The two Ruthies: Grandma and me, your host! (She might not be smiling, but she is on the inside.)

Dear Family and  Friends,

     It’s here!! Today marks launch day of my podcast Why We Theater. I cannot even believe it is here. My baby hath arrived. Though I've kept it under wraps publicly, many of you know that this idea has been rankling in me for years—five to be exact—and now it is a reality. So real you can listen to it!

     As you’ll hear in the trailer for the series, the concept hit me six years ago after seeing Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Disgraced. I told Ayad when I first met him (when he was mounting his more recent Broadway play Junk) that Disgraced changed my life—and this is how. I went to the theatre alone that night, I don’t remember why. I was writing for Backstage at the time. His play blew my mind. Ayad pulled back the curtain on deep problems in our world, on hypocrisies, on ugliness... and when the lights came up at the end of the show I thought, “Now that I know all this, what am I supposed to do about it?” There was a college student sitting behind me. He was also alone, and as we filed up the aisle in silence, our eyes (bugging out of our heads) met as we both let out a “Whoa.” Neither of us knew what to do with what we just saw, so he asked me if I wanted to grab a drink and unpack the play. Yes. Yes I did. With that conversation I realized: Artists are the instigators. They start the conversation expecting us to pick up the baton. But we, the audience, haven’t been following through on our part. That was the beginning of Why We Theater.

     For a year, I batted around this idea of “continuing the conversation.” Did I need to start a blog? Should I start a website of interviews with these artists? And then someone said to me (I wish I could remember who): “This is a podcast.” Over the past five years, the idea morphed, most significantly with the guidance of Leigh Silverman when she told me we needed to “get out of our own echo chamber.” With her advice, the podcast turned into an artist-meets-expert panel. That’s the podcast you’ll hear today. We dive in with School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, a comedy that woke me up to colorism and confirmed that girls and women around the world all face the same self-esteem issues. Please listen, subscribe, be sure to rate and review (it’s really important to push the pod to the top of discovery feeds!), and share with your friends, family, the neighbor you see masked in the elevator. In addition to following me on social, you should also follow the show @whywetheater for goodies.

     This launch date is also significant. Today, July 15, is my Grandma Ruthie’s birth date. She passed away when I was nine years old. I am named for her (I’m a Sephardic Jew and we name after the living) and I hold that name with immense pride. I think I get a lot from my Grandma. She was a bright woman who valued intellect. Even in her generation, she went to college—at Skidmore! She was fiercely loyal to both of her sons (including my dad) and to her husband, my Grandpa Jed. (They dated since they were kids, stayed together since high school.) She was worldly; I know she was privileged to travel with her father. And, she gave back. I know she loved me deeply. Our Thursday “Grandma Days” were my favorite as a kid. She encouraged my curiosity (with our weekly trips to the Science Center of CT, fortuitously in their backyard), as well as my independence (as she bought me my own kid's cookbook and let me take charge in the kitchen). I hope I have made her (and all of you) proud.

     Speaking of Pride, this was also a huge month for me at Playbill. I executive produced the 95-minute Pride Spectacular concert to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the start of the gay rights movement, and Pride month. It was the most epic project I’ve ever tackled on a scale none of us anticipated. The concert featured over 60 artists from the LGBTQIA+ community (and four strong allies) as they sang songs from iconic queer musicals. This powerhouse cast truly represented the diversity of the community in color, creed, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity. We spotlit little shows that needed it and paid homage to big shows that felt good to revisit. As trying as it was at times, I thought of that one kid at home who feels different and doesn’t know why and the adult who’s been unable to be their full self. They are who we did this for. That night, during the broadcast, someone tweeted that they were quarantined with their family and not fully out and the concert made them feel seen. That was it. All that and we raised over $27,000 that night for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The concert was the culmination of a full month of programming from the 2020 Pride Plays Festival, which I also worked on. (Check out all the Playbills here—and read all the articles in the Spectacular one. So good!) The Festival raised an estimated $107,000.

      On the note of giving back, it’s that time of year when I raise money on behalf of Covenant House. This year’s Sleep Out will be digital, to keep us and the youth safe, but it’s no less important. Homeless youth are at greater risk in this pandemic. They need our help. If you can, please donate here.

     Thank you all, in advance, for listening to Why We Theater. Thank you for your unwavering support. And if you'll indulge me I must thank the VILLAGE that listened, vetted, gave opinions, and supported me as I agonized: Allie Robertson, Patrick Taylor, Dana Points, Emily DaSilva, Ben Velez, Christina Minopoli, Tony Montenieri, my sis Emma, Dori Berinstein, Brittany Bigelow, Alan Seales, Derek Gunther, and my brain trust Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin. None of this gets done without you—that includes all of you reading this. Sending love, light, and strength.
Always, Ruthie

The Pride Spectacular aired June 28 as a one-night-only benefit for Broadway Cares. Watch the highlights!

Recommendations: 

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

1. Hamilton on Disney+. Now you have no excuse! Hamilton is here! For the masses! Yes, I watched it on the eve’n of its July 3 release. Yes, it was glorious. No, it was not entirely flawless. But it’s pretty damn special. The quality of the cinematography cannot be argued. I think we all learned that Howell Binkley’s lighting design was the triumph here. (If you ever wondered what Tony-deserving lighting design looks like, this is it.) Seeing the show for the first time since the fall of 2016, the musical lives up to everything people said about it and say about it and how I felt my brain had broken the first time I saw it. The piece is a revolution unto itself. If you want to see the show that shattered the mold, this is it. Also! For those who wish, you can opt in to subtitles and catch every one of Daveed Digg’s 144 words per minute. Every person in this cast is so strong. The choices unmatched in their specificity. Phillipa Soo is a revelation. Jonathan Groff’s voice rivals all (and yes, he has always spit that much, he will always spit that much, and I never want it any other way). Renée Elise Goldsberry had my friend in hysterics—in the good way. My one gripe is that there are not enough wide shots for my choreography-loving heart. Andy Blankenbuehler (who won the Tony for his choreography of this show)… I cannot even wrap my mouth around words to describe how complex and shattering the storytelling is in his movement when you see it live. Personally, I watched the ensemble the entire time—namely Ephraim Sykes—and plan to watch the film once for each ensemble member because what are Disney+ subscriptions for? Although that reminds me, you can also watch the Robin Roberts Hamilton: History Has Its Eyes On You special on the streaming platform for ultimate A. Ham. bliss. Disney+ is $7 FOR A WHOLE MONTH. Highway robbery. Plus, find out where the original cast is now.

2. Love, Victor. The new Hulu series is technically a follow-up to the movie Love, Simon, but you don’t need to have seen the movie to love the series—trust me because I didn’t and do. The series picks up when the Salazar family moves to Atlanta from Texas for an unknown but clearly contentious reason. Freshman Pilar is not having it, but sophomore Victor—the oldest of the three Salazar kids—is excited about a fresh start. He thinks maybe this is the year and Creakwood High is the place to finally come out. But when he meets Mia and she asks his relationship status, he’s not quite ready, plus Mia piques his interest; but then so does his classmate Benji. Love, Victor is an incredibly moving and smart series about the complexities of figuring out who you are. Not to mention, the best friend character Felix is my new FAVORITE. One complaint: The 10 episodes whiz by way too quickly.

3. Remember the Titans. An oldie but a goodie. This is honestly my second-favorite movie of all time. (When Harry Met Sally is my first.) It sits in the #2 slot because: 1. The story. This is an unparalleled underdog story tied to racial inequality, civil rights, and sports. The POWER. 2. Denzel. 3. THE REST OF THIS INSANE CAST: Wood Harris. Donald Faison. Ethan Suplee. Ryan Hurst. A young Ryan Gosling! (Who dances to country music!) An even younger Hayden Penettiere. 4. The music. The first time I ever heard “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” was in this movie and the rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain” is iconic. 5. The quotes. “Zero. Fun. Sir.” and a quote I sincerely live by “Attitude reflects leadership.” Watching this movie during this time felt right, as we fight the same battles. But it also reminded me  WHAT we are fighting towards.

4. P-Valley. Buckle up. The new Starz series takes no prisoners. Written and created by Katori Hall (who wrote the book to Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and the famed MLK drama The Mountaintop), P-Valley was inspired by Hall’s play of the (almost) same name: Pussy Valley. As the title implies, this is not a family show. But if you can handle intensity, this is worth your while. It’s like Hustlers on steroids. But even that description is an injustice because Hall’s work is also poetry. Set in the Mississippi Delta, P-Valley begins with an unnamed woman (Elarica Johnson) fleeing her hometown destroyed by a flood. She lands in Chucalissa, home to the most in-demand strip club in P-Valley: The Pynk. When she wins the one-night Booty Bucket competition, she asks owner and club matriarch Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan) for a permanent position—which makes veteran and soon-to-be-former dancer Mercedes (Brandee Evans) none too happy. There is a lot of nudity, but all at the service of examining the complicated and messy duality of empowerment and exploitation that cohabit strip clubs. The athleticism of these women will blow your mind. And P-Valley rightfully shows that some women choose this as a profession while others are forced into it. Some women remain in control, others fall prey. But these paradoxes make the show important, the language makes it beautiful, and the characters make it addictive.

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.