Broadway in New York is the pinnacle achievement for anyone performing drama on stage. 2017's lineup of award-winning plays has something for everyone in the family. From original comedies to adaptations of films to one-man shows, these are the Broadway plays that have the Big Apple buzzing!
1. Marvin's Room
Marvin's Room may sound familiar to you as it has cycled around between Chicago, Off-Broadway, and even a 1996 film version starring Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, and Leonardo DiCaprio. This 2017 version, however, will be the play's Broadway premiere with Lili Taylor and Janeane Garofalo in the leading roles of estranged sisters who reunite after one's leukemia diagnosis. In a common theme for Broadway plays, it's these seemingly dark moments that bring out the funniest laughs and most poignant reflections.
2. Present Laughter
This popular Broadway revival was last seen on stage in 2010. Seven years later, Kevin Kline headlines this production of Present Laughter set in 1939 London, which follows a famous actor as he has to deal with his womanizing, confront his celebrity, and navigate his mid-life crisis. While the description may seem serious, the comedic performance builds throughout the course of the play. But you'll only have a few months to enjoy Kine's wonderful performance! Unless high demand causes an extension, the play is set to close in July.
3. The Little Foxes
Not only does The Little Foxes have an interesting plot line (a 1900s woman who fights for control of a family business during a time when only male children were considered legal heirs), but the current Broadway revival also has some interesting casting decisions up its sleeve. Laura Linney and Cyntina Nixon play both lead roles, alternating between performances. This rendition, besides its commentary on women's roles in the early 20th century, also shows how individual performers can transform the same roles with slight block choices and delivery decisions. For optimal effect, book a double showing on days with matinee and evening performances.
4. Sweat
Thought it may be set in 2000 and 2008, the events and feelings of Sweat can easily be translated to a post-2016 election America. Focusing on a bar in a solidly middle-class area of Pennsylvania, this play chronicles the struggles of blue-collar life during the manufacturing downturn. While it began Off-Broadway and has its production roots all the way back in 2011, the themes and commentary seem eerily timely to the nation's feelings today.
5. The Play That Goes Wrong
This winner for Best New Comedy at the 2015 Laurence Olivier Awards (Britain's Tony equivalent) made its Broadway debut in April, transferring the entire London cast across the pond while adding famed director J. J. Abrams to the producers' list. Besides the behind-the-scenes hubbub, The Play That Goes Wrong does everything right in crafting a winning and hilarious comedy. The not uncommon play-within-a-play concept quite literally comes crashing down around the cast as their bumbling troupe tears down the set around them.
(Featured image via Facebook.)
