Although we all wish for a happily-ever-after when it comes to romance, the love stories on Broadway this season are not exactly straightforward.
You can find your fill of Spring flings on Broadway, from one of opera's greatest—and riskiest—romances in the production of Porgy and Bess to love that transcends life itself in Ghost.
Once
The new musical Once , based on the 2007 film, is the only one that truly depicts the wonderful sorrow of unrequited love.
Falling Slowly
The Academy Award-winning duet "Falling Slowly" is included in the film Once, which chronicles the friendship between two musicians.
They eventually part ways, and you'll leave the theater yearning to hear more musical numbers from this powerful production.
Memphis
Another example of a missed connection is the Tony Award-winning Memphis , the hit musical about celebrity and forbidden love.
This Broadway musical is set in 1950s Memphis and follows the story of a white radio DJ who falls in love with a black vocalist whose career he launches.
Despite his attempts to combat bigotry in the South using blues music, the lovers cannot do so. Even if it is sad, you'll still be up and rocking out to the singable songs towards the end of the show.
Porgy and Bess
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess , the most recent production of the iconic 1935 opera about a crippled beggar who falls in love with a gorgeous but problematic drug user, is about ill-fated love.
Porgy and Bess by the Gershwins contain an uncommon combination of jazz, folk, and blues music on Broadway, featuring the classic "Summertime."
The Ghost
If you've already watched the 1990 film, you might assume you know what to anticipate from the new musical Ghost .
However, you'll be astounded by how this performance summons the spectral presence of a slain man who stays on earth long enough to save his girlfriend from harm.
The new musical Ghost retains the intensity of the love tale that enthralled movie audiences more than 20 years ago, despite the production being distinctively Broadway.
Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera is the musical that best illustrates how sometimes love can be painful.
Since it is the longest-running Broadway production, more theatergoers than any other musical in history have seen this chilling narrative of obsessional love.
Of course, there are still a few happy endings in both Mamma Mia and Broa dway. It promises a wedding as the big conclusion, but not with the pair you might expect. Mamma Mia! is based on songs from the 1970s by the Swedish group ABBA.
At its foundation, this play depicts the story of true love that was delayed by having to spend a lot of time away. It is well recognized for its disco dance tunes (including a show-stopping climax with more glitz than anything else on Broadway).
Anything Goes!
And if you still can't get enough genuine love after one marriage, check out Anything Goes! surpasses tha t by two.
The star-crossed stowaway Billy Crocker, who hires a few unfortunate criminals and a nightclub singer in his mission to capture the love of a gorgeous heiress already engaged to someone else, is the subject of this Tony Award-winning revival of the 1934 musical. Sounds challenging? This is what makes the show so hilarious. (And besides, who said love was simple?)
Check out the list of shows and events in NYC below to find something that interests you! With so much to choose from, you're sure to find something that will excite and entertain you.
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