A Lot of Tango

You can probably figure out if Forever Tango is for you based on the title. If you like tango, then you will enjoy yourself. If you don't, you probably wouldn't want to sit through almost two-and-a-half hours of it. If you are a Dancing With The Stars fan, you might be like the many at the performance I attended who would like to see Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy live (they are appearing in the show through August 11). And if you're a fan of singer Gilberto Santa Rosa, who is appearing in the show through July 28 (Luis Enrique will take over on July 30 for three weeks), that could also be a draw.

This is the third Broadway engagement for Forever Tango, first seen at the Walter Kerr Theatre, where it is currently playing, in 1997. It returned in 2004. That's enough time in between to find a new audience each time. I for one had never seen the show before. It's the type of tourist bait that is perfect for summer engagements when lots of theaters are open.

The 16 dancers and 11 musicians are all extremely talented and take turns in the spotlight. Tango is used sometimes in unexpected ways, such as comedic dances performed by Natalia Turelli and Ariel Manzanares. But most of the dances were of the sultry variety, especially those performed by Mirnoff and Chmerkovskiy, though it must be said that the other dancers were just as engaging to watch. After a while, it does start to feel repetitive. The show could be about 20 minutes shorter and not lose anything. But then maybe they'd have to change the name from Forever Tango to Temporary Tango.

Contest: Win Tickets to Unbroken Circle

Update: The contest is now closed. Congratulations @stagemaven!

Did you spend fourth of July weekend with your family? What better way to recover than seeing a play about someone else's family? I have a pair of tickets to see Unbroken Circle by James Wesley at St. Luke's Theatre. The play is set in Galveston, Texas in 1970 on the day of its patriarch's funeral. The cast includes Jan from The Brady Bunch Eve Plumb, Anika Larsen (Avenue Q), Wesley, and his real-life daughter Juli Wesley.

To enter to win a pair of tickets*, all of you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to see the show. Easy, right? For an extra entry, tweet about the contest or retweet one of my tweets about it. You must be following on Twitter for the extra entry. A winner will be chosen at random from all the entries on Monday, July 15, at noon. Please include your e-mail address or Twitter handle in the comments so I have a way to contact you if you win. Good luck!

*Winner will receive a ticket voucher redeemable for two tickets to a performance of his/her choice through July 31, 2013. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

If you don't win tickets, you can still see the show using this deal:
OFFER: $39.50 tickets
TO REDEEM:
ONLINE: Visit BroadwayOffers.com and enter code UCRED
PHONE: Call 212-947-8844 and mention code UCRED
Restrictions: Regularly $59.50. Subject to availability. Not valid on prior purchase. Cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions; blackout dates and restrictions may apply. No refunds or exchanges. Offer may be revoked at any time. Standard service fees apply to all phone and internet orders.