So, now that I've seen practically everything on Broadway, or at least anything that I have any interest in seeing, I've been turning my attention to Off Broadway and regional offerings.
I've been intrigued by The Tin Pan Alley Rag, which is being presented by the Roundabout at the Laura Pels Theater. I've heard virtually nothing about the show, other than the fact that it represents a fictional meeting between composers Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin. Here's an edited version of the Roundabout's publicity blurb:
Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin share an evening of fascinating stories
and toe-tapping rhythms. The Tin Pan Alley Rag weaves their
tales together, as two great icons discover
they have more in common than they ever imagined.
Hmm. Seems like the sort of show that could either be very compelling or dreadfully academic. Librettist Mark Saltzman apparently interweaves songs from the Joplin and Berlin songbooks. I haven't come across Saltzman before, but it appears that he started writing for "Sesame Street," and contributed material to A...My Name is Alice. There's not much else on his resume that I recognize, so at this point Saltzman is a bit of an unknown variable.
One thing I noticed while researching TPAR was its top ticket price of $85. It got me thinking about the going rate for Off-Broadway musicals, so I did some poking around. Here's what I found:
- The Toxic Avenger: $71.50
- Altar Boyz: $75
- The Fantasticks: $76
- The Marvelous Wonderettes: $75
- Vanities: $75
It's interesting to note that the Roundabout recently announced a top ticket price for its upcoming Broadway revival of Bye Bye Birdie of $136.50. So the folks at the Roundabout seem to have no problem being on the cutting edge of ticket prices, even if they seem to be lagging somewhat in the show-quality department, at least of late. Will The Tin Pan Alley Rag be able to justify its $10 premium? I'll be seeing the show next week, along with Vanities, The Marvelous Wonderettes, and the second two plays in The Norman Conquests cycle. Watch this space for my reviews.
