Broadway bound: round out the Artexpo experience by taking in a Broadway show

Art Business News, Dec, 2003 by Jenny Sherman

For the best of what contemporary theater has to offer, everyone knows to head to Broadway. The productions, often featuring astounding sets, popular performers and hefty budgets, take place in 39 venues within or near Manhattan's Theatre District, located between Sixth and Eighth avenues, and between 41st and 52nd streets.

The plays, musicals and special attractions make up what some consider the pinnacle of New York entertainment. And no matter what your taste--from whimsical musical to profound drama--Broadway has it all, especially this spring. Showgoers can see long-running productions such as "Chicago" and "Rent," attend old favorites such as "42nd Street," or sample brand-new plays such as "Golda's Balcouy."

On the next few pages is a selection of Broadway shows that will be playing while the art world is in town for ArtExpo. Show tickets range from $10 to $100 and can be ordered several ways: on each production's official Web site, by telephone (888-BROADWAY), at the Broadway Ticket Center inside the Times Square Visitors Center on Broadway between 46th and 47th streets or at individual theater box offices.

Can't call ahead for tickets? You can always try landing cheaper "rush" or standing-room-only (SRO) tickets on the day of a performance. Both options require a wait in line, sometimes for hours, and tickets must be paid for in cash. SRO tickets are exactly that--tickets for numbered spaces that are the width of a regular theater seat, usually near the back of the orchestra. Even if you don't mind all the standing, keep in mind that SRO tickets are usually only available if a show has sold out and they are distributed one per person.

Each show has specific rush ticket options, so check online at www.playbill.com for individual show policies. If you have your heart set on seeing a performance, however, be safe and reserve your tickets ahead of time at www.livebroadway.com or by calling the numbers listed with each show.

42nd STREET

A timeless classic inspired by the 1933 Warner Bros. movie, "42nd Street" follows the trials and tribulations of the making of "Pretty Lady;' the next Broadway smash. Divas clash with directors, new talent is discovered, and despite a broken ankle, the show inexorably goes on. The musical sails with hits such as "I Only Have Eyes For You" and "We're In The Money."

Venue: Ford Center for the Performing Arts, 213 West 42nd Street 800-755-4000, www.ticketmaster.com

Schedule: Tues., 7 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m. Wed. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., 3 p.m.

Tickets; $25 to $101

AIDA

Verdi's 1871 opera, recast by Walt Disney Theatrical Productions as a musical, recounts the tragic love triangle between enslaved African princess Aida, Egyptian captain of the guard Radames and Aida's royal mistress Amneris.

Venue: Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway (212) 307-4747

Schedule: Tues., 7 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m. Wed. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., 3 p.m.

Tickets: $25 to $100 ($10 to $15 for SRO tickets)

CHICAGO

Made into an award winning film, this musical tells the entertaining tale of Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who kills her lover and then steals the heart of the media in a sensational murder trial. After beating her rap, Hart teams up with inmate Velma Kelly to take their act to the Vaudeville stage.

Venue: Ambassador Theatre, 219 West 49th Street 800-432-7250

Schedule: Tues.-Sat., 8 p.m. Wed. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $43.75 to $95.25 ($20 for lottery rush tickets)

DROWNING CROW

Modeled on Chekhov's "The Seagull" "Drowning Crow" concerns several meaningful days in the life of an artistic African-American family on the Gullab Island of South Carolina. The themes of success, fame and alienation are interwoven with the family's interactions in this drama, which opens at the end of February.

Venue: Biltmore Theatre, 261 West 47th Street

Schedule: Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m. Sat., 2 and 8 p.m. Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: $51 to $81

GOLDA'S BALCONY

William Gibson's new one-woman play portrays the life and times of Golda Meir, the Milwaukee schoolteacher who came out of retirement at age 70 to become Prime Minister of Israel. It's the story of the resolute woman as well as the birth of the state of Israel, and relates the history of the conflict and search for peace in the region.

Venue: Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street 800-432-7250

Schedule: Tues. Fri., 8 p.m. Sat., 5 and 8:30 p.m. Sun., 3 p.m.

Tickets: $46.25 to $76.25

HAIRSPRAY

Based on the 1988 film by John Waters, "Hairspray" is the story of pudgy Tracy Turnblad, a Baltimore girl whose dream is to get a chance to dance on "The Corny Collins Show," the local TV dance program. She's not stopping there, though, as she seeks to win the heart of Link Larkin and integrate the television show as it bops into the '60s.

Venue: Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52 Street 800-755-4000, www.ticketmaster.com, www.hairsprayonbroadway.com

Schedule: Tues., 7 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m. Wed. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., 3 p.m.

Tickets: $65 to $100 ($25 for lottery rush, $20 for SRO tickets)

MAMMA MIA!

The energy of ABBA's popular music is infused into this story of a mother's preparations for the wedding of her 20-year-old daughter on a remote Greek island. Amid the tunes of "Dancing Queen" and "Take a Chance on Me," the woman copes with the appearance of three men from her past, one of whom could be the father of her daughter.