Tag: broadway rose

Theater

Into the Woods- Broadway Rose

ericavo1

When I told the kiddos were going to go see Into the Woods, they had no idea what I was talking about.  So I rattled off the fairy tale characters they would see in the play, and Nugget asked,  “so it’s a Disney movie?”  Um… not quite.

Today I loaded them into the car, still confused, and we headed to Broadway Rose.  If you’re not familiar with the story, a variety of characters from familiar fairy tales- Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack (commonly associated with a beanstalk), princes, etc., come to life in all their flawed glory.  In the first act, they find their happily ever after.  In the second act, they face the consequences for their decisions and their actions.  While the first act is fun and silly and definitely fairy tale-esque, the second act is much darker.  And some of those happily ever afters start to unravel.  Just like poor Rapunzel’s mental health.

This show is simply amazing.  The set is simple but effective, the cast is beyond talented, and a single piano player plays the entire score by himself- on stage.  The props are delightfully and intentionally campy- a wooden harp that doesn’t play music, wooden farm animals wheeled around on wooden bases, etc.   There’s humor, intelligence, silliness, and life lessons all wrapped up in songs and music that will stick with you long after you leave the theater.

While I was probably the biggest fan of the three of us, Chicken and Nugget both enjoyed the show.  Chicken was frequently on the edge of her seat, and Nugget really loved the cow.  I know.  A lot of the humor was over their head, but they both giggled at different parts and remained engaged for the entire performance.

There are a few instances of sexual innuendo as well as implied violence.  However, most of the violence takes place off stage or is lightened in some way- like the use of long red ribbons to represent blood.  It could still be scary for young kids with active imaginations, though.  Poor Nugget really thought one of the step-sisters was getting a toe cut off each show.  He was relieved to have that cleared up!

The show runs about 3 hours, including an intermission.  The length of the show and the relative darkness of the second half may not make it the perfect introduction to theater for young children.  Older children (upper elementary school and above) will likely love it.

So….

What it’s not: appropriate for young children who can’t sit for a 3 hour production or who may be traumatized by some of fairy tale characters meeting an unpleasant demise

What it is: funny, engaging, full of incredible acting and singing, a twist on classic stories and finding a new happily ever after

Do we recommend it?  For older children, definitely!  It’s a really fun and well done show and I’m very glad we went!

The show runs through June 30.  You can find tickets here:  https://www.broadwayrose.org/into-the-woods

 

2019-06-15_16-58-03_027

 

 

 

Theater

Nunsense- Broadway Rose Theatre

ericavo1

Ok.  First off- this play isn’t really for kids.  Chicken was too sick to go, but Nugget and I went off to the the show as it is a sold out run and we couldn’t change our tickets.  We were actually approached as we entered and were warned that some material was not suitable for children- like the scene when the nun accidentally sniffs glue and starts acting “silly.”  But I thought- “judgement be darned.  We are here and we are going in.”  And I am so glad we did.

Most of the adult  humor went right over Nugget’s head.  The parts that were not appropriate for him made absolutely no sense to him.  And there were still parts that had him laughing out loud.  He giggled and giggled as we used our hands to quietly mimic some of the onset choreography.

For those of you not familiar with the story, a chef makes a bad batch of soup and the majority of the nuns in the convent die.  As mother superior chooses to use some of their funds to buy a 70 inch flat screen TV, they run out of money for the remaining burials and have to begin fundraising.  And therein begins the hilarity.

Broadway Rose made the bold choice to give the role of Mother Superior to their male co-founder, Dan Murphy.  And he was perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  Poor Mother Superior tries in vain to keep her nuns in check and get on with the show.  So what if one dreams of being a ballerina and another has amnesia?  So what if one has issues with authority?  So what if her second in command questions her judgement at every turn?  So what if Mother Superior herself dreams of being a tightrope walker in the circus?  It’s all part of the fun.  The cast is fantastic and each plays their part incredibly well.

There is a nun puppet, a trivia quiz for the audience (you get prizes!), cheesy jokes, celebrity impressions, and plenty of singing and dancing.  The puppet had Nugget hiding his head under my arm as he was laughing so much he thought he would get in trouble.  I myself had tears of laughter several times.

There are lots of moments that poke fun at religion.  Not in a malicious way at all, but if that is something you are sensitive to, the show might not be for you.  None of the jokes are mean spirited, but some are a tad irreverent and I can see where seeing Mother Superior high on glue could be offensive to some.

So…

The good: hilarious show, laugh til you cry moments, fantastic acting, audience involvement

The not great: can’t really think of any.  Perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea if religion is not something you think a comedy should be based on

Do we recommend it?  Not for young kids.  It’s not a kids play nor is it billed as such.  Nugget enjoyed it and I am confident he is not traumatized and will not turn into a juvenile delinquent- at least not because of this play.  But for an evening out with your teen?  Totally.  For a night out of giggling with the girls or your partner?  Even better!  All moms deserve that, right?  That is what Nunsense is perfect for.  I adored it and I bet many of you would, too.

This show has been very popular and tickets are hard to come by.  If you want to try, they are available at https://www.broadwayrose.org/.  They have some other fun shows coming up this year, so maybe you will find some inspiration!