Were you in last evening's television audience for the live edition of "30 Rock"? If so, you saw one of two very different intros. Each one featured a prominent Broadway Baby.
Those of us watching the East Coast version were treated to this opening from Jane Krakowski:
Those on the West Coast saw this rendition from Cheyenne Jackson:
So, dear readers, which one do you prefer? Please tell me by voting in this poll:
If you saw last night's episode, you'll also have heard reference to Irene Ryan "dying" on stage in Pippin. For the record, the late actress most of us know as Granny from "The Beverly Hillbillies" suffered a stroke during a 1972 performance on Pippin, and she died weeks later.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
As much as I enjoyed tuning in to last night's episode of ABC's "Ugly Betty" to catch a glimpse of the Los Angeles sitdown production of Wicked, I was shocked by the patently offensive and ill-conceived plot device of having its lead character text messaging her paramour during the performance.
Regular readers will know how muchI absolutely abhor disgraceful, shameful behavior on the part of theatre audience members. Nothing steams me quite like the disrespectful use of cell phones during a live performance, whether it's keeping them turned on during a show, receiving calls or even texting. It's just plain rude. While these self-absorbed idiots are looking at their little lit-up screens, it's distracting to the people around them who paid good money to enjoy the performance rather than the show in the audience.
I'm not a regular "Ugly Betty" viewer (I much prefer NBC's "30 Rock," which offers the smartest half hour on prime time), but I believe if a show is going to showcase a real live theatrical production, the least it could do would be to set a solid example for its decidedly young audience and demonstrate appropriate theatre etiquette. Instead, it essentially said that anything goes in the audience.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
