New York, New York was the final show of our trip. My mom and I were so glad we decided to end the trip with this show. We needed something uplifting and bright after two nights in a row of darker and more serious musicals and, this one just happened to be on my mom’s radar. We decided to get rush tickets (this was actually the show we had originally planned to rush on Wednesday, but switched to Parade at the last minute).
We arrived at the theater at around 8:30 AM and were second in line right behind another couple. The line really didn’t start to get any traction until a little bit after 9 AM, so if you want an easy and stress-free rush line, this is the one to be in. The only catch is that we were told that there was only about 14 tickets available. After securing ours, we got so excited to finish our trip with this show! Our seats were front row center orchestra. They were considered partial view because the feet are slightly cut off and then for the special surprise at the end that I will get into more detail later.
New York, New York is loosely based on the popular 1977 movie staring Robert Di Niro and Liza Minnelli. However, when you think of the title, you will automatically think of the famous Frank Sinatra song that has become an anthem for the city itself. Fun Fact: I didn’t realize that Sinatra’s version is actually a cover from the film. I didn’t realize Sinatra wasn’t in the film at all until I was researching it for this blog post.
Frannie is a USO singer who just moved to NYC with a dream to become a famous singer. While auditioning to be a singer in a restaurant, she meets Jimmy who is a smooth-talking pianist. Jimmy instantly falls for her and helps her get settled in the city, but also finds himself turning to alcohol more often than not. Frannie is then discovered by a Broadway producer who puts her in the ensemble for one of his shows. When the show flops, he begins to help her music career soar by helping Frannie become a recording artist. During this time, Frannie and Jimmy get married, but Jimmy also begins to drink more excessively. Deciding to go on a tour across the country, Frannie decides to separate from Jimmy. At the same time, Jimmy finds himself creating a band with other musicians who are wanting to create amazing music. They get hired to play at a Jazz Club. Jimmy ends up buying the club from the owner when he is ready to retire and helps bring the club to a soaring success, while getting the chance to play the music he writes.
When I say this show is loosely based on the movie, I really mean it. The plot line for the movie is a little more depressing than the musical and the musical has a much happier ending than the film. There are so many parts of this musical that I loved, but it is a musical with mixed reviews, not only with the critics, but with theater fans too. It’s a very interesting take, but I think just going in with no expectations and looking for a classic style broadway show will help you enjoy this show more.
There are also two to three subplots within the show. One follows Mateo Diaz, a man who wants to bring his country’s music to the scene and make a career out of his passion for music. However, he also wants to protect his mom from his controlling dad, a former professional baseball player who is struggling to figure out his life after a career-ending injury. Another storyline follows Alex Mann . He wants to take violin lessons from Madame Veltri after leaving his family behind in Poland. Madame Veltri is hesitant to take on new students as she is still waiting for her son to return from the war. This sub-storyline was my favorite storyline. You could feel the pain and struggles of both characters they went through their lives.
A few of the songs were taken from the film (which were written by John Kander and Frank Ebb), but Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the new songs for the show. I want to say that the new songs flowed effortlessly into the old ones, but since I’m not familiar with the movie at all, I couldn’t tell either way.
Susan Stroman choreographed the show and I was so excited for a chance to see her choreography on Broadway. New York, New York had every element of a classic Broadway show complete with an extremely cool tap number that takes place on steel beams that are supposed to feel like they’re hundreds of feet in the air. The partner dancing that takes place when the music in the club is playing is also a lot of fun to watch. This is a big dance show, so definitely a must see for any dancer out there and especially anyone who has ever wanted to see a Susan Stroman show.
The costumes were gorgeous and I wanted every single dress that the female cast members wore. The show is set in the 1940s, so the costumes consisted of suits for the men and gorgeous fit and flare dresses or cute blouse and skirt combos for the women. As an added bonus, all of the skirts scored 10 out of 10 for twirl factor. The sets were designed by Beowulf Boritt and really felt like a classic Broadway show with the big scenic pieces and transitions from scene to scene to immerse you into the show. The sets paired with Ken Billington’s lighting design made this a visually stunning show.
Anna Uzele was stunning as Francine. I had previously seen her as Catherine Parr in the original broadway cast of Six. That show has an ensemble cast, so I was excited to see her in a leading role. I was blown away not only by her vocals but also her overall performance in the show. Even though it was a jam packed season, I am surprised she wasn’t nominated for a Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical. Colton Ryan performed the role of Jimmy, and he did a fantastic job. He not only gave an emotional performance as someone struggling with addiction, but he’s also a fantastic piano player and vocalist, earning him a well deserved Tony Nomination.
The orchestra was incredible and played a huge part in the show. Then at the end of the show when Anna Uzele starts to sing the iconinc “New York, New York” song, they raised the entire orchestra up to be stage level and added the cast members that were also musicians in the show for a big finish. At the curtain call, the entire cast stays on stage to sing the song again and invites the audience to join in. Something about it being my last night and also living in this city for a period of time had me tearing up while singing the song with 1,000+ people.
New York, New York is currently playing at the St. James Theatre in NYC. The production just announced that they will be starting a National Tour in 2025.
melissaleighblog.com 