There's No Business Like Show Business

Clay Aiken coming back to Spamalot on September 19!!!!

Yeah, I’m excited. I adore Clay and I love Broadway and Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas in New York – what could be better?

For all the fans who are planning on attending Spamalot – Congratulations!




But don't stop there -- pick up tickets for some of the other wonderful shows still performing on The Great White Way. There are so many to choose from – musicals and comedies and dramas. Originals and revivals.

Here’s a few worth looking into:

South Pacific by Rodgers & Hammerstein is getting a great reception and this is the landmark musical’s first Broadway revival ever! The curtain came down on Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific in 1954 after five years of extraordinary acclaim and countless awards including nine Tonys and a Pulitzer. Considered by many the finest musical ever written, the songs include “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger than Springtime,” “Bali Ha’ i,” “Nothing like a Dame” and “A Wonderful Guy.” Bartlett Sher directs the new production with two-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara as Nellie Forbush and acclaimed Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot in his Broadway debut as Emile De Becque.

The New York Times said:

"I know we’re not supposed to expect perfection in this imperfect world, but I’m darned if I can find one serious flaw in this production."

This revival has gotten smash reviews from just about everyone. I’m sure many of you already know the show from the movie – but there is nothing like hearing this exquisite music live. And if you want to listen to the sublime music from this show – pick up a cd of the revival: Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (The New Broadway Cast).

Here’s a medley clip as performed at the Tony Awards.


Lovers of a great musical or lovers of the great Patti Lupone should check out Gypsy when in town. Broadway’s leading lady takes on its greatest role, in this production staged by the show’s author himself: theater legend Arthur Laurents. These two mega-talents joined forces, and the result is “as close to perfection as anything you’ll see," as quoted in the New York Daily News review.

Watch a bit of Patti Lupone from the same Tony Awards show and I dare you not to be moved. To be in the audience and feel that power – it’s a truly magical feeling.



Like it? Pick up a cd of this great revivial Gypsy - 2008 Original Broadway Cast? Or if you can’t make the show – take your pick of a DVD - the movie Gypsy with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood or perhaps the TV special Gypsy with Bette Midler and Cynthia Gibb.

Everyone loves Jersey Boys! And it is still playing and still thrilling audiences all over the country. If you happen to be in New York – why not buy a ticket to this smash show?

The Tony Awards are always a great tv show for checking out musicals and here’s a clip from the year Jersey Boys won for Best Musical.


Check out the cast recording Jersey Boys (2005 Original Broadway Cast Recording). Of course, an album like Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons may be more to your liking. More reader than show-goer? Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons is a great read.

Did anyone see the fabulous movie, Billy Elliot with Jamie Bell and Julie Walters? The life of 11-year-old Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) a coal-miner's son is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. Before long he finds himself demonstrating the kind of raw talent seldom seen by the class' exacting instructor (Julie Walters). They turned that great story into a big hit in London on the West End and you can get tickets to the musical now playing on Broadway. You can get a real feel for how they were able to translate the wonderful film into a magical show with music by Elton John by watching this promotional piece from the London show.



If you loved Chris Sieber as Lancelot in Spamalot – consider buying a ticket to Shrek which opens in November. The most beloved swamp-dwelling ogre of all time will make his Broadway debut in Shrek the Musical. This all-new production is based on Shrek's adventures in the classic William Steig book and Oscar-winning film. Joining Shrek on his journey from the swamp to the stage will be his wisecracking sidekick Donkey, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquaad and a chorus of everybody's favorite fractured fairytale creatures. With more layers than ever and a completely original new score, Shrek the Musical proves that there's more to the story than meets the ears.

Tickets can be purchased on Telecharge for those musicals listed above as well as stand-out hits like Wicked!

And Spamalot has discounted tickets waiting for you. Read about it on Clay's MySpace with a link and code for purchasing.

Discounted tickets are available for one of the still great - but long-running shows like Hairspray or Mary Poppins or Legally Blonde – at Broadway Box. And discounted tickets for same day performances can be purchased at TKTS - in Times Square or Downtown at the South Street Seaport where you can get in line with other theater lovers and pick up discounted tickets for the same day’s performance for both Broadway and Off Broadway offerings. TKTS is a great way to get discounted seats and also meet some terrific fellow-theater-lovers!

And musicals aren't all Broadway offers. There are wonderful plays like Boeing-Boeing, August: Osage County, Equus, The 39 Steps, American Buffalo and The American Plan. All will make your New York theater experience that much more memorable.

See Clay and Spamalot but don’t miss out on all the other wonderful shows on Broadway. Remember, There’s No Business Like Show Business!

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Billy Elliot
Jamie Bell
Julie Walters
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