Theater Thursday - Subways Are for Sleeping and Red Roses Green Gold

We were given tickets to Subways Are for Sleeping for free for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own

What: Subway Are for Sleeping

Where: York Theater Company     
             619 Lexington Avenue
             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and up

When: Through March 4, 2018

Me - Subways are for Sleeping was a good show with really pretty music. I had no idea what the plot was going into it. Intitially, I was not expecting to enjoy it. At first, it was a little slow, but then as the plot continued to unfold it turned into a really cute love story. The acting was good and even though they were able to use their scripts they were able to look up a lot. My favorite song was I Just Can't Wait. It was really funny because a character named, Charlie was singing to his girlfriend about how he couldn't wait for her to to put clothes on since all she wore almost the entire show was a towel. In conclusion, although by no means was this the greatest musical in the world, it was a really cute and enjoyable show.*

*The above is a guest post by older sister, Melia

Mom - Subways Are for Sleeping is the last show in this year's York Theater, Book-in-hand, Musicals in Mufti series. It is another rarely produced show with music by Jule Styne. The story is about homelessness. However, the show  is more of a fun romp than a true treatise on homelessness. These are happy homeless people who always manage to dress well and find odd jobs to work and places to sleep that aren't the street, mostly through the help of Tom Bailey, one of the main characters in the story, who literally makes it his business to make sure his fellow homeless are taken care of. They are nothing like the homeless we see today poorly dressed,  sleeping on sidewalks and begging for money on the subway. The ending is a little too unrealistic as if the problem of homelessness can be so easily solved. This is a show of the 60s, however, and things had not quite gotten to the point where they are today. If you just take the show for the its entertainment value, the characters are likable,  the songs are fun and the love story at its center is engaging.  However, these days shows that deal with serious subjects tend to do so in much more serious way than this one does. Maybe, that's why these show has been forgotten for so many years. 

For more information or to purchase tickets to one of the remaining performances of Subways Are for Sleeping, visit yorktheatre.org/on-stage/musicals-in-mufti

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What: Red Roses Green Gold

Where: Minetta Lane Theate
             18 Minetta Lane 
             New York, NY

Who:  Ages 12 and up

Me - Red Roses Green Gold was good. It was about a family that lived in the old west, and they played Western music. I liked the music. The songs were good. All the songs were  by the musical group The Grateful Dead. Most of the audience was really into the music. There was a character named Jessup in the show. I never heard of that name, and I do not like it. The actors were talented. The singing sounded nice. The actors played their own instruments. I love it when actors in shows play their own instruments. It is so cool! I liked the set. It had a lot of details and was very elaborate. It really made it look like the old west. It was cool the way every time they said  "Green Gold" they twinkled the lights. My favorite thing about the show was the ending. The western aspect made the show special, I have never really seen a lot of western shows before. People who like The Grateful Dead or people who like westerns would enjoy the show.

Mom - Red Roses Green Gold is a fun and lively show. It is basically the story of two feuding families. Years ago one lost land to the other and the family that lost the land has been resenting it ever since and wanting to get it back. It is also the story of a prodigal son returning to the fold although whether or not he has actually reformed remains to be seen. The soundtrack is completely made up of  the music of The Grateful Dead, and the audience the night we attended was full of huge fans of the band who really got into the show and sang along with every song. The actors who portrayed the characters in the show did a great job not only in acting out their characters but  intepreting the music as well. The actors in the cast were also the band. We have seen many shows, especially in the last year or so, where the cast or members of the cast were also the band. In this particular show, the cast members were especially talented musicians and most of them played several instruments. The evening ended with a all out jam to several Grateful Dead songs following the curtain call. All in all, the show was not only a great treat for Grateful Dead lovers but it was quite enjoyable even for those of us who do not consider ourselves Grateful Dead fanatics.

While Red Roses Green Gold has recently concluded its New York engagement, it will allegedly be going out on tour. To sign up to receive further information about this show go to
http://redrosesgreengold.com/#closing.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Funitivity Friday.


Photo credits: All Subways Are for Sleeping production photos by Ben Strothmann