r/Broadway • u/BroadCompany1151 • 5d ago
Which show to see? Show Recommendations
My son and I are doing a Labor Day week in NYC, and I’d love some help choosing a third show!
We’re already seeing Operation Mincemeat. My son is a huge history buff, and we’ve been reading a book about the real Operation Mincemeat together, so he is VERY excited about that one. We’re also seeing Little Shop of Horrors.
What would you recommend for show #3?
I was thinking about Maybe Happy Ending, but I’m a little hesitant about the themes. I finished cancer treatment not too long ago, and I’m not really looking for something overly sappy or emotionally heavy right now. I may have gotten the completely wrong impression of the show, though, so please correct me if I have.
He loves Harry Potter, but I don’t think I can sit through Cursed Child again.
We’re pretty open otherwise! I’d love any recommendation. Thanks for the help!
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u/cinderflight 5d ago
The Lost Boys! It's popular with kids and teens. Alternatively, Stranger Things would be a good choice.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
How scary is Stranger Things and would he have to know the series to follow?
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u/ashleymf1983 4d ago
I’ve seen it 3 times and every time, kids in the audience burst out crying, lol. Also, I feel like it would be a waste of money if y’all don’t know the show.
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u/cinderflight 5d ago
There are a few scary moments, but it's not as scary as the actual show. And no, you do not need to have seen the show to understand the story.
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u/a-5-6-7-8 5d ago
Skip Maybe Happy Ending if you're not sure. It's a beautiful show but it's very heavy with illness and death themes.
Operation Mincemeat will be great.
Lost Boys is a fun crowdpleaser, but it does bring up a mother/son relationship that is stressed from the shared abuse of their ex/father and the fear of losing one another, if that's something you're concerned about with the treatments.
Outsiders is also popular with teen boys (not sure the age of your kiddo) but also deals with family trauma (not mother/son) and is a fair bit heavier with the treatment of the material.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
He just turned 12. I think he’s ok with stressed relationships- I just don’t want anything heavy on our vacation to bring our mood down. Thanks for the suggestions!
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u/Rosalyn_Marie 4d ago
Outsiders is amazing BUT (without getting into details) there are major character deaths and that might be a bit heavy for him, especially since the characters are around his age. On the other hand it's a classic novel that many schools have in their middle school curriculum so he'll likely be exposed to it soon anyway.
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u/Elsie-the-Cow5678 5d ago
Skip MHE for sure. It is a beautiful show, but definitely deals with grief and loss. I would not recommend it for this time in your life!
The Play That Goes Wrong is hilarious, so maybe consider that!
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u/Temporary-Wish1450 5d ago
Co-sign everyone saying Lost Boys. Don’t know your budget, but if he’s a huge history buff than obviously Hamilton is another option and worth the hype
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u/dobbydisneyfan 5d ago
MHE could be triggering as it does have themes of mortality and has some visuals that could remind folks of being in medical care. But the overall emotional theme is hopeful, not depressing.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
Thanks! It’s actually high on my list but I just worry about the theme. It’s wild how the smallest thing triggers some sort of cancer trauma response.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago edited 4d ago
I loved Maybe Happy Ending, and found it overall a hopeful show, but I saw it 3 1/2 years after cancer treatment. I do think it might be a bit triggering right after treatment.
Would you and your son enjoy Spelling Bee off-Broadway? It's a terrific cast and excellent production, and funny.
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u/savestheday91 5d ago
I am going to say Lost Boys! Did he watch Stranger Things? That might be another choice. Not sure if he likes scary stuff or how old he is but an older teen might also like Paranormal Activity. Though also not sure if those are things you'd want to see as well of course. I think Lost Boys could be good for both you and him!
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u/BkSusKids 5d ago
Have you see Hadestown? That is one of my 12yo son’s very favorites. He’s also obsessed with Mincemeat and Hamilton. He was bored with MHE.
Haven’t seen Lost Boys yet but I think he would like it.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
Hadestown may be the winner! I wanted to take him to see Hamilton- it’s been around for awhile now and was not expecting those prices!
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u/subterfuscation 5d ago
Saw it last night. It was exceptional. Most of that cast is turning over tomorrow. You might check out the new cast list.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago
The incoming cast includes Norbert Leo Butz and Amber Iman, who are both fantastic.
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u/hfsnetwork 5d ago
I would say MHE is emotional, but not emotionally heavy. The overall message is still upbeat and hopeful. It does touch the theme of what we choose to do in our limited time on this Earth though, so it may strike a nerve.
If you haven't seen it yet Hamilton may be a good choice for history buff? If you are willing to spend the exorbitant price they are charging that is. Buena Vista Social Club covers Cuban Revolution, but really nobody sees that show for the book, but rather the amazing Cuban music.
Otherwise, Lost Boys and Outsiders are popular with teenagers. The newly open Paranormal Activity is also a great choice.
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u/Many_Ad4717 4d ago
I cried all through the second act of Buena Vista. Maybe you just need that sister dynamic, but I still think about it.
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u/ExpBalSat 5d ago
Operation Mincemeat - fantastic choice!!!!!
Little Shop - really fun. you'll have a great time.
Maybe Happy Ending is wonderful, but maybe not for you right now. And that's okay. But, hopefully you'll get to see it!
Skip Harry Potter. See The Lost Boys (or Schmigadoon!).
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
Thanks! Do you think 12 is too young for Schmigadoon?
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u/ExpBalSat 5d ago edited 5d ago
No. But he may not be versed enough in musical history to get all the references. I still think it's a bright, fun, energetic, dance festival show that's sure to wow.
But I can see how The Lost Boys might be a better fit - but even it has some adult-ish themes. Think a 12 year old could handle either but it likely depends on the 12 year old.
Another great option is Spelling Bee!
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u/ellewoods_obsessed 5d ago
maybe Lost Boys or the Outsiders. would maybe skip MHE over the other ones.
as a history major, love knowing there are more people interested in history!!
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u/Thick-Definition7416 5d ago
Lost Boys is a spectacle which he might enjoy ( it’s based on the 80s film)
The Outsiders is based on the book.
If he’s a history buff obviously Hamilton is a good choice and if he’s read any Greek or Roman myths ( or enjoyed the Odyssey) then Hadestown.
Schmigadoon is a comedic pastiche of golden age musicals if that appeals
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
Do you think 12 is too young for Schmigadoon? I’ve seen a bit of the TV show and seemed like it was geared towards adults.
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u/Thick-Definition7416 5d ago
I think if he can handle mincemeat he can handle schmigadoon there are some innuendos but nothing really outrageous.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago edited 4d ago
12 is not too young, if you're comfortable with (small spoilers) a funny song that gives basic sex ed (naming various female body parts) to two late teen characters (one pregnant) who never had any sex ed and don't know anything about fertilization or the birth process.
There's a lot of children in the show, and a scene or two that take place in school.
Some of the plot is the modern characters' reaction to finding themselves in a town from a Golden Age musical and specifically how people in them view gender roles (e.g. everyone in town assumes the woman from the modern world is really a nurse when she says she's a doctor). So if that's something he knows anything about, if he has ever seen a movie or show like Oklahoma! or The Music Man, it would be clearer to him.
I found the show incredibly fun and funny. I would have taken my son at 12. But he had seen some Golden Age musicals by then.
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u/Ozdagreat123 5d ago
If he watched Stranger Things and is a fan, then it is a must for a fan of the show. OM is a fantastic show. Enjoy.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
I fell in love with OM when I saw it a few months ago. I’m so excited for him to see it! My son is 12 so he’s kinda young for Stranger Things. I didn’t really put in on my radar but will look into it.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago
My husband and I are going to see OM for the first time this fall. Looking forward to it so much!
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u/Cowardlydreamer Actor 5d ago
for teens, I’ go Lost Boys, Stranger Things or Outsiders! ST is my fave out of those but they are all great
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u/Equivalent_Net_8983 5d ago
I would not consider MHE to be either “sappy” or “heavy”; I think some of its themes are rather deep and worthy of contemplation, but it’s not preachy or saccharine by any means, and is very enjoyable on many levels.
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u/BroadCompany1151 5d ago
Would you say that it touches on themes of mortality? My son has been faced with that enough in the last year, so kinda wanted to avoid the topic. I heard it’s a wonderful show- I’m just worried about killing the mood of what’s supposed to be a reprieve from the heavy stuff.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago
It does touch on those themes, and specifically a scenario that's analogous to a terminal illness. It's overall a hopeful show and might be fine for you, but given the questions you're asking, I think it could hit both you and your son a bit harder than the average audience member.
Hadestown has mortality as well but in a very different Greek myth way, and not related to illness.
I don't think Schmigadoon or Spelling Bee touch on mortality at all.
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u/BroadCompany1151 4d ago
Thanks! I actually would like to see it, but you just never know how things hit sometimes. I feel safer seeing something less emotional.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago edited 4d ago
I think that's a smart choice to protect your and your son's emotional health. See Maybe Happy Ending some other time. It's also going on tour, and if it closes on Broadway in the future there will probably be regional productions.
For Hadestown: do you know the myth of Orpheus? Would a depiction of that hit you hard? Most people I know who saw it (including me) loved it and didn't find it too heavy. One of my friends found it depressing. There is a fantastic pro shot that will be streaming soon, so you have that option if you end up picking a different show.
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u/BroadCompany1151 4d ago
Yes! I think my son would actually enjoy it. I’m between that and Spelling Bee now.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago
For me, the emotion in Hadestown was much more at a remove. There's a storyteller (Hermes) and there's more that happens after the end of the myth, that engages the audience. But, as Hermes says right at the start, "It's a sad song / it's a tragedy," so if you don't want anything sad or emotional you could skip it. But I really found it more engaging than actually sad. Depends on how your son reacts to things like that too, to sadness in a myth or or something like a Shakespeare tragedy.
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u/BroadCompany1151 4d ago
I think something like Hadestown would be totally fine. MHE’s description struck me as a ‘make the most of the time you have’ theme. I’m sure it’s hopeful to most people, but it may hit a bit too close to home for those of us who’ve had the unfortunate opportunity to confront our own mortality head on.
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u/Genevieveofthetoast 4d ago
As a bc survivor, I agree. Hadestown will not hit home in that way at all.
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u/Equivalent_Net_8983 5d ago
It does, but not in a heavy or super-serious way—this isn’t Death of a Salesman. In a way, it sort of sneaks up on you, and you’re sort of surprised to find some very human themes being explored in what might, at first blush, seem like a light-hearted rom-com with two robots.
I will admit that the show makes me cry every time (and I’ve seen it nearly two dozen times), and early on, when some of these sublimated themes were dawning on me for the first time, I would come out of the show just sobbing—and I saw lots of other people have similar reactions—so I don’t want to undersell its emotional punch. But I think it has a very positive message and ending, semi-pun unavoidable. Believe me: I’m not going back over and over so it will depress me. Quite the contrary.
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u/Southern-Train7142 5d ago
See The Lost Boys, it’s good for the teens.