Sharkey's Devour New York

Beatrice, Kevin and Maeve Sharkey made a number of trips this year to the big apple, primarily to take in Broadway shows.  Here is a little insight and recommendations from Sharkey and Co.  on what to see and how to see it on your next trip!

Broadway shows the Sharkeys saw in 2010 and our ratings on a 1-5 star scale:

Next to Normal - this new-style musical/play hybrid stuns and moves you, six person cast, stark, powerful story, worth seeing more than once as we did, 5 stars


Wicked - sets, vocals and costumes continue to dazzle, eighth time seeing it over the years, just love it!, 41/2 stars


Promises, Promises - wonderful energy, v. funny, amazing dancing, great leads in Kristen Chenowith and Sean Hayes, so good we saw it twice, 41/2 stars


In the Heights - new production is strong in all areas plus has celebrity appeal, 41/2 stars


Billy Elliot - inspiring storyline with v. strong score and dancing, 41/2 stars


Chicago - both music and dancing continued to razzle dazzle us, 4 stars


Shrek - another great rollicking family show with the songs, characters and humour that you know & love from the movie, 4 stars


American Idiot - minimal plot, essentially a rock concert for those who love Greenday music, teenage heaven, 3 1/2 stars


Mary Poppins - magical family show, perfect for kids, and Mary flies! 31/2 stars


West Side Story - classic storyline well done but with nothing new added to capture your heart, 3 stars


Why and how we saw so many:

We are Broadway and New York obsessed (Maeve now has signed posters from all of the above shows adorning her room; they are signed by the cast at the stage door meet and greets.)


To feed this obsession we now know ALL of the tricks on ways to get $25 - $40 orchestra/box/front row seats via day-of-performance rush seats, student rush seats and/or lottery seats (picky stuff like when to show up and where to stand to get to the start of the line) without wasting a lot of your condensed NYC time/effort.

Each show has slightly different rules so planning when, where and what show tickets to go for is critical. Go to http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/82428-Broadway-Rush-Lottery-and-Standing-Room-Only-Policies  or http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/lotteryschedule.html#RUSH  to get started on your plan!


And when the person sitting beside you inevitably tells you about the great deal they got on their $95 seats and you paid $26.50 for yours learn to just smile and nod...


Cheers, Beatrice