Growing up in New York and only an hour drive away from Manhattan’s 42nd street, my family attended at least one Broadway show a year for the majority of my childhood. Being exposed to this culture so early in my life, I quickly developed a deep appreciation for the theatrical arts.
Although coming to BC has separated me from my beloved New York City, I have refused to let the distance keep me from experiencing the performing arts culture here in Boston. In the past three years I’ve seen numerous performances by the Boston Ballet, including Sleeping Beauty and Romeo and Juliet, as well as productions from Broadway troupes, such as The Book of Mormon.
Most recently, I took advantage of the light workload of syllabus week and saw Once with my cousin on Tuesday night. Set in Dublin, the theatrical adaptation of the 2006 film tells the story of an Irishman, who is stuck in a rut fixing vacuums with his father, and the relationship he develops with a Czech immigrant, “Girl.” The Irishman, “Guy,” hopelessly puts down his guitar after performing a song he wrote for his former girlfriend when “Girl,” entranced by the emotion in his song, encourages him to record a demo album and gives him the chance for a life-changing opportunity. Over their time together, his music takes on a new meaning for the both of them.
Not only was the show amazing, but the whole evening was an amazing experience as well. Prior to the show, the production has an open bar on stage and invites the audience to be served beverages in this unique way rather than solely out in the lobby. About ten minutes before the scheduled start of the show, ten of the thirteen-member cast joined those on stage and began playing a series of folk songs. Once incorporates not only the vocal musicality of the cast, but also the instrumental abilities of each member. The actors produce the orchestral music on stage using instruments including the guitar, piano, violin, cello, and accordion. The multi-talented cast really made me appreciate the dedication the actors and musicians put into their art; they are able to beautifully blend together vocal, instrumental and visual aspects into one performance.
Unfortunately, “Broadway in Boston’s” productions are only in town for a limited time; Once wrapped up its production on Sunday, January 19th. The organization, however, offers a variety of shows throughout the year. Upcoming shows for this semester include Green Day’s American Idiot, as well as other shows such as Flashdance and The Book of Mormon. In addition to the special deals that BC 2 Boston offers to BC students, these shows typically have a student rush option for only $26, subject to availability. I suggest calling the theater the week of the performance just to make sure.
Be sure to continue to take full advantage of the opportunities the wonderful city of Boston has to offer and happy theater-going!
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