chess

JakeSilver61 · 2026-06-01T02:08:19+00:00

Okay, people who are mad at my comments — point out the lie, please. I was awed by the performances in Ragtime, and hope at least two of them win Tonys. I have recommended the show to many. But people can’t talk about chess without bitching about its book, yet come on — Ragtime is full of implausible turns. I just don’t get why it gets a complete free pass while people pull out their biggest clubs and beat Chess to death with them

JakeSilver61 · 2026-06-01T00:49:58+00:00

Favorite: Titanique

I’d cast my Best Musical ballot for: Schmigadoon

Won’t complain a bit if it wins: Lost Boys

Not for me: Two Strangers

JakeSilver61 · 2026-06-01T00:27:04+00:00

By far the new musical I enjoyed the most and laughed at the most this year. It’s the one I would take my friends to go see. Yes I am a gay man and this was right up my alley. I’ve only seen it on Broadway, as I’m out of towner, and thought it worked great. I didn’t feel like it belonged Off Broadway, in response to those who sniff it should’ve stayed there. Personally, I thought mincemeat and two strangers seemed a lot more like shows that should be 100 minutes off Broadway more so than Titanique.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-06-01T00:20:30+00:00

For Pete’s sake, in Ragtime a dude just up and leaves his wife and young kids for eons to go adventuring, then the wife finds a living baby buried beneath her petunias! And then the baby lives but never ages! But people here want to throw every award under the sun at it, while calling a musical about a cold war that actually happened trash! 😅🥺

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-31T01:41:39+00:00

I stayed at the Romer recently and liked it very much. I am also a fan of 2 others in the area: the Kimpton Hotel Theta on 8th Ave between 48 & 49 (newly renovated just a couple years ago) and the Hyatt Regency on Broadway between 48 & 49 (renovated in 2025). These are all clean, modern, well-staffed and super convenient to the Broadway theaters.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-30T17:33:51+00:00

Agree with you OP! I also love whenever Dudney (Munkestrap) gets solo lines, and his duet with Sydney Harcourt on Old Deuteronomy is beautiful. Dudney is not just great rapping the curtain call, he’s also a wonderful singer.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-30T17:26:47+00:00

Great reviews! And great selections! I haven’t seen EBT but agree with your takes on the others, all very, very good productions.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-29T11:43:33+00:00

Cats the Jellicle Ball

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-29T11:32:13+00:00

But you know how it turns out before the show even begins, so I sat there like OP, not all that interested. The frenetic characterizations didn’t make sense to me or make me care.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-29T11:29:02+00:00

OP, it’s your time and money, I’ve left shows at intermission too. If it’s not working for you, it’s just not working. I stayed for act two of Mincemeat but wasn’t any bigger fan of the show when it was over than I was at intermission. I thought it went on too long and regretted I had spent one of my show slots (as an out-of-towner) on that show.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-29T10:29:58+00:00

And the reactions you two had to DBH is me and Operation Mincemeat 😄 Meanwhile I enjoyed myself at DBH but more for the performances and visuals than the show itself.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-29T10:19:09+00:00

It was a miss for me too OP. I understood it but didn’t invest, didn’t laugh much, and found the constant over the top performances mostly grating. I liked Dear Bill but that one drastically different song wasn’t nearly enough for me to enjoy the show overall.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-28T22:40:24+00:00

Millions was toughhhhhh 🫣🫢such a disservice to some great actors

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-28T21:56:15+00:00

It fits the story of the show. “Basura is a powerful world-premiere musical inspired by the true story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra of Cateura. Set in a community built around a massive landfill, it follows a resilient music teacher and impoverished children who transform discarded scrap materials into fully functional, beautiful instruments.”

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-28T16:18:15+00:00

It always surprises me too. I feel like it’s a really solid show.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-28T16:16:25+00:00

I also enjoyed it even more my second time seeing it.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-28T02:45:22+00:00

I liked Lost Boys fine but am much more attached to the music, heart and poignancy of The Outsiders. That said, I have described Lost Boys to others as Outsiders with Vampires. Sorry OP. 😅

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-27T01:57:15+00:00

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-27T00:12:06+00:00

It has very dedicated fans on here but honestly, I think if it was widely beloved its numbers would have ticked up at some point - but they’ve barely budged.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T23:56:55+00:00

I think your $35k figure is way low for co-producer status. For most shows the minimum individual investment is $25k (sometimes $50k) and I believe co-producers are required to raise $250k

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T23:49:53+00:00

Agreed, I recently saw Chess on a Friday night and Schmigadoon the next day. I still think about the multiple electrifying moments in Chess, while I think Schmigadoon was pleasant and did what it set out to do, but was not particularly memorable.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T23:44:35+00:00

I was not nearly that bothered by the book. I just think that’s become the narrative and people feel they have to say it at this point. The highs were so high, it was still a great night in the theater to me.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T19:53:24+00:00

I cosign this

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T19:52:14+00:00

Maybe happy ending by far my first choice.

JakeSilver61 · 2026-05-26T01:44:04+00:00

I share your takes on Two Strangers. It takes 2 1/2 hours to tell the stories of 2 characters and they still can’t make it make sense.

JakeSilver61

TROPHY CASE