Broadway’s An American in Paris, a Must-See Show

Planning a trip to New York City can be a daunting task. Trying to figure out what to do and see is hard, especially if you have no frame of reference–other than what you see on TV. So I asked plenty of people for their advice. Hands down the number one thing I was told to do was to see a Broadway show. Sounds easy, right? Well not as easy as you think. The reason is there are so many to choose from–even on the short notice we had. (I understand some shows are sold out months in advance.)

Again, this is where the email from my friend from New York came in very helpful. She had given me links to different companies in New York City that offered discounts on everything, including one for Broadway shows. The company Today Tix sells tickets up to 6 days ahead of time. It is for “last-minute theater tickets.” Now all we had to do was select one.

When it came down to it, there was really only one choice for Bobby, my husband, and me. We contemplated seeing Fiddler on the Roof, because we love it. But we were leaning toward An American in Paris. A friend of Bobby’s recommended it. (This friend is actually from the New York film/theater scene.) Plus we both love Gershwin music. Bobby thinks that if Gershwin were alive and writing music today, he’d be writing progressive rock, like his favorite band, Dream Theater. As an aside, a Dream Theater side project recorded Rhapsody in Blue using modern instruments.

We scheduled to see the show on Friday, July 15. With Today Tix, you pick your tickets up out front of the theater about a half hour before the show. We got to Times Square early so we walked around a little. By the time we got back to the theater a line was forming. They don’t open the doors until right around 30 minutes prior to curtain up. So after we got our tickets we waited with anticipation along with the rest of the crowd. We hoped the seats we selected would be good ones. We weren’t disappointed.

The set on the stage when we arrived was a single piano in the center of the stage. The overture began and the lights lowered. Then a single actor, Brandon Uranowitz, comes on the stage. He portrayed Adam Hochberg and set the scene for the audience. He explained that the story takes place in Paris immediately after the occupation was ended. The backdrop of the stage had a curtain that first showed pictures of swastikas then was pulled down by cast members, pulled over Adam and his piano and put back up, now with the French flag colors, all in one single fluid motion. Only when the backdrop was back in place, the piano and Adam was gone! This is how the show began.

The changing of every scene was just as seamless and fluid. One minute the scene was the café, the next a Paris street. It was so well planned the entire show, it was simply amazing. The music and the dancing was of course fantastic. The orchestra was flawless. The actors won you over with their portrayal of their characters, you wanted everything to work out for them. And the dancing was spectacular. It is no wonder that the show won a Tony Award for best choreography.

The most surprising thing for Bobby was that they played the entire score of An American in Paris. He told me that he thought there would be no way a twenty minute piece of music would be part of the show. Yet it was. And it was gorgeous. The performers transported us to an Era of beauty that it seems you can’t get nowadays.

I am so glad we saw that show on Broadway. A fellow ticket holder who sat by me said that once you go Broadway, you can never go back. I don’t know if I agree with him, but I do believe that if you are going to be in New York City, then you really should see a Broadway show. But don’t worry, if you can’t get to NYC, they are starting a National Tour of An American in Paris. It just may be coming to a theater near you. I think we’re already planning on seeing it when it comes our way next summer.