After a long, cold, snowy winter, spring in New York always comes as somewhat of a shock. Central Park, with its tree-lined paths and expansive meadows, bursts into life. Having finally peeled off their drab black coats and snow boots, New Yorkers flock to the streets to show off their new sundresses and stilettos. In spring, New York City is on display.
NYC’s most exciting spring feature is Broadway. Some of the year’s hottest productions seek to show off their stuff in the spring. Many shows rush to open before the Tony Award® nominations are announced in May, so spring is the perfect time to pause your winter Netflix binge and spend some time at a theatre.
This spring in particular is an embarrassment of riches. With 21 brand-new shows opening, this is one of the busiest seasons in Broadway history. It’s also one of the most international, featuring shows that take place in locations as far-flung as Paris (Amélie), Russia (Anastasia), Vietnam (Miss Saigon), Norway (Oslo), and Newfoundland (Come From Away).
This exciting, global season has something for absolutely everyone. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Anastasia are ideal for families of all ages. If you’re interested in megawatt star casting, then you’ll want to catch Glenn Close reprise the role that won her a Tony Award® in Sunset Boulevard or experience Sara Bareilles singing the songs she wrote in Waitress. We’ve also got new musicals based on iconic films, like Groundhog Day and Amélie.
Do you want to see a pair of divas belting their faces off? You should probably get your tickets to see Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole in War Paint. Or, if you’re in the mood for a tried-and-true Broadway classic, Hello, Dolly! (starring Bette Midler) and The Glass Menagerie (starring Sally Field) are the perfect shows for you.
Spring is also a wonderful time to take in one of Broadway’s newest plays. This season features some of today’s leading theatrical voices as their bold, new plays duke it out for the coveted Best Play Tony Award®. Oslo from JT Rogers, Sweat from Lynn Nottage, Indecent from Paula Vogel, and Significant Other from Joshua Harmon all debut on Broadway this spring. Meanwhile, if star-studded productions of classic plays are more your speed, you’ll be interested in Cynthia Nixon and Laura Linney sharing the leading roles in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, Kevin Kline in Present Laughter, and Allison Janney in Six Degrees of Separation.
As the weather warms up, it’s the ideal time to visit one of New York’s most popular attractions: the High Line. This spectacular public park, situated thirty feet in the air on historic elevated train tracks, provides almost a mile and a half of skyline views. In addition, New York’s best kept secret, the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum, opens to the public in May. Take a break from the museum’s portraits and sculptures and check out this unique view overlooking Central Park.
Spring is also the perfect time to get out of Manhattan and explore the rest of the city, perhaps by taking a quick trip to see the staggering beauty of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of April. Or take in that great American pastime—baseball—and see the Yankees play in the Bronx or the Mets play in Queens.
There’s clearly a lot to do during the spring months in New York. You’ll get to partake in all that the city has to offer, while still avoiding the crush of visitors that arrive in the summer. It’s the perfect time to come to New York! What are you waiting for?
Photograph of Brooklyn Botanic Graden by Wesley & Brandon Rosenblum
Younger Than Springtime: This Season is New York at its Best
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MARCH 20, 2017 |