6. Broadway

Right now on Broadway, there are a lot of great shows playing. I’m going to inform you on what’s playing on Broadway in New York. The following are the most popular shows on Broadway right now:

1.) Wicked- The untold musical story of The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good... before Dorothy dropped in. Based on the imaginative Gregory Maguire novel, Wicked takes a fantasy journey through the unseen side of Oz, sharing a tale of unexpected friendship and love. Tickets start at $76.25 and are available at broadway.com

2.) The Addams Family- Based on the bizarre and beloved characters created by Charles Addams, this original story finds the famously macabre Addams Family put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Fester, Grandmama and Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever. Tickets start at $51.50 and are available at broadway.com

3.) Chicago- A musical tale of "murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery—all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts." Paint the town red with merry murderesses Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly, their hotshot lawyer, Billy Flynn, and the iconic choreography of Bob Fosse. Tickets start at $69.00 and are available at broadway.com

4.) Memphis- Set in the turbulent south in the 1950s, Memphis is the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Thanks in part to his passionate persistence, "race" music reaches the center of the radio dial, quickly exploding throughout mainstream America. But when Huey falls for a beautiful black singer he has set on the path to stardom, whether the world is really ready for this music, and their love, is put to the test. Tickets start at $41.50 and are available at broadway.com

5.) Promises, Promises- Promises, Promises tells the story of Chuck Baxter, a charming young employee at the Consolidated Life Insurance Company. In an effort to advance at the company, Chuck lends executives his apartment for their extramarital romantic trysts. But things become slightly complicated when Fran Kubelik, the object of Chuck’s affection, becomes the mistress of one of his executives. Tickets start at $56.50 and are available at broadway.com

Broadway has been around for a very, very long time. So, there has been plays that come and go and some that stay around for a long time. The following are the Top 10 Longest Running Broadway plays:

1: The Phantom of the Opera. Opened in January of 1988 and is still running. Has won 7 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards so far.
2. Cats. Opened in October of 1982 and closed in September of 2000. (7,485 total shows). Won 7 Tony Awards, 3 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
3: Les Miserables. Opened in March of 1987 and closed in May of 2003. (6,680 total shows). Won 8 Tony Awards, 5 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
4: A Chorus Line. Opened in July of 1975 and closed in April of 1990. (6,137 total shows). Won 9 Tony Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 5 Drama Desk Awards.
5: Oh! Calcutta! September of 1976 and closed in August of 1989. (5,959 total shows).
6: Chicago. Opened in November of 1996 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy so far.
7: Beauty and the Beast. Opened in April of 1994 and closed in July of 2007. (5,461 total shows). Won 1 Tony Award.
8: The Lion King. Opened in November of 1997 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards, 8 Drama Desk Awards, and 1 Grammy so far.
9: Rent. Opened in April of 1996 and closed in September of 2008. (5,124 total shows). Won 4 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 1 Grammy.
10: Miss Saigon. Opened in April of 1991 and closed in January of 2001. (4,097 total shows). Won 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards.

I have only personally seen one Broadway performance and that was “The Phantom of the Opera.” I saw it in New York City in 2002. It was amazing. The theater itself was breathtaking, the acting was extraordinary, and the feel for the theater in general was one of the best times of my life. I love musicals and plays and would love to see any of those that I listed up there. The one that I most want to see right now is either Mamma Mia! or The Lion King.