Sunday, June 12, 2011

PLAY BILL

Play Bill - the official four letter word guide to any show you'll see on Broadway.

Tonight is the 65th annual Tony Awards, honoring the best of American theater, as represented by the Broadway.  In every Broadway show, the program is known as a "Playbill", and the term is even often used to generally refer to the program for any live theatrical production.

I have been very fortunate to have a collection of Playbills stored in my basement, along with programs from many more shows I've been involved with or seen off Broadway.  There is something about a live theatrical show that is unlike any other performance.  In a musical, there is the coordination between the live music, the live singers, the choreography, the lighting... and the audience.  In a play, there is an even closer bond between the actors, who have to nail the performance night after night, and bond with the audience every time.

Watching the Tony Awards, you understand the power of live theater that goes beyond what movies can do.  Movies have awesome effects, enough to make you believe they are real.  With live theater, they share the secret with you that they're not real - but you don't care, because you are sharing part of the experience with the actors on stage at that very moment.  And they are doing it just for you.

Don't believe me?  Go see a show at your local High School... your local summer stock... if you are lucky, experience a touring company... and if you are really lucky - come to Broadway... and share in the experience of live theater.

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