THE BOYS IN THE BAND (2018) Previews

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/29/18 at 9:53pm

Previews for the 50th anniversary production of Mart Crowley's groundbreaking The Boys in the Band begin tomorrow (Monday, April 30, 2018 ) at the Booth Theatre. Starring a cast of starry names (including Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, and Andrew Rannells, just to name a few), The Boys in the Band is set to open on Thursday, May 31 for a limited run currently through Saturday, August 11.

Who's going?! 

Updated On: 4/29/18 at 09:53 PM

[Crazy NooNooHead]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 2:06am

I'll be at the first preview, opening night (which also happens to be my birthday), closing night, and...most likely a bunch in between.

[Morales2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 3:12am

I'll be there as well.  Very much looking forward to it.

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 9:20am

Will be there Wednesday matinee! 

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 9:27am

i am in NYC June 15th from Palm Springs just to see this production...

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 9:21pm

Hope someone was there tonight!  I am not seeing this until July, so curious to hear opinions!

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 9:28pm

EllieRose2 said: "Hope someone was there tonight! I am not seeing this until July, so curious to hear opinions!"

One imagines you'll hear opinions before July...

[Danielle49]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 10:01pm

Curious as well - I'm going on Thursday! I know many people have strong opinions about the material itself, but I plan on going in pretty blind in regards to the play. Looking forward to it!

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 10:14pm

Danielle49 said: "Curious as well - I'm going on Thursday! I know many people have strong opinions about the material itself, but I plan on going in pretty blind in regards to the play. Looking forward to it!"

This thread seems to be a bad way to go in blind.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 10:35pm

I obviously meant I won't be seeing this for awhile, so I am curious about how it is.  That's all.  You didn't see it tonight, so why are you on this thread commenting on it?

[thegamesiplay]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:03pm

The revival is spectacular. Buy your tickets while you can because when the reviews come out you won’t be able to.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:07pm

I can’t believe another season has already started when the last one just ended. The 2017-18 season may have begun with a thud, but 2018-19 season has decided not to follow in its predecessor’s footsteps. 

Thank god for Joe Mantello; he has done it again! The man is truly on a roll and without spoiling anything, the way he builds up to the final tableau is fantastic. Stage pictures, constantly fluid movement, stellar performances- Mantello’s guiding hand is everywhere and though everyone will be gushing about the actors (justifiably so) and how fresh the script still remains, it’s the director who deserves the lion’s share of the credit for pulling this off. 

I have such fond memories of the last revival at the Transport Group. The environmental setting was inspired and the performances were wonderful. Those guys really felt like this group of frenemies. This cast is definitely Boys in the Band: Hollywood Hunk A-Gay Edition, and it districts a little at first seeing the gay elite all gathered together on one stage. Still, Jim Parsons’ Michael was pitched perfectly and held the evening together so well that I quickly forgot who he was and got sucked into Michael’s story. Quinto is a delicious Harold; his, “Who is she? Who was she? Who does she hope to be?” was killer. Robin de Jesus was the other main standout- I’ve never taken de Jesus to be a...subtle actor, but his monologue before his turn at “Affairs of the Heart” really got to me. Emory is easily the most lovable character, but de Jesus made him more than just hysterical. “I may be nellie, but I’m no coward,” tugged on the old heartstrings. 

The set is the same as The Humans, except covered in floor to ceiling red carpeting. Ryan Murphy can easily steal this design for a room in Hotel 2. 

If you want to see this show and don’t already have a ticket, walk down to the box office tomorrow and buy one. Once the word spreads there won’t be any left. (When Matt Bomer stripped down to this tighty whities to take a shower I think half the audience gasped and I thought, well there go any remaining premium tickets!)

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:15pm

EllieRose2 said: "You didn't see it tonight, so why are you on this thread commenting on it?"

Because there are no rules to who can post and, if there were, you already violated your own rule first?!

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:16pm

WhizzerMarvin said: "If you want to see this show and don’t already have a ticket, walk down to the box office tomorrow and buy one."

Sweet, already have tickets to see this twice... including second row for closing night. Can't wait...

[batchels]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:27pm

Especially looking forward to seeing this on 5/19 after Whizzer's review.

What was the approximate running time tonight?  Any stage door reports?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:28pm

I'd actually buy a real ticket to see this, any discount codes?

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:29pm

RippedMan said: "I'd actually buy a real ticket to see this, any discount codes?"

There were discounts for weekday mezz only, I think.

[Will3700]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:30pm

Well this was the highlight of my trip (a tie with Angels In America) but just wow The entire cast is superb and hit the mark every time I’ve always liked the original movie but man it’s so much better live !!

[SLT17]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:30pm

This revival is stunning from start to finish - by far the best thing I’ve seen all season, it’s a shame it didn’t make the Tony cutoff. There isn’t a weak link in the cast, and Robin de Jesus steals the show as the perfect Emory but they all truly deliver. Definitely echo the others by saying grab a ticket while you can before the reviews come out - I certainly can’t wait to go back.

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:32pm

What a glorious, thrilling, funny, heart-breaking examination of the way we deal with who we are and our vulnerability. I had doubts about the film/tv actors, but with the rare exception of Matt Bomer who I thought didn't quite settle in and often disappeared in the background, the performances were fantastic all around. I'm sure Mr. Bomer will get there soon. I don't think the play is, as many made it seem, dated at all. It's not just about being gay in a specific time and place. It's also about the outsider mindset that sends us in different ways, even self-destruction. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/30/18 at 11:59pm

The show is not dated AT ALL. In fact, it feels even more natural since the last revival. We all see something akin to Harold’s birthday party each week with the girls in the workroom/on Untucked. The slang is all very “in” right now. Ru and her girls have had a profound effect on how gay men speak; the library is open and even when it’s closed, each sentence can begin with “no tea, no shade, but...” 

The Boys in the Band does not feel like a period piece, and I believe it will strike a chord with both young and older generations of gay men alike. 

[JBC3]

Posted: 5/1/18 at 12:03am

And the winning Mantello track record scores another one tonight. So good.

[mmh1019]

Posted: 5/1/18 at 12:07am

100% agree with Whizzer, I knew nothing about the play coming in and it didn't feel dated at all. I was laughing way more than I thought I would, then suddenly pulled into these heartbreaking moments. I could see the really beautiful chemistry that Bomer & Parsons have from having worked together on The Normal Heart. They have a cool two-hander really during the first 1/4 of the show, and I thought they played off each other well. Bomer's character does fade into the background a bit as other characters have more dialogue in the second 1/2 of the show. Robin DeJesus was a total standout, he was fabulous. And the set was gorgeous, it just felt lush. I'm jumping on getting tickets to this again, I want to see them further into their run, but tonight? Fabulous.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/1/18 at 12:09am

Head over to the play’s Instagram and view their Instagram Stories.  Red carpet video, footage of the Halston-esque set (pre and post performance with the trashed set) plus the cast stage dooring which will be a madhouse.  

[Nycat63]

Posted: 5/1/18 at 12:15am

Thrilled to hear this as I have tickets for my June trip!

I apologize for asking about seating but I bought my tickets a few weeks ago and best I could do other than premium was Orch Row O. After I purchased, I saw that scalpers had bought up TONS of seats (at least for the June dates I was looking at, though I suspect same is true for the entire run) so while I’m thrilled for the show, I hate to see the scalpers win.

If anyone would care to make me feel ok about sitting way back in Row O, please do . Haven’t been to the Booth. If I won’t be able to appreciate it from back there I might consider trying to exchange for premium but it would be very rough on the budget. All opinions appreciated!