Broadway Moments

Broadway Moments

         I was blessed last week by having the opportunity to see five Broadway musicals in one week.  Yes, I am a straight old dude with limited singing skills, two left feet, and I love musicals!  Appreciation for this art form crosses all stereotypes and belongs to all us theatre nerds!  It firmly reinforced my love for this genre and each show we saw was representative of different styles and approach.  It occurred to me that our lives are a series of Broadway “moments” and we only need to realize when they happen.  Let me try to illustrate.

         To begin, there are different levels of moments.  There is the in your face, look at me, BIG number that brings the audience to their feet with cheers.  “On Your Feet” deals with the story of Gloria and Emilio Estevan who brought to the world the glorious rhythms of Cuban music and eventually spilled over into the pop scene.  The BIG moments consisted of the cast spilling out into the audience with the big conga number pulling audience members to dance with them.  It was Gloria’s return to music after her near fatal bus crash when she appeared on the American Music Awards stage in a wonderful moment.  However, there were wonderful little moments when Emilio said to a record producer who would not deal with their non-Spanish numbers because he believed it would not appeal.  Emilio tells him that when the agent saw him that he saw only a Cuban immigrant with limited English.  He stood before the producer and told him to look at his face…this was a face of not just a Cuban immigrant, but an American.  There was a wonderful duet between Gloria and the spirit of her father that ripped our hearts out.  Good stuff.

         “Sunset Boulevard” has its share of BIG moments.  However the little moments pull it all together.   “I’m still big, it’s the films that got small!”   Yes!  Witnessing the near hysteria of Norma Desmond when she fears that her “boy friend” might desert her.  The BIG moments during the “it’s as if we never said goodbye” number that left us gasping for breath along with that staircase descent…”I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.” 

         Witnessing the vocal prowess of Patty Lupone and Christine Ebersole in the new musical, “War Paint,” was (as my dear daughter Melissa described) a master class on how to do it.  This is a good example of a musical being more of a play with music.  It was the little moments of witnessing Lupone singing and speaking about ethnic and religious prejudice and Ebersole reacting in a heartbreaking fashion as she dealt with social bias and being unaccepted because she was a successful woman.  Bravi, ladies!

         “Kinky Boots” has a ton of BIG moments that bring cheers from the audience.  However it was the little moment when Lola, the drag queen, sings of the bullying and how his father disowned him that makes us all pause and understand. 

         When Dolly Levi stands at the top of those stairs going into the Harmonia Gardens in that wonderful red dress and the music begins the big “Hello, Dolly” number it is the quintessential BROADWAY MOMENT.  The wonderful musical numbers in this show are the perfect examples of musical theatre.  But, again, it is that small moment when Dolly gets her “sign” from her deceased husband that makes us all realize that this is a Thornton Wilder play and this is a woman who not only “fixes” things, but loves strongly. 

         I dislike the term musical comedy and prefer musical theatre.   Musical theatre has the ability to transcend.  It is not limited to the spoken word, but rather extends those words with music and sometimes with dance.  It’s the whole package.  It can push your emotion to the brink and offers a marvelous catharsis.  We all have a little “song and dance” in us. 

         I suggest that we all find our “Broadway” moments.  Wouldn’t it be grand if we could express them like Midler or Lupone?  However, we are all stars and our moments are ours to own and express in any way we feel.  Our moments can come at times of great joy, satisfaction, or sorrow.  My moments include first seeing Diane coming down the aisle during our wedding.  Seeing the faces of my children for the first time are moments that will always resonate with me.  Great sorrow also brings moments.  That moment when I realized that Diane had transcended certainly qualifies and also that terrible day when Diane’s mom and my dad had passed away on the same day.  The list goes on.

         Create your own musical theatre.  Be aware of your existence and realize the importance of it.  Realize your unique self and learn to celebrate it.   Your world is your stage and you are the star.  As Mama Rose exclaims in “Gypsy,” “Sing out, Louise! Everything’s coming up roses!”