2016 Broadway Review

At the beginning of 2016, Broadway wasn't on my mind at all. Of course I love seeing shows but I had no intention of seeing more than one show and I was fine with that. But somehow by the end of summer we had managed to see five shows (six for me) and then I decided why not make it a Broadway year and see as much as we could? So we did and ended up seeing 12 shows (11 for Dan)!

That's a personal record not likely to ever be repeated or exceeded.

We had so much fun and I will always look back on 2016 with fond excitement because Broadway really ignites a spark in my heart. I've never wanted to be a performer of any kind but I truly love seeing other talented people perform live on stage. I think it's pretty great that God made us to be creative and entertaining and I often get a powerful and positive sense of hope and connection to humanity when I see a show.

Since we saw so many great shows I thought I would review what we saw and rank them in order of favorites. Unfortunately, many of these shows are no longer playing in NYC but many are classics and likely to return or are touring around the country. See them if you can!

#1 Overall Favorite Show: Wicked

We saw this show in July as part of Dan's birthday celebration. It was without a doubt the best show I have ever seen (I've seen over 20). It's the full Broadway package and leaves nothing out. This show absolutely lives up to the hype. We paid for full-price tickets at the back of the mezzanine (a little over $100 per seat) but it was worth every penny. We still had an awesome view and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Bonus points, the theater is huge and we had a ton of leg room. Double bonus points, the energy of the show stays with you long after it's over.

#2 School of Rock
We saw this show via Rush in October. Front row seats for $37 and we were floored by the performance. Epic. Bonus points, amazing child actors and fantastic choreography.

#3 Blue Man Group
We saw this show in April and it is technically "off Broadway" which just means it isn't in a theater in Times Square. I wrote a lot about this show back here. It was just really different and interactive. We loved it. Bonus points, the theater is small so you really feel like you're part of the show - even from the back row! Double bonus points, Dan was touched by a Blue Man!

#4 Waitress
The music in this show is absolutely beautiful. I also loved this show because Mandy was here with us when we saw it. Great story, good laughs, and memorable music. Bonus points, the theater smells like fresh baked pie.

#5 Finding Neverland (no longer on Broadway)
This show was really magical and fun. We saw it via Rush during our epic Broadway weekend. It was the show's last weekend and it felt like the cast really delivered their best which I wasn't expecting. Bonus points, talented child actors, flying, and a live dog.

#6 Something Rotten (no longer on Broadway)
This show was rather obscure and didn't get a lot of attention but we loved it. We saw this the day after Thanksgiving with my parents and sisters and everyone was a fan. It was hysterical and the costumes and music were phenomenal. Bonus points, a totally original plot.

#7 Cats
I was really surprised by this show. It's a classic but just returned to Broadway. Neither of us really had any idea what it was about so we enjoyed the unexpected experience. The costumes and staging were great but the story didn't really flow like a typical show (this was intentional). Bonus points, we saw the original revival cast with Leona Lewis as Grizabella.

#8 Les Miserables (no longer on Broadway)
We saw this as part of our epic Broadway weekend. It is a classic and a musical I've always loved and wanted to see on Broadway. It is long and somewhat hard to follow if you are not familiar with the music or the story but still superbly done.

#9 The Illusionist (no longer on Broadway)
This wasn't a musical so it falls outside of what I would personally call "Broadway" but it was highly entertaining and we were pretty captivated the whole time. Magic is really hard to believe in this age of technology but there were definitely some acts that we are still wondering, "how did they do that???"

#10 Matilda (no longer on Broadway)
This is only far down on the list because I'd seen the show before, but if I hadn't it would be near the top. I've said it many times before but I LOVE kid actors and this show is full of talent. The only downside is kids are sometimes hard to understand and even harder when they have British accents so be aware of that. Bonus points, there are swings on stage!

#11 Chicago
Another classic and only far down the list because I'd seen it before. I saw it again this year with my friend for our epic Broadway weekend. This show lacks that Broadway flare with the fancy stage and use of props and costumes so if you are expecting something like the movie, you'll be disappointed. There really aren't any scene or costumes changes to speak of but the music can totally stand alone. Bonus points, if you are sitting towards the front of the stage you can take some "razzle dazzle" home.

#12 Fiddler on the Roof (no longer on Broadway)
I'm glad we saw this classic before it left Broadway but I'm definitely more of a fan of the upbeat and sparkly shows and this was not one of them. Still a superb performance just not one of my favorites. 

It should be noted that we never paid more than $105 per ticket for any of these shows and most of the shows we saw for less than $50 per ticket. It's fully possible to experience most of what Broadway has to offer on a low budget!! If you are in NYC or hoping to visit, take a look at my Broadway on the Cheap post to find some tips to make Broadway more affordable for you.

I'm not sure we will ever have the time or freedom to see this much Broadway in one year again but it was fun while it lasted. These are the shows I'd love to see this year: The Lion King, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Miss Saigon. And in 10 years when everyone else in the world is done obsessing over it, I'd love to see Hamilton.