Many experts assert that the Broadway musical is almost an exclusively Jewish creation.  One of my favorites is Spamalot and the Mel Brooks line, “You won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews.”  Although we sang in high school choir many of the popular Broadway hits, I can’t recall ever attending a production until college in 1970, when I drove to Chicago to see Hair.  To be honest, although the music was appealing, the main attraction for me at that time was the nudity, even though it was embarrassing to watch.  It was a sign of the times.  I don’t think I attended another show until I went to Miss Saigon at least a decade later, and that was only because we got free tickets.

After my divorce 17 years ago, I began to date my current wife, who continues to be a Broadway fanatic.  We first went to Once On This Island to watch her daughter perform, followed by The Music Man, a show that she starred in while in high school.  My Grandfather owned a copy of the album, so I was very familiar with the music growing up, (See Post #311) but had never seen the actual performance.  I did not attend plays in high school or college, and never even thought of becoming a thespian.  It was always my wife’s dream, and she can never get enough of it.  She still has fantasies about turning back the clock, running away from home, and pursuing a role on the big New York stages.  I can see that dream in her eyes, as I watch her smile through every show we attend.

My wife’s hope was to make me a Broadway fan, just as I aspired to make her a Sports fan.  Instead, it’s become a matter of compromise.  We went to New York for the first time together in May of 1999 and saw one of her favorites, Fosse.  She is a tap dancer, and Bob Fosse’s dance choreography is her gold standard.  She mistakenly let me pick the next show, Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, and I learned quickly that if there isn’t both singing and dancing then it’s probably not worth seeing.  I thought the music was great.  She did agree to go to Yankee Stadium with me and see a game, although she would have preferred another Broadway spectacular.

Through the years, we’ve gone to hundreds of Broadway Shows, and some sporting events, as well.  A couple of weeks ago when we were in the Big Apple, we saw four productions:  Anastasia, Prince of Broadway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the great Bette Midler in Hello Dolly.   She was able to stand on the very stage where she’s always dreamed of stardom.  I’m sure she did a little soft shoe, as we waited for the performers to come out of their dressing rooms.  Maybe a bit bored, I got in trouble for playing with some of the backstage props, including a National Cash Register similar to what I have in my office.

I always marvel at some of the silly subjects that become hits on Broadway.  It also seems so unnatural to watch someone break out in song as part of a conversation.  Although, I’ve learned through the years in living with my wife, it frequently happens with her, and maybe someday the story of our romance will be told in the Broadway lights.  I guess it’s just as probable as the story of a displaced Russian princess, or winning a chocolate factory with a lottery ticket.  All we need is a couple of hit songs, a Jewish producer, a troupe of tap dancers, and some star power.

Last night, we went to see The Bodyguard, as part of the Portland Broadway Series. It was actually a great show, with a familiar lead that we saw many years ago in Aida.  We had to buy the Series to eventually get to see the highly acclaimed Hamilton.  Its influence on ticket prices and theater demand is remarkable, drawing new fans to the box offices by introducing “rap” to the diverse pool of Broadway musicals.  I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw in The Bodyguard program, an upcoming performance of The Hip Hop Nutcracker with MC Kurtis Blow.  What will they think of next?

Five Broadway Shows in two weeks time is a bit much for me, especially since I only got to one sporting event in that short time span.  I will have my fill of sports in a couple more weeks with the PK80 Basketball event here in Portland over Thanksgiving weekend.  Ironically, the Moda Center campus, where these games will be held, borders on N. Broadway!  We’ll see at least six games in four days to balance my Broadway vs. Sports scorecard.  I once joked after a poor performance on my NCAA tournament bracket one year, that at least I knew everything that was going on with Broadway.