Broadway

In a world where movies and TV shows are the predominant forms of entertainment, it is so easy to forget that live entertainment used to be a huge part of everyday life in not just the United States as a whole, but the rest of the world as well. However, that fact is never forgotten in New York City, home of Broadway. In various theaters across the city, people can watch live theatrical plays, often times with enthralling live music to go along with it.

 Although there are a lot of Broadway productions that get a lot of national attention, I first started getting into Broadway when I saw “Wicked” for the first time. It was so enticing to me, and presumably to the rest of the world, because it was tied into the original movie “The Wizard of Oz” and gave audiences a look into the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, who was previously simply presumed to be an evil character outright. The music was simply amazing, and hearing live performances from Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth was something that I will never forget.

However, audiences are not only drawn towards high-profile Broadway productions. If you are a lover of Broadway theatre, you often end up going to all sorts of productions, with most of them being pretty good rather than forgettable. And eventually you find something that absolutely knocks you off your feet. In my case, it was the production of “A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder”. This charming production was performed in the relatively small Walter Kerr Theatre, and hooked me not just for the great music, but the hilarious comedy that was a staple to the entire show and the story. The premise itself of a man killing his relatives to ultimately become an Earl, all while juggling two separate love-interests clearly set the stage for an entertaining and funny production, and they didn’t disappoint. The production even won four Tony Awards in 2014, including one for Best Musical, showing that even the perhaps lesser-known productions will still find a name for themselves over time if they are any good, which this production definitely was.

In the general sense, Broadway is a great way to indulge in entertainment that is simply not available otherwise (or at least not available as readily compared to other cities). Most people rely on watching television and streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu to get their fill, but nothing beats going out for a night at the theater. With Broadway being a prominent part of New York City night life for as long as anyone can remember, it is no wonder that Broadway is popular form of entertainment not only for local New Yorkers, but also for tourists from all around the world!