A modern theater draws an old crowd on the UES

While the Upper East Side is best known as Blair and Serena’s playground, it also happens to be the home of quality theater. While most Columbia students rarely venture into the glitzy world across the park, don’t let the classy atmosphere fool you—affordable tickets abound.

59E59 Theaters (59 E. 59th St.) looks more like a modern art museum than a performing arts theater. The building holds three stages—A, B, and C—and the theater offers Student Rush tickets for $10-15 online.

Currently, the theater is presenting the L.A. import “Good Bobby.” Written by and starring Brian Lee Franklin, the play depicts scenes of the rise of Robert F. Kennedy. As Bobby, Franklin deftly maintains the distinctive Kennedy accent, yet at times exaggerates it to the point of unintelligibility. Supported by a talented cast of nine, Franklin works well in relation to the other actors, slipping in and out of Bobby’s various roles—son, boss, friend, and politician. Steve Mendillo as Joe Kennedy and Dan Lauria as Jimmy Hoffa steal the show with their portrayals of two very flawed role models in Bobby’s life. Mendillo perfectly captures every young person’s nightmare of the overly controlling parent, while Lauria provides a dynamic counterpoint as the relaxed albeit shady mob boss.

While the show is a poignant piece of historically based art, there is one caveat for Columbia students who wish to attend—90 percent of the audience is comprised of wealthy, elderly people. Although this is not necessarily bad, you might feel like you’re watching the play with your grandparents. As Frank Sinatra music filled the theater before the play started, many of the elderly audience members hummed along to the music of their youth. A few couples bickered as they tried to remember how influential Joe Kennedy was in his sons’ political lives. But thanks to the affordable price, quality off-Broadway productions of the east side are not just perfectly suited to the rich or elderly.