With Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton, and Charlie Cox before our 92Y Talk

Dearest Friends and Family,

     The end of 2019 and the end of the decade (yes, I know there was no year 0, but there was a year 2000, so it’s a new set of 10 years by my measure) have been a wild ride. In the 2010s, I celebrated my graduation from Barnard, my first job, four years at Playbill with 2,738 bylines (1,100 of them features), over 100 opening nights, 90 livestream broadcasts, four years of BroadwayCon, two 92Y panels, innumerable meaningful connections and once-in-a-lifetime moments, and the beginning of this newsletter. In reflecting on it all, I am filled to bursting with gratitude—especially for all of you. I cannot do what I do if you don’t watch, read, tune in. I remember how after seeing a show I would always, always go to the stage door, and I would thank the performers for the gift they gave me that day. They would thank me back. It seemed so ridiculous. You are thanking ME?! But I understand now, because without an audience, performers can't do the thing that brings them joy. Without you, I wouldn’t have my joy either. (Though, admittedly, I’ll still balk when anyone thanks me for coming to their show because it is still my honor to be there.) The year 2019 marked multiple milestones in the theatre community as a whole that we felt grateful for; you can read about them here.

     One of the highlights of my year, and honestly, my life, was my 92Y panel with the cast of Betrayal, Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton, and Charlie Cox. If I could live between the hours of 4:30–6:30pm on November 23, 2019, for the rest of time, I would. Our time bonding in the dressing room, the three of them ingratiating me to the flashbulbs of the red carpet, mic-ing up backstage, and then our Talk and post-Talk hugs… I was on Cloud Nine. Watch our full Talk below! Then again, there are always little moments... I recently visited my grandparents in Connecticut, where they celebrated the end of 2019; watching my Grandma sing and dance (and I mean dance!) and my Grandpa sing, it reminded me that life is about the minutes—high profile and low—that make us feel vibrant, alive, and jubilant. I pray that 2020—and the roaring ’20s—is full of this kind of joy and genuine connection for us all.

     Speaking of connection, my episode on Ilana Levine’s Little Known Facts is out! She did an AMAZING job editing our conversation to pack so much in. The first half leans biographical with some fun stories, and the second half we get into it. Listen! And mark your calendars for BroadwayCon 2020, January 24–26! So far, I’m set to lead a panel on Choreography with Sonya Tayeh, Camille A. Brown, and another surprise choreographer, January 25 at 10AM. 

     As has become the norm, you can find my recommendations below, as well as tips for choosing charities for last-minute end-of-year donations, advice to get cheap theatre tickets, and more interviews and inside scoop from me that I know you’ll love. If you ever have questions, just write me; I’m always happy to hear from you. Wishing you and yours a new year filled with warmth, love, abundance, health, peace, strength, and hope. With love and all that jazz, Ruthie

LAST CHANCE (from previous recommendations): Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof closes January 5 (of all the things on all the lists, don’t miss this). A Christmas Carol (a true delight and night of exuberant joy) closes January 5. Tony-winning Oklahoma! revival closes January 19.

Recommendations: 

1. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Better known as #HSMTMTS. I began watching this unironically, and I continue to watch it unironically. I say this unironically: It is the best show on television. The Disney+ series, created by Broadway scribe Tim Federle (our interview here), takes place at “the real” East High—where High School Musical was filmed. The students there have never put on a production of High School Musical: The Musical, but the new drama teacher rectifies that toot suite. Filmed mockumentary style, the show features confessionals with all the teens in the cast about the drama onstage and off. (Mini spoiler alert: the students playing Troy and Gabriella—our romantic leads—used to date. DRAMA!) It’s all purity of heart and musical theatre excellence. These kids are out of this world talented. Whether or not you saw the original movie doesn’t matter—though if you have seen the movie and you’re not watching this series, what are you even doing? The new music is amazing; did I mention some of the young actors wrote songs for the show? At the end of the day, it’s a celebration of musicals, high school, and adolescence. Go. NOW.

2. Why Is This Happening? With Chris Hayes featuring Tony Kushner + Jeremy O. Harris. I am not a regular listener of this podcast, but given the featured guests, Angels in America playwright and Slave Play playwright, respectively, I tuned in. This is a not-to-miss hour of vital and enthralling discourse. MSNBC’s Hayes begins by establishing the connection between current events and drama. It is a brilliant 10-minute monologue that I found particularly cathartic in explaining the angst of our times and justifying his unconventional guests for a political podcast. The episode examines our current news cycle as a psychodrama. Kushner and Harris fascinate and educate. Listen!  

3. Sing Street. Based on the movie of the same name, Sing Street just opened at New York Theatre Workshop Off-Broadway. From the same writing team who brought us the magic that is Once, we get this new musical directed by Tony winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent) and choreography wunderkind Sonya Tayeh (So You Think You Can Dance, Moulin Rouge!). It’s Dublin in the ’80s and a group of Catholic school boys put together a band to bring positivity to the world through music. With a sweet love story and a combo of songs electric and moving, catch this before it leaves January 26.

4. The Sound Inside. Mary-Louise Parker and Will Hochman star in this hauntingly quiet story about a young writer and his creative writing professor. They find comfort from their loneliness in each other—though not in the way you think. The story unfolds—similar to The Inheritance—as the characters narrate it. The writing (by Adam Rapp) is the star here, though MLP and WH deliver winning performances. Simple and naturalistic, it’s worth your time if you enjoy contemplative, intimate, and somewhat eerie theatre. Through January 12.

5. Say Nothing. My best friend Suzanne gifted me this non-fiction tome for Chanukah because it is about The Irish Troubles and the Disappeared—which I have been captivated by since Broadway’s The Ferryman. I’m only a couple dozen pages in, but it is fantastic so far, unfolding like a drama, in fact, and it made a few “best books of the year” lists.

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. 

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.