The Behind the Velvet Curtain Program was absolutely wonderful. The best part about it, besides the plays, was the knowledge and sense of humor that our guide, Stephen, brought to the group. He was also very kind and considerate to all members of the group. What a gem! The hotel was well situated for getting to the plays and for exploring New York via the subway. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves New York and Broadway plays.

This was an outstanding program. The variety of the shows included was great, and I believe that the pre-show lectures, the talk-back with the actors after "Tribes", and the lively discussions among the participants after the shows added a deeper dimension to the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the New Amsterdam Theatre and the pre-matinee lunch at Sardi's. And the way Stephen Cole facilitated the entire program made it a complete delifht.

This program is excellent. The talks and discussions about the plays and musical we saw really were educational. The location is very good. The leadeer knowledgeable, enthusiastic and interesting.

We thoroughly enjoyed this program. To be honest, I was somewhat concerned about potential Sandy and Athena (the Nor'easter that came later) impact, but the Theater District and the Village (where we saw "Tribes") seemed unaffected. We are still discussing which of the three productions we enjoyed most; I must say that each was quite outstanding. On our free time on Wednesday I took the opportunity to revisit some of my old (44+ years past) haunts, and I could recognize them despite the passage of time.

Road Scholar has provided another superior travel experience for us, and we'll do it again.

For anyone who loves the theater, this is a MUST DO program. The instructors and experience made me appreciate the theater even more. And who couldn't love mid-town NYC after this program!! Road Scholar does this program extraordinarily well and the New Yorker is a gem. Loved Sardi's and the Cafe Angelique!

It was a wonderful time and very good value. I really felt well looked after. A good selection of shows.

If you love theater, this is the program for you! Fly into Newark, take the train for $8.50 to Penn Station and you're right across the street from the New Yorker Hotel. you will love the group leader, Stephen - you'll see great plays and the cast comes down for a talk-back afterwards. Then there are group discussions that are so interesting. Also tours of the theater district - they teach you how to go to Duffy Square and buy discount tickets! Informative programs by actual NY actors. I've done this program 3 times and can hardly wait to do it again.

This program is much more than coming to New York and seeing a few plays. Experiences like having a discussion with the producer of an off-Broadway play ("Tribes") in the morning, seeing the play in the evening (after a fabulous bistro dinner in Greenwich Village), then enjoying a talk-back with the actors after the play cannot be matched on your own -- and this was just our first day! We felt like VIP's at our lunch at Sardi's, had a behind-the-scenes tour at the beautifully restored New Amsterdam Theater - including being let loose in a prop room so we could take try one and take photos with masks from Lion King, clothes from Beauty and the Beast, hats from Tim Rice's Aida, sit in The Little Mermaid's "Under the Sea" bathtub, as well as unfurl Mary Poppins' umbrellas and handle props from other shows too. The three performances selected (off-Broadway play, Broadway play and Broadway musical) for us to see were excellent and we had follow-up discussions where everyone was encouraged to participate. There is also free time on Wednesday evening to select an additional performance on your own, buying tickets the half-price ticket booth, if you wish. The program is well-orchestrated, well-paced with an excellent, enthusiastic, energetic, entertaining leader. Explore New York, which manages this program (and others) does an excellent job with all the behind-the-scenes details and organization that make it a memorable experience. This program can be done again and again as the selections for plays and musicals changes. I know I will be back!

Sensational program but would not repeat unless able to purchase upgraded theater tickets.

Theatre in New York (and not only Broadway...off-broadway was the best on this trip) is for everyone, and this program makes it truly available.

This was a very good program. We saw three plays--Blame It on Beckett at a very small theater which we would never have found on our own (Abington Theater), Follies at the Marquis Theater and War Horse at the Lincoln Center Theater. We had very enjoyable talk backs with performers after each play.

We did not learn which plays we would see until we received out pre-trip mailing. You need to accept the fact you have no choice about the play or seating. This was not a problem for us. The seats were good. For those who wanted to see additional plays the evenings we had free time; our leader had excellent suggestions and made a point of giving directions for purchasing tickets.

Our leader, Stephen Cole, really made the program with his personal knowledge of Broadway and his enthusiasm.

The New Yorker Hotel is a good, if old, hotel. It is on 34th St and 8th Ave. There is a subway stop just outside the hotel. You learn how to use the subway system as part of this program. We found this very helpful when we traveled on our own around the city. Our room was okay. It had been remodelled. We had an excellent coffee maker in the room but you do have to request one when you check in and then call for extra coffee. (The coffee was free.)

Most of the free time was in the evening. Sunday morning was also free time.

Again a very enjoyable program.

Excellent introduction to NYC, and Stephen Cole was a fantastic host/instructor. This actually turned out to be a cost-effective way to have the New York theatre experience. Particularly liked the "talk-backs" with actors and personnel at the end of performances. Using the subway for the course was helpful for traveling around NY for a couple of days after the program. Food was OK--not particularly memorable, but it did the job.