Do you remember music from the 1950s or 1960s? No, well how about your parents remembering? We saw the Marvelous Wonderettes at Theater Row in New York City.
We had purchased a one year subscription to tdf.org for $34, and gotten 2nd row seats on the internet a couple of days in advance for $28.50, compared to the $92.50 full price.
A 15 minute walk from Times Square, but a 30 minute walk from our timeshare on 200 56th st. We made sure we got a Tuesday or Wednesday 7pm showing, rather than a Thursday- Friday showing at 8pm, due to the lengthy walk at night.
Theater is one of six theaters in a complex, with a central lounge, bathrooms and refreshment stand. Our theater was small, holding less than a 100 seats, with a single aisle on the side entrance.
We got seats in the 2nd row all the way on the far side next to the wall, farthest from the aisle.
I went first, and got the seat next to the wall, with no armrest on the wall side. This was so that the wife could sit closer to the aisle, and make her usual mad dash to the bathroom at intermission.
Theater was not full, and we did not get the more desirable empty seats right next to the aisle. Usually they sell the most desirable seats first, but not here. I guess they didn't want to give those seats to people who got such a big discount. First row left empty as those looked up at the stage.
Seats standard 18" across, stadium seating, non staggered, similar in width to airline seats. Unlike most places, you don't have to stand up to let people pass by, there is that much leg room.
The first half of the show is the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet The Wonderettes, four girls perform classic '50s songs as "Lollipop," "Dream Lover, "Stupid Cupid" in crinoline skirts. Sure the plot is weak and the talk stupid, but the costumes colorful, even campy and the singing is first rate.
At intermission, we check out the bathrooms, which are extremely clean, spacious, and a first - no line for the women nor the men. No need for the wife to trample over anyone.
Jump forward to their 10 year class reunion in 1968, where the girls are dressed like Nancy Sinatra in tight leather skirts singing "These boots are Made for Walking" They sing "Son of a Preacher Man, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, "It's My Party,", "You Don't Own Me" and other chart topping hits!
Heard music, but never saw an orchestra, so the music might have come from a recording. At least the singing was real and not lip singing, in which case I would have demanded my money back!
I was too young to remember the 1950s hit on the radio, but by 1968 I could listen to those hit songs on the radio, in times of turmoil and protest in my hometown of Berkeley!
Comfortable seating, bathrooms that could handle the crowds -too bad I couldn't choose my own seat closer to the aisle.
Also an extra half mile walk from the theater district late at night. But Manhattan sidewalks are busy with pedestrians even at 11pm on weekdays, although Marianne W tells me that older women alone on empty subways late at night are prime targets of muggers. Welcome to New York City! read more