Hey guys... I thought I'd start a thread for everything Broadway related. Any other theatre goers out there? Seen any shows recently? On Broadway or Off Broadway? Or even a good touring production or regional production? The only show I've seen in the past month that I haven't previously seen is "My Life With Albertine." (Off-Broadway) Other than that, I've been revisiting shows I've seen in the past for various reasons (seeing different actors in different roles, etc.). I should be seeing a preview of "Nine" shortly... some of my fave people! Chita Rivera and Jane Krakowski!! Woot!

Hmm... so... yeah, post about anything! Fave B'way Divas... Fave B'way Hotties (must... see.. Gavin... again...)....


Let's get some theatre chat going, peeps!


*Bethy-Lynne*


Hope: But Daddy! We're talking about PEOPLE, not ANIMALS!
Cladwell: But people ARE animals, Hope, dear.
Hope: Animals with huge incisors and big, floppy feet?

Keep in mind, my dears.... DON'T be the bunny.

I would go, if I had a life...which I don't at the current moment. But I go to a few local plays here once and awhile...
They let us watch the our school does...those are pretty cool. Were going to see "Remembering the world of Anne Frank", friday...I know the cast has been working really hard.

Nathan lane and angela Lansbury,.Sondheim,The Music Man,My fair lady,The Sound of music are some of the reasons why I love Broadway.I love B.Neuwirth in Chicago and Damn Yankees.She won a tony for Chicago.if you have any questions you can ask me here or at my email address at CHPK@erols.com.

Annie, The Newsies, Grease, Chicago, Guys & Dolls, Oklahoma, West Side Story, Fiddler on The Roof, South Pacific, the Sound of Music.... all some of my favorite shows.

And then of course... the lovely Bebe Neuwirth is a favorite.

When you all go to see plays- do you ever go alone? I neveer go to plays cos I don't know anyone else who'd go. I feel plays are like cinema, you're meant to go with friends or something- I hope to meet someone who likes theatre so I have a chance to go.

Saw the national tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (a few years ago, I went with my church :) )

Last year I was an usher at the Fox in Detroit and got to see PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - front row seats - for free :)

I saw Donny Osmond in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and are you ready for this - a guy I've known since second grade auditioned for and got to join the tour. Ergh! He's got a great voice. He also appeared as Collin in the national tour of THE SECRET GARDEN, but I didn't see it. If any of you caught it, I know him! :lol:

I love Broadway. I've seen a lot of plays. Here are a few of them:

The Phantom of the Opera (3 times)
Beauty and the Beast (a lot of times I don't even remember)
Chicago (2 or 3 times)
The Lion King (once--in NY on the 7th row!!)
Peter Pan (saw it w/ Cathy Rigby)
MAMMA MIA!! (my favorite one, seen it twice)
Annie (saw it w/ Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan)
The King and I (saw it w/ Haley Mills as Anna)
Titanic (2 times)

Those are just some of the few plays I've seen. I'm actually going to see one tonight. I'm going to see Ragtime.

Oh, dear, you have no idea how happy this thread makes me. ;)

My fave B'way diva? KERRY O'MALLEY!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!! She is, without a doubt, my favorite B'way actress.

Anyway, shows...here are my favs...
Into the Woods (duh, c'mon, its Sondheim!)
Les Mis (3 times...2 here in LA and once on Bway)
Ragtime (twice...don't remember the first time though)
Sunday in the Park With George (again, Sondheim! and Lapine!)
Annie Get Your Gun (saw Marilu Henner, she was great...Bernadette is good on the recording but as much as I love her, she really cant do accents...)
Flower Drum Song (missed seeing Lea Salonga in that though, poo)
Follies (saw Vikki Carr, Donna McKechnie, Patty Duke, etc in that...Jean Louisa Kelly of Yes, Dear was among the cast as well)
Mamma Mia (Okay, this is not a personal fave of mine...it was okay but just not my style)
The Lion King (worse than Mamma Mia, terribly overrated)
Beauty & the Beast (saw B&B twice...I don't remember the first time, but I went just this year for a school field trip)
Peter Pan (Cathy Rigby on B'way)
The Music Man
West Side Story (for which Sondheim wrote the lyrics)
Cats (It makes me mad that Les Mis closed without first outrunning this, though)
Little Shop of Horrors (this isn't really a fave of mine but it's okay)
The King & I
Show Boat (okay, I saw this, but I don't remember it)
The Sound of Music
My Fair Lady

This is embarrassing, but I have yet to see Phantom. :( I WILL see it someday though!!

I remember going to see Bernadette Peters at the Hollywood Bowl... she was one of the last people to perform and I wasn't feeling so well that night...I actually felt kind of nauseous...and then Bernadette came out, did her thing (sang Some Enchanted Evening and There Is Nothing Like a Dame), and the sick feeling went away! Lol I was actually nervous about seeing her live! Just goes to show how big of a weirdo I am.

I want to see Assassins. Anyone here familiar with that one? Urinetown and Thoroughly Modern Millie...I never saw those two but hopefully will eventually...I do own the soundtracks of both shows...

I'm also currently trying to get into Sweeney Todd a little more...

Oh, and for Bethany: "Nine"...how was Laura Benanti in that? She was phenomenal in "Woods." :) Heard there were a lot of people from the show nominated for Tonys... Jane Krakowski, Chita Rivera, Antonio Banderas of course.

Okay, I'm done. For now. :D

My friend Omar Mercead is on tour with Fosse.

I would love to see a Broadway play but have never been to one. It seems people around here just are not interested in that sort of thing and I sure as heck don't want to go by myself.

Originally posted by Montana Ponine


Flower Drum Song (missed seeing Lea Salonga in that though, poo)



LEA!!!! Ah she is so great, especially in Miss Saigon. I also have Filipino songs downloaded from her...I like them because they're slow enough for me to understand.

Anyway, my favorite broadway show is obviously Chicago. lol, except I don't have a special preference to which cast. I like a few from each. Ruthie Henshall from the London Cast is the best Roxie ever. I like her A LOT more than Ann Reinking from the Broadway revival...Ruthie's voice is really nice. She sings "Funny Honey" SO well, especially at the end. I also love when she sings "Roxie", she makes it sound so cute, lol. But erm...Ann Reinking makes "Roxie" kind of...erm. I actually think I like Ruthie more than Renee from the movie...but she was good too.

My favorite Velma is Catherine Zeta-Jones from the movie, but since we're talking about broadway my favorite is probably Bebe Neuwirth. I actually prefer her "All That Jazz" to Catherine's. And I LOVE Bebe's "When Velma Takes the Stand." Ute Lemper from the London cast is a good Velma too. She does "I Know a Girl" really well. Her "I Can't Do It Alone" though is kind of...I dunno, I guess I'll just say it's my least favorite song she does.

My favorite Billy...that's hard. James Naughton from broadway and Henry Goodman from the London cast both kind of sound the same, lol. My favorite Amos..hmm I like them all I guess, but I guess I like John C. Reilly from the movie more than Nigel Planer from London and umm...ah I forget his name...from broadway. And as for Mama...I'm not sure, lol, but I think I prefer Queen Latifah from the movie.

As for the original 1975 recording, Gwen Verdon is okay, but Chita Rivera...erm I dunno. I guess I have to hear more songs from her since all I have heard is "All That Jazz" but oh well. I like Bebe more than her. And I like Ute more than her. I dunno I guess I think Chicago just improved a lot since 1975.


Here's Roxie (Ruthie), Billy (Henry), and Velma (Ute) from the London recording:

Originally posted by Shane West's Angel


LEA!!!! Ah she is so great, especially in Miss Saigon. I also have Filipino songs downloaded from her...I like them because they're slow enough for me to understand.

Anyway, my favorite broadway show is obviously Chicago. lol, except I don't have a special preference to which cast. I like a few from each. Ruthie Henshall from the London Cast is the best Roxie ever. I like her A LOT more than Ann Reinking from the Broadway revival...Ruthie's voice is really nice. She sings "Funny Honey" SO well, especially at the end. I also love when she sings "Roxie", she makes it sound so cute, lol. But erm...Ann Reinking makes "Roxie" kind of...erm. I actually think I like Ruthie more than Renee from the movie...but she was good too.

KRISTINA!!!!! You rock!!!!!! Lea and Ruthie are the best, and I don't know Chicago at all, but if you like both Lea and Ruthie I suggest you get a copy of the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert. Lea plays Eponine (teehee) and Ruthie is Fantine...they both give outstanding performances, I recommend this 100% , if you don't have it already. Seriously, get this. Lol.

Originally posted by MamaFan

Those are just some of the few plays I've seen. I'm actually going to see one tonight. I'm going to see Ragtime.
Ooh, Ragtime. That's a great show. Be sure to tell me all about it when you get back, k? ;)

Originally posted by Montana Ponine

KRISTINA!!!!! You rock!!!!!! Lea and Ruthie are the best, and I don't know Chicago at all, but if you like both Lea and Ruthie I suggest you get a copy of the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert. Lea plays Eponine (teehee) and Ruthie is Fantine...they both give outstanding performances, I recommend this 100% , if you don't have it already. Seriously, get this. Lol.

Sorry lol, but I forgot to say that Putting it Together is a great show to add to your Ruthie collection as well. She is a genius in that. Carol Burnett, John Barrowman, Bronson Pinchot, and George Hearn are in it as well. Plus, it is a collection of Sondheim work, and who can turn that down???? Songs from "Merrily We Roll Along," "Sweeney Todd," "A Little Night Music," "Dick Tracy," "Company," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," etc. I have this DVD and I love it, Ruthie is incredible, and if it'll help turn another one into a Sondheim groupie, I am always all for it. ;)

Look at me. I have posted 3 times in a row (okay, now 4) in a single thread. I'm such a loser. lol

I see a few off-Broadway shows...

Tony Curtis in the musical version of Some Like It Hot

summer stock:
The Complete Works of Wm. Shakespeare (Abridged)
Ain't Misbehavin'
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Guys and Dolls

local theater:
Forever Plaid
Music Man
Hello, Dolly
Footloose
Lil' Abner
Phantom of the Opera
On the Town
1940s Radio Hour
The Mikado
South Pacific


and in a few weeks im seeing Eddie Mekka in Fiddler on the Roof!!!!! *screams*

Originally posted by Montana Ponine

KRISTINA!!!!! You rock!!!!!! Lea and Ruthie are the best, and I don't know Chicago at all, but if you like both Lea and Ruthie I suggest you get a copy of the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert. Lea plays Eponine (teehee) and Ruthie is Fantine...they both give outstanding performances, I recommend this 100% , if you don't have it already. Seriously, get this. Lol.

How much is it? lol...well since you say it's good I might try to look for some songs from Les Miserables and dl them...I never really knew what Les Miserables was about though, lol. Maybe I'll learn after listening to some songs.:)

Originally posted by Shane West's Angel


How much is it? lol...well since you say it's good I might try to look for some songs from Les Miserables and dl them...I never really knew what Les Miserables was about though, lol. Maybe I'll learn after listening to some songs.:)
Les Mis is one of the best musicals on the face of the planet. :) Yeah, I bet you could find lots of clips online with Ruthie and Lea... they have a CD too, but I guess it may be kinda expensive...it's on two discs...the whole thing didn't fit on just one. ;)

BTW Cara: I just noticed your sig has the song from Millie. :) I like that...my fave is Forget About the Boy because they performed that at the Tonys...also Gimme Gimme is cool... Sutton Foster is the best, is she not?

My sig has a song from a musical too... It's Hot Up Here from Sunday in the Park With George. :)

Originally posted by Liza
Saw the national tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (a few years ago, I went with my church :) )



I want to see the movie. In fact, I'm going to rent it on DVD soon, maybe next weekend. It's going to be performed by a group this summer in SD. I can get tix easy because my mother knows the person whose son is in it.

I saw Ragtime last night for my first time. I enjoyed it very much. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm listening to the CD right now! :D

In my area, there are like 3 amateur dramatics societies, a couple of Drama Socieities for young people, and drama sociteys doing one production and I never hear of em again. Anyway- I'm not far from a big opera house in belfast, and a few other theatres in belfast doing a lot of plays. Recently in my area was Bring It On, they did a couple other things- and one bigger youth dramatics does a big annual production- this year it's West Side Story- i've never seen this- is it any good? Our school is all boy- which is why there's no plays- though drama started again this year for 1st years, and in septembers progresses to 2nd year, then third year- kind of easing everyone into it. I think our last school production was Joseph and Tech. Dreamcoat over a decade ago. The high-schools co-ed, has drama but their last production I think was cheesy verging 0n educational- not even a well known play. Our school advertised auditions for west side story- putting up flyers. Maybe if the auditions were HELD in our school I'd audition to get out of classes etc, and I dont wanna go out of my way and audition when Its almost pointless. Who's ever been in a play here?

Originally posted by MamaFan
I saw Ragtime last night for my first time. I enjoyed it very much. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. I'm listening to the CD right now! :D
Hooray!! :D

And I'm curious, because I saw Ragtime recently too--maybe we saw the same production? Do you know who was in the cast?

Originally posted by webuster
Who's ever been in a play here?

Me Me Me!!!

Lol, I've never been in a musical though *sighs*. I've done Shakespeare though. I was Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (my favorite role!) and Viola in "Twelfth Night" (my favorite play!) They weren't actually sepparate productions though, it was the same play, doing several scenes from Shakespeare. I also played Thomas Edison's mother in third grade! :lol:

I was actually up for the role of Sandy in "Grease" and I made it to the final audition. The teacher's daughter got the part. Urgh. I was offered to be in the chorus in the MSU production of "Evita" but turned it down. Honey, I'm not about to join some chorus! ;)

Originally posted by Liza


Me Me Me!!!

Lol, I've never been in a musical though *sighs*. I've done Shakespeare though. I was Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (my favorite role!) and Viola in "Twelfth Night" (my favorite play!) They weren't actually sepparate productions though, it was the same play, doing several scenes from Shakespeare. I also played Thomas Edison's mother in third grade! :lol:

That's cool, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is my fave work of Shakespeare...but then I don't know a whole lot of his work. sigh. We did read the play last year in English class, though. And we saw a production. It was cool. :)

Originally posted by Montana Ponine

Hooray!! :D

And I'm curious, because I saw Ragtime recently too--maybe we saw the same production? Do you know who was in the cast?

A local theatre in my city put Ragtime on. I must say, it was good. Good & sad. I wish I could see it again.

Originally posted by MamaFan


A local theatre in my city put Ragtime on. I must say, it was good. Good & sad. I wish I could see it again.
It's a great show. Mother is my favorite character. And I love "Back to Before"......such a powerful song.

My favorite character is either Sarah or Evelyn Nesbit.
My favorite song is "Wheels of a Dream."

Originally posted by webuster
Who's ever been in a play here?

ive been...

Pitti-Sing in The Mikado
Emma in Doctor Doolittle
Josie (understudy Agnes) in George M!
Beatrice in Much Ado
Kate in Taming of the Shrew
Titania, Moth, and Hermia in 3 productions of Midsummer Nights Dream
Lady Macbeth in....the scottish play ;)
Duffy in Annie
The Blue Fairy in Pinnochio
Zenita in The Music Man
a ball dancer in Cinderella
a cyclone dancer in The Wizard of Oz
a Roman goddess in Julius Caesar
a bobby soxer in Forever Plaid

and my very first part......Marta in the Sound of Music

I haven't really acted in any plays, but I sang in The Nutcracker at the Kodak Theatre with my chorus.....that's about it.

How do you all get the whole confidence to act, what do you think of and goes through your head? Doesn't anyone ever laugh, make fun etc? That shakespere trip we were duped into going to had some shakespere- 10 mniutes exactly. Romeo and Juliet was divided into 8 scenes, each group given a mini version of the scene- update the dialogue, no props or scenery, then act. It was crap. I hear the high schools drama dept is getting better each year, so in september it should be good.

Originally posted by webuster
How do you all get the whole confidence to act, what do you think of and goes through your head? Doesn't anyone ever laugh, make fun etc? That shakespere trip we were duped into going to had some shakespere- 10 mniutes exactly. Romeo and Juliet was divided into 8 scenes, each group given a mini version of the scene- update the dialogue, no props or scenery, then act. It was crap. I hear the high schools drama dept is getting better each year, so in september it should be good.

when im acting...the reason im not nervous is that its not me, its the character. i get so inside the character that i totally lose myself in it. in real life im pretty camera shy but on stage i just play the role and feed off the audience applause.

does anyone ever laugh? yeah i have friends who come to see me and tease a little depending on the character or what im doing. but i love it.
and the worst was in julius ceasar...we performed for a middle school and whenever someone was killed they would laugh! it took everything we had to keep going dramatically and ignore it.

Wow... surprised to see so many replies since I last checked in.

Ruthie is one of my favorite Roxie's as well. Along with Karen Ziemba, Tracy Shayne, and Belle Calaway (who is the current Roxie). I'm all Chicago-ed out and will be for a while now. I may make a return once Melanie takes over as Roxie though, just out of pure curiousity.


As for plays, I've been in many a musical. Guenevere in "Camelot," Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls," Catherine in "Pippin," Mabel in "The Pirates of Penzance," and Gianetta in "The Gondoliers" to name a few. I've been in plays like "Scenes and Revelations," "Out Town," "Taming of the Shrew," etc.

Right now I'm studying musical theatre in NYC. It's truly a different mindset... that of a performer. It's a phenomenon very few can explain. That thrill of getting up before people and telling this story through someone else, whether it be through song and dance or just plain dialogue. It's a rush, and though everyone gets nervous when being watched by an audience, it's a feeling... a craving... a fullfillment that every performer desires. It's truly rewarding and you can't begin to understand the extents of the joy it brings unless you're a performer yourself. It's very tiresome and grusome work, but it's worth every sweat and every moment of loss sleep for that moment when you stand in front of your audience and hold them captive for a good two hours. There's nothing more rewarding in the world than that sweet sound of applause at the end.

Believe it or not, more performers than not are shy off stage. Their ability to break free of those constraints when in front of others is a phenomenon as well. You're basically experiencing a catharsis through another personality and it puts you in a less vulnerable place because you're not being 'yourself'... you're being someone else, so you're not so much putting yourself on display to be judged and criticized... because that's not really YOU. Performers are some of the most sensitive, insecure bunch. Even those that seem egotistical... 90% of the time it's a big front because they're not really secure in themselves. Actors are so complex... but that's what makes them who they are, and what makes them so appealing because they have so many different layers and you never know they're going to come up with next. :)

That's basically my analysis on how an actor gains 'confidence.' It's really not confidence at all. It's a difference in mindset and different outlook on life. Actors are just weird. Plain and simple. As an actor myself, I reserve the right to say so. :)



Side note: My time spent living among lots of actors the past few months... I've come to learn there are two kinds of performers. The diva b*tches who are just moody, cold and self righteous or the eccentrics who are just out there, weird, lovable and just the funnest people ever. :) The latter you seem to find more than the first. :)

Originally posted by Dr. Lilith Sternin

That thrill of getting up before people and telling this story through someone else, whether it be through song and dance or just plain dialogue. It's a rush, and though everyone gets nervous when being watched by an audience, it's a feeling... a craving... a fullfillment that every performer desires. It's truly rewarding and you can't begin to understand the extents of the joy it brings unless you're a performer yourself. It's very tiresome and grusome work, but it's worth every sweat and every moment of loss sleep for that moment when you stand in front of your audience and hold them captive for a good two hours. There's nothing more rewarding in the world than that sweet sound of applause at the end.

Believe it or not, more performers than not are shy off stage. Their ability to break free of those constraints when in front of others is a phenomenon as well. You're basically experience a catharsis through another personality and it puts you in a less vulnerable place because you're not being 'yourself'... you're being someone else, so you're not so much putting yourself on display to be judged and criticized... because that's not really YOU. Performers are some of the most sensitive, insecure bunch. Even those that seem egotistical... 90% of the time it's a big front because they're not really secure in themselves. Actors are so complex... but that's what makes them who they are, and what makes them so appealing because they have so many different layers and you never know they're going to come up with next. :)

That's basically my analysis on how an actor gains 'confidence.' It's really not confidence at all. It's a difference mindset and different outlook on life. Actors are just weird. Plain and simple. As an actor myself, I reserve the right to say so. :)

Side note: My time spent living among actors the past few months... I've come to learn there are two kinds of performers. The diva b*tches who are just moody, cold and self righteous or the eccentrics who are just out there, weird, lovable and just the funnest people ever. :) The latter you'll find more than the first. :)


wow, i totally agree with everything you said. Even though Ive only done community theater- Ive had opportunities to work w/ adult actors and groups and get a pretty good feeling for being inside "the biz"
being on stage just does something to you and that "craving" gets in your blood.

Well, it's been said you have to be certifiably insane to possess an Equity card, so that alone should tell you something about actors... well, at least stage actors. LOL

Glad to see you around, Bethany...haven't seen you in awhile. :)

In Ireland, so few people do acting- that someone got accepted into an american drama college and got a 3 minute segment about it no the news. TRhe place is like $25,000 a year! And his parents are paying it, crazy.

Is it a conservatory in NYC with American in the title? There are two in NYC... The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). The price range sounds about right... and both give you a press release form when accepted.

My father's paying for mine... it's worth it if it's your entire life (and sadly, musical theatre is my entire life... I only own showtunes... eat, breathe, and sleep musical theatre... no joke, folks...).

Originally posted by harper
Nathan lane and angela Lansbury,.Sondheim,The Music Man,My fair lady,The Sound of music are some of the reasons why I love Broadway.I love B.Neuwirth in Chicago and Damn Yankees.She won a tony for Chicago.if you have any questions you can ask me here or at my email address at CHPK@erols.com.

NATHAN LANE IS MY FAV!!!!!!!!!!!! I have yet to see him on Broadway - in my dreams...has anyone seen "The Producers"? That would be a good one to see...even if Nathan and Matthew Broderick are not on the cast anymore :( it still sounds hilarious!

I saw "The Producers" when it opened with Nathan and Matthew. You should see it. Roger Bart is in it right now and he's great. :)

Originally posted by webuster
How do you all get the whole confidence to act, what do you think of and goes through your head? Doesn't anyone ever laugh, make fun etc? That shakespere trip we were duped into going to had some shakespere- 10 mniutes exactly. Romeo and Juliet was divided into 8 scenes, each group given a mini version of the scene- update the dialogue, no props or scenery, then act. It was crap. I hear the high schools drama dept is getting better each year, so in september it should be good.

Personally, I don't think anyone should THINK too much about what they're doing. I'm a big believer in the most honest acting comes naturally. I took a theater class at Michigan State where they pretty much destroyed what little talent I had. Asking questions like "what's my motivation?" totally threw me off the track of acting naturally. When you're in real life you don't think things like that.

I'm currently in a play over here. I'm really excited, cuz it's my first play in like three years. (Also being in German, it's a bit of a challenge) :lol: Very cool.

I've directed a lot too. (Probably should have mentioned that) and it's a lot more fun, I have to say. You get to sit back and boss everyone around. Ah, that's the life! :wave:

Originally posted by Dr. Lilith Sternin
(and sadly, musical theatre is my entire life... I only own showtunes... eat, breathe, and sleep musical theatre... no joke, folks...).
Ditto. :D And I'm proud of it!