Walking into the darkened New World Stages for TEDxBroadway, I half expected to see a sign saying “Presented by General Electric,” or at least a robot welcoming me to the great big world of tomorrow. After all, this niche TED talk was billed as an imagining of Broadway in 20 years. If Walt Disney were in charge of the daylong event, there would have been intricate models of Times Square—circa 2022—complete with flying cars, jet packs, and a monorail.

Alas, there were no glamorous peeks into a sterile Times Square, save for a brief joke from organizer Ken Davenport, rather the day was full of theatrical industry types waxing poetic on the future of Broadway. Much was made of the current state of affairs—Broadway has seen steady grosses over the past decade, despite economic downturn and tourism lulls—with a hint of urgency when considering the current demographics funneling money into live stage productions. As organizer and Situation Interactive leader Damian Bazadona pointed out, around 83% of Broadway’s audiences are white with average household incomes of $250,000.

While there often tends to be a sense of skepticism when speaking of Broadway’s future, TEDxBroadway was more about thinking positive, and brainstorming for the sake of live theater. Bazadona rattled off a list of needs for the viability of Broadway: incredible original productions, full theaters with diverse audiences, a wider platform to share our greater purpose, and less risk from external factors. “Broadway needs to become an idea factory,” he proclaimed, equating this industry to another—Silicon Valley.

It’s Bazadona’s hope for less risk from external factors that rings closest to the truth for Broadway’s sustainability, and ultimate growth. Theatrics aside, it all boils down to business, not art—money remains the bottom line. Yes, creative types need to continue being creative. Customer service must bounce back from the often-lackluster approach current front-of-house staff take when dealing with New York’s tourists. And marketers must work hard to cultivate new audiences. But the lasting lesson to come out of TEDxBroadway, and the idea most akin to a world of tomorrow, is the necessity for re-thinking the insular mentality most theater owners and producers have when thinking of the live entertainment industry.

Collective thinking is the future of Broadway. No longer can a producer pray for the failure of another production, merely to snag an open theater for their latest work. Billy Elliot might have just shuttered—Nice Work If You Can Get It producer Scott Landis was reportedly sniffing around Times Square, hopeful a show would flop in time for his Matthew Broderick vehicle to plop down for the winter in a warm house—but Elton John’s musical lesson in solidarity must not disappear into the Playbill vault.

Joseph Craig, an entertainment-marketing expert, proved the most provocative on the matter of collective thinking. “We want [tourists] to say ‘and see a show’ when planning their New York trips,” he said, fixating on the need for tourists to look at Broadway as a “must do” attraction. His greatest advice: “worry about how to get people to Broadway in general, not to an individual show.” I half expected to hear the TEDxBroadway audience, made up mostly of business insiders, to roll in the aisles at this blasphemous talk. Why would the Nederlanders want to help a Shubert show fill its seats?

Like it or not, everyone with a theater between 40th Street and 54th Street works in the theatrical industry, emphasis on the latter term—industry. Broadway is only as strong as its weakest link. Tourists are not looking at the minutiae of theatrical ownership and producer credits. Tourists come to Broadway to see a show. They bring their children to see a show. And, hopefully, those children will return to see a show. Business economics 101: Brand Loyalty. Broadway is the brand in question.

Barry Kahn, a dynamic pricing expert, added fodder to argument towards collective thinking, aiming his sights on a universal box-office experience. “What if all Broadway theaters worked out of the same box office?” he asked. Without touching on the precarious situation of box-office union red tape, Broadway as an industry could only benefit from a single point-of-sale. I still find myself irritated over the split between Ticketmaster and Telecharge offerings. In 2012, why must I toggle between two fundamentally different systems when trying to see what shows have open inventory on a Thursday night?

And, from a tourist’s perspective, why do we not hear about touring productions while waiting for a Broadway show to start? Would it not behoove the entire theatrical industry to alert patrons to relevant touring shows while the potential ticket buyers are ripe for arts marketing? I should be able to walk out of Jersey Boys and immediately be pointed to a customer service representative that can tell me about other jukebox musicals playing in my hometown. Movie theaters do this by way of coming attractions. Broadway does it by, what exactly?

There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Just a dream away

TEDxBroadway planted the seed for a great big dream to blossom in the theatrical industry’s mind. However, the dream is merely a start. It is now up to every person in attendance to see that dream through to reality. It’s time to drop the theatrics of narrow-mindedness, and open up to a collective future. That’s the only way Broadway will be standing on two strong legs in 20 years.

I originally published this article on 2AMtheatre.com.

During the post-Super Bowl premiere, one such talent took the stage, wowing the judges with his singing “Because We Believe,” partially in Italian. “I knew it might be risky to sing in Italian because most people don’t speak it, but no one can deny how beautiful the melody is,” Mann wrote on NBC’s website.

After watching Mann’s audition, it dawned on me that I had seen him before. Mann had been a guest teaching artist at Rosie’s Broadway Kids, now Rosie’s Theatre Kids, an organization in New York City geared towards helping kids receive an arts education. A handful of the kids had joined Mann for vocal rehearsals as they readied for a gala performance. Below is the video that I shot during the kids’ final rehearsals.

For those that grew up without access to MTV, VH1, or any other music television outlet prone to replaying holiday music videos on a 24-hour cycle following Thanksgiving, Band Aid was a charity group created by Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for poverty in Ethiopia. Major recording artists joined together and recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” with proceeds helping the cause at hand.

Phil Collins, Bono, Simon Le Bon, Sting, George Michael. Essentially every singing superstar of the era joined forces for a cause, and the end result was a melody that withstands the test of time. It’s nearly impossible to watch the music video and not try calling out each star’s name as they pop up on screen. Spiked eggnog drinking game, anyone?

Charts were topped. Records were set. Charities were funded. And then came Band Aid II. Don’t feel bad if you can’t remember that 1989 blip on the radar. Kylie Minogue might be the only name from that odd lineup to still have a worthwhile career today. Production value was lacking, as was a clear reason for revisiting the project in a clear carbon-copy style. When the 20th anniversary of the 1984 gathering came around, Gedlof decided it was time to take another crack at things, this time with a strong list of talent.

Band Aid 20 saw the return of Bono, who was joined by Chris Martin, Robbie Williams, Snow Patrol, and a decent list of music stars, many with British roots, as was the case in 1984. Unfortunately, the success of that original project couldn’t be recreated, no matter how many talented singers joined the cause.

What was missing? A BBC critic pinned it to a lack of magic. “While the original carried atmosphere, this just feels bland,” they wrote. It wasn’t until this week’s episode of “Glee” that any sense of spirit got injected back into the do-gooder anthem of the ’80s. In fact, Fox’s hit musical series has knack for adding a revived enthusiasm to songs of yesteryear, from Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and now “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” While the fanciful high school characters might not bleed originality, they do force an enthusiasm on the viewers that a producer like Geldof could not tap into.

Perhaps “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy should have consulted with the Broadway League this year. Much like Geldof, the League attempted to rally stage’s biggest stars and re-create a moment that helped boost New York City’s spirit shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Following the horrific day, an ad campaign, made to re-boost tourism in the city, featured Broadway stars singing the Kander and Ebb anthem “New York, New York,” followed by Nathan Lane asking people to “See a Broadway Show.”

On the 10th anniversary of that fateful day, Broadway actors including Joel Grey and Bebe Neuwirth joined in Times Square to re-create that iconic moment. “It wasn’t the most upbeat event,” EW.com wrote. It is a seemingly innocuous comment, but a telling one when considering the caliber of stars that joined for this commemoration. A great cause, certainly, but nothing to write home about. Think, Band Aid II. Great cause. Less than stellar execution.

The next time a charity or cause wants throw out originality and recycle a campaign, look to “Glee.” It will have a much greater chance of topping an iTunes download list, a milestone all the cool kids should aspire to.

Broadway producers have forsaken the “art” of show business, opting to focus on the “business” prospects of an industry built on fickle tourists. Can you blame them? Purists often try, but they aren’t the ones funding these shows. They’re waiting in rush lines, trying to pay as little as possible to be entertained. They shouldn’t be blamed either. Alas, take note, purists: you don’t factor into the business part of show, at least not when it comes to the bottom line.

During this holiday season, as families swarm Manhattan for Christmas cheer and a supposed “sure bet” on Broadway, where does a theater aficionado look to for a Broadway-caliber experience? Seek out the lesser evils. Find the “quality” A-listers, or as I like to call them, bright stars—those recognizable faces plunked down on stage in order to draw critical praise while also bringing a certain charisma sought out by Us Weekly. Consider it a happy medium, because casting stars on stage is nothing new, nor is it going anywhere in the foreseeable future. The rent is too damn high.

A rare gift was recently handed down from the silver screen gods, Harry Potter. Unlike, say, Twilight, which had a single casting goal in mind—make girls squeal—Potter approached its casting decisions with acting in mind. A novel idea. Perhaps it was a British mindset, something America has yet to accept from its former rulers. We threw out more than tea in Boston, we seemingly tossed a bit of class. Potter’s casting team and directors hand picked an ensemble that understood the craft, at least for many of the key roles. And Broadway has reaped some of those rewards, both on the business and artistic sides.

Casting Daniel Radcliffe in Equus showed audiences more than his unmentionables—young Harry Potter proved that he could handle the complexities of a challenging theatrical work. He then danced his way to the Hirschfeld Theatre, joining another brotherhood—the American Musical. Critical praise came, as did tabloid coverage, screaming girls, and box office receipts. How to Succeed, indeed.

Now the deliciously sinister Alan Rickman, known to Tweens everywhere as Professor Snape, is whirling his acting wand around the Golden Theatre in Broadway’s Seminar. He’s certainly no stranger to Broadway, nor the stage, but to Potter-obsessed audiences, a marquee with his name flashing in bright lights means more than quality, it means celebrity. And that benefits a play like Seminar, deserving of extra attention.

Bright stars—you might recognize their faces, but you’ll definitely remember their talent.

Film star Scarlett Johansson took time away from moviemaking in 2009 to make her Broadway debut—the decision resulted in Tony Award-winning success—but her transition from film to stage wasn’t as simple as pouting one’s lips. Liev Schreiber, her co-star in the play A View From the Bridge, recently noted that stage acting proved difficult, at first, for Johansson. “You’re articulating the idea of a playwright more than you are acting. And if you articulate the idea of the play, there will be emotion behind it. But if you’re ahead of it with the emotion, then the audience just perceives it as narcissistic. It’s about the actor acting. You’ve got to get egg on your face to learn those things.”

I’ll be the first in line to turn my nose up at the thought of Jerry Springer coming to Broadway, but for the good of the theatrical economy, perhaps the ire should be directed at Hollywood casting directors. With blockbuster movies being used as the barometer for future Broadway stars and starlets, start demanding more from you summer popcorn fare. Try pressuring Hollywood into doing it like the Brits. Or perhaps try convincing George Clooney to team up with David Mamet—a truly perfect holiday gift.

With all of this tech talk on the stage, it begs the question, how tech savvy, or at least how enthusiastic about technology is the New York theatrical community? The Public Theater decided to highlight its own staff in a video, titled “iPublic,” which describes how Apple technology is used behind the scenes.

As you can see, they are a pretty savvy group. Then there is the current Broadway duo of Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone. Let’s just say, these Broadway stalwarts are making an effort to stay socially relevant, as can be seen in a recent spoof video created to promote their new show, An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, playing on Broadway through January 13, 2012. It’s hard not to love their zest for social media.

“What Jonathan just told me is that Follies only works when it is grand. And this production is grand,” the musical director and conductor of this upcoming Broadway revival of Follies, James Moore, told me during a break in rehearsals.

Follies takes place in a theatre on the eve of its demolition. Its main characters are a set of actors who once graced the stage during the era of Weismann’s Follies. They reminisce and long for those early days of musicals and become haunted by their memories. It’s with these themes in mind that Follies almost requires lush orchestras, costumes, and traditions.

One major aspect of this production that helps give it a “classic” sound is the lavish 28-piece orchestra. More recently, many Broadway shows have been orchestrated to be played by a smaller number of musicians. “It’s thrilling to have a full-sized orchestra,” Moore boasted. “When audiences saw the show at the Kennedy Center, they loved the rich sounds emanating from the orchestra. We are very fortunate that the Marquis can accommodate the number of musicians required to accomplish this traditional sound.”

In his book, historian Ted Chapin chronicled the creation of the original production, Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies.  “The size and makeup of the orchestra is a group decision, influenced primarily by [Sondheim] and the producer, the composer with artistic concerns and the producer with budgetary ones,” he wrote.

As conductor and musical director, Moore is today’s authority on traditional Broadway musicality, having done both the recent Broadway revivals of Ragtime and South Pacific. “My goal is for everyone in the audience to feel the same thrill that I have when I’m standing on the podium in the pit, and the sound washes over me,” Moore said. “I am lucky.”  In addition to the 28 musicians in the orchestra pit, on stage at the Marquis Theatre there’s an entirely different set of finely tuned instruments, in the form of an A-list cast of actors.

Referring to the Follies performers as an “embarrassment of riches,” Moore has been excited to work with the likes of Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines and Elaine Paige.  With the full orchestra and actors in his arsenal, Moore feels ready to present this Sondheim treasure to Broadway audiences, knowing that a show like Follies comes with some expectations.

The original 1971 production of Follies ran for little more than a year and its only other revival, in 2001, lasted a mere five months.  Although few theatregoers have actually seen a live production of the show, it features many of Sondheim’s most beloved and popular songs, including “I’m Still Here,” “Broadway Baby” and “Losing My Mind.”  “This is really well-known material that people have a lot of opinions about. These songs are so well known, and anytime you do a Sondheim show, you just have a target on your back,” he said half jokingly.

Another high-profile song from Follies is “Waiting for the Girls Upstairs,” as it carries a special attachment for Sondheim. “In some ways this song was the key to the whole show,” Chapin wrote in his book.  “Not only had it been one of the first songs written, but its evolution paralleled the evolution of [the show’s earliest incarnation] into Follies.”

Moore did get some assistance from the composer, Sondheim, as the musical mastermind travelled to D.C. during the recent production, sitting in on early rehearsals and giving out advice to the new creative team. “We sang through the show to him and he had a lot of feedback,” Moore said. “He’s not a composer too concerned with tempos, but rather how to interpret things. He told me what not to let actors do while singing the songs.”

The entire Follies team, both cast and crew, were only given two weeks of rehearsal before starting performances in front of paying audiences at the Marquis Theatre, as the decision to transfer from D.C. to Broadway was made rather quickly, but Moore sounded excited as he looked ahead to the limited engagement on Broadway. “It helps that I’m so familiar with the show, having just finished the other production, but my biggest hurdle is getting an entirely new orchestra working together in a new theatre.”  He’s now putting the music together in front of audiences each night, as previews began August 7th.

I first wrote this article for BroadwayDirect.com

“It’s a little bit like coming home,” Dibble said to me before his morning workout and afternoon technical rehearsal of the musical. Having worked on Come Fly Away for two years, Dibble has come to understand the show as being a unique type of production, with a cast dancing to some of Sinatra’s most recognizable tunes, each with an intricate style envisioned by Tharp. “As a dancer, you are always looking for inspiration,” Dibble said, adding, “When the history books are written, Twyla is right up there.”

That weighty compliment comes from a dancer who has been working with Tharp for nearly 15 years. The two first met after Dibble had started his own dance company in Japan, K-Ballet, following his tenure in London’s Royal Ballet. “She asked if I could come and audition for a show she was creating called Movin’ Out,” he said.

While Tharp ultimately decided not to cast Dibble in the Broadway production of the Billy Joel dance musical, she invited him to join her own dance company — he ended up joining Movin’ Out once it went on tour. “You have to earn your badge, like when you go to an office,” he said. “You have to start somewhere and work your way up.”

The start of a dancing relationship between Tharp and Dibble was formed, and about two-and-a-half years ago, she began talking about Come Fly Away with him, although he can’t be certain if she planned on him taking part in the show. Of course, he ended up landing the role of Chanos in the Sinatra tribute, a role featuring what many refer to as the “drunk dance,” a scene depicting some wobbly moves.

“My character is quite diverse,” Dibble said. “He goes from heartbreak to blind drunk then happily being with someone. That’s the wonderful thing about working with Twyla. You come in one day and learn something, then she just flips things around. I get to dance different emotions throughout the night.”

Dibble hails from England, where he grew up and studied dance in London. He started at the Royal Ballet School when he was merely 11 years old, later getting accepted into the Royal Ballet where he spent 5 years. And it’s those British roots that lend an extra sense of understanding to his love of dancing to Sinatra. “Coming from England, we have such a huge respect for people like Sinatra and Elvis,” he admitted. “The soul in music and Sinatra-style lounge singing all started in America. Would there have been an Amy Winehouse if there wasn’t a Sinatra character,” he wondered aloud.

It’s that universal love of Sinatra, combined with the groundbreaking dance work by Tharp that has Dibble convinced that cities across North America will find something to appreciate about Come Fly Away. “It’s amazing to see the different reactions of people around the country,” he said. “Dance audiences will love what Twyla has created, and music audiences will get a kick out of hearing Sinatra from a fantastic live band.”

From the title number “Come Fly Away” to such popular hits as “New York, New York,” “My Way,” “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Witchcraft,” Come Fly Away has something for every Sinatra fan.

As for Dibble, he’s keeping his eye on Tharp, hoping that once the Come Fly Away national tour concludes, he might have a chance to work with her again. “She’s like a living legend,” he said. “There’s not many like her left now. We are running out of that kind of stock of great choreographers.”

Come Fly Away will tour through June 2012 to cities including Chicago, Durham, Los Angeles, San Diego, and many more.

I first wrote this article for BroadwayDirect.com

So, it makes perfect sense that the duo would pitch in one more time behind the medium of a music video. Bono and the Edge obviously know how to sell albums, and through the use of a music video, they have helped keep ‘Spider-man’ in a league of its own.

I first wrote about the notion of music videos working in favor or a Broadway musical back when the West End production of ‘Love Never Dies’ released a video to promote the ‘Phantom of the Opera’ sequel in London. You can read that original post below:

Music Videos Can Save Broadway

originally posted February 26, 2010

There was a time when Broadway melodies would play on radio stations across the country, a time when showtunes were part of a crooner’s nightly set list at the club. Those were the days of musical heavyweights like Oscar Hammerstein II, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and Irving Berlin. When one of these musical masterminds crafted a song, chances are, people around the country wanted to hear it.

It was called the Golden Age of Broadway — a period of time between the 1940s and 1960s that is often recalled by theatrical historians and Broadway devotees. Sadly, nostalgia does not pay the bills, nor does the current exposure Broadway musicals have been getting these past few years.