The aching pains that come with the rapidly diminishing dollar amount in my bank account are innumerable. Deep down inside I know that no matter how hard I try to save up my money to someday go and see a Broadway show in New York City, my constant hunger is the yellow brick road that always leads me to Paul’s Pel’meni—a UW-Madison student staple. So Wicked, I am sorry, but you are just going to have to wait a little bit longer because I will never cease purchasing Russian dumplings long enough to save a decent amount.
Luckily, I have found two ways to meld the best of both worlds: Broadway HD and Netflix. After comparing both streaming services I have found that each has its pros and cons with a few similarities here and there. Below I have listed each site’s stats:
Broadway HD
· Offers a free 7-day trial that you can cancel at any time
· Offers two different plans, with the monthly plan charging $8.99 and the yearly plan charging $99.99
· Offers popular Broadway musicals such as: Falsettos, She Loves Me, and Les Miserables
· Offers popular Broadway (and Off-Broadway) plays such as: Puffs, Indecent, and Present Laughter
· Offers plenty of Shakespeare productions (honestly there are too many to list)
· Even offers live recorded Cirque Du Soleil performances
Netflix
· Offers a free 30-day trial that you can cancel at any time
· Offers 3 different plans, with the basic plan starting at $8.99/month with the opportunity to upgrade to the standard plan ($12.99/month) and premium plan ($15.99/month) at any time
· Offers a few musicals such as: Mamma Mia, Hairspray, and West Side Story
· Offers a few movies that musicals were based on such as: Legally Blonde, Heathers, and Billy Elliot
· Offers a few live Broadway shows such as: Oh, Hello on Broadway, Shrek the Musical, and Springsteen on Broadway
At the end of the day, it all comes down to your needs. Broadway HD might be the better fit for you if you are looking to solely subscribe to a theatre-based streaming site. On the other hand, Netflix might be more your style if you are looking to stream many different kinds of movies and TV shows, with the occasional musical every once and awhile. Either way, you are guaranteed to watch a spectacular Broadway show without having to break your bank — and still eat Paul’s Pel’meni twice a week.