Broadway Musicals: Recent Hits

The Drowsy Chaperone . . . . . Jersey Boys . . . . . The Color Purple . . . . . Tarzan
These are the hot shows that either won a Tony or were runners up in the competition. They’re still running and bringing in audiences. Here’s a few reasons why:

The Drowsy Chaperone -- Rating: 3 hearts; MOM FRIENDLY
It’s a frothy love letter to Broadway told by a man in a long-ish cardigan who sits in a winged chair near the front of the stage. As he reflects on his favorite Broadway musical of the same name, his Upper East Side flat transforms into the world of the play. Suddenly he is dancing among the chorus girls and hunky leading men in a story about a Broadway starlet who intends to leave the stage for true love. Ingenious stagecraft and dynamite performances make this a great choice for those visiting relatives.
* Opened at the Marquis Theatre on May 1, 2006, and nominated for 13 2006 Tony Awards. For the latest casting information, visit http://www.drowsychaperone.com.


Jersey Boys -- Rating: 2 hearts; MOM FRIENDLY, but watch out for the F-bomb
This Tony Award-winning tuner is a real crowd pleaser. Even if, like me, you’re not familiar with all that the Four Seasons sang during their time together, you’ll still enjoy how the show tells the story of the group’s evolution from trouble-making Jersey Boys to music legends. By the end, my cynical downtown friends and I were dancing with the middle-aged couples who drove in from Jersey. Oh What a Night!
* Opened at the August Wilson Theatre on November 6, 2005; 2006 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical. For the latest casting information, visit http://www.jerseyboysinfo.com/broadway.


The Color Purple -- Rating: 3 hearts; MOM FRIENDLY
The theme song from this show will stick in your head for weeks – and come back to haunt you every time you see the title – at least it does for me. Like the Whoopi Goldberg film and Alice Walker’s beloved novel that provided the source material before it, this musical tells the classic tale of the triumph of the human spirit. But don’t expect the gritty reality of the film, and be prepared for abstract sets and dream sequences. This is a musical adaptation, complete with some of the most uplifting music on Broadway.
* Opened at the Broadway Theatre on November 1, 2005, and nominated for ten 2006 Tony Awards. For the latest casting information, visit http://www.colorpurple.com.

**CLOSED**
Tarzan -- Rating: 2 hearts; KID FRIENDLY
This show has one of the coolest opening sequences I have ever seen on a Broadway stage. Like other Disney adaptations of their animated features, this one takes the now-classic songs from the movie and retools them for Broadway.
* Opened May 10, 2006 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Nominated for a 2006 Tony Award. For the latest casting information, visit http://disney.go.com/theatre/tarzan/index2.html.