JK's TheatreScene: Theatrical Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Theatrical Thanksgiving

Just around the time this posts, I'll be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, the early hour necessitated by a family member who has to work on the holiday. Hey, turkey and stuffing is good in my book at any hour... and I am sure we will be grazing all day, anyway.

Well, I can't believe this is my THIRD Thanksgiving blog. And every year it seems like I have even more to be thankful for, this year included. I've managed to stay healthy and employed. And my friends and family all continue to prosper and thrive. And that is saying a lot these days.

And, as this is a theatre blog, let me mention a few things for which I am especially thankful:

1. My fellow theatre bloggers and blog followers! I really love sharing my thoughts with all of you, and am astonished every week that you are even listening! It is especially nice to chat back and forth about shows with people who have the same passion for the art form. Your enthusiasm, interest and criticism inspire me.

2. Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight Records! I can't imagine Broadway without them, can you? They record all the shows no one will touch, and now have some shows in their catalogue that other companies wish they had! Just this year, they have recorded Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (a flop that would probably have gone unrecorded), Catch Me If You Can (a score that might have been recorded, but probably not with all the bells and whistles this version got), the seasonal hit Elf: The Musical, and the one everyone else wish they had signed up for: The Book of Mormon!

3. Off-Broadway! These days, the theatre scene down stairs is as exciting, sometimes more so, than shows with a Times Square address. Of course, the really good stuff moves uptown. But not for some time has the off-Broadway show attracted such a high caliber of established talent. For every Alex Timbers trying out his professional legs like so many before him, there is a Maury Yeston, an established genius trying out a challenging piece in a more economical way. And unknown actors mix freely with Tony nominees and even Tony winners - just ask John Behlmann how he likes sharing the marquee with Alice Ripley!

Another thing I'm especially thankful for is the new crop of Broadway babies that are so incredible, we need not worry that the Fabulous Invalid will die anytime soon. Here are 5 boys and 5 girls that have made 2011 a year to be thankful. (Double click on any photo to view them as a slideshow!)