IN PRAISE OF BROADWAY BACKWARDS

IN PRAISE OF BROADWAY BACKWARDS

For the past six years, Bob and I have had the privilege of attending Broadway Backwards, an evening of theatre music benefiting New York City's LGBT Center on 13th Street and, since edition #5, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS as well. This past week on March 18, Broadway Backwards 8 was presented at the venerable Palace Theatre. The place was sold-out and raised nearly $350,000! That's both a lot of seats sold and a lot of money raised.

So what is Broadway Backwards, you ask? Simply put, it's a glorious evening where the guys sing songs usually associated with women and the gals sing songs usually associated with men. There are comedy songs, torch songs, love songs, and crackingly-sharp production numbers performed by well-known and respected theatre stars, many of whom are equally at home on television and in film, supported by a blisteringly talented ensemble. When we first started going to this event, it was a hosted musical revue. For the past two editions, a story line has been added, which is all very earnest and relevant, but sometimes breaks the momentum and slows down the evening. And that, folks, is my only quibble. Some years may be marginally better than others, but it's always an incredible evening full of laughter, great singing and dancing, and, yes, often some tears.

Broadway Backwards…long may it reign!

February, 2008. This was the start of our annual tradition.  This was also the first year that this event was presented at a Broadway house, in this case the smallish American Airlines Theatre. Seth Rudetsky was a hilarious host and kept the show moving. Unfortunately I can't find the song list, so I honestly don't recall who sang what. What I do remember is David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris nailing a song from Rent, Julie Halston keeping us in stitches (and when doesn't she?), and the thrill of seeing all these amazing performers: Gary Beach, Tituss Burgess, Charles Busch, Kerry Butler, Len Carious, Gavin Creel, Sandy Duncan, Ann Harada, Cheyenne Jackson, Aaron Lazar, Karen Mason, Andrea McArdle, Lea Michele, Julia Murney and Tony Yazbek. I remember wishing we'd seen the first two editions. - at the American Airlines Theatre, New York

February, 2009. Once again, this event attracts the cream of Broadway talent. The loudest and most sustained applause was saved for legends Anna Meara, Florence Henderson (very VERY funny) and Maureen McGovern (my God, can that woman sing!).  "Matchmaker" with Christopher Sieber,  John Tartaglia and Jose Llana was a hoot.  So was Whoopi Goldberg leading the female ensemble in "Gee, Officer Krupke."  "Ugly Betty's" Michael Urie and Becki Newton did well with "Getting Married Today", and he's adorable in person.  The male ensemble performed a kick-ass "Big Spender." Tituss Burgess gave us a wonderful "Meadowlark." The entire show was professional to the max with one glaring exception. Sandra Bernhard was embarrassing...drunk? stoned? high?  Who knows, but we felt so sorry for her co-performer, smoking hot Cheyenne Jackson. Another memorable evening! - at the American Airlines Theatre, New York

February, 2010. For the 5th edition, the Center joined forces with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS for the first time and a terrific show became even better and, dare I say this, even more polished and professional. The change of venue to the Beaumont added many more seats and the theatre, not surprisingly, was sold out. Highlights: Tonya Pinkins thrilling us with "Too Many Mornings," Aaron Lazar's "As Long As He Needs Me," Nick Adams, Timothy W. Bish and Adam Perry tearing their way through an exhilarating "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This," Douglas Sills' absolutely charming "I Could Have Danced All Night," Raul Esparza's moving "The Man That Got Away," Mario Cantone and the male ensemble in "Where You Are," and Tituss Burgess' "Children Will Listen." Bravissimo! - at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York

 February, 2011.  Another sold-out house for the annual event benefiting the Center and BC/EFA. My favorites included: Alan Cumming being appropriately sleazy in "Don't Tell Mama," Ward Billeisen, Colman Domingo and Jose Llana's "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," the uber-sexy boys of the ensemble playing the merry murderers of the Cook County Jail in their rendition of the "Cell Block Tango," Debra Monk's lovely "On the Street Where You Live," Lillias White haunting "Some Enchanted Evening," Brian Charles Rooney and Ensemble in a stirring "One Halloween/Being Alive" combo, "All I Care About is Love" as performed by the singular Bebe Neuwirth and the ladies, Tony Yazbek's jaw-dropping "The Music and the Mirror," and Clay Aiken's moving "Home." Don't you wish you'd been there?? - at the Longacre Theatre, New York

March, 2012. This was the first year a story line was added and it didn't always work. It was all very sincere, but, and I really hate to say this, a bit like preaching to the choir. Having said that, my favorites this time around included: the amazing LaChanze's "Go the Distance," the multi-talented Charles Busch's touching "If He Walked Into My Life," Dan Butler and the boys doing a terrifically fun version of "The Boy Friend," Sierra Boggess and Elizabeth Stanley's beautiful "Tonight," Andrew Rannells show-stopping "The Music That Makes Me Dance," Mario Cantone's "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?," the legendary Betty Buckley's "Sweeney Todd" medley, and Shawma Harnic and the ensemble stirring "I Am What I Am." Why aren't there DVDs of these amazing evenings? - at the Hirschfeld Theatre, New York

March, 2013. Broadway Backwards at the Palace! Completely sold-out. Who knew Estelle Parsons could sing? I didn't. And she did a bang-up "September Song." You go, Estelle! More highlights: Jim Brochu and Tony Sheldon and especially Sheldon's wonderful "Be Happy," Judy Kaye and the legendary Anita Gillette, who at 76 (!!) can still sing it to the balconies, enchanting us with "Three Sunny Rooms," Jan Maxwell's "How to Handle a Woman," an amazing pas de deux by Patrick Corbin and David Grenke, Anthony Warlow's sensational "Time Heals Everything," Tituss Burgess and members of the ensemble earning a show-stopping standing ovation with the absolutely breathtakingly thrilling "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (the two Jennifers, take note!), Karen Ziemba and the ladies in "Go Home with Bonnie Jean," a very, very sexy Josh Young and the hot, hot, hot men of the ensemble making Jekyll and Hyde's "Bring on the Men" a temperature-rising sizzler, Brian Stokes Mitchell lending his dulcet tones to "The Man I Love" and Stephanie J. Block and the ensemble with a sing-to-the-rafters "Our Time." Can't wait for next year! - at the Palace Theatre, New York

Until later...