Theatre at the Bushnell

'The Bushnell' in Hartford plays musicals and Broadways in Hartford and is quite an ambience.

We watched a few Broadways at the Bushnell, mostly at the request of Ms.Anupama. 

Here are a few -

Hairspray, the John Waters film turned Broadway Musical turned Movie Musical, has gotten better as it has aged. The story is about a young overweight girl named Tracy

 Turnblad who dreams of joining an afternoon dance TV program called the Corny Collins Show. In the process she’s rejected and discriminated against because of her size, makes friends with other black kids who suffer daily discrimination, forges a bond with them, finds a boyfriend in the TV show’s lead performer, and eventually integrates the program. It’s an outlandish story that makes you laugh, acknowledge the ugly truth about our country, yet still make you feel good. It also has some of the most memorable characters: all roles are delicious. This show is a performer’s dream come true. The music is toe-tapping fresh, and it has one of the best musical scores

"Mamma Mia!" is a play based on the songs of Abba. Catherine Johnson has written a plot that uses all the big 

songs from this legendary group. And the beautiful thing is they all fit into the plot as naturally as can be. You move from one hit to the next and at the same time the plot is advancing towards a definite ending.

The story concerns a girl named Sophie (Carrie Manolakos) who is engaged to be married. 

She has been raised by her single mother Donna (Laurie Wells) on an island off the coast of Greece. One day Sophie decides to read her mother's diary and in doing this she discovers the names of three men who might be her father. Unknown to her mother, she invites them all to her wedding and they all accept.

Once they arrive Sophie tries to sort out which one is the one. They all seem like nice men but none of them acts paternal towards her. Her mother does not seem thrilled they have arrived, and seems to have a special animosity towards Bill Austin (Milo Shandel).

As the wedding approaches Sophie grows desperate to know who her father is, but her mother isn't talking and neither are the guys. Finally a desperate decision is made and it leads to the climax of the play.

Chicago - The evergreen 1928 musical about murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery!