through my headphones

I am an avid theater fan, but do not (much to my disappointment) live near Broadway or the West End. Because of this, I am not able to see all of the shows I would like. And so, I've compiled a list of my favorites of the shows I've seen... and haven't seen.

Shows I've Seen:

The Crucible

This straight play is written by Aurthur Miller, the playwright of Death of a Salesman and once-husband of Marilyn Monroe. Inspired by Communist hunts and transformed to the Salem witch trials, The Crucible is completely heart-wrenching. It was also made into a film with Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder.

Chaplin

I was able to see this wonderful musical while it was on Broadway, which was a wonderful experience in itself. The show itself, however, managed to outshine the location. It featured lovely actors and actresses like Rob McLure (Chaplin) and Jenn Colella (Hedda Hopper). It shows a slightly adapted version of Chaplin's life, detailing his insane mother, film career, marital struggles, and his exile from America after Communist accusations. It's quite similar to the Chaplin film, in which the actor is portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

This poetic tale is weaved by the one and only William Shakespeare, and has to be included. It's one of his better known plays, and has been played many different ways. The version I saw included a segment about a boy dreaming, probably in the early nineteen hundreds- making the text of the play legitimately a dream. The dialogue is witty and funny, and the cast I saw acted the script so well every word of it was completely understandable despite the "stigma" of Shakespeare. The 1999 film version has great actors such as Christian Bale (Demetrius), Stanley Tucci (Puck), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Titania).


Shows I Haven't Seen:

Love Never Dies

This is Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, in which Christine, husband Raoul, and son Gustave travel to America. It involves Coney Island, reappearances of certain characters, and quite a lot of drama. And all of this, I've only gleaned from the musical score- which is just as amazing and intricate as Phantom's.

The Addams Family Musical

It's the traditional ghoulish and grim humor one might except of the Addams family, but in a musical. Wednesday has just come of age, and after that, everything begins to happen. She has invited a boy and his family to dinner- a semi-normal family from Ohio. I've been able to watch much of it online, and with an original cast containing Nathan Lane (Gomez) and Bebe Neuwirth (Morticia), it's absolutely hilarious.