It’s widely agreed upon that seeing a musical on Broadway is a truly magical experience- no other word can describe it. There are so many little moments that I feel make any show so incredible- here are, in my opinion, the greatest things about seeing Broadway theater.
- Standing in line outside the theater as the evening NYC air is filled with pre-show energy. Inside the theater, the cast is getting ready to deliver an awesome performance. Queuing up to go into the theater really intensifies the excitement as I anticipate seeing a show, and the moment the doors open and people begin to stream inside is undoubtedly the start of something wonderful.
- The split second the lights begin to dim, before the performance starts. Before the show has even begun, this moment always causes my heart to stop for a second. This, for me, is a huge part of the experience: before the audience even starts to dive into the world of the marvelous show they’re about to experience, the mounting excitement peaks.
- The first few notes of the opening number. After listening to cast recordings over and over again, finally hearing the opening song performed live is heavenly. Contrary to popular opinion, I actually prefer hearing replacements over the original cast in some cases, since they tend to do each song differently in their own awesome way, and I love hearing the variety. The main problem with this is that when I love hearing a replacement, I can’t go home and replicate the experience by listening to the cast recording.
- Seeing any cast members I’m already familiar with is so much fun. Knowing actors from other roles but seeing them performing outside of those is really a blast. For example, I recently saw Matt Doyle in The Book of Mormon, and I was so excited when he came onstage since I had loved him so much in Spring Awakening.
- The act one finale is a blast. These are often some of the most powerful or unique songs in the show. I especially love when the show changes tone a little bit after the first act so I get to experience something completely unique and different after intermission. Act finales with crazy special effects are always a plus.
- The act two opener: I have waited fifteen long and restless minutes for the show to start again. This act opener is always incredibly rewarding.
- The grand finale is obviously one of the show’s grandest moments, though generally a little sad, since the musical is over. These finales are generally tons of fun though, so it can be totally worth it.
- Stagedooring after! There is nothing I love more about seeing a show than meeting the cast at the stage door afterwards and getting autographs.
What are some of your favorite things about seeing Broadway shows? Let us know in the comments!
Photo via BroadwaySeat