Theater Thursday - Old Turtle and the Broken Truth and Marry Harry

We were given free tickets to Old Turtle and the Broken Truth for free review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Old Turtle and the  Broken Truth

Where: Dorothy Strelsin Theate
            312 W. 36th St.
            (between 8th and 9th Aves.)
            New York, New York

Who: Ages 6 and up

When: Now through May 21, 2017

Me - Old Turtle and the Broken Truth is a musical based on a book by  Douglas Wood. It is about a girl who can talk to the animals, and they teach her lessons. Then something happens, and she can't understand them anymore. Her village finds a broken truth, and they are going to go war with these other people over it. The girl and the animals have to save the village by fixing the broken truth and stopping the war before anyone gets hurt . The show was good. I never heard of or read the book before, but I enjoyed the show. The acting was good. The people that played the animals did a really good job. They really seemed liked they were butterflies and foxes and bears and crows, and the other animals they were portraying. It was strange to me that the girl didn't have a name. They just called her little one. Even, her Dad just called her little one. The songs were nice. I liked one called You Are Loved. That one actually stayed in my head after I saw the show.  The set was kind of cool. It really looked like a forest. Over all, it was a very good show for little kids.

Mom - If you are looking for a family friendly show and you don't want to pay Broadway prices, and you are tired of the same old fairytales, there is good news for you. There is a new children's theater on the block - Rebel Playhouse. Rebel Playhouse doesn't just want to entertain your children. They want to educate and empower them as well. Rebel Playhouse's first production, Old Turtle and the Broken Truth based on a book by Douglass Wood, is currently playing at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre in New York City. The show is about a young girl who takes the initiative to take action to save her village from impending disaster. The show is more than just a show where you sit back and watch the action unfold around you. From the moment, you walk into the theater by having to push tropical vines out of the way to get through the door, you are completely immersed in the world of the show. During the pre-show, actors who play animals in the show wander around interacting with the audience. Their acting is terrific, and their movements and manner are completely true to the animals they are portraying. Later during one point of the show, kids are invited to come up on stage and actually be a part of the show if they would like. The show is a musical, and the songs are actually pretty good. Some may even stick in your head after the show particularly one called You Are Loved. All in all, the show is an entertaining fun experience especially for children from 6 to 9 although older children and adults may enjoy the show as well.

For more information or to order tickets go to http://www.rebelplayhouse.org/
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We were given tickets to Marry Harry free for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Marry Harry

Where: The York Theatre Company at St. Peter's
             619 Lexington Ave.
             (Entrance on 54th St.)
             New York, NY

Who: Teens and Up

When: Now through  May 21, 2017

Me - Marry Harry was about a man named Harry. His father was named Harry also so his father called him Little Harry. The younger Harry worked for his father in their restaurant, but he wanted to leave. There was also a girl named Sheri. She was engaged to be married, but her fiancee cheated on her so she broke it off. Harry and Sheri met and fell in love at first sight and got engaged. The show was interesting. I liked the way they had three characters who sang songs and commented on the action and acted like a chorus. The other characters in the show didn't see or hear them. The acting in the show was good. The singing was nice. I liked the music. The songs were pretty, and some of them were funny. I liked all of the characters. They were funny too. I didn't have a favorite character. It was amusing when the three characters who were commenting on the action all came out in wedding dresses especially because two of them were men. That was when Sheri was trying on her wedding dress before she broke her engagement. She looked really pretty in her dress. The set was cool. There were places where the characters commenting on the action could stand on top and also where they could peek out of the windows.  All in all,  it was a good  entertaining show.

Mom - Marry Harry, currently playing at the York Theatre, is a sweet romantic musical comedy about a couple that meets and falls in love at first sight. The show is well-acted and well-sung by the 7 member cast. The songs are fun. Many of them are about such relatable topics as carrying on the family name (The Family Name), almost getting married (Almost) and turning thirty (Thirty). The show is greatly entertaining and very funny. The trio of actors who portray a kind of greek chorus commenting on the action, usually through song,  only serves to add to the hilarity. Even their costumes are funny. You never know what they'll show up in next from chef's uniforms to bride's dresses. The latter is particularly funny since two of them are male.  I would not recommend the show for young children due to subject matter including a couple shown in bed together. Older children particularly older teens that like romance might enjoy it, however. The show will be running through May 21 only so if you are interested in seeing it you should get your tickets now.

For more information or to order tickets go to http://www.yorktheatre.org/marry-harry.html
Photo credits: All Old Turtle and the Broken Truth photos supplied by Rebel Playhouse
                       All Marry Harry photos by Carol Rosegg