Our local university is known for it’s historical music program, and they put on a production of the opera Alcina by Handel. It was sublime, and a treat to see a baroque opera performed in a smaller theater.
Do you ever go to see live theater? What was the last thing that you went to? Or, alternatively, what was your favorite?
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Besides impro which we go see every now and then it was a rendition of the musical Pippin in Dutch.
Coincidentally, I was taken as a plus-1 to a Broadway musical, “Ragtime”, this month. I normally don’t go out much for theater, but it was free so I went.
It wasn’t bad. The style of music isn’t my jam, but it had some fun parts.
Also interesting is the play’s message seems to be “the only way you’ll get something approaching justice is violence” and I’m not sure if that’s the author’s intent.
2025, The Book Of Mormon. I’d actually seen it before, but went with some people who hadn’t. Hit just as good as the first time I saw it.
Same! My girlfriend and I went to see it last year. Occasionally she’ll catch me singing, “Hello! My name is…” so goddamn catchy.
…Magots in my Scrotum!..
My wife and I still randomly say ORLANDO to each other.
The book of Mormon was so damn funny. It blow my mind it has been on Broadway for 15 years.
I don’t know if it is still there, but for the longest time the mormon church had a huge store front right beside the theater with signs that said, you have seen the play now hear the truth.
I’ve heard such mixed reviews. People love it or hate it, but no one says why- what’s good or bad about it. I’d like to see it but have been worried about spending the $ on something we wouldn’t enjoy.
It’s fun and funny, but IMO not that funny … probably hits different for people who know lots of Mormons personally (my sister used to live in SLC and she rates it much higher)
About a month ago, I went to a donation-driven community theater improv/Edgar Allen Poe thing.
I saw a local college production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson that resulted in some audience members walking out and was adjusted to act as a critique of right-wing populism and Trump.
Oh, this looks really interesting! I bet that was well worth seeing.
The last opera I saw was Fellow Travelers by Spears, an 2016 opera based on a novel of the same title about two men who fall in love during the Lavender Scare. It was absolutely heart-rending, just the most tragic love story you could possibly imagine, and the sex scenes were so hot — I don’t think I’d ever seen a fully nude scene at an opera before, even if it was just from behind, and the tenor clearly had spent some time in the gym to prepare. Highly recommend you go see it if you have a chance.
Ah, a fellow Seattleite. Saw that opening night and was blown away. Usually not a fan of modern operas, but those Gregs knew what they were doing.
I wish they’d go back to four full productions each season. The concert as the fourth performance is just not the same.
Agreed! We tried it out this season and it just wasn’t the same. Gonna be renewing just for the full operas this year.
I’ve never heard of this one before; it must be so hard to get a new opera out there! I’m glad people are doing it though. Every production seems like a minor miracle of logistics and ambition.
I see it’s based on a book, I might have to give that a read.
My local opera company does one new opera and two traditional operas every season, so I’ve seen quite a few over the years. The wildest one was definitely The ®evolution of Steve Jobs, a 2017 opera by Bates about the Apple founder.
I kind of want to hate watch that Jobs one!
I appreciate that they’re doing new stuff though! I love historical performance, but I absolutely understand that is a niche interest. If opera is going to survive as an art form (and I think it should), it needs to be a living medium.
The university is putting an a brand new, world premiere opera called That Hellbound Train here in a couple weeks, and I hope to attend.
Ooh, I found a production that a college uploaded to YouTube! I very much prefer to see an opera live, but I’d already accepted that I would never see this production since it’s probably pretty rare.
I’ll definitely give it a watch, thanks for the rec!
Oh that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing the link; I’m gonna rewatch it.
I work in live theatre, so my perspective is a little skewed. The last one I went to see (instead of working) was The Drowsy Chaperone, a musical within a play.
The concept is that an old (slightly odd, but very welcoming) man is inviting the audience into his house, to listen to an old vinyl broadway recording in his living room. Sort of like a Mr. Rogers Neighborhood episode. As he (and the audience) listens to the record, his imagination blooms and his house transforms into the set for the musical. So the characters in the musical are dancing and singing around his house, while he sits in his armchair (or putters around his room, making tea, serving finger sandwiches, etc) and breaks the fourth wall to add commentary.
It’s a comedy wrapped around a tragedy. The musical is very bright and cheery, but the old man clearly has some eccentricities that begin to show through the cracks as the show progresses. It’s an interesting commentary on the “circus” part of bread and circus, as it explores things like escapism, agoraphobia, and OCD as the man’s happy facade slowly crumbles while the musical progresses (and gets interrupted a few times, which is extremely triggering for him). It becomes clear that he’s only able to maintain his happy public persona for a little while.
As for the last show I actually saw, it was a traditional Indian dance show. I work a lot of those, because traditional Indian dance has a sort of test for their dancers. It’s not a perfect comparison, but many people compare it to a black belt test in karate. Since every dancer has to go through it, there are a lot of them.
I do enjoy live musical theatre, but it is quite expensive, and smaller local productions for whatever reason I haven’t been motivated enough to go to. I think the last musical theatre I saw was Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the New York Met Opera House, in January 2025. The time before that was Hamilton at the Princess of Wales Theatre in June 2023.
So anyways due to cost, I’ll settle for watching the latest musical movie at the cinema like Wicked for Good.
Does it count when i was doing the music and light? If yes then it was “Die 8 Frauen”
This past Saturday I saw the musical Chess.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_(musical)
I do a least three broadway shows a year.
How was that? I read a bit about it and wondered if it was good
It is the fifth reprisal so it clearly has its fans. Considering the caliber of performers they don’t have time for a lengthy prep for an original production so they will do reprisals like this.
Lea Michelle did not perform though her replacement was so very good.
Nicolas Christopher blew the roof off the house as he always does and that alone makes it worth the price of admission.
It is good but I would not make a special trip to NYC to see it. We were going back and forth between Chess or The Outsiders and we made the “safe” bet to see chess based on the three leads. As I said, unfortunately, michelle Did not perform at our show.
If I could go back three months to the planning phase of the trip I would pick Outsiders.
This weekend. Henry V at the RSC
The Importance of Being Earnest (by the National Theatre). Still available on YouTube if you want to see it.
I’ve seen/been in loads of stuff on stage but I don’t really have a favourite.
Either Lion King or Starlight Express over 2 decades ago. My mum dragged me there. It was meh, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to one.
If watching a recorded theatre performance from the comfort of my own sofa counts, then The National Theatre’s presentation of The Importance of Being Earnest, which is wonderful.
In terms of seeing a live performance while in the actual theatre then it would be Rocky Horror back in 2019.
Edit: Just remembered that we saw Wicked in London in December 2025, before we saw the movie. That was fun.
Inside No. 9 at the Hammersmith Apollo. So glad I got to see it before they finished.
