Theatre's Coming Back

May 2021

Me and my brother Joseph at the screening of In The Heights at AMC 42!!! A real movie theatre!

Dear Family & Friends,

    The sun is shining! The birds are singing! It feels like the dawn of a new day. After a recent trip to California (Los Angeles and Joshua tree), a much-needed haircut, and veins full of antibodies courtesy of Pfizer, I feel like a new woman. Check out my redesigned website (still in-progress, but still a refresh). I hope the spirit of renewal is upon each and every one of you.

     The night after I landed back in New York, I got together with my dear friend Luis. He has a contagious energy about him; he has a level and beautiful perspective on life and always looks for the joy. We talked about the act of being present. Before my trip, I had a wakeup call; I really wasn’t present during much of my day. From the moment I woke up through my dreams each night through the following morning, I think about what’s next. Which means I’m never feeling right now. So Luis mentioned the “golden hour”—the hour after first waking, when you drink coffee (unless you’re me) and get ready for the day. He said that he tries to move to music in that hour. I told him about how I always dreamed I’d be like Lydia, Rita Moreno’s character in the reboot of One Day at a Time. She bursts through her curtains each morning as she hums and sways to the Latin music on her radio. “That’s how I want to start my mornings someday,” I would think watching her. Why someday?

     So, since returning from California, I play one song each morning, dance to it, and let my body go. Then I meditate (see: breathe) for five minutes. I’m telling you, this feels like it has changed everything.

     Of course, a lot has changed for all of us. Theatre all over the country, including Broadway, has announced dates for return to in-person, live performance! (See the calendar of dates below.) I’m thrilled that thousands of people will be able to get back to work and that we will be able to gather together and sync our heartbeats in a theatre. But, I must drive home the points I made in my Medium article. We need change. We cannot revert to old ways. Theatre buildings should still be renovated for safety and accessibility. We should still invest in streaming. And we must make companies (from offices to rehearsal rooms to stages) equitable and safe for everyone, especially our BIPOC, gender non-confirming, and differently abled colleagues.

     Before in-person theatre begins, prepare yourselves to witness theatrical greatness on the silver screen. The In The Heights movie hits cinemas June 11. Read my full recommendation below but BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW. This is not-to-be-missed. If you thought Hamilton on Disney+ was it, wait for it. You can also go behind-the-scenes of the movie with a bonus episode of Why We Theater. I interviewed lead producer Scott Sanders about how he joined director Jon Chu and Lin-Manuel Miranda for the epic movie musical. Fellow podcasters at the Broadway Podcast Network interviewed other members of the cast and crew for one massive In The Heights Movie Special Episode. I cannot recommend this masterpiece of film highly enough—and it’s for all ages.

      Speaking of which, a lot of theatre is. Check out my recent article for Parents magazine highlighting the proven benefits of exposing your kids to theatre. Whether they participate in the school play or the local JCC musical, or just attend community or professional theatre, the art form makes for healthier, more communicative, and more confident kids. You can also find a list of theatre to watch at home (whether you’re a family or not) here.

    In that same vein, mark your calendars for September 26 when you can watch the greatest of theatre at home on the Tony Awards. Yes. The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing (the two institutions behind the presentation of the Awards) have finally landed on a date. The ceremony will take place in two parts: two hours on Paramount+ (yes free trials are available or the $5 a month is worth it for the single night, people) and then two hours on CBS. The former features the presentation of ALL but three awards. That’s right. For the first time in decades, everyone at home will be able to watch the full announcements and speeches for awards like Best Score, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, etc. etc. etc.

     As someone who has watched these in full from the press room for years (during the hour-long pre-show Creative Awards and during subsequent commercial breaks), this is incredible news. Tune in!! Then, continue watching the second part (still on Paramount+ or just on regular ole CBS) for the musical performances and the presentation of Best Revival of a Play, Best Play, and Best Musical.

     Some people are upset about this Paramount+ business. But what we're actually getting is more content than you would with CBS alone. Do I think CBS should show more theatre? Yes. If you want that, tune in for the entire night of coverage. Ratings speak volumes. Tell every person you know to watch. I’m not sure where I will be that night, so stay tuned to future updates about my coverage.

     In the meantime, I hope you will support your local theatres by attending masked and in person. This is how we do this safely. The experts say so. Feel free to ask about airflow. Theatre doesn’t necessarily have to be socially distanced to be safe. Ask the questions you need to ask so that you feel comfortable attending. Read my article (Section 2) for more about what makes a space safe.

     Thank you, as always, for reading until the light at the end of my email. Viva theatre! Check out more videos, the calendar, and recommendations below! Love and all that jazz, Ruthie

Watch my panel about Movement Work on Broadway from this year's virtual BroadwayCon!

(Fast-forward to 1:37:41)

Mark Your Calendar

 

BROADWAY (date of first performance)

RM - returning musical (opened pre-shutdown)                           NM - new musical (did not yet open)

RP - returning play                                                                        NP - new play

 

September 2 - Hadestown (RM)

 

September 14 - Chicago (RM), Hamilton (RM), Lackawana Blues (NP), The Lion King (RM), Wicked (RM)

 

September 17 - SIX (NM)

 

September 24 - Moulin Rouge! (RM)

 

September 28 - Aladdin (RM) 

 

October 1 - Thoughts of a Colored Man (NP)

 

October 8 - Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (RM)

 

October 16 - Ain't Too Proud (RM) 

 

October 21 - Mrs. Doubtfire (NM) 

 

October 22 - The Phantom of the Opera (RM)

 

November 2 - Diana (NM)

 

November 4 - Flying Over Sunset (NM)

 

December 6 - MJ The Musical (NM)

 

December 20 - Company (NM), The Music Man (NM)

 

Recommendations: 

*If these recommendations inspire you to check out something new, I’d love to know! Tag your post about it with #ruthierecommends.

 

1. In The Heights. A genuine MASTERPIECE. This is how you make a movie musical. Director Jon M Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) conjures utter magic. The vision behind this film… I was completely overwhelmed with emotion and overtaken with joy. It has all of the heart and prowess of the original stage musical with such gorgeous and complex additional depth for these characters. No spoilers but WOW. Pulitzer Prize-winning book writer-turned-screenwriter Quiara Alegría Hudes showcases the brilliance of her original script—because every additional story line in the movie was all already in the scaffolding of that stage script. Nina's true pain, Vanessa's true inspiration, Sonny's fervent activism, it all works because it was there from the start. Nominate Olga Meredeiz, who plays Abuela Claudia, NOW. QUEEN! Never in my life. THE CHOREOGRAPHY! THE DANCERS! My theatre applauded when the massive list of dancers scrolled in the credits. They are the soul of this movie. The energy dialed to an 11 every single moment. It felt explosive and other-worldly and exactly how I want to feel when I see a movie AND a musical. It proves that when you invest the dollars, you get results. So get your advance tickets and support excellence in filmmaking! The cast sounded incredible from top to bottom. Yes to casting talent who can actually sing and dance. The barrio of Washington Heights felt genuine and crackling with vivacity. I may not be a part of the community of this movie, but I play witness to it living in The Heights. It is vibrant, beautiful, alive. It's abuelas y niños living in equal spirit. Grammy and Tony-winning music director Alex Lacamoire proved again why he is the greatest. For fans of the musical, the Easter eggs are incredible. Look out for cameos by Luis Salgado, Nina Lafarga, Seth Stewart, Chris Jackson, and more. As for this cast: Corey Hawkins as Benny, Leslie Grace as Nina, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa…DANG. Anthony Ramos (Hamilton, A Star Is Born) makes it all work. We are in debt to Lin-Manuel Miranda. I'm seeing it 10 more times. In theatres, June 11. Do not rob yourself of the big screen experience.

2. Sour. Olivia Rodrigo. I told you to remember her name. She is one of the stars of Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. (Allow me to plug the show yet again. WATCH IT.) Her depth in acting is well beyond her years. But her songwriting and her voice get the rec this month. Her debut solo album Sour officially launched May 21. It’s the breakup album you need—even if you’re not going through a breakup. Her single “driver’s license” smashed the record for weekly streaming debut with 107 million streams. Her voice molds the air. I don’t know how else to put it. She’s got this wanting moan and simultaneously edgy and breathy upper register. She wrote “All I Want” for HSMTMTS’ first season and co-wrote my most-played Spotify song of the year for 2020 “Just for a Moment” (also from the series). Sour's lyrics feel a tad repetitive from song to song (there’s only so many ways you can say you’re pissed at your ex for moving on too fast), but it’s 34 minutes of beauty in vocals. Listen on Spotify.

3. The Prison Within. This documentary from Katherin Hervey hit my inbox in a usual press release and caught my eye in the planning of an upcoming Why We Theater episode. There are approximately 1,700 inmates in San Quentin Prison in California. In the film, we learn the stories of seven inmates and their path to restorative justice. Every one of them was convicted of murder. Yet Hervey deftly reminds us of every prisoner’s humanity. Through the program, perpetrators and survivors find healing. These stories—from both sides—will awe you. Most powerful is the transformation we (as viewers) witness. There is a reason that restorative justice and trauma processing reduces recidvism, the tendency of a convicted felon to reoffend. I urge you to watch. Find it on Vimeo, Google Play, and YouTube.

4. Younger. The final season hath arrived. And I do not understand how this is the final season! The new plots, the twists and turns, the new relationships. Only Darren Star could manage to hook us while he says farewell. The entire cast plays with symbiotic chemistry; I want to be everyone’s best friend. Except Quinn. The clothes are to-die for. If anyone gets ahold of the blue-and-gold suit Lauren wears in the premiere, call me. After seven seasons, I suppose we’ll have to say goodbye to Sutton Foster’s perfection, Maggie’s badassness, Lauren’s audacity, and Kelsey’s tenacity. If I’ve learned anything, though, it’s that (thank G-d) “age is irrelevant.” Watch it on Paramount+ or Hulu. (Yes, you can wait until the full final season is out, get a free trial, and binge it all, or pay the $5 a month.)

5. Previous rec alert! Love, Victor returns to Hulu June 11 for Season 2. Catch up on the first season now!

My Philosophy

I believe in art's power to create change. Art—particularly theatre—can help us reflect, determine, and, sometimes, change our beliefs. I hope that you all continue to engage with the storytelling and art around you—wherever you are and whatever level—and that you entertain different points of view. Advocate for your principles while always leaving room to hear others and evolve. Let's stay engaged, thoughtful, and active. 

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As always, if you need show recommendations or if you have theatre questions, please get in touch! I LOVE to answer. Keep tabs on Playbill.com and RuthieFierberg.com, and thank you for your enduring support.

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