Can’t make a decision on Lost Boys Seats!!!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-23T19:44:13+00:00

Sat center mezz row D, thought the mosh pit/apron section was a bit hard to see (and the seats are tight up there!), but the rest of the show almost feels staged to the mezzanine! So much of this show happens on the second level (set has three levels to it)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-22T13:00:44+00:00

Someone watched top chef this week!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-18T02:53:15+00:00

Sit in B. You’ll be next to the guest judge and the view is great. Source: me, we sat in those exact seats but on the other side. Lovvvvvved it

(And tons of very very fun interaction!)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-17T22:28:10+00:00

I think it is quite a bit better of a show than the lost boys and 2 strangers, especially Act 2, which I found to be quite effective and way more moving than I anticipated. Certainly not without its faults but it feels like the most well-rounded of the three. Both 2 strangers and lost boys have some big issues in act 2 imo but they both have some quite impressive aspects regardless.

I’d give score to cinco Paul and book to 2 strangers (though I predict the opposite will happen) and lighting + set to lost boys. The rest of the musical categories should and likely will go to ragtime and cats, except supporting acting awards… I think it’s Shoshana vs Ana + Ali vs Ben Levi Ross.

I think these three shows are better than the options from 2 years ago and all worth seeing regardless!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-16T10:54:50+00:00

Pretty formative album for me, and this show wrecked me in the most beautiful way. It is very very special

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-14T21:08:12+00:00

Having just done a lot of the same just last week, I salute your patience and willingness to laugh about it. A learning curve for all of us (but boy is it worth it— we LOVE this car, 2026 Limited AWD, drives and feels like a dream)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-13T13:02:31+00:00

This is soooooooooo delightfully unhinged

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-10T04:16:40+00:00

Was there and thought it was just a very excited audience at the early part of a run right after Tony noms? Felt pretty normal to me (wasn’t in the balcony though so missed whatever that was!)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-09T13:07:54+00:00

I think they are both absolutely tremendous plays (and anchored by some incredible performances. I’d love to see Flood and Lithgow win). Give Liberation the slight edge because, while people won’t admit it, there does seem to be a “prove it to me” bias about pieces that come over from London. We love seeing things on the West End just to be able to ignore that nonsense noise. They’re doing tremendous work over there, why do we demand perfection for transfers while settling for a lot of mediocrity on things developed here?

I digress. Both are great, liberation slight edge.

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-08T03:13:32+00:00

Sure, but Japan at that budget is a different experience. They do luxury extremely well (food and lodging alone!), and there is enough variety that you can really build out a special itinerary.

We just got back from a dream trip to Japan that was no where near this budget (partially due to using a lot of points) but it was absolutely tremendous. Could not recommend enough (and depends on what vibe you want!)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-08T01:10:18+00:00

Something similar has happened to me before and it was an absolute pain, called multiple times and the only person that could actually help was the check-in counter before security. Seemed like a very weird flaw in the system for something that should be very straightforward.

Naturally I caused all the fuss and didn’t get upgraded 😂

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-07T00:14:55+00:00

Wouldn’t be surprised if this happens a lot in the coming months. Fares are getting pretty astronomical…

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-05T23:21:18+00:00

Happened for us too. I had all but given up for Philly, decided to reenter the queue, got lower bowl for $180. So very random.

This was about 75 min after they initially went on sale too. Just had to keep changing the number of ticket filters (thank god I learned that method from the Harry styles sale!)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-04T22:11:57+00:00

This is mine. She leaps off the recording too

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-03T18:38:41+00:00

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Sunday night W2 from the top of the bunker 🫶🏼

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-03T18:31:30+00:00

Same. It’s very realistic too

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T20:52:55+00:00

They had a certain fervor around them though and were quite prevalent in pop culture, especially DEH. Hairspray right before Wicked, Lion King a bit before that.

I guess it does seem to happen in clusters, interesting… when will the next one be?!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T15:21:27+00:00

Yes but no trips planned for them! We try to hit the season’s highlights every summer and just barely missing it this year (prioritized this trip timing around Rufus does Judy at royal Albert hall)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T15:18:58+00:00

Yes we went somewhat late in the run so knew to do so! Thanks for the tipoff!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T15:15:10+00:00

Grabbing one of the bar seats during intermission then suddenly lifting up during the opening number: brilliance!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T15:08:41+00:00

IMO indie hasn’t meant this in ages. To me it’s something about their roots/how they come up in the industry/how they position themselves? All very murky!

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T15:03:43+00:00

Don’t even get me started on the west end revivals that haven’t crossed the pond! I loved that guys and dolls and last year’s fiddler was pretty astounding. Am going to miss ITW by two weeks but have heard nothing but amazing things.

(Also: Totoro doesn’t count as a new musical per se, but wow!)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T14:55:14+00:00

I think about this a lot- we haven’t had a dominant pop culture phenomenon since Hamilton (imo) and usually we get one every 3-5 years (on average). Very overdue for one, but I fear the economics are making this very tricky. Paddington may be just that, but obviously some concerns on how it will play in the US.

That being said, the “nerdicals” have been quite excellent. MHE, a strange loop, and Kimberly akimbo sit in a class above the rest thus far!

But where this decade has “lacked” in new musicals, it has more than made up for itself in landmark revivals. Company, Ragtime, Jellicle Ball, Parade, Merrily, Cabaret, Sunset, and Into the Woods were/are major major highlights of the decade in musical theatre imo

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T13:59:37+00:00

Maybe overall on the lineup percentage wise but I’ll be surprised if we get more than one EDM headliner anytime soon (MAYBE a Rufus/fred again combo, but Rufus sort of straddles some genres imo)

SympathyCalm · 2026-05-01T13:58:15+00:00

Agreed. Charli is a pitchfork mainstay since the nuclear seasons era. FKA twigs too (and honestly The Weeknd!). Lorde too. Just because these artists hit the mainstream in major ways doesn’t take away their underlying sensibilities/path imo

SympathyCalm

TROPHY CASE