A number of things came into my mind while deciding which Broadway show to patronize. I have always enjoyed Shakespeare and have been listening to two of his plays on my ipod while I work; the fact that my mother loves Orlando Bloom was a bonus. Having gotten my ticket at the TKTS booth two hours before the show, I had no idea what to expect as far as seating was concerned. My seat was three rows off the stage, center isle. I was so close I could feel the heat from the on stage fires and see the spittle as it escaped the mouths of the actors in speech.
The performances were all very good, but I especially enjoyed the men portraying Mercutio and Tybalt, Christian Camargo and Corey Hawkins respectively. Other delightful notables were Condola Rashad, Chuck Cooper and Roslyn Ruff. I found the stage props to be quite impressive as well. There was a giant mural of saints painted on a wall which looked to be 16 feet tall and 40 feet wide. The top half could be raised or lowered independently and the bottom half could also split in two and be divided, offering space between for the actors to walk. The stage was once a street, and then a house, now a crypt, and then a garden.
For a few hours the audience witnessed the entrancing tradition of the play. For a few hours we allowed ourselves once again to hope for undying love.
albaniacalling 