A Play vs A Movie

There is nothing quite like dressing up and going out to take in a live action theatrical production. The lights, the sets, the costumes, the decidedly different pacing of the script and cadence of speech, make for an entirely unique experience when compared to a movie. New plays come out on Broadway and Off-Broadway every year. Several themes will emerge each year in the American theatre. Some of the common themes for 2018 are Early 2000's movie nostalgia and cultural biases.

Early 2000's Nostalgia

Two prominent plays are debuting on Broadway this spring that are inspired by movies that were popular in the early aughts. Both were originally books. In the first play, a new girl arrives at a high school where she joins a clique of popular girls. The goal is to tear them apart form the inside as retribution for the popular clique's constant bullying of the nerds and dorks. Unfortunately, the new girl soon loses herself in her newfound popularity. This play is based on a movie that came out in 2004.

The second play (and third as it consists of two parts) is based on a beloved book series that was quickly made into a movies series that debuted in 2001. The books and movies follow a boy wizard as he attends wizarding school, avenges the death of his parents, and becomes an adult in the process. These plays are not interpretations of the movie series, but rather a new chapter in the adventures of the wizard as he faces the challenges of being a father.

Cultural Biases and Politics

After a charged year in American politics, it is no wonder that part of the zeitgeist is a commentary on the American political landscape through the art of the theatre. In one play, a foreign band is turned away at the border and is forced to live in a remote village. This play explores how human of different cultures can bridge a divide.

And in an exciting new format, a play that addresses current culture will keep rewriting the script to reflect what is happening in American politics in real time as events occur. The post-election world of the 45th president will be addressed as well the risks that one must take to survive in politics.

The Broadway and Off-Broadway theatrical productions for 2018 have something for everybody. Whether nostalgia or political strife interest are your cup of tea, there is sure to be a play that suits your tastes.