If you’re looking for a performance that is Broadway-worthy but isn’t surrounded by the hype and glamor, Off-Broadway is its own entity, which entails adhering to venues that hold an audience of fewer than 500 people. These smaller theaters create a more intimate atmosphere and show previous Broadway smash hits alongside original and quirkier performances. Here are some of the best Off-Broadway shows.
1. Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic
A legitimate Harry Potter production may be racking up receipts over on Broadway, but Off-Broadway this Potter-related tale is making waves, as well. While the Hogwarts house of Hufflepuff and its affiliated characters were mostly side actors to the main HP story, in Puffs, they take the lead! It's funny, it's family-friendly (at least the matinees are), and it pokes fun at Rowling & Co.'s literary and box office creations.
2. Blue Man Group
Before becoming the internationally known theatrical troupe that it is today, the Blue Man Group stood out in the late 1980s as an avant-garde performance group addressing underlying themes about technology through the medium of percussion and other instruments. Today, the Blue Man Group continues to mystify and intrigue its spectators. Curious and naive about every form of technology, the Blue Man Group makes us wonder what it would be like to live in a pre-technological society. With such interesting themes, the Blue Man Group will remain popular for years to come.
3. Rock of Ages
The 10th-anniversary production of Rock of Ages stars original Broadway cast member Mitchell Jarvis and takes the place of recently-closed Avenue Q at New World Stages. The popular musical ran on Broadway from 2009 to 2015, and it had a pre-Broadway run at this very New World Stages setting. If you aren't familiar with the plot, Rock of Ages is basically a good excuse for the family to rock out to the famous songs of the glam metal bands from the 1980s. Following an aspiring rocker, the show plots its way using famous hits like "We Built This City," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Here I Go Again," "Can't Fight This Feeling," and "Don't Stop Believin'." It's fun for the whole family...and probably at a cheaper price than current big-name Broadway musicals.
4. The Office! A Musical Parody
Co-creators Bob and Tobly McSmith are at it again with another parody musical! Last year's creation Friends! The Musical Parody has moved on to Las Vegas, but in its place comes another humorous musical take on a beloved TV sitcom. For any fans of the show, it makes a perfect date night outing with plenty of laughs and inside jokes. Plus, Michael's portrayal by a female actor adds another funny dimension to a show overflowing with acting talent from all the performers.
5. Stomp
This innovative percussion-based theatrical performance has wowed audiences all over the world. Stomp has highly-choreographed numbers but, instead of music played on instruments, the performers create music using everyday objects such as trash cans or brooms. This Off-Broadway performance is fun for the whole family and will have you clapping along to the beat.
