Exactly seven years ago this evening, the global theatrical phenomenon known as Wickedfirst opened on Broadway.
Despite mixed reviews, the musical not only defied gravity, but also expectations with a reign at or near the top of the Great White Way's weekly box office for most of those years. To this day, the show still regularly plays to a capacity crowd. Over the past year, Wicked has also surpassed all box office gross records, being the first Broadway show to ever take in over $2 million in a single week.
As the production celebrates around the world with Wicked Day 2010, it's safe to say that no one mourns the Wicked. Here's to the next lucky seven.
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.
Next week, this inspiring Iowa icon will turn 81. So my weekend in the country will also include a well-timed birthday celebration. And to bring the post full circle, that makes Duffy just a tad senior to Mr. Sondheim, doesn't it?!
Happy anniversary, Joe and Duffy (and happy birthday, too)!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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.
Today marks a major milestone for Steve On Broadway (SOB). I’m celebrating an anniversary! (Make that two, to be precise!)
Exactly 25 years ago today, I set foot for my very first time into a Great White Way house to see a Broadway show. It was Cats’ matinee performance on the afternoon of Saturday, June 8, 1985. And what a lasting “Memory” it remains.
By that time, I was still a relatively recent college graduate living in Wausau, Wisconsin, of all places, with a decent career-oriented job. I was making more money than I thought possible -- a mere $17,000 per year! -- and it seemed like I was finally earning enough to do something truly special and memorable for my beloved parents, who were living in suburban Milwaukee at the time.
As a wedding anniversary gift, I decided to do something completely different -- something extravagant -- not because they were marking a milestone of their own (it was their 28th year together), but just because I felt I finally could.
Because my mother had never previously visited New York City and my father had last visited when he was just a child, the idea of sending them there for their wedding anniversary seemed like a natural, especially with so many sightseeing and entertainment options from which to choose. So I told them to reserve the weekend of their anniversary because I was sending them packing to the Big Apple.
Not only did I have a friend who was able to get them tickets to see the “Phil Donahue Show,” but as it turned out, my mother’s best friend’s niece Anna McNeely (pictured) was in the cast of Cats. As Broadway’s original Jennyanydots, Anna was still in the production nearly three years into its Tony Award-winning Winter Garden run.
My mother got in touch with Anna, who graciously made arrangements to provide my parents with house seats for the Saturday (June 8) matinee performance. My mom was thrilled and couldn’t wait to tell me.
Within seconds, my reaction went from expressing “How cool!” to thinking, “Wait a minute! Maybe I could fly to New York and surprise my parents and see the show, too.”
So I contacted my mother’s best friend, made her my accomplice in telling her what I had in mind. In turn, she provided me with Anna’s telephone number. Then I called Anna with details of my plan and asked if she’d be able to arrange a house seat for me, too. Not only was she up to becoming my co-conspirator, but she was sure to nab a seat right next to my parents for me. And her lips remained sealed, even after making subsequent arrangements with my parents to meet up for a bite to eat after the performance.
Once in New York, my parents navigated their way through everything from 42nd Street to a hotel workers strike, although their hotel still managed to deliver the flowers I had sent to mark their anniversary as a ruse.
On that magical Saturday afternoon, I planned my entry carefully. I had flown in the night before and stayed with a friend, but I could hardly contain my excitement, not only in finally seeing a real-live Broadway show, but especially in pulling off this parental surprise.
Because I knew my mom and dad would be very punctual and arrive well before the show started, I arrived at the Winter Garden with enough time to have the initial shock of my “Broadway entrance” fade a little bit before Cats actually began.
When I arrived at the designated row, my parents were about halfway down. My mom looked up and saw me coming down toward their seats. I could see the light bulb of recognition turn on and almost immediately transform into one of complete shock. The two of them were virtually speechless, even after we hugged and kissed. The moment was truly enchanting for all three of us. And as the house lights came down for the beginning of Cats, I can still vividly recall the gentle hand of my mother's clutching mine in a wonderful mix of excitement and loving tenderness.
This being my very first Broadway show on Broadway itself, I found myself mesmerized by the stagecraft that went into everything from the set design to the costumes. I was also impressed by the individual performances, including Anna's turn in "The Old Gumbie Cat." And I was also thrilled by my recognition of Grizabella’s “Memory.” While it was no longer being performed by Betty Buckley, it was a stirring piece of theatre nevertheless.
After the performance concluded, we met Anna at the appointed stage door (another first) and walked down 7th Avenue to a little restaurant she had in mind for a nice, light dinner. En route to the restaurant, we walked right by Matthew Broderick, whom I knew from "War Games," but didn't have a clue he was appearing then on Broadway as Eugene Jerome in Biloxi Blues. I found myself starstruck, and it only added to the overall experience of feeling like we were really taking a huge healthy bite out of the Big Apple.
Once our delightful early meal was over, Anna excused herself to get back to the theatre, and I walked my parents back to their hotel and said my own goodbyes before heading back to La Guardia to fly home.
But with my first Broadway experience coupled with pulling off my special surprise for two of my favorite people on earth, I left New York feeling like the cat who ate the canary. What a “Memory.”
I don't know if I ever adequately thanked Anna McNeely for being my partner in crime 25 years ago today, but Anna, if you're reading this ... I thank you now and forever for making June 8 1985 so incredibly special, as well as for "introducing" me to Broadway!
Happy (53rd) Anniversary, Mom and Dad! I love you both.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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.
Over the past week, I've enjoyed four milestones, not only as a theatre blogger, but also as a theatre lover.
On the first score, Saturday found me "celebrating" the fourth anniversary for Steve On Broadway (SOB). The day was spent doing one of the things I love to do most: seeing a show. In fact, I was in the audience for two markedly different Great White Way productions (Redand Come Fly Away).
My second milestone hit last Wednesday. Doing what I always do after each Rialto performance, I dutifully logged the Broadway shows I had seen that day into my ever-expanding list, only to discover that my Wednesday matinee of Million Dollar Quartet marked the 200th time I had set foot in a Broadway theatre for a show. (Since I've been known to revisit some of my favorite plays and musicals, this was not my 200th production -- it was only my 184th.) I'm not sure how that compares with your theatregoing habits, but over my span of nearly 25 years attending Main Stem performances, I think the folks at the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing would likely deem my attendance above average, and since the inception of Steve On Broadway (SOB), my near perfect attendance would be way above average. Given that I still pay for every ticket, it also means I've plunked down a tidy sum through the years. But I don't regret a single penny.
Finally, my fourth milestone is one that's served as further inspiration for writing Steve On Broadway (SOB) yet again. I was proud to be among three theatre bloggers participating in a Q&A with Alicia Silverstone, who was recently on Broadway in Time Stands Still. Having the opportunity to pose questions to this underestimated actress marked my first time formally interviewing any thespian. I'm hoping it won't be my last. (I'll write more in the days to come on our conversation with Silverstone, but in the meantime, here's another post from one of my blogger colleagues.)
So for the one or two readers who are still out there, thanks for returning to Steve On Broadway (SOB) and sharing in my four milestones with me. It's great to be back.
When it comes to Broadway, I rarely if ever buy souvenirs.
Yet there is one prized possession -- aside from memories of the performances themselves -- I proudly take home from each show: my essential Playbill.
Today, the venerable Playbill organization turns 125 years old.
Through the years, I've amassed hundreds, if not thousands, of these priceless keepsakes from my favorite and not so favorite shows. No matter. I keep them all.
Aside from providing me with all the credits from each performance I've seen in a neat little time capsule, the thing I love best is that they're absolutely free, something American audiences have come to take completely for granted.
Sure you can buy a souvenir program for some of the hottest shows that feature slick pictures and profiles. But elsewhere, like in the United Kingdom, audiences actually have to pay for their programmes, no matter how flimsy or spare.
So next time your usher hands you a Playbill, keep it as a treasured memento of your theatre experience and even consider get it autographed by the cast. Most of all, place it as I do in a safe place where you can go refer to it in years to come only to discover you have bragging rights to seeing certain performers long before they became famous.
Here's to the venerable Playbill. And here's to another 125 years!
Thirty years ago this month, my view of the world and all its possibilities was forever and inalterably changed.
Nearly two years before I ever set foot in New York City and six before I would see my first show in a Broadway theatre, I was truly fortunate to be among thirty Homestead High School juniors and seniors from Mequon-Thiensville (Wisconsin) to travel with history teacher Brook Brown and his wife Liz for an extraordinary action packed ten-day journey, first to London and then to Paris.
Prior to this experience, my family had traveled only infrequently. While we took a month-long drive to California back in the summer of 1976, most of our other road trips were limited to visiting relatives in northern Wisconsin or in Minnesota.
So when I boarded my TWA flight from Chicago to London, my excitement was surely palpable. Everything from being on a wide-bodied plane to traveling without my parents made everything fresh and new. I was so thrilled that I couldn't even sleep on that long plane ride across the Atlantic. Once there, I soaked up London like a sponge.
Part of the experience of traveling to London, I was to learn, would include two evenings of live theatre. Prior to this trip, I could probably count the number of times I had seen stage performances on both hands, and with one exception, they were all high school productions (Bye Bye Birdie, Don't Drink The Water, Fiddler On The Roof, Gypsy, Harvey, Oklahoma!, Romeo And Juliet, South Pacificand You Can't Take It With You). Mind you, I really enjoyed seeing each show, especially those under the expert direction of Homestead's musical director Sonia Simonsen, but they only hinted at the overall experience that professional theatre would afford.
In London, for our first night of theatre, we were provided an option of seeing one of two West End mountings of two Broadway hits: Annieor A Chorus Line. Since I was already familiar with the former's cast album -- Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse's score was a favorite of our family's during our long six hour drives to Minnesota -- I opted to see Annie.
Little did I know upon entering London's Victoria Palace Theatre (current home to Billy Elliot - The Musical) how swept away I could become by just one show. From my front row center mezzanine seat, I witnessed nothing short of pure magic.
I was absolutely riveted by the legendary Stratford Johns as Daddy Warbucks and the glorious Sheila Hancock as Miss Hannigan -- she simply blew me away with a sublime performance I can still vividly recall even today.
I marveled at Charnin's ingenious direction, Peter Gennaro's breathtaking choreography and Theoni V. Aldredge's dazzling costume design.
But it was David Mitchell's sliding set designs that completely floored me as they transported Annie's array of characters across the stage without them even having to take a step.
To say it transported me as well would be a major understatement. I was wowed. Big time.
As noted above, we also had a second night at the theatre.
Our entire group went to see a production of Agatha Christie's Murder At The Vicarageat the West End's Fortune Theatre (current home to long-running hit The Woman In Black). With a run of 1758 performances, this show was no slouch, either. But this production was much more old school English theatre than the captivating American import I had seen the night before.
Going to London, in and of itself, had already been a life-changing cultural experience in which I truly began to see the world in a different way, and the subsequent visit to Paris only enhanced this wonderful new perspective on life itself.
But the exhilaration I felt in seeing Annie was a life-changer of a different order. With a strange new tingling sensation down my spine, I was replete with goosebumps from head to toe. This live performance would forever change my expectations of entertainment. I now saw just how brilliant stagecraft could be. Entertainment became art. And I was forever hooked on live theatre.
Coming full circle, I'm about to revisit Annie for my third time.
This coming weekend, I'm traveling to Providence to visit my beloved friend Esther (Gratuitous Violins). One of the things I love about Esther is how genuinely interested she is in sharing experiences. She knew that my visit would coincide nearly thirty years to the day since I first enjoyed Annie and all it had to offer.
In addition to celebrating her birthday, I have a feeling we'll also be toasting my life-changing experience as we look forward to yet another thirty years of seeing theatrical magic unfold before our eyes. So here's to two vitally important females in my life - Annie and Esther.
It's been 1,478 posts ... over 300,000 hits ... more than 190 shows reviewed ... travels to five other countries on four different continents to see shows ... visits to all but one Broadway theatre ... and scores of exceptional new friends made ... since writing my very first Steve On Broadway (SOB) item three years ago today.
While I'm not posting as regularly as I used to, Steve On Broadway is most definitely not going away.
Make no mistake, one of my great passions remains live theatre. Yes, I'm still taking in live theatre whenever I have the opportunity because, simply put, there is nothing like the thrill of seeing a stage performance that will be singularly unique for each individual audience sharing that afternoon or evening's communal experience. And a bad afternoon or evening at the theatre is still better than most other entertainment options, in my humble opinion, because it is live.
As I celebrate this third anniversary, I'm raising a toast to everyone who has stopped here along their journey to or from the Great White Way. Thank you, dear reader, for being among them.
In case you haven't already noticed, either by virtue of the Empire State Building glowing in green or my posts from the past couple of days, the Broadway musical Wicked is celebrating its fifth anniversary of its Great White Way opening this evening.
Just a month or two into our relationship, The Love of My Life and I first saw Wicked together on the afternoon of November 1, 2003. Some couples have their song. We have our musical.
It springs not just from sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the actual performances Wicked offers, but it's also derived from our innate love for the original "Wizard Of Oz" film. After all, we were practically weaned on it as our families gathered around the television sets each year for what amounted to "event" TV way back when.
But cementing our affection for the tuner is Wicked's inspired twisting inside out of that original tale we thought we already knew backwards and forwards. Together, for the first time, we felt a little wicked in sharing an experience we both heartily enjoyed.
Since we first saw and loved the production from our fifth row center seats a mere two days after it initially opened, we've seen the show enough times that I've honestly lost count. Not only have we been back to the Gershwin Theatre at least another four times to see the likes of Elphaba and Glinda, but I've also been back there for the Behind the Emerald Curtain Tour and Monday's night's The Yellow Brick Road Not Takenbenefit performance.
Oh yes, and then there were the performances in Chicago. Not only did we take in the original touring production when it first landed at the Windy City's Oriental Theatre, but we returned to the subsequent sitdown production there over and over and over and over again while living there (and even after we moved away). We even had several opportunities there to see our future friend and Tony winner Rondi Reed perform as Madame Morrible.
Post Chicago, we also took in the touring cast in Minneapolis before venturing overseas to each of the international productions in London (April 2007), Stuttgart (November 2007), Tokyo (December 2007) and Melbourne (July 2008), and you can bet that we're looking forward to seeing more of the world after this show opens elsewhere. Anyone want to meet us in Amsterdam next?
Just as The Love of My Life and I celebrate our five years together, the two of us are celebrating Gregory Maguire for providing the decidedly different, more adult take on Elphaba and Glinda in the first place through his original novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West." We celebrate Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman for transforming that story into a family musical via their original score and book. We celebrate producers Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone for having the vision necessary to bring the show to reality. Last, but certainly not least, we celebrate the countless Elphabas, Glindas, Fiyeros, Madame Morribles, Boqs, Nessaroses, Wizards and Doctor Dillamonds who have brought this story to life around the world.
We salute and celebrate all of you. Here's to another Wicked five years!
The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken (The SOB Overview)
George Gershwin Theatre, New York, NY
As the celebration for the fifth anniversary of Broadway's Wickedcontinues, Monday night treated fans of the musical to a benefit reading of the tuner's very first draft. Cleverly entitled The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, the evening served as a fundraiser for the New York Restoration Project.
Although not everyone was in finest of voice, Block and Thompson proved yet again why they were such naturals for their roles -- and remember, Block tackled the role of Elphaba in early readings prior to Idina Menzel taking over the role for the show's Broadway debut.
There were plenty of ad-libbed moments, ranging from comments on how it was painfully obvious why something had long since been altered to the political. Mario Cantone compared the old goat that is Wicked's Dr. Dillamond to John McCain, while Behar, in delivering Madame Morrible's screed on Elphaba, threw in a reference to Sarah Palin by adding, "this witch, this hockey mom." Another ad lib came from Wendt. When he hit the stage, one woman in the audience found it necessary to shout, "Norm!" to which he responded by simply saying, "Edna!" -- alluding to his current gig in Broadway's Hairspray.
If there was one major highlight, it came from a surprising source -- Mario Cantone. Known in part for his impersonations of both Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, the actor singlehandedly stole the show when he came out to pinch hit for Glinda midway through the performance. In a little tête-à-tête with Block, who made her Broadway debut as Minnelli in The Boy From Oz, Cantone momentarily dished Lizaesque before launching into his own hilarious rendition of "Popular." He was, in a word, priceless.
The evening also offered the adoring crowd an opportunity to salute Schwartz and Holtzman, who took to the stage at the reading's close. Holtzman graciously deflected the applause toward "Wicked" author Gregory Maguire, while Schwartz offered that he's looking forward to celebrating Wicked's success yet again in another five years.
Two years ago today, I picked up my mouse and began typing my very first Steve On Broadway (SOB) post. And what an enjoyable two years it's been.
To help mark the occasion, SOB whinged with the best of London last evening as I met with Andrew and Phil of the West End Whingers over a few libations.
As you can see from this fuzzy photo, the Whingers are strictly guarded about the use of recording devices during any performance of any kind. But as you can also see from the sketch drawing Phil provided, the eyes most definitely had it.
So here's to all of you dear readers, and thank you for making SOB such a ball over the past two years. Hope to be seeing a show near you very soon.
Over the weekend, the writer of one of my favorite must-read SOB Daily Blog Reads celebrated her first anniversary writing Broadway & Me. Congratulations Jan!
If you haven't already checked out her site, Jan mixes insightful Broadway show reviews (as well as for Off-Broadway) along with personal reminiscences of the Great White Way, sprinkled with occasional references to her husband K, who's not only fortunate enough to be a pit orchestra musician, but able to share in so many of her theatrical excursions.
To say that Jan has added an important, vital voice to the discussion of all things theatre would be an understatement. Broadway & Me is a triumph, and I'm proud to say I've been a reader from Day One.
Like me, she clearly loves live theatre, savoring each experience. But don't just take my word for it. Here's what she says:
I'm a theater lover. I am happiest when I am sitting in a theater. Or when I’m talking about theater. Or reading about theater. Or now blogging about it. If you’re reading this, you're probably a theater lover too and I hope you’ll keep me company as I blog my way through this Broadway season.
Here's to one of the happiest theatre bloggers out there, and Jan, here's to another great year of Broadway & Me. You know I'll be along for the ride, keeping you company and talking about our mutual love.
Today marks a most auspicious occasion for Broadway's longest running show ever. Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom Of The Operacelebrates its twentieth anniversary treading the boards of Rialto's Majestic Theatre, after opening there on January 26, 2008.
As Kenneth Jones of Playbill points out, after today's showings (both matinee and evening) conclude, the tuner will have enjoyed 8,319 performances.
When Phantom opened stateside a year and a half after its West End debut, its two London leads -- Sarah Brightman (then Webber's wife) and Michael Crawford -- transferred to New York. The original Broadway cast also featured a very young Rebecca Luker in her Great White Way debut.
The Phantom Of The Opera would dominate the 1988 Tony Awards, winning Best Musical over the original Into The Woods, Romance/Romance and Sarafina! Overall, the show received ten Tony nominations and won seven, including for Crawford, Judy Kaye (Best Featured Actress in a Musical) and Hal Prince for Best Direction of a Musical.
Even though I've now seen The Phantom Of The Opera twice (three times if I count my visit last year to Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular), I've never seen it on Broadway. Is that heresy? I mean, I did see the show in London 20 years ago, but the only other time I took in the show was in Los Angeles in 1998 when I was provided a free ticket.
While I've never truly understood the lasting appeal of The Phantom Of The Opera, I realize this is often the very first entry level Broadway or West End show for millions of fans around the world. Over 12.5 million have seen the Broadway incarnation alone, and the production at the Majestic has grossed over $675 million -- more than any film.
And so, The Phantom phenomenon continues. Happy anniversary to everyone associated with the show.
The Lion King (The SOB Revisit) - Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
***1/2 (out of ****)
A not so funny thing happened on the way to Broadway’s 10th anniversary gala celebration for Disney's The Lion King. It didn’t happen due to the stagehands strike.
Since Hawaii is just a little too far out of reach for me, I took in the touring production playing Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre -- the very same venue that hosted the world premiere for The Lion King’s 1997 Broadway tryout. With the Minnesota tour stop timed to dovetail with the 10th anniversary hubbub on the Great White Way, Twin Cities audiences are the first to experience The Lion King tour for the third time.
Since its Broadway opening on November 13, 1997, it’s estimated that some 45 million people around the globe have experienced the magic of The Lion King. Overall, the show has grossed over $3 billion worldwide -- certainly more than any film can boast.
On the Great White Way, it has been among the top five selling shows during each of the past ten years, first at the New Amsterdam Theatre and now since June of last year at the Minskoff. In addition to selling out Broadway and the two North American touring productions, The Lion King is currently wowing audiences in London’s West End, Hamburg (where the German language version is called Der König der Löwen), Paris (which opened just last month as Le Roi Lion), Tokyo and even Johannesburg, South Africa where it received an enthusiastic homecoming celebration of sorts when it opened there this past June.
So, ten years after debuting on Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre stage, how does The Lion King hold up? Extremely well.
To say the stars aligned for Disney on this magical spectacle would be a gross understatement when you behold each of the gorgeous design elements -- Richard Hudson’s glorious sets, Julie Taymor’s breathtakingly inspired animal costumes that are topped to perfection with masks she designed with Michael Curry, Donald Holder’s lighting and Steve Canyon Kennedy’s sound for the road (Tony Meola holds the honors for the Broadway stage). It remains an incredibly jawdropping harmonic convergence of the first order. In fact, the initial soaring ten minutes continue to be some of the most spellbinding live theatre moments for the sights and senses I've ever experienced.
Then when you layer on Garth Fagan’s mesmerizing myriad choreographic stylings that are as individual as each audience member, along with Taymor’s truly inventive and downright courageous choices as director, you wind up with one exhilarating production.
The fact that the touring production holds up nearly as wonderfully and solidly as the Broadway original is a testament to Taymor and company’s genius and vision. They have constructed live theatre for the ages and all ages.
However, and this may sound like I’m quibbling, but had I never previously seen The Lion King -- and I have seen it twice on Broadway -- I may not have paid as much attention to some of the weaker spots in Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi’s book, most notably in the first act, which doesn’t grab and enthrall quite the way it did when I first saw the show.
Perhaps it may have more to do with the young actor portraying Young Simba during my performance. He didn’t seem to be quite as in sync as he could have been. In fact, it wasn’t until Andre Jackson appeared as the older Simba that the story of the formerly lost lion cub turned king really took off. While a veteran of The Lion King, Jackson just recently assumed the mantle of the role and offers a commanding presence.
In this touring production, there were many other stellar performances, including those by Timothy Carter as a deliciously evil Scar (with his menacing snears, this Shakespearean actor, could very well be a natural someday as Dr. Frank ‘n’ Furter), Phindile Mkhize as an appropriately rambunctious Rafiki (haling from South Africa herself, Mkhize captivates throughout, including when speaking a native dialect), Erica Ash as a radiant Nala and the hilarious Mark Cameron Pow as Zazu, who with skillful comic timing manages to get some of the best lines, including a local joke about the curtains coming from Target.
What amazed me most about seeing the touring company of The Lion King was how true the staging was to the Broadway original. It would take a heart of stone not to be moved by the sheer artistry of this production, and while the strike continues on the Great White Way, this could easily stand in for anyone determined someway, somehow to see the 1998 Tony-winning Best Musical.
I can't say with any precision when I first became aware of Michael Baker's The Lunar Gemini, but once I started reading it many months ago, I was hooked. On Thursday, Michael observed his one year anniversary since his first post landed on the blogosphere. Congratulations, Michael!
Providing the musings of an ex-pat Texan from Brazoria transplanted to the Big Apple, Michael typically offers up thoughts on everything from live theatre to politics to life on the dating scene. He gives us a worthwhile read and has been among my personal daily reads since sometime last year.
Thanks, Michael, for all your contributions and words of wisdom beyond your years! Here's to many more.
Over the weekend, my favorite London blogger, bar none, City Slickercelebrated her first anniversary -- or at least I think she did since she hasn't written anything since last Thursday!
Proclaimed as "The Insider's Guide to LIVIN' LONDON. Witty, informative daily updates on what to do, buy, see, eat, drink, hear, watch, wear (supposing you care). One day at a time," City Slicker single-handedly strings together seemingly unrelated topics and suddenly makes them all seem worthwhile.
Here's to you, City Slicker. Here's to lots more wit and wisdom from your veritable font of all things NYLONer. Happy anniversary!
Hard as it is for me to believe, today marks my first anniversary of writing Steve On Broadway (SOB). To observe the occasion, I want to offer my gratitude, along with a few details on what inspired me to begin posting in the first place.
First, let me express my humblest appreciation to each of you who has made this site a regular read, as well as to everyone who has included Steve On Broadway on your blogrolls or subscribed to the site.
When I began writing one year ago today, I never fathomed that anyone would ever find Steve On Broadway, let alone care what I had to say. But you've not only found me, you've also shared your deep-felt thoughts, your welcome arguments, your constructive criticisms and your simple corrections.
I've truly enjoyed the dialogue with each and every one of you who has commented directly on my posts. I've also taken enormous pleasure in the surprisingly large number of you who have chosen to e-mail me directly.
It's been rather astonishing to hear from individuals associated with works I've reviewed, including playwrights, directors, actors, actor's mothers, actor's spouses and partners, each eager to provide additional insight, admonish me or simply to tell me that I "got it." Regardless of why you've contacted me, I've appreciated hearing from you.
But what's been most rewarding are the friendships I've developed with individuals I've never even met, literally all over the world. There are those among you -- and you know who you are -- on whom I can count for daily banter and feedback on each posting. I realize that without Steve On Broadway, I would never have had the honor of getting to know you. Suddenly, this little site that I didn't know anyone would read became less about me and more about the sense of community that it has inspired and created. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
After attaching a Statcounter on my site in February, I've been dumbstruck by the number of visitors I receive. While I realize that other sites likely receive thousands of hits a day, I'm flabbergasted to know that Steve On Broadway has been found by over 10,000 readers since my Statcounter went live. Even more astounding is that a significant number of you reside outside the United States, with large percentages living in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan and France. Suddenly, that community of theatre lovers seems rather immense and overwhelming.
When I began Steve On Broadway, it was not because I had any personal agenda or ax to grind, but rather to maintain my own journal for one of my many personal interests: live theatre.
Because my day job is devoted to public relations within the travel industry, I have been advising individuals associated with my company on all types of media worth investing time and effort in pursuing. Naturally, today's media prominently includes the great blogosphere. But in order for me to be able to speak authoritatively to those individuals about what this new medium entails -- and since I come from the school of thought that you lead by example -- I decided in April 2006 that I better understand the ins and outs of how to initiate, develop and grow a blog of my own.
Rather than go with the obvious route of blogging about travel, I decided that I would write a blog about a topic I loved, but that I now realize I had only limited knowledge about when I started (and to all you erudite theatre bloggers, my hat's off to you for collectively serving as my faculty and advisors -- I've learned so much from you!).
Steve On Broadway became a labor of love. And although I never write about travel per se, the experience has empowered me professionally to the point where I am now regularly leading seminar sessions on "Blogging 101."
So where do I go from here? Well, because this is now a community, I'd like to hear from you as to what you like about Steve On Broadway and why you visit. In addition to the new poll that asks you which features you enjoy (you can choose as many answers as you want), I invite your candid feedback, either through direct comments to this posting or via e-mail at steve.on.broadway@hotmail.com. And if you've already added me to your blogroll, I'd love to reciprocate -- just let me know you've added a link to Steve On Broadway and I'll add yours to this site.
Again, thank you for reading. And here's to another year of discussing our shared passion for the incredibly enduring artform known as live theatre.
Last Thursday, The Public Theater in New York announced exciting details of its 2006-07 season that includes its original touchstone -- Shakespeare -- along with new works by some of the most exciting playwrights of our time, including Neil LaBute, Suzan-Lori Parks and my personal favorite, Craig Lucas. With superb acting talent featuring Kevin Kline, Brian Dennehy, Ed Harris and the previously announced Philip Seymour Hoffman (LABrynth's Jack Goes Boating), it's clear that The Public is kicking off its 51st year in style.
Currently home to the acclaimed production Stuff Happens, The Public Theater was founded 50 years ago as the Shakespeare Workshop by Joseph Papp, who also started the renowned New York Shakespeare Festival in 1954. Thanks to his magnificent vision, New Yorkers from all walks of life have been able to enjoy free stagings of Shakespeare in Central Park -- a tradition that continues to this day. As a lasting legacy to Papp, today's The Public Theater "continues to be dedicated to achieving artistic excellence and developing an American theatre that is accessible and relevant to all people."
Productions from The Public Theater have collectively won 38 Tony Awards, 135 Obies, 37 Drama Desk Awards, 18 Lucille Lortel Awards and 4 Pulitzer Prizes. The Public was the launching pad for 49 Broadway shows including such critically-acclaimed hits as That Championship Season, A Chorus Line, The Pirates of Penzance, Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, Topdog/Underdog, Elaine Stritch at Liberty, Take Me Out and Caroline, Or Change.
First up this fall will be Kevin Kline in a yet-to-be-announced Shakepeare play directed by the venerable James Lapine. There is already much speculation over which of The Bard's classics will be mined by Kline and Lapine (Kline has previously appeared at The Public in such productions as Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, and two version of Hamlet).
Liev Schreiber and Meryl Streep each will perform this summer as part of The Public's Shakespeare in the Park productions, while Brian Dennehy will make his debut next summer in the revered program.
Among the other offerings:
Wrecks by Neil LaBute with Ed Harris (U.S. premiere) in October, 2006
Durango by Julia Cho (World premiere) in November, 2006
Emergence-SEE! by Daniel Beaty (New York premiere) in November, 2006
Passing Strange by Stew in collaboration with Heidi Rodewald (World premiere) in January, 2007
The Singing Forest by Craig Lucas (New York premiere) in Spring, 2007
365 Days / 365 Plays by Suzan-Lori Parks (New York premiere)
This would be an exceptional year to venture Off-Broadway and downtown -- or to Central Park -- for The Public Theater's offerings.
Approaching One Year, Chicago's Wicked Continues to Captivate
Nearly one year ago, immediately after the touring company of Wicked blew through Chicago, a sit-down production with all the gusto of the original replaced it at the ornate Oriental Theatre. Key casting included Kate Reinders as Glinda, Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba, Kristoffer Kusick as Fiyero, Gene Weygandt as the Wizard, Rondi Reed as Madama Morrible, Telly Leung as Boq and Heidi Kettering as Nessarose.
While Reinders, Gasteyer and Reed have departed -- Reinders will soon take her Glinda to Broadway's Gershwin Theatre and Gasteyer is now part of Broadway's The Threepenny Opera -- I'm pleased to note that their replacements (Stacie Morgain Lewis, Kristy Cates and Carole Shelley, respectively) are outstanding, and in the case of the new Glinda, she's, well, quite popular. When returning to Wicked just over a week ago, I was awed by Lewis' downright giddy and gleeful portrayal of Glinda The Good. But I was also impressed by her strong vocal performance as well. Cates, who has also appeared as Broadway's Elphaba, brought the house down with her rendition of "Defying Gravity." It was especially delightful to see Shelley, who originally created the role of Madame Morrible on Broadway two and a half years ago.
The production has not lost any of its wonderfully Wicked ways, save for the surprisingly poor pacing provided by Timothy Britten Parker's Doctor Dillamond. What struck me more profoundly than in previous viewings are the subtle political allegories to the times we live in, and perhaps this show was years ahead of its time.
Overall, Wicked is still going strong in Chicago, and if my audience was any indication, the musical fantasycontinues to perform before sold-out crowds there, just as it is on-tour and on Broadway. I continue to enthusiastically recommend this musical.
Thursday marks the first birthday for Billy Elliot - The Musical, the celebrated London production that's directed by Stephen Daldry, with book and lyrics by Lee Hall and music by Sir Elton John. To commemorate the anniversary, all three of the original young actors who portrayed the title character (alternating each night) -- Liam Mower, George Maguire and James Lomas -- will appear for the first time during same performance. Maguire was the exhilarating actor I had a chance to see last November, and he sang and danced and danced and danced his way into the hearts of everyone that accompanied me. This breathtaking musical is more than worth the trip to London, and with the best music to come from Sir Elton in years, I heartily recommend picking up the original cast CD regardless of whether you can make the journey.
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!
