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 Theater goes above and
beyond | Theater
smells. Really. It's pretty potent at times, too. But
this is a good thing! The closeness, the sensuality, the
smell of a live performance ... they all give it a power
that a film can't match. (Granted, some movies
stink, but that's not the same thing.)
Ironically, that cold, remote tool we know as the Web is
bringing the best of live theater to a global audience.
For instance, say you're planning a trip to New
York City and you'd like to see a Broadway show.
Nowadays, a typical ticket for a musical costs around
$85. That's ridiculous, or as we'd say in Manhattan,
"Gedouddaheah!" For that amount of moolah, wouldn't you
like to know ahead of time if the show is worth it?
After all, for every great production like Rent or Les
Misérables, there's at least one Footloose or Carrie: The Musical.
 That's
where the Web comes in. Most of the big dramas and
musicals have official sites, offering info on the
production, cast biographies, photos, and even ticket
sales. In addition, if the show has a production on
national tour or in another city like London, those
facts will be online as well; Chicago's site is a good example.
You can get details about other audience favorites and
such recent Tony Award-winners as Death of a Salesman, The
Iceman Cometh, and Jekyll
& Hyde.
Likewise, Disney's
magnificent live version of The Lion King also has an online
presence, as does Beauty and the Beast. Disney
provides video clips and many details about both
musicals. Unfortunately, neither site unveils the evil
truth about Mayor Rudolph Guiliani selling out the
city's soul to the dark god Disney in exchange for
political power ... ahem, excuse me. I digress.
Obviously, the official sites want you to
see the plays, so if you're looking for an unbiased
opinion, check out the theater reviews in The New York
Times and be sure to visit the superb Playbill
On-Line. The official Web site of the little book
that's handed to you when you go to your seat, Playbill
has Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and London
listings, plus weekly columns from theater experts.
We tend to think of the Internet as an
interactive medium; that is, typing and clicking affect
what we see. Theater, though, represents the ultimate in
interaction: Actors are performing for you,
reacting to your applause live on stage, although
the imaginary "wall" between you and the set is often in
the way. A few productions shatter that wall and
take interaction to the extreme. The "aliens" of Blue Man
Group, now playing in New York, Boston, and
elsewhere, use audience members as active participants
as they inhale Twinkies and cover the crowd in toilet
paper. (Trust me, it's hysterical. Go!)
Also
breaking boundaries (and attendance records) is Stomp,
where performers use broomsticks, cans, bags, and
cigarette lighters to create a breathtaking, athletic
symphony. Even wilder is De La
Guarda. This Argentine troupe performs on elastic
bungee cords! They fly and hover above the crowd,
occasionally landing in the audience and even taking
lucky people into the air with them. Let's see you top
that, George Lucas! De La Guarda's show is more
of an event than a performance, and they've been
hurtling to rave reviews both on Off-Broadway and in
London. However, if you're hoping to do somersaults in
the air, maybe you should eat that pasta dinner
after the show.
One more bit of advice:
If you're going to buy any theater tickets online, go to
TicketWeb first. TicketMaster and
Tele-Charge add service charges up the wazoo, whereas
TicketWeb's fee -- around $2 -- is easy to swallow. It
offers tickets to shows, festivals, and other events all
over the U.S., as well as in the U.K., Europe, Canada,
and the Caribbean. It's a good bargain that'll keep your
checkbook from sinking like the Titanic.
--Ken
Hart, who wants to star in The
Scarlet Pimpernel
Other sites worthy
of a curtain call:
BroadwayNow
London Theatre Guide
Yahoo's list of shows and sites
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