The Theater world is a very supportive and loving community with really cool shenanigans and traditions while keeping your energy up doing 8 shows a week.
One of the best and happiest traditions is when you celebrate your birthday while working on Broadway and/or on a National Tour.
When it’s a cast/crew member’s birthday, here are some really cool things that happen.
1. 30 minutes before half hour call, the stage manager calls everyone to the backstage greenroom and calls your out to wish you happy birthday over the PA system.
2. You get a surprise cake. The person’s birthday who it was before goes to the store, buys it, and lights it up. Also for bonus points, the previous birthday person or fellow cast/crew members decorate the dressing room station.
3. In the greenroom, the cakes are set up and the whole company sings Happy Birthday with beautiful Broadway style harmony (it is hilarious how it sounds).
4. Make a wish and for bonus points, GIVE A SPEECH!!!!
5. Give the greatest Broadway Birthday performance ever!!!
Recently, Kinky Boots on Broadway original cast member Tony nominee Stark Sands celebrated his birthday backstage at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Check out the cast serenading him and the harmonies.
Isn’t the Broadway community so great to everyone?! Who dreams of having a birthday while working on Broadway?
Nothing like being serenaded by a bunch of pros. Harmonies galore.
#birthdaysonbroadway
#KinkyBoots
Earlier this week, the Theater community ended it’s Holiday fund raising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with the annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR competition (at the New Amsterdam Theatre) which all the Broadway and Touring shows participate doing skits, spoofs, original pieces, and more.
For the finale, the Broadway and Touring companies of the Award wining smash hit Jersey Boys united with their final GYPSY OF THE YEAR performance before it’s 4,642nd and final Broadway performance on January 15th, 2017 at the August Wilson Theatre. The West End production is also set to close March 2017. This TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE smash hit will be missed.
#GypsyOfTheYear 2016 concluded with a celebratory send off to long-running Broadway hit Jersey Boys, which closes January 15 after 11 record-breaking years.
Current star Mark Ballas said, ?Our motto at Jersey Boys is a line from the show, ?family is everything? It’s been an honor to join this family, the Jersey family.?
The performance, written, directed and staged by continuing original cast member Peter Gregus, featured more than 60 past and present cast members, including Mark Ballas, Drew Gehling, Andy Karl, Dominic Nolfi, Drew Seeley, Jarrod Spector and Andrew Rannells. This year?s top fundraising award brings the Broadway company?s all-time fundraising total for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to a remarkable $2,719,887.
THROWBACK THURSDAY: In 2002, the Broadway community came together to raise money for The Actors Fund with a one off gala concert presentation of Funny Girl. The concert was not your typical staging of the iconic musical that made Barbra Streisand a breakout star, each scene featured a different actress playing the role of “Fanny Brice”. It was held at the New Amsterdam Theatre (where majority of the musical takes place and was obviously home of the Zigfeld Follies). The concert was put together by Seth Rudetsky, who also served as the music director.
The FANNY’s (in order of appearances) are Whoopi Goldberg, Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel, Ricki Lake, Spencer Kayden, Kristin Chenoweth, LaChanze, Julia Murney, Ana Gasteyer, Lillias White, Jane Krakowski, Alice Playten, Bebe Neuwirth, Judy Kuhn, Andrea Martin, and Carolee Carmello.
It also featured Peter Gallagher as Nick Arnstein and Len Cariou as Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
How cool is it instead having a fast limited engagement stunt casting, you can have many Broadway divas play Fanny Brice in different scenes in just one night?
Funny Girl- Actor Fund Benefit Concert, 23 September 2002 Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel, Ricki Lake, Spencer Kayden, Kristin Chenoweth, …
