''
itle of show' is a one-act
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
, with music and lyrics by
Jeff Bowen
Jeff Bowen (born August 30, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer, lyricist and actor. He is best known as one of the authors and stars of the Broadway musical '' itle of show'. He also wrote the music and lyrics to the musica ...
and a book by
Hunter Bell
Hunter Houston Bell is an American writer and theatre actor.
Early life and education
Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
Hunter earned a B. ...
. The show chronicles its own creation as an entry in the
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) was an annual three-week summer festival that operated from 2004 to 2019. It presented more than 30 new musicals a year in New York City's midtown theater district. More than half were chosen by leading theate ...
, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the initial brief (three-week) creative period, along with subsequent events leading up to the show's production.
''
itle of show' was chosen for production by the Musical Theatre Festival and premiered there, in September 2004, in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. It later ran
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
at the
Vineyard Theatre
The Vineyard Theatre is an Off-Broadway non-profit theatre company, located at 108 East 15th Street in Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. Its first production was in 1981. It is best known for its productions of the Tony award-winning ...
in 2006, earning a second limited run the same year, then played at Broadway's
Lyceum Theatre in 2008 for 13 previews and 102 regular performances. Writer/stars Bowen and Bell, as well as director
Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse (born August 15, 1964) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and director.
Life and career
Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, but reared primarily in Joliet, Illinois, Berresse's father was a chemical engineer and his moth ...
all won
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the A ...
s for their work on the off-Broadway production, and Bell was nominated for a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
for
Best Book of a Musical.
The musical spawned a recurring
video blog
A video blog or video log, sometimes shortened to vlog (), is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in ...
about the show's journey to Broadway called ''The
itle of showShow''.
History and productions
''
itle of show' was conceived by friends Bowen and Bell during the spring of 2004 after Bell received an announcement for the inaugural
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) was an annual three-week summer festival that operated from 2004 to 2019. It presented more than 30 new musicals a year in New York City's midtown theater district. More than half were chosen by leading theate ...
. With the deadline just three weeks away, Bell began drafting the script with Bowen writing the lyrics and music. Due to the severe time constraints, and because the Festival required only the submission of a script plus four songs, Bowen wrote most lyrics without any accompanying melody, planning to finish the songs later. Nevertheless, many of these lyrics have remained intact through several incarnations and revisions to the show.
Bowen and Bell, determined to write an original musical rather than adapt an existing play or movie, discovered almost immediately that their conversations about what to write were more interesting than what they were actually writing. As the idea to document the creation of the show itself ("a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical") became clearer, Bell and Bowen expanded the script based on their writing experiences with friends
Susan Blackwell
Susan Blackwell is an American actress, writer, and singer, best known for playing characters based on herself in the original musicals '' itle of show' and ''Now. Here. This''. She has appeared in other plays, musicals, films, and television s ...
and
Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff (born December 28, 1971) is an American actress based in New York City best known for playing a version of herself in the musical '' itle of show' during its Off-Broadway and Broadway runs, as well as for originating the role ...
. ''
itle of show' has since become a
post-modern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
work-in-progress, with updates and changes to each new production reflecting the circumstances the cast and the show have experienced. Larry Pressgrove is the musical director and orchestrator in all productions to date.
Early performances
The first three performances of ''
itle of show', at the
Manhattan Theatre Source in the summer of 2004, were produced by Laura Camien. The cast included Bowen, Bell, Blackwell, and Stacia Fernandez, playing the role of "Stacia". Bowen and Bell convinced several Broadway stars to participate in a recurring plot device by leaving recorded phone messages rejecting offers to star in the show. Messages featured in the Theatre Source and Festival performances included
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honorif ...
,
Marin Mazzie
Marin Joy Mazzie (October 9, 1960 – September 13, 2018) was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre.
Mazzie was a three-time Tony Award nominee, for her performances as Clara in '' Passion'' (1994), Mother in ''R ...
,
Sutton Foster
Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice, in 2002 for her role as Millie Dill ...
and
Emily Skinner.
The production premiered at the 2004
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) was an annual three-week summer festival that operated from 2004 to 2019. It presented more than 30 new musicals a year in New York City's midtown theater district. More than half were chosen by leading theate ...
on September 22, 2004 (also produced by Camien), at the Belt Theatre, and ran for six performances as scheduled. Heidi Blickenstaff replaced Fernandez, who had accepted the understudy role to
Beth Leavel in the Broadway production of ''
The Drowsy Chaperone
''The Drowsy Chaperone'' is a Canadian musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin (comedian), Bob Martin and Don McKellar.
The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theater f ...
.'' While her character's name remained "Stacia" for the Festival performances, thereafter it became "Heidi", and the role was modified to reflect Blickenstaff's experiences while helping to expand and evolve the show.
A year of expansion and revision followed.
Kevin McCollum
Kevin McCollum (born March 1, 1962) is an American theatrical booking executive and producer of musical theater and plays, many on Broadway. During a producing career spanning over twenty-five years, McCollum has received three Tony Awards for ...
agreed to produce ''
itle of show' for professional presentation after seeing it performed at the Festival. Five new songs were added: "Monkeys and Playbills", "What Kind of Girl is She?", "Festival Medley/September Song", "Secondary Characters" and "Nine People's Favorite Thing". "The Wall", originally sung by Jeff and Stacia at the Festival, was rewritten as a solo for Heidi with new lyrics, and a new name, "A Way Back to Then." Changes to the book included the addition of the conflict between Susan and Heidi (as introduced by "What Kind of Girl Is She?") and the combined music and scenes "Awkward Photo Shoot" and "Change It, Don't Change It." Both reflected the tension among the cast members that had begun to set in since the Festival's performance and their uncertainty about an off-Broadway run.
After several performances at the
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. It is commonly referred to as The O'Neill. The center has received two Tony Awards, the 1979 Special Awa ...
in
Waterford, CT
Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Waterford, Ireland. The population was 19,571 at the 2020 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) and had a population of 3,07 ...
, six
off-off Broadway
Off-off-Broadway theaters are smaller New York City theaters than Broadway and off-Broadway theaters, and usually have fewer than 100 seats. The off-off-Broadway movement began in 1958 as part of a response to perceived commercialism of the prof ...
performances were staged at
Ars Nova in New York City in September 2005. Phone messages in the Ars Nova production were left by
Marin Mazzie
Marin Joy Mazzie (October 9, 1960 – September 13, 2018) was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre.
Mazzie was a three-time Tony Award nominee, for her performances as Clara in '' Passion'' (1994), Mother in ''R ...
and Emily Skinner again, with new messages from
Amy Spanger
Amy Spanger (born May 21, 1971) is an American actress, singer and dancer.
Early life
Spanger was born in Newbury, Massachusetts.
Career
Spanger made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the musical ''Sunset Boulevard'', following a half-year ru ...
and
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress, musical theatre singer and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her soprano voice can also be heard on innu ...
. The success of these performances led to an offer by the
Vineyard Theatre
The Vineyard Theatre is an Off-Broadway non-profit theatre company, located at 108 East 15th Street in Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. Its first production was in 1981. It is best known for its productions of the Tony award-winning ...
of a limited
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
run.
Off-Broadway
''
itle of show' was performed at the Vineyard Theatre from February 26, 2006 to April 24, 2006 as part of the theatre's regular season line-up, followed by an extension of the production from July 14, 2006 through October 1, 2006.
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co-s ...
lent her voice to one of the phone messages. The production won three
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the A ...
Special Citations for its writer/stars and director.
A performance was scheduled to play in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
in 2008 but was canceled because of time constraints in moving the show to Broadway by July 2008. The show's transfer to Broadway is chronicled in "the ''
itle of show' show" video blogs on YouTube and on the show's official web site.
Broadway
The musical began previews on Broadway at the
Lyceum Theatre on July 5, 2008 and officially opened on July 17. It closed October 12, 2008 after 13 previews and 102 performances. It was produced by McCollum, Roy Miller (producer of ''The Drowsy Chaperone''), The Vineyard Theatre, Laura Camien and
Kris Stewart
Kris Stewart (born February 9, 1967 in Portsmouth) is the founding chairman of English football club AFC Wimbledon and a left wing political activist. He was the club's chief executive and is also a CIMA past finalist management accountant. Unde ...
, the founder of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
The entire off-Broadway cast continued in the same roles, and Berresse continued as director. Added to the list of phone messages in the Broadway production was the voice of
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fa ...
. Scenic design was by
Neil Patel, costumes by Chase Tyler and lighting by
Ken Billington
Ken Billington (born October 29, 1946) is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser.
He was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Kenneth Arthur (an automobile dealer) and ...
and Jason Kantrowitz.
The show won a 2009 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Ensemble Cast.
UK
The UK premiere opened at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2013 starring Carley Stenson as Susan, Ricky Johnston as Hunter, Robbie Towns as Jeff and Jamie Lee Pike as Heidi. The London premiere opened at the
Landor Theatre
The Landor Theatre is a pub theatre in Clapham, South London.
Originally the Cage Theatre upon its opening in 1994, the Landor became "Upstairs at the Landor" in 1995 and finally the Landor Theatre in 1998, following a refit of the building.
I ...
in August, 2013 starring
Scott Garnham
Scott Garnham (born 22 February 1985) is an English professional actor. Notable credits include 'Christmas on Mistletoe Farm' for ''Netflix'', ''Billy Elliot The Musical'', ''Les Misérables'', ''Made in Dagenham'' directed by Rupert Goold, an ...
as Hunter, Simon Bailey as Jeff, Sarah Galbraith as Susan and Sophia Ragavelas as Heidi.
Regional productions
Several regional productions have been staged, starting in January 2010 in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
.
The Los Angeles premiere production ran from July 16, 2010 to September 11, 2010, at the
Celebration Theatre
The Celebration Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theatre company in Los Angeles, founded in 1982. The company is located in West Hollywood, on the west end of Theatre Row, and specializes in works representing the LGBTQ+ experience.
History
C ...
with
Jennifer R. Blake, Carey Peters, Jeffrey Landman, Micah McCain, and Gregory Nabours, for which
Jennifer R. Blake won Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical for the role of Susan from StagesceneLA's Best of LA Theatre Awards 2009-2010 A production ran from November 16, 2010 to December 12, 2010 at the
George Street Playhouse
George Street Playhouse is a theater company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the city's Civic Square government and theater district. It's one of the state's preeminent professional theaters committed to the production of new and established ...
,
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[Seth Rudetsky
Seth Dennis Rudetsky (born February 28, 1967) is an American musician, actor, writer and radio host. He currently is the host of ''Seth's Big Fat Broadway'' and ''Seth Speaks'' on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio's '' On Broadway''. The show focuses on R ...]
,
Tyler Maynard
Tyler Maynard (born September 27, 1978) is an American stage and film actor. He is best known for playing Mark in the 2005 musical ''Altar Boyz'', for which he won a Theatre World Award and received a nomination for a Drama Desk Award.
Biography ...
,
Lauren Kennedy
Lauren Kennedy (born September 3, 1973) is an American actress and singer who has performed numerous times on Broadway. She is now the producing artistic director of Theatre Raleigh in her home state of North Carolina.
Education
Kennedy was bor ...
and Susan Mosher. A production by Forte Musical Theatre Guild in
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
ran from May 24 to June 4, 2011, directed by: Glenda Stirling
Other notable professional productions
The
Interlochen Arts Academy
Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City.
In ...
presented the musical in October 2012. With the help of two of the show's creators,
Jeff Bowen
Jeff Bowen (born August 30, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer, lyricist and actor. He is best known as one of the authors and stars of the Broadway musical '' itle of show'. He also wrote the music and lyrics to the musica ...
and
Hunter Bell
Hunter Houston Bell is an American writer and theatre actor.
Early life and education
Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
Hunter earned a B. ...
, an expanded ensemble was added to the production. This production was toured to New York for a weekend run at the Helen Mills Theater. A Danish production opened January 31, 2013, in Fredericia, 200 km west of
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
. It was directed by Victoria Bussert and stars Lars Mølsted as Henrik (Hunter],
Thomas Jensen
Thomas Jensen (Copenhagen, 25 October 1898 – Frederiksberg, 13 November 1963) was a Danish orchestra conductor.
Life and career
Born into a working class household, he studied at the Danish Conservatory of Music.Cane, A. Thomas Jensen ...
as Jeff, Bjørg Gamst as Heidi, Maria Skuladottir as Susan and Thomas Møller as Lars (Larry). Danish translation by
Thomas Bay
Thomas Bay is a bay located in Southeast Alaska. It lies northeast of Petersburg, Alaska and the Baird Glacier drains into the bay. Thomas Bay is also known as "The Bay of Death" due to a massive landslide in 1750. It also gained the name of ...
and Mads Nielsen. The show was first seen at the
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
Festival in August 2013, starring
Carley Stenson
Carley Stenson (born 22 September 1982) is an English actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' and Harriet Shelton in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. For her role as Steph, s ...
as Susan, Robbie Towns as Jeff, Ricky Johnston as Hunter, and Jamie Lee Pike as Heidi. Other foreign productions include Hong Kong (2015).
The German-language premiere was presented at the Admiralspalast, Berlin in April 2017. The production starred Dennis Weißert (Hunter), Alexander Soehnle (Jeff), Annika Henz (Heidi), Franziska Kuropka (Susan) and Damian Omansen (Larry). The creative team included Damian Omansen (musical direction), Silvia Varelli (choreography and musical staging), Daniel Unger (design), Jonathan Richter (sound) and Martin Siemann (light). The show was directed by Robin Kulisch who also provided the official German translation.
Original cast
The cast for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, off-Broadway, Broadway, and national tour productions has remained the same:
*
Jeff Bowen
Jeff Bowen (born August 30, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer, lyricist and actor. He is best known as one of the authors and stars of the Broadway musical '' itle of show'. He also wrote the music and lyrics to the musica ...
– Jeff
*
Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff (born December 28, 1971) is an American actress based in New York City best known for playing a version of herself in the musical '' itle of show' during its Off-Broadway and Broadway runs, as well as for originating the role ...
– Heidi
*
Susan Blackwell
Susan Blackwell is an American actress, writer, and singer, best known for playing characters based on herself in the original musicals '' itle of show' and ''Now. Here. This''. She has appeared in other plays, musicals, films, and television s ...
– Susan
*
Hunter Bell
Hunter Houston Bell is an American writer and theatre actor.
Early life and education
Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
Hunter earned a B. ...
– Hunter
*
*
*
Larry Pressgrove, the arranger and musical director, has a minor speaking role as himself ("Larry") while playing musical accompaniment at an on-stage keyboard.
The show also features recorded vocal cameo appearances by several well-known Broadway actors, playing themselves:
Kerry Butler
Kerry Butler is an American actress and singer known primarily for her work in theatre. She is best known for originating the roles of Barbara Maitland in ''Beetlejuice'', Penny Pingleton in ''Hairspray'', and Clio/Kira in '' Xanadu'', the latt ...
,
Marin Mazzie
Marin Joy Mazzie (October 9, 1960 – September 13, 2018) was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre.
Mazzie was a three-time Tony Award nominee, for her performances as Clara in '' Passion'' (1994), Mother in ''R ...
,
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress, musical theatre singer and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her soprano voice can also be heard on innu ...
,
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co-s ...
,
Sutton Foster
Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice, in 2002 for her role as Millie Dill ...
,
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fa ...
, and
Emily Skinner.
Standbys for both the original off-Broadway and Broadway productions were Courtney Balan and Benjamin Howes.
Synopsis
The show opens with a musical number introducing the premise of the musical ("Untitled Opening Number"). Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, discuss the possibility of entering the upcoming inaugural
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) was an annual three-week summer festival that operated from 2004 to 2019. It presented more than 30 new musicals a year in New York City's midtown theater district. More than half were chosen by leading theate ...
. Though the submission deadline is only three weeks away, they make a pact to write an original musical in that time as a writing exercise. The scene morphs into song as they discuss setting their dialogue to music, imagine the success of their show, and express their longing for fame and recognition ("Two Nobodies In New York").
The two recruit their friends Susan and Heidi to help with the project. Jeff privately laments his writer's block; when his blank writing pad begins to look like Hunter, ideas begin to flow ("An Original Musical"). After Hunter's laptop crashes, resulting in much lost progress, Jeff and Hunter continue to battle writer's block by looking at song lists from old
Playbill
''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...
s and brainstorming on a blank notepad; Susan and Heidi become voices in their heads, providing inspiration for their writing ("Monkeys and Playbills"). As they continue to write the show, excitement mounts; Hunter even ponders winning a
Tony
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
("The Tony Award Song"), though Jeff reminds him that they have already cut the song he is in the midst of singing. Jeff and Hunter discuss their ambition to write for a living and become a part of the theatre industry they so admire ("Part of It All").
As Heidi and Jeff work on a solo about her doubts on the whole project, Hunter and Susan worry that they are just stringing sketches and novelty songs together and feel that they need to write something "a little meatier" ("I Am Playing Me"). Susan and Heidi become suspicious of each other ("What Kind Of Girl Is She?"). After a shared 'fake foggy dream sequence', the four express their doubts over the future and premise of their musical. Susan encourages them to keep going and 'kill their vampires', or the doubts preventing them from writing ("Die, Vampire, Die!"). Reenergized, they finish the show and, after discussing the show's production values (minimalistic set of four chairs, one costume throughout the show, etc.), they tackle the festival's submission paperwork. Seeing the form asking for their "title of show" and lacking a better name, they decide to name their show ''
itle of show' . ("Filling Out The Form"). After a moment of doubt and a brief intimate moment between Hunter and Jeff, they finally submit the show to the festival.
Against the odds, their musical is chosen for the festival. The four revel in their six performances at the festival ("Montage Part 1: September Song"); backstage, Heidi and Susan reconcile their differences and bond over their supporting roles in the show ("Secondary Characters"). The four find an industry producer interested in the show who encourages them to continue to develop it, first at the
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. It is commonly referred to as The O'Neill. The center has received two Tony Awards, the 1979 Special Awa ...
before they get an offer to do the show
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
at the
Vineyard Theatre
The Vineyard Theatre is an Off-Broadway non-profit theatre company, located at 108 East 15th Street in Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. Its first production was in 1981. It is best known for its productions of the Tony award-winning ...
. At their run there, they meet many industry stars, receiving a healthy mix of good and bad reviews as they soak up the energy and momentum of their Off-Broadway run.
Ten months later, Susan, Jeff, and Hunter are back at their 'day jobs' while Heidi receives an offer to join the cast of
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
on Broadway. Hunter comes up with the idea of posting videos on the internet with the cast about the show to boost the show's popularity online — "the
itle of showshow". The idea works — the show and the four go viral and the show's producer expresses interest in actually bringing the show to Broadway.
As plans progress toward taking the musical to Broadway, things begin to unravel: the four friends argue over changes to the show to make it more marketable, cutting some of its more risque content ("Change It/Don't Change It"). Hunter gets a voicemail from
Sutton Foster
Sutton Lenore Foster (born March 18, 1975) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is known for her work on the Broadway stage, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice, in 2002 for her role as Millie Dill ...
and, much to Jeff's chagrin, suggests casting her in Heidi's role for marketability. Tensions build — everything finally boils over at a publicity photo shoot ("Awkward Photo Shoot"). Heidi is upset that Hunter wants to replace her, Susan laments the time-consuming nature of the show's development and is concerned about profit-sharing, Jeff is upset at Hunter for pushing hard for changes that wound the integrity of the show, and Larry (the accompanist) feels left out of the press photos and interviews. Hunter lashes out at all of them and leaves in a huff.
Later, Hunter breaks the ice by apologizing. More apologies follow, and the four (led by Heidi) wax nostalgic over younger, happier, less complicated days ("A Way Back To Then"). They now understand that the show must sink or swim as it is — with the five of them, without a "bankable" star — because their relationship and the quality of their creation are more important to them than commercial success ("Nine People's Favorite Thing"). Having reached a resolution, they decide to end the show, to "put the show out there and see what happens" ("Finale").
Musical numbers
The following musical numbers were present in the Broadway version of the show, its 'final iteration' and the version currently available for licensing.
*"Untitled Opening Number" (Company)
*"Two Nobodies in New York" (Jeff, Hunter)
*"An Original Musical" (Jeff, Blank Paper)
*"Monkeys and Playbills" (Company)
*"The Tony Award Song" (Jeff, Hunter)
*"Part of It All" (Jeff, Hunter)
*"I Am Playing Me" (Heidi, others)
*"What Kind of Girl Is She?" (Heidi, Susan)
*"Die, Vampire, Die!" (Susan, others)
*"Filling Out the Form" (Company)
*"Montage Part 1: September Song" (Company)
*"Montage Part 2: Secondary Characters" (Heidi, Susan)
*"Montage Part 3: Development Medley" (Company)
*"Change It, Don't Change It/Awkward Photo Shoot" (Company)
*"A Way Back to Then" (Heidi)
*"Nine People's Favorite Thing" (Company)
*"Finale" (Company)
Cast recording
In 2006, Ghostlight Records released a studio cast recording for the (then Off-Broadway) show. This earlier version of the show, while largely the same and possessing largely the same music numbers as above, has various differences, most notably:
* No musical bridges in "What Kind of Girl Is She?" and "Part of It All" (both songs were revised for the Broadway version of the show)
* Shorter ending verse in "An Original Musical"
* No "Development Medley" (hadn't been written yet; only present in the Broadway version)
* No "Change It, Don't Change It" and "Awkward Photo Shoot"
In addition to various minor lyric, melody, harmony, etc. changes.
Furthermore, two bonus tracks were included on the recording:
*"''
itle of show'" (Company)
*"Ground Beef In A Cup" (Heidi, with Susan). This song was included in early versions of the show, but the melody became "What Kind of Girl Is She?" It is a hidden track, combined into one track with ''
itle of show' on the online download of the album, and after 15 second of silence on the cast album.
''The itle of showshow''
''The
itle of showshow'' is a video blog by the creators of ''
itle of show'. It documents the musical's progress to Broadway. Guest actors
Barrett Foa
Barrett Conrad Foa (born September 18, 1977) is an American bari-tenor singer, dancer, and actor, with over a decade in Broadway theatre shows. He has played many leading characters in off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. He has appe ...
,
Sean Palmer
Sean Gregory Palmer (born January 23, 1973) is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer. Palmer's most recognizable role on television is that of Stanford Blatch's boyfriend, Marcus, on the HBO series ''Sex and the City''.
Career ...
,
Sierra Boggess,
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animate ...
,
Kerry Butler
Kerry Butler is an American actress and singer known primarily for her work in theatre. She is best known for originating the roles of Barbara Maitland in ''Beetlejuice'', Penny Pingleton in ''Hairspray'', and Clio/Kira in '' Xanadu'', the latt ...
,
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway (theatre), Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérab ...
,
Gideon Glick
Gideon Glick (born June 6, 1988) is an American actor. His Broadway work includes the role of Ernst in the musical '' Spring Awakening,'' Jimmy-6 in '' Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'', Jordan Berman in ''Significant Other,'' and most recently Di ...
,
Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
,
Ann Harada
Ann Harada (born February 3, 1964) is an American actress and singer who was first known for the musical ''Avenue Q'', in which she originated the role of Christmas Eve, the heavily accented Japanese therapist.
Early life
Harada was born in Ho ...
, director of ''
itle of show'
Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse (born August 15, 1964) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and director.
Life and career
Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, but reared primarily in Joliet, Illinois, Berresse's father was a chemical engineer and his moth ...
and
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings.
After beginni ...
appear on the ''
itle of showshow".
Episode list
The titles of the show's episodes reflect the original cast recording track listing.
Episode 1: Untitled Pilot Episode
Jeff and Hunter, appearing largely in character, excitedly announce that ''
itle of show' is going to Broadway. This episode sets the precedent for future episodes; Jeff wears his costume from the original off-Broadway production and Hunter wears a promotional shirt from a random Broadway show. The episode chronicles the creation of the ''
itle of show' show and includes clips of Jeff composing the show's musical theme at the piano.
Episode 2: Two Nobodies Look For a Theatre
Split into two parts, Jeff and Hunter begin searching for a Broadway theatre and Jeff creates the
OSbility Board. Susan checks in from her dressing room on the set of ''
Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
'', her first appearance on the show after performing an unprepared search for a theater on foot in
Shubert Alley
Shubert Alley is a pedestrian alley in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The alley, a privately owned public space, connects 44th and 45th Streets and covers about . It runs through the middle of a city block, paral ...
. Upon returning to the apartment, Heidi messages Hunter and Jeff on
iChat
iChat (previously iChat AV) is a discontinued instant messaging software application developed by Apple Inc. for use on its Mac OS X operating system. It supported instant text messaging over XMPP/Jingle or OSCAR ( AIM) protocol, audio and video ...
and recommends that the group perform out of town before mounting a Broadway production.
This episode introduced the duct tape motif of ''
itle of show' publicity and the first playing of the opening sequence Jeff began composing in Episode 1.
Episode 3: It's an Original Musical
This episode begins in the tradition of the ''
itle of show''s self-aware nature and immediately exposes the back stage conversations of the actors after filming Episode 2.
Hunter and Jeff begin to wonder if people will understand what ''
itle of show' is. Susan, who has apparently been in the room during the filming of Episode 2, has prepared a comedic video spoof of a 1980s instructional video that explains the show's concept. Larry Pressgrove appears for the first time as Constantine, a co-worker in Jim and Barry's office.
The instructional video is interrupted so Jeff can update the
OSbility Board. Also, Jeff introduces his ''
itle of show' Showcial Network Chart which records the status of ''
itle of show' on Broadwayworld.com's Showcial Network. Hunter introduces his own chart called "Hunter's Chart of Jeff's Charts."
Episode 4: There's a Monkey in My Playbill
Hunter and Jeff begin perusing a gift bag from "Broadway on Broadway" and decide to attend the annual Broadway
flea market
A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...
. While Jeff shows his new ''
Playbill
''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...
s'' to Susan, Heidi arrives at the apartment. After a quick joyous reunion, the group decides to hit the town "Heidi-Style." During a montage of the day, Jeff updates the
OSbility Board. After a long day, Jeff, Hunter, Heidi and Susan relax and imagine how ''
itle of show' could play in different US cities in a series of television show spoofs. Jeff is seen without his costume for the first time.
Episode 5: Part of It All
In the writers' room, Hunter, Jeff, Heidi, Susan and Larry sit around a table and discuss what Episode 5 will be about. As a running joke, every time the city ''
itle of show' will play in is said, a sound effect blocks it out. The team decide that parodies are the best ways to create exposure for ''
itle of show'. The discussion is interrupted by Jeff who updates the Showcial Network Chart and by Hunter parodying the
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
video
Leave Britney Alone. Jeff interrupts his own sequence to update the
OSbility Board and is again interrupted by Hunter who parodies the
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
video of
Miss Teen South Carolina.
Heidi enters the scene and accidentally mentions that the out of town trial will take place in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. Susan then confesses to the audience that because no arrangements have been finalized, the city the out of town tryout had not yet been revealed. This episode has brief cameos from actors
Sean Palmer
Sean Gregory Palmer (born January 23, 1973) is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer. Palmer's most recognizable role on television is that of Stanford Blatch's boyfriend, Marcus, on the HBO series ''Sex and the City''.
Career ...
and
Barrett Foa
Barrett Conrad Foa (born September 18, 1977) is an American bari-tenor singer, dancer, and actor, with over a decade in Broadway theatre shows. He has played many leading characters in off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. He has appe ...
.
Episode 6: We Are Playing We
Hunter and Jeff consider that should ''
itle of show' become a Broadway hit, they would need to cast replacements for the original cast upon on whom the characters in the show are based.
A musical sequence begins in which many Broadway actors sing a refrain from the show. Several actors play Hunter and Jeff in brief sequences that interrupt the musical number. Jeff introduces his new chart, Jeff's ''Playbill'' Needs, which lists Playbills he needs for his collection. Hunter, played by
Ann Harada
Ann Harada (born February 3, 1964) is an American actress and singer who was first known for the musical ''Avenue Q'', in which she originated the role of Christmas Eve, the heavily accented Japanese therapist.
Early life
Harada was born in Ho ...
interrupts to add this chart to Hunter's Chart of Jeff's Charts.
The episode includes a very brief closing cameo from
Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. In a career spanning over 40 years he has been seen on stage and screen in roles both comedic and dramatic. Lane has received numerous awards including three Tony Awards, ...
and
David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce (born April 3, 1959) is an American actor and director of stage, film and television. He starred as psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, and won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Screen ...
.
Episode 7: What Kind of Show is She?
After agreeing there should be no more cameos via telephone, Hunter and Jeff prepare to meet at a planned press conference. Hunter has the responsibility of telling Cheyenne Jackson that he is no longer in the show. Jackson, enraged, exits the room.
Heidi and Susan begin a fake press conference that parodies the
news crawl
A news ticker (sometimes called a "crawler", "crawl", "slide", "zipper", or "ticker tape") is a horizontal or vertical (depending on a language's writing system) text-based display either in the form of a graphic that typically resides in the lo ...
and logo of
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
. Jeff arrives late to the conference and announces there will be no pre-Broadway tryout and the show will be sent directly to Broadway.
Back in the apartment, Jeff and Hunter draw attention to the fact that they have implied the out of town tryout would be in San Francisco, which was canceled due to timing issues. Jeff updates the
OSbility Board and notes that every Broadway theatre is booked for the season but they still hope to perform on Broadway in spring 2008. Due to copyright infringement, the sound was turned off by YouTube. It was re-uploaded on February 23, 2010, with sound. The video without sound is still on the show's channel.
Episode 8: It's Time Vampire, It's Time
This episode features no introduction although the show's theme is played at the beginning. It begins with the end credits from the end to the beginning. A baton relay race is held by the cast of ''
itle of show' involving a mysterious package that has been delivered to Jeff. Over twenty minutes earlier, Susan hands the package to Jeff who runs through
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
to the Lyceum Theatre or The Producing Office to view its contents. Over thirty minutes earlier, Mindy gives Susan the package who runs to give it to Jeff, but on the way is attacked by ninjas. After a fierce battle, Susan defeats them and finds that one is
Spring Awakening star
Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
. After finding that Groff cannot get her tickets, she kills him and finishes her trip in a restaurant where she eats and forgets to give Jeff the package. Nearly 40 minutes earlier, Larry gives Mindy singing lessons for a back-up vocal part in "Die, Vampire, Die" when a dog, Olive, gives him the package which he immediately gives to Mindy for delivery. Mindy runs through New York where she collides with
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings.
After beginni ...
. Avoiding Jackson, Mindy delivers the package to Susan. One hour earlier, Heidi sits in her dressing room preparing for a performance of
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
. Hunter arrives out of breath and gives Heidi the package which she ties onto Olive's collar. Olive runs down the sidewalk to Larry's apartment building where she meets
John Tartaglia
John Nicholas Tartaglia (; born February 16, 1978) is an American actor, singer, and puppeteer.
Early life
Tartaglia was born in Maple Shade Township, New Jersey, and graduated from Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, in 19 ...
in the elevator. Not caring what Tartaglia has to say, Olive leaves the elevator and delivers the package to Larry. Thirty-five minutes earlier, Hunter sits at his breakfast table when he suddenly gets dressed and retrieves the package from a shoe-box in his kitchen. He runs into midtown New York City passing actor
Barrett Foa
Barrett Conrad Foa (born September 18, 1977) is an American bari-tenor singer, dancer, and actor, with over a decade in Broadway theatre shows. He has played many leading characters in off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. He has appe ...
on the way to Heidi's dressing room. Twenty minutes earlier, Hunter stretches outside his apartment building and brings in a newspaper. While reading the newspaper, Hunter sees that the ''New York Times'' has announced ''
itle of show' is going to Broadway. He retrieves the shoe-box which is labeled "in case of
roadway
A carriageway (British English) or roadway (North American English) consists of a width of road on which a vehicle is not restricted by any physical barriers or separation to move laterally. A carriageway generally consists of a number of tra ...
open." The entire sequence of events is played forwards very quickly and Jeff opens the package which contains the ''
itle of show' sticker for his
OSbility board. The cast gathers around to see that the show will be playing at the Lyceum Theatre beginning on July 5. The closing credits announce the dates and ticket availability for the Broadway production and asks the viewer to "tell 9 people" in a reference to the song "Nine People's Favorite Thing." The episode was later re-uploaded, although the original video is still on their channel.
Episode 9: Fillin' Out the Frrrrm
Jeff is working in his kitchen preparing for Broadway when Hunter calls him. They tease one another about their success. They discuss
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
and realize they have yet to film a new episode of The ''
itle of show' show. Hunter reminds Jeff that they have already agreed to produce thirteen episodes despite Jeff's criticisms.
Hunter and Jeff explain what the cast has been doing since the debut of Episode 8. The cast have been rehearsing, hosting the
Drama Desk Awards
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
and modeling in promotional photography sessions. Hunter jokes that the show has already won Tony Awards although it has not yet opened on Broadway. Jeff and Hunter then
teleport to the Lyceum Theatre where the new marquee for the show is being hung over the street. Larry, Susan and Heidi are summoned to 45th street. When they try to enter the theater they realize they are locked out as the Broadway revival of
Macbeth
''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
is still striking. The group returns to the apartment where they continue to plan for the upcoming Broadway production. They graciously thank their fans for their support over the past four years.
Episode 10: Julyceum Song
The cast talks about their experience on the "Great White Way". Many stars come and ask for Mindy... Mindy Gets Shot!
Season 2
Episode 1: The itle of showShow “Who Shot Mindy” Christmas Spectacular Show Special Show
The show opens with
Jeff Bowen
Jeff Bowen (born August 30, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American composer, lyricist and actor. He is best known as one of the authors and stars of the Broadway musical '' itle of show'. He also wrote the music and lyrics to the musica ...
and
Hunter Bell
Hunter Houston Bell is an American writer and theatre actor.
Early life and education
Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
Hunter earned a B. ...
outside Mindy's hospital room. A doctor comes out and tells them that she has just emerged from a 5-month coma. The show becomes a holiday special, featuring many of the guests in Episode 10, including Cheyenne Jackson, who is here to "finish the job".
Episode 2: What If This Show?
The show reveals that it was not Cheyenne Jackson who shot Mindy but
Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an Academ ...
. The Tony Award Season special begins. Jeff unveils a new chart of which musicals are eligible for Tony Awards.
Specials
The itle of showShow Christmas Show
Hunter, Susan, Heidi and Jeff reminisce and celebrate the Christmas spirit. This episode introduced the puppets Grampa and Mindy played by Paul McGinnis and
Matt Vogel respectively. Further,
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne David Jackson (born July 12, 1975) is an American actor and singer. His credits include leading roles in Broadway musicals and other stage roles, as well as film and television roles, concert singing, and music recordings.
After beginni ...
makes his first of several appearances on the show. Rather than focusing on mounting ''
itle of show' on Broadway, the show is a series of comedic skits and musical numbers. This includes the puppets getting drunk, references to old-fashioned Christmas specials and an original
claymation
Clay animation or claymation, sometimes plasticine animation, is one of many forms of stop-motion animation. Each animated piece, either character or background, is "deformable"—made of a malleable substance, usually plasticine clay.
Tra ...
. Hunter and Jeff thank the fans for their continuing support and wish their viewers a merry Christmas.
Extra: Snake Eats Tail
This episode begins with a series of telephone calls between Hunter and Jeff and explains what is termed the "snakeeatstailness" of ''
itle of show', or how the show chronicles its own creation and encompasses a cyclical pattern explained as
ouroboros
The ouroboros or uroboros () is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. The ouroboros entered Western tradition via ancient Egyptian iconography and the Greek magical tradition. It was adopted as a symbol in Gnost ...
, a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
term for this pattern. The video links to additional videos on the ''
itle of show' website and features guest actors.
osimonials
The
itle of showshow: Extra Testimonials are video reviews by viewers of ''
itle of show''s Broadway production.
9pft
In this music video, set to the song "Nine People's Favorite Thing" (from ''
itle of show'), 600 fans were assigned one line each from the song through e-mail, and instructed to e-mail a picture of themselves illustrating the lyric. The final video contains every picture, in lyrical order, as the song plays. The fans include everyday people and celebrities
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fa ...
,
Joel Grey
Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical '' Cabaret'' on Broadway as well as in the 1972 fi ...
,
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American T ...
,
John Kander
John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including ''Ca ...
,
Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
,
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
,
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...
,
America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, Ferrera developed an interest in acting at a young age, performing in several stage productions at her school. She made her featur ...
, actor/siblings
Celia,
Maggie, and
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an American actor. He is best known for originating the roles of Crutchie in '' Newsies'', and Jesse Tuck in ''Tuck Everlasting'' on Broadway. His other Broadway credits include Robertson Ay in ''Mary Poppins'', Jojo in ' ...
, and others.
The itle of showShow Vineyard Theatre Virtual Variety Show Show!
The original cast of ''
itle of show' reunited for a special livestreamed variety show on May 30, 2020 to raise funds for The Campaign for Right Now. They were joined by special guests
Bill Irwin
William Mills Irwin (born April 11, 1950) is an American actor, clown, and comedian. He began as a vaudeville-style stage performer and has been noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s. He has made a n ...
, Cheyenne Jackson,
Linda Lavin
Linda Lavin (born October 15, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing the title character in the sitcom '' Alice'' and for her stage performances, both on and off-Broadway.
After acting as a child, Lavin joined the Co ...
,
Leslie Odom Jr.
Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor and singer. He made his acting debut on Broadway in 1998 and first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical ''Hamilton'', which earned him a Tony Award f ...
,
Nicolette Robinson
Nicolette Kloe Robinson (born April 18, 1988) is an American stage and television actress. She is known for her role as Jane in the television show '' The Affair'' and Jenna in the stage musical ''Waitress'', the latter of which marked her debut ...
,
Steven Pasquale
Steven Pasquale (pronounced ; born November 18, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the New York City Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician Sean Garrity in the series '' Rescue Me''. He made his television debut on the ...
,
Phillipa Soo
Phillipa Anne Soo (born May 31, 1990) is an American actress and singer. Soo gained prominence for originating the role of Eliza Hamilton in the Broadway musical ''Hamilton''. She earned nominations for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a ...
,
Zachary Quinto
Zachary John Quinto (; born June 2, 1977) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his roles as Sylar, the primary antagonist from the science fiction drama series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' (2006–2010); Spock in th ...
,
Brooke Shields,
Billy Crudup
William Gaither Crudup (; born July 8, 1968) is an American actor. He is a four-time Tony Award nominee, winning once for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play ''The Coast of Utopia'' in 2007. He has starred in numerous high-profile films, inc ...
, and more.
Major awards and nominations
References
External links
Official websiteInternet Off-Broadway DatabaseInternet Broadway DatabaseMyspace PageTitle of Show YouTube ChannelMichael Berresse on Downstage Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Title Of Show
2006 musicals
Off-Broadway musicals
Broadway musicals
Original musicals
One-act musicals
Musicals inspired by real-life events
Backstage musicals
Self-reflexive works