of Mormon – Broadway Musical

A musical like no other, and I really mean like no other. The Book of Mormon is not for the faint of heart, or extremely religious as the musical is a hilarious religious parody…in song. I think it’s important to know that this is the first musical created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker — the same people who created South Park…exactly! The Book of Mormon follows two Mormon missionaries as they attempt to share their scriptures with the people of a village in Uganda, Africa. The earnest young men are challenged by the of the locals who could car less about their religious teachings as they are occupied by what they believe to be more pressing issues like AIDS, famine, and a spooky warlord. The music is perfect and you’ll leave the theatre with your stomach in knots from laughter. I mean the damn musical won 9 TONY awards!

6. The Color Purple – Broadway Musical

There is something to say about the newest The Color Purple cast. While The Color Purple is a classic book turned movie and has been on Broadway for years — having been revived in 2015, the cast: Grammy-award winner Jennifer Hudson, Cynthia Erivo and Orange Is The New Black star Danielle Brooks (who knew she could sing) is pure perfection. If you’ve seen it on Broadway before, it’s mandatory that you see it again. The musical follows the life of three African-American women in the southern United States in the 1930s and each of their challenges. This musical is gut wrenching and will sure leave the toughest man in the room in tears.

7. The Crucible – Broadway Play

The Crucible is the newest play (though a revival) to enter on Broadway and stars Academy-award nominee Saoirse Ronan of Brooklyn. Arthur Miller’s (fun fact: was married to Marilyn Monroe (who loved Brooklyn)) classic tale is set during the Salem witch trials of the 1690s as the drama follows Abigail Williams, a young woman so obsessed with a married man that she is determined to have his wife burned at the stake of her love. If your mind can handle a hard play, this is the one to see. It’s new, it’s refreshing and Ronan gives a memorable performance.

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