Everybody Wants to Be Hedwig, Broadway Studs Are Best Served Cold & More Lessons of the Year
It’s almost 2015—we can’t believe a year went by so fast! (Name the musical that’s from and get 525,600 bonus points.) But before you jump into your jammies to watch Idina Menzel belt out “Let It Go” on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, we have one question: How do you measure, measure a year? In Lessons, of course! We’ve learned so much from our favorite shows and stars in the last 365 days on Broadway. Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?
Audra McDonald Needs to Write a Play
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Audra McDonald is freaking unstoppable. Now that she’s won a whopping six Tony Awards—one for every acting category and then some—she needs to take up some new hobbies, like playwriting, orchestrating or costume design, so she can rack up some more Tonys in 2015. Either that or a sex change.
Everybody Wants a Piece of Hedwig
Drag is so last year. Hedwig and the Angry Inch has been a cult hit for over a decade, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the transgender rock goddess finally took center stage on Broadway and racked up four Tony Awards. Now everyone wants to play her—even Rob Thomas and James Corden want to get in on the action. Wait, this is the perfect role for Audra McDonald! (We’re actually not kidding.)
Adele Dazeem. Just Adele Dazeem.
Who knew getting your name botched on national TV could send your career into the stratosphere? We hope If/Then and Frozen star Idina Menzel bought John Travolta some really nice Christmas Hanukkah booze. Because nothing says, “Thank you for effing up my name on the Oscars” like a bottle of Goldschlager.
We Like Our Broadway Stars on Ice
People all over the world got cold and wet for a good cause in 2014, and Broadway stars were no exception. All of the Ice Bucket Challenge videos were awesome, but we were particularly fond of the ones that featured Ramin Karimloo and the Newsies guys for some reason. We’re not exactly sure why. Maybe they should do more ice bucket videos so we can figure it out.
Dream Roles Come True
Broadway is the land of opportunity (we think we read that in a book), and this year, the Great White Way made dreams come true for two lucky guys: Bradley Cooper, who had been dreaming of starring in The Elephant Man since he was in college, and Norm Lewis, who officially became Broadway’s first African-American Phantom. See that, kids? Santa is real (even though he didn’t get us that Wicked movie we really wanted).
Vintage Shows Get Better with Age
Old shows are like Grandma’s pantsuit collection: Sure, they’re a little dusty, but this year proved you can pull a play or musical out of the back of the closet, dust it off and pretend it’s brand new again. Producers added some star power and spritzed a little Febreze on relics like Hedwig, This Is Our Youth, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill and Side Show in 2014...and the tourists didn't even notice!
There’s No Such Thing as a ‘Sure Thing’
The Rolling Stones said it best: “Producers can’t always get what they want.” (We think that’s how it went.) Sometimes when a show seems like a guaranteed hit—an acclaimed director, a starry cast, a genius book writer, based on a movie with the word “Broadway” in the title—it flops. Meanwhile, a less flashy musical (also about murder) swoops in and wins Best Musical. Never underestimate the power of a top hat and a bustle.
If You Don’t Like It, Tweet About It
You got a bone to pick? Forget the op-ed page—just fire up your iPhone and start tweeting. Thanks to your Twitter comments this year, marquee lights were dimmed for Joan Rivers, the sound design awards might be reinstated in future Tony ceremonies, Peter Pan Live! was even more successful than The Sound of Music and the Les Miz revival finally got a cast recording. Oh wait. Not that last one. Get to work, guys!
Kelli O’Hara Is the Susan Lucci of B'way
Yep, five-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara is a lucky lady. She has gorgeous skin and hair as yellow as corn, she's about to star in her 10th Broadway show, she has a handsome husband, two adorable kids and a talented father-in-law, she just wowed the country on national TV and she can make some mean cheese grits. Yep, Kelli O'Hara pretty much has it all. EXCEPT ONE THING.
YES, We Want to Build a Snowman
When we’re old and gray, and our grandchildren ask us, “What was 2014 like?” Here’s what we’ll say: “Once upon a time, there was a princess named Liz/Beth Adele Dazeem Idina Menzel Elsa and she sang this song called ‘Let It Go.’ But that was the crazy thing—we could not let it go. Our love for her grew into a giant Frozen snowball that got so big, we had no choice but to abandon Earth and move there. And that, kids, is why we live in an igloo in Arendelle. Now go to bed.”