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The Lion King 20 April 2011

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Radio City Music Hall, a short walk from the bright lights of Broadway, offers a behind-the-scenes tour of the Art Deco landmark in Rockefeller Center.

Spider-Man LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Radio City Music Hall Photo Courtesy of MSG Entertainment

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t may not have the magic of Mary Poppins, lavish trappings of The Lion King or notoriety of Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark, but a little OffBroadway production can satisfy one’s craving for New York theater as much as a splashy musical.

I was reminded of that recently when my night on the town took place in an intimate basement theater under Sofia’s Restaurant on 46th Street, just steps from the bright lights of Times Square and blockbuster shows. The quirky, twoperson comedy, Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage, kept us chuckling throughout and included audience participation. The prim and proper Miss Abigail, a sought-after relationship expert whose advice for couples harks back to the 1950s, is played by Eve Plumb, who portrayed Jan Brady for five seasons on TV’s The Brady Bunch.

Though Miss Abigail holds court in the heart of New York’s Broadway theater district, it is considered OffBroadway, a term that refers to theaters with 100-499 seats. Not that the casual theater-goer always knows the difference, says Jody Bell of BroadwaySpace.com, the group sales division of Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, producer of Miss Abigail. Some Broadway hits, once their numbers start to dwindle, move to smaller Off-Broadway theaters to save on production costs, she explained, pointing to Avenue Q as a current example.

Bell said Miss Abigail is popular with senior groups, as is the hit Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet, a look back at rock ’n’ roll stars Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins on the day in 1956 when they gathered in a Memphis recording studio.

For this spring, she notes a moviesturned-musicals trend, citing Sister Act, Catch Me If You Can and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, all of which opened or LeisureGroupTravel.com

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began previews in March.

With a total of six new musicals, “we’re seeing one of the busiest springs in recent memory,” said Dennis Martin, director, group sales programs, Broadway.com/Groups. “They’re selling every single seat.”

As Broadway ticket sales continue strong, each of Broadway’s 40 theaters has been occupied, Martin said. “When one show closes, another one moves in.”

According to The Broadway League, Broadway attendance for the 2010 calendar year totaled 12.11 million, an increase over the previous year’s 11.88 million. Attendance for the 2009-2010 Broadway season topped that of the 10 professional New York and New Jersey sports teams combined.

Martin notes that Whoopi Goldberg (who starred in the movie Sister Act) is a producer of the Broadway version, and Bette Midler is one of Priscilla’s producers. Catch Me If You Can, based on the Tom Hanks/Leonardo DiCaprio film about a real-life con artist, was created by the team behind Hairspray.

Wonderland, a new spin on the classic story of Alice and her Looking Glass world, opens April 17. This fresh take features a modern-day woman who goes on a life-changing adventure far below the streets of New York City.

Spider-Man, which garnered tons of publicity when actors got seriously injured in acrobatic stunts during early performances, continues to be a hot seller, Bell said, admitting that “we were swarmed with requests” (for tickets) the day after the first accident. “It’s like a rollercoaster—people enjoy the adrenaline…Everyone asks me about it.” Music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge of U2 enhance the story of the Marvel comic book hero, the most expensive Broadway show ever produced.

(Spider-Man officially is still in previews, but at press time the latest word

is that it will finally open June 14 following significant revisions. The show goes on a three-week hiatus starting April 19.)

“The revival to see,” Martin said, is How to Succeed in Business (Without Really Trying) starring Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame) and five-time Emmy Award winner John Larroquette (Night Court, The Practice). They make their Broadway musical debuts in this 50th anniversary revival, which opened March 27. Another new revival: Cole Porter’s Anything Goes with Joel Grey and Sutton Foster, featuring songs like “I Get a Kick out of You,” “You’re the Top,” “It’s De-Lovely” and the title tune.

A revival of Godspell is coming this fall, and “everyone is anticipating the opening of that one,” Bell said.

Student travelers have played a major part in the ongoing success of Mary Poppins and The Lion King, says Bryan Dockett, vice president national sales, Disney Theatrical Group. “The student/youth market is the core of our group business.”

He said, “The youth market has been a constant for us and has stayed strong even during the whole recession” because parents are willing to spend the money on school trips. “They want their kids to have that experience and don’t want them to miss out on it.”

Besides seeing the show, student groups can take advantage of Disneycreated study guides that tie in the content of Mary Poppins and The Lion King with geography and other classroom subjects. Also for school groups, 90-minute theater workshops focus on dance, music and how the whole show comes together.

Student and other groups that book a performance of Mary Poppins can get a tour of the New Amsterdam Theatre, another add-on offered by Disney Theatrical. Dockett said the tour, ofApril 2011 21

THE RIDE, a new Manhattan tour option, presents its own live entertainment.

fered when the theater presented The Lion King (which moved in 2006 to the Minskoff Theatre), was recently reintroduced after a hiatus. The tour explores the history of Broadway theater and the Disney-City of New York partnership that in 1996 re-launched the New Amsterdam and played a key role in cleaning up 42nd Street, which, back in the early 1990s, was tawdry and “not a place to bring tourists,” Dockett said.

The Lion King, the seventh longest running musical in Broadway history, opened in November of 1997.

Still going strong, the colorful show just enjoyed its best year in the last 13, Dockett said, and Mary Poppins had its second best box office since opening in November of 2006.

Only Phantom of the Opera, which opened in 1988, and Chicago (1996) have been on Broadway longer than The Lion King. Other long-running current shows: Mamma Mia (2001), Wicked (2003) and Jersey Boys (2005).

The newest form of entertainment in town is a traveling, 49-seat theater called THE RIDE. On super-sized, custom vehicles outfitted like a theater, with sideways-facing stadium seating, tour passengers roll through Midtown Manhattan on a 75minute journey that combines commentary with sidewalk performances (designed just for THE RIDE) by dancers, singers, rappers and comedi22 April 2011

ans. The 4.5-mile tour starts at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Group tickets are $55. (experiencetheride.com) TV fans flock to Rockefeller Plaza for behind-the-scenes tours of NBC Studios in the GE Building, location of the TV series 30 Rock. Guests walk into studios used by such shows as Dr. Oz, Football Night in America, NBC Nightly News and Saturday Night Live.

Every tour member has a chance to pose behind an anchor desk in a mock

Marc Bryan-Brown

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or The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, they can get an eyeful of this Art Deco jewel on the one-hour “Stage Door Tour,” another behind-the-scenes offering at Rockefeller Center. A highlight is meeting a Radio City Rockette and posing with the leggy dancer for a picture. Walking through back corridors, tour members see posters of past concert performers (from Bette Midler to Steve Wonder) and movies that premiered at this larger-than-life theater dating from 1932. For 45 years it packaged first-run movies with the Rockettes and other live acts until that format lost appeal. Radio City was in danger of being demolished after permanently closing in 1978. Today this landmark glistens from a restoration project that started in 1999. More than one million people walk through its doors during The Christmas Spectacular’s eight-week engagement—that’s twice as many as the biggest Broadway show draws all year. (radiocity.com) This summer Radio City’s cavernous, 6,000-seat auditorium hosts Zarkana, a Cirque du Soleil acrobatic spectacle that runs from June 9 through Sept. 4. The story plunges Zark, a magician on a quest to find his lost powers, into a bizarre world inhabited by surreal creatures.

Top of the Rock, the GE Building’s three-level observatory, is yet another Rockefeller Center mustsee. Views of the skyscraper-studded skyline and the vast expanse of Central Park unfold from open-air terraces on floors 68, 69 and 70. In the distance the Statue of Liberty stands sentinel in New York Harbor. (topoftherocknyc.com) Top of the Rock is an attraction covered by New York CityPASS. Valid for nine days, the convenient ticket ($79 for adults) lets pass holders skip the lines and pays for itself if you see only five of the six attractions.

Radio City Music Hall hosts concerts and the annual Christmas Spectacular.

studio, and two people can volunteer to read the news or do the weather. The tour starts in the NBC Studios Store, a good place to shop for souvenirs of current TV hits like 30 Rock and The Office, plus old favorites like Seinfeld and Friends. (nbcstudiotour.com) If your group doesn’t catch a concert

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THE WONDER OF BROADWAY. THE MAGIC OF . ★★★★!

” A perfect ect piece of musical sical theater.” r.”

In New York City • On Tour Across North America

© Disney/CML

–NY Post

New York City | Las Vegas On Tour Across North America

SPECIAL GROUP ADD-ONS!

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DISCOVER THE PRIDE OF NEW YORK

Make your New York Broadway experience even more magical with historic New Amsterdam Theatre tours.

Call 800-439-9000 to speak to a Disney Theatrical Sales Group Specialist.

For a sneak peek, visit

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alyssa cherwak

Discovering the Gardens of New York State Horticultural wonderlands enchant groups that appreciate a green thumb ew York is a state widely known for bustling city life, but it also has many beautiful botanic gardens that offer an escape from the urban frenzy. Located throughout the Empire State are gardens that embrace horticulture from all over the world. Here are just a few examples: Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Staten Island offers group travelers a garden experience mixed with history, museums and theaters. The gardens reflect different time periods and cultures. The Chinese Scholar Garden, a visitor favorite, embodies Chinese art and philosophy through an arrangement of shrubbery, rocks and ponds. Designed after the Villa Gamberaia in Florence is the Tuscan Garden, where topiaries, formal water elements and a vineyard give tourists a glance into Italian culture. Throughout the year Snug Harbor hosts various events and concerts. (718-448-2500, snug-harbor.org) New York Botanical Gardens was named by the New York Times a “New York Masterpiece.” Located in the Bronx, NYBG is recognized as a classical botanical garden where plants are studied and exhibited. Its 250 acres contain over one million plants in 50 gardens, including one of the most beautiful rose gardens in the U.S. The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden displays over 600 species of roses, which are in bloom six months out of the year. Groups visiting NYBG in spring will enjoy the lilacs and tulips. Apart from flowers, guests can also explore the native forest, comprised of trees up to 200 years old, along the Bronx River.

(718-817-8700, nybg.org) Brooklyn Botanic Garden features a dozen gardens and several conservatories, including the aquatic house and a bonsai

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Read about some of the best attractions and restaurants in New York’s Broadway theater district. Log on to http://leisuregrouptravel.com/?p=23019

24 April 2011

Beauty in the Bronx: New York Botanical Gardens

museum. Entering the garden from the east entrance, groups will be immersed in the Osborne Garden’s spectrum of colors provided by such flowers as azaleas, rhododendrons and wisteria. Those visiting in April and May get to experience the cherry trees in full bloom. (718-623-7200, bbg.org) Occupying the former estate of William Robertson Coe, an insurance entrepreneur and philanthropist, is the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. Located

New York Botanical Gardens is one of the Bronx’s hidden treasures.

in Long Island’s Oyster Bay, the park’s 409 acres consist of greenhouses, gardens and miles of hiking trails. The Rhododendron Collection features over a 1,000 types of vintage and modern species. The Main Greenhouse seasonally showcases poinsettias, Easter lilies and chrysanthemums. Also open to visitors is Coe Hall, the Coe family home featuring an Elizabethan-style interior.

(516-922-9200, plantingfields.org) The three-tiered Formal Italian Gardens at Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park are a restoration of the gardens built in the 1930s. The top level consists of annual plants, the middle of perennials and pool gardens and the lower level, built by gardening enthusiast Frederick Vanderbilt, features a variety of rose species.

In mid-spring, native trees such as dogwoods and redbuds are in bloom. Guests

can enjoy views of the Hudson River and tour the Vanderbilt Mansion. (845-229-9115, 2.marist.edu/fwvga) Also in Hyde Park is the Rose Garden at Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Featuring 28 types of roses, the garden is the burial site of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt. Groups can explore the grounds and rose gardens or tour the FDR Presidential Library and Museum. Guests are also invited to visit FDR’s Top Cottage, the building he purchased as a retreat from presidential pressures. (800-337-8474, nps.gov/hofr) In the Finger Lakes region of New York, in the town of Canandaigua, is Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park.

Open from May through October the park consists of nine formal gardens, each representing different cultures and historical eras. Included are Japanese, rose and Italian gardens, plus a 20-acre arboretum and a greenhouse. Built in 1887, the Sonnenberg mansion is one of the few remaining Queen Anne-style manors in the country.

(585-394-4922, sonnenberg.org) The flora at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is dispersed between the Palm Dome and nine greenhouses. The Palm Dome is a tri-domed Victorian conservatory that was built in the 1890s and houses such visitor favorites as the orchid room and begonia room. Also in the garden is the South Park Arboretum, where a collection of tree species is showcased. (716-827-584, buffalogardens.com) These New York gardens give flower lovers a chance to experience a kaleidoscope of colors, sights and smells from a vast array of vegetation. Each garden offers tour groups a unique perspective on the world of horticulture. LGT Obtain New York visitor guides and itineraries – and contact groupfriendly suppliers directly – at leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Participating sights include the Empire State Building Observatory, American Museum of Natural History (including a space show in Hayden Planetarium), Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art (just a few blocks from Rockefeller Center). In addition, CityPASS users can choose from either the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry or Circle Line sightseeing cruise, and either Top of the Rock or the Guggenheim Museum. (citypass.com) Besides theaters and bright lights, Times Square abounds with fun stores and high-octane tourist attractions like Madame Tussauds New York and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Shop for baseball souvenirs at the Yankee Clubhouse or indulge your sweet tooth at the M&M and Hershey stores. Keep your camera out at the Toys R Us mega-store, with its indoor Ferris wheel, toy demonstrations, and Empire State Building made with 180,000 Lego blocks.

Times Square and Midtown Manhattan, as any tour organizer knows, packs in more than any group could possibly see in a week, much less a few days. There’s no business like show business, and no place like New York, the heartbeat of America’s theater scene. LGT

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