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Question: Broadway show for somebody who doesn't understand English!?
Hello!

My mom is coming over from Italy and I wanted to take her to a Broadway show or opera in NYC!. She doesn't speak English so could somebody please suggest me a nice show with little dialogues!? Thanks a lot!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
We've been taking foreign tour groups to Broadway for years, and The Lion King has always worked the best!.

Beauty and the Beast was also great, but unfortunately it's no longer running!.

The Phantom of the Opera has great music (and is a personal favorite), but there is also quite a bit of storyline and dialogue which non-English speakers tend to find confusing and boring!.
I don't know if 42nd Street is still playing, but it didn't work too well either!.

The Lion King has great visual effects and music and you can hardly go wrong!.

I hope she enjoys her stay!
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In Broadway, a good show should speak for itself!. Naturally, I don't necessarily think that not understanding the dialogue!. However, a good option would be the Met and Broadway (if you're strapped for cash go for the Met), because if your mother is Italian she would understand most operas that play!. So if you went to one show on Broadway and one at the Met, you would both get to experience each other's element!. This would get you and your mother closer together, because would both have to translate!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Any light hearted musical will be fine !.!.!. the bigger the spectacle, the better!. If you want opera !.!.!.check the performance schedule at the metropolitan opera website and reserve tix!.!.!.the popular operas sell out fast sometimes!.
Here are some brief reviews of shows now on Broadway
Here are my picks for the hottest musicals currently running on Broadway!.
1!. The Drowsy Chaperone
This Broadway musical was fun, entertaining and original!. That's right, original!. It isn't based on a catalog of music or movie or a book!. It is based on a love for 1920's jazz musicals and a great sense of comedy!.

2!. Mama Mia
ABBA music was made for musicals!. Half the fun was waiting to see how they would fit in the various songs!. Listen to the ABBA Gold CD!. If it makes you want to dance, this musical is for you!.

3!. Wicked
This is the story of Wicked Witch of the West and how she came to be!. The story is told from her point of view!. We all know how she ends up!. It's the journey that is fascinating!.

4!. Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys tells the story of the 4 Seasons!. Four Jersey boys: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi moved from their blue-collar world to become immensely popular music icons!. "They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty!."

5!. Hairspray
this is one of the best musicals playing!.

6!. Avenue Q
This mock-Muppet musical began Off-Broadway, moved to Broadway and won a stack of 2004 Tonys!. This show is VERY funny, but not for the whole family!. It is definitely a grown-up show!.

7!. Monty Python's Spamalot
This world-premiere features a book by "Python" Eric Idle, lovingly ripped off from the screenplay of the acclaimed "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" film with a new score featuring music and lyrics by Eric Idle and John Du Prez!.

8!. Rent
Rent, a modern interpretation of the musical La Boheme, is about a group of young, hungry artists in New York City's East Village!. The film version of this hugely popular musical will open in November with most of the original cast returning to their roles!.
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Ti consiglo di portarla a vedere Jersey Boys!. Anche se non capierebbe i dialoghi, quel spettacolo e pieno delle belle canzoni che sicuramente le piaceranno!.

In ogni modo, una commedia, secondo me non andrebbe bene, meglio scegliere un musical, del quale ce ne sono tanti!.

In bocca al lupo!

I suggest you take her to see Jersey Boys!. Even though she won't understand the dialogue, the show is loaded with great songs that she's sure to love!.

In any case, I'd say a comedy wouldn't be a good idea!. You're better off choosing a musical, of which there are many!.

Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i would take her to something with a lot of spectacle to it so that the actual language of the musical/opera doesn't matter, the show is still communicable!. also take her to something that she won't be able to see in italy!. wicked's a good choice; known story with a lot to look at!. i know it's cheesey, but i took my mother and little brother to see the blue man group in chicago and it was one of their favorite things to see here just because it is so unusual!. it wouldn't hurt to do some research and see if you couldn't find an italian performance (theatre, opera, ect!.!.!.) of something happening in the city while she's there!.!.!.you never know!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hmm!.!.!.instead of Broadway, have you looked into what's currently playing at the New York Metropolitan Opera!? Expensive as heck, but they do a lot of their stuff in Italian!.

Nothing currently on Broadway is in a foreign langauge, so I would suggest something with nice visuals that could still tell the story!. Something like The Lion King, Mama Mia, or Grease!.

They're light on story, heavy on singing / dancing, so she's stand to miss the least with those!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If your mom has seen The Wizard of Oz (El Mago de Oz), you have GOT to take her to see WICKED!. It's absolutely amazing, and reviews from people around the world who have seen it say that they didn't need to understand English to know exactly what was happening!. I've seen it twice and it is both hysterically funny and emotionally gut wrenching!. She'll love it!

Lion King is a good choice too!.
But unlike the person above, I would not recommend taking your own mother to see Puppetry of the Penis, unless you have a really bizarre relationship with your mom!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

if your mother is coming from italy, she may actually understand the opera, though good luck trying to score tickets at the met!. sheesh!.!.!. there goes your paycheck!.

another route you can take would be to take your mother to go see shows like stomp or cookin or blue man group!. though she would hafta be pretty open minded and not mind noise too much!.

and if your mom is really open!.!.!. try puppetry of the penis!. ha ha ha!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Here is what we did years ago when we had Dutch people come over!.

Damn Yankees was back on B-way!. We bought the movie and let them watch it while we explained!. ( They speak english but were rusty ) then we took them to the play!.

You could do the same with South Pacific!.

Don't do CATS!.!.!.!.!. It sucks in any language!Www@QuestionHome@Com

can't !.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.
like Shakespeare and the opera, a story can be told and understood!.
Try a musical, and remember, music is universal!.
Go with "Jersey Boys!." All music!!

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Phantom of the Opera!.
When I was in Korea I saw Phantom for the first time, and I don't speak Korean!. I became a huge fan!!
It's easy enough to get the gist of what's happening!. And it's one of the most popular plays ever!!
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Try 'Cats!.' It does have a lot of songs, but there's absolutely no need to understand them, you go for the music and acrobatics!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

What about the Lion King!? I went to see that last year and it was amazing!. The costumes and the scenery is so beautiful I don't think she'll mind not knowing what they are singing aboutWww@QuestionHome@Com

well: english is very important with " Theater & Acting if musical
preformance @ NY City's Music Hall answers Arts & Humanities "
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phantom of the opera, les misrables, cabaret, lion king<----

(my grandpa and grandmother are from spain, they barely speak any english but loved all of these)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Sometimes the language is not so important as the action!. I watch oriental classics and enjoy them even though I don't know the language!. She will appreciate any experience!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would suggest something fun like the Lion King !.!.!.you are visually stimulated & don't need to understand the language because you see it all with your eyesWww@QuestionHome@Com

if you go for an opera you dont need to know words, im sure theres an italian opera anyways!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would recomend:

Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Lion King

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What about Mamma Mia!? It's the big hit right now, and because it's full of songs that they probably know and like (!?!?!?) it might go over well!.

Or something more action oriented like Stomp!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Phantom of the Opera! The story tells itself!Www@QuestionHome@Com

have you considered a ballet performance!? the story is always the same no matter what language you speak!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Opera is perfect!. The music and gestures usually tell the story!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Les Miserables!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Les Miserables It's greatWww@QuestionHome@Com

Blue Man Group!Www@QuestionHome@Com

any musical is good!. Italian opera she probably has plenty of at home!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

im not so happppyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Les Miserables!.
or La Boheme (if you can find it)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

CATS its a good show and is mostly music!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Have you looked to see what's playing!? There may be some plays/operas, etc!.that are in Italian with English subtitles!. Www@QuestionHome@Com