five paragraph paper in which you plan a theatre trip to New York City to see FOUR shows.

New York Project
The assignment is to write a five paragraph paper in which you plan a theatre trip to New York City to see FOUR shows. To complete this work, use internet sources, the most thorough of which is the New York Times Theater section (see below for this and other options). The first paragraph should explain the trip’s rationale, who will be going with you (church group, theatre group, friends, etc), and a proposed budget. You should then find possible flights and hotel accommodations. In each subsequent paragraph (paragraphs 2, 3, 4, and 5), name the shows (four in total—one per paragraph) you have decided to see. Include in each paragraph the reason you have chosen to see this particular show. You will need to quote portions of reviews, both professional and reader’s, as part of your justification for your choice. Be sure to cite the name of the reviewer as well as the source from which the review was found. (Example: Ben Brantley of the New York Times calls Shrek the Musical, “Quote from review.”— or similar format.) It is not necessary to provide a “Works Cited” page, but you must reference your source within your paper as noted in the previous sentence. You must also include ticket prices and the theater where the show is playing, as well as any other pertinent information (such as a prominent actor in the cast, etc.). Be sure to follow your budget; try not to plan to see four Broadway musicals as this could eat up your budget very quickly. Mix and match with Off and Off Off Broadway, where the tickets are cheaper. Try to find at least one or two shows you have never heard of but which sound interesting because of your research into the reviews.

Sources for research: New York Times page at www.nytimes.com. Select the “Arts” section (left menu). On the Arts page, select THEATER (menu near top of page). On the THEATER page, you can click on the Broadway, Off Broadway, & Off Off Broadway headings (menu near top of page), which will provide you with a list of what’s playing. Click on the show title to gain access to information such as the show’s location, ticket prices, and links to reviews, both professional and reader’s.

You can also see reviews and show information at these sites: www.nytheatre.com www.newyorktheatreguide.com and select “Reviews” near the top of the page http://newyork.timeout.com/section/theater