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ONSTAGE & BACKSTAGE: Signature Tunes
By Seth Rudetsky
19 May 2008
I must also praise Miss Chita Rivera, who is so commanding on stage and made the audience go crazy by simply doing one syncopated contraction (choreographed by Ann Reinking, sitting a few rows back). Chita just exudes theatre, and it was thrilling to see her give a full Broadway performance from only a few feet away.
Before the show I was in the lobby and ran into John Kander, who is one of the nicest men ever. I met him at my graduation from Oberlin. He had graduated years earlier and was getting a special degree. When I moved to New York, he got me some fabulous jobs playing piano for his TV film scores, and he's always been incredibly supportive and sweet to me. I got to interview him for Sirius radio, and my favorite story involved the title song from the movie, "New York, New York." He and Fred Ebb performed all the songs they had written for the film for director Martin Scorsese and the film's star, Robert De Niro. Scorsese and De Niro had a little convo after they heard everything, and Scorsese told the songwriting team that De Niro felt that one of the other songs, "The World Goes Round," was so good it was outshining "New York, New York," which should be the best song in the film. Kander and Ebb were totally irritated they were being given notes by the star, but because they're pros, they didn't argue. John said that they went home and wrote their "(expletive) you" version of the song. Cut to; that's the song that Minnelli and Sinatra then made world famous and John can't even remember the first version. Viva De Niro!
I sat with John at the bar and asked him what he thinks will happen with The Visit. Of course, he said he didn't know yet. I suddenly felt so awed to be with him at that moment. It wasn't opening night, but because it was the big gala, it was very similar, and I thought about all the shows he's been in the lobby of before they opened — Cabaret, Chicago, The Rink, etc. — and I couldn't believe I was sitting there with him. I'm used to doing one-night concerts of shows that have already worked, or limited runs of past hit shows. I can't even comprehend what it's like to be him. He's on a level very few are. He's literally created musical theatre history. After John and I chatted, I went into the theatre, and James asked me if I really take in the fact that my life is such where I can go to events and be surrounded by Broadway celebrities and actually know them well enough to say hello etc., and I thought back to the time I was nine years old, seeing Chicago from the balcony. Here I was in a theatre with the composer and the original star. The thought made my eyes fill with tears. Well, it was that thought and the waist size of my pants versus my actual waist.
In conclusion, anyone in the Washington, D.C. area better hightail it to the Signature and see The Visit asap (p.s. wear stretch pants).
Now, let us discuss nominations. Perhaps some of you remember that I was in The Roundabout's production of The Ritz. Perhaps you also remember that I had four lines
1. We're busy
2. I said we're busy
3. Thanks a lot
and
4. Careful, Googie
plus a tight 16 measures of the song "Magic to Do." Well, imagine my surprise and joy when I discovered that I was nominated for a Broadway.com audience award! And, not for "best walk-on," but for "best featured actor in a play"! First of all, I can't believe I was actually in a Broadway play, let alone nominated for anything. And, apparently, neither can anyone else. The always-hilarious Joe Mantello wrote me: Not since Pia Zadora won a Golden Globe for "Butterfly" has there been such a scandal. Brava! I wish I could see F. Murray Abraham's face when he read the list of nominees.
F. Murray: Let's see here…Raul Esparza, wonderful. David Morse, wow! Stiff competition. Brooks Ashmanskas, yes, yes…well-deserved. And finally…what the-? Seth Rudetsky? Who the hell is he?"
F. Murray's assistant: He was in The Ritz.
F. Murray: I don't remember him.
Assistant: Neither did I. I looked him up on ibdb.com and he played "Fire drill patron" in Act One and "Sheldon" in Act Two.
F. Murray: I still don't remember him.
Assistant: Neither do I.
*Silence.*
Both: So….yeah.
OK, everyone, I'm signing off to go obsessively listen to my copy of the In the Heights CD. This week I'm going to see the fabulous Nina Hennessey at the Metropolitan Room and finally see Sunday in the Park With George — and either get a new tux or call Star Jones' doctor.
*
(Seth Rudetsky is the host of "Seth's Big Fat Broadway" on SIRIUS Satellite Radio and the author of "The Q Guide to Broadway" and the novel "Broadway Nights." He has played piano in the orchestras of 15 Broadway musicals and hosts the BC/EFA benefit weekly interview show Seth's Broadway Chatterbox at Don't Tell Mama every Thursday at 6 PM. He can be contacted by visiting www.sethsbroadwaychatterbox.com.)
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(l.-r.) Albert Stephenson, Seth Rudetsky, John Kander and James Wesley
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