Here at Broadway Inbound, we proudly know a thing or two about Broadway. We’re frequently asked what shows we’d personally recommend and what we like to do around the city. We thought we’d take you behind the scenes on what our perfect Broadway day would look like! Check out Todd’s day below, and tell us about your perfect Broadway day over on our Facebook page.
I’d love to say that my perfect Broadway day would start bright and early with a pastry and coffee from Bouchon Bakery at Columbus Circle, followed by a walk through nearby Central Park. But let’s face it, I’m not waking up quite that early.
So after a leisurely morning and maybe a stroll around Hell’s Kitchen, I’d go grab lunch at Don Antonio (309 West 50th Street), one of my favorite pizzerias in the city. This is the real deal, certified Neapolitan-style pizza, where the individual-sized pies come out blistering hot from an 800-degree wood-fired oven. I’d probably pair mine with an Aperol Spritz and get the day started right.
After lunch, I’m ready for a Broadway show, and one of my all-time favorites is Once On This Island. I’ve been a fan of this emotionally-charged musical for decades, and this new Tony®-winning revival has rekindled my love for the moving story of a Caribbean peasant girl who longs for love, and the island gods who shape her destiny. This production is staged in the round and immerses the audience in island drums, sand, and a ton of surprises. I’ll bring some Kleenex.
Since Once On This Island isn’t a very long show, I’ve got the whole afternoon to explore the city. I’d probably take the subway down to 14th Street and walk over towards the Meatpacking District. Past the funky shops, the Apple store, and the very cool Standard Hotel is the south entrance to the High Line. It’s a brand-new park reclaimed from abandoned elevated train tracks, and it’s one of my favorite places to take visitors to NYC.
After walking up the High Line, about a mile or so through native plants, art installations, and beautiful new buildings, I’d exit at 28th Street and head over to one of my favorite bars in the city, Porchlight (271 Eleventh Avenue). A project of the revered Danny Meyer, Porchlight gets busy at night, but in the late afternoon it’s a really relaxed spot to hang out with friends, enjoy some delicious beef jerky (yes, I said beef jerky), and sip killer cocktails. It’s an awesome spot for groups.
Since I filled up on jerky and other delicious bar snacks in the early evening, I probably don’t need dinner before my evening show, but if I did, I’d probably go to Motel Morris in Chelsea (132 Seventh Avenue). My friend Jamie manages this friendly neighborhood place, and chef Bill McDaniel’s regional American food is some of my favorite in New York. Even my picky parents like it.
But I need time to make my way back to Times Square and the Hudson Theatre for my evening show. Head Over Heels is hard to describe, but it’s so much fun to watch! Using the music of the legendary ‘80s all-girl rock band The Go-Go’s (“Vacation,” “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and more), this new musical springboards into a laugh-driven Elizabethan-era story with a hefty dose of 2018 gender fluidity and inclusivity. But most of all, it’s a good time with great music.
After I leave the theatre and call my parents to see if they have my old Go-Go’s cassettes, I head over to Sardi’s Restaurant (234 West 44th Street) for one more drink among Broadway’s most famous celebrities—on the walls in caricature. You might also spot a celebrity there in real life too, as Sardi’s has always been a prime after-theatre spot for the Broadway community.
It’s the perfect end to a Perfect Broadway Day.
Series: My Perfect Broadway Day - Todd
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JULY 25, 2018 |