B&Me's Happy—and Sad—14th Anniversary

This is a bittersweet anniversary for me: I published the first Broadway & Me post 14 years ago on Valentine’s Day but it’s now been nearly a year since I’ve seen a show in person.  And of course that’s not the worst part of the pandemic that has shut down theaters, putting out of work thousands of people who make their living in the theater and killing scores of others, from the theater icon Terrence McNally to my friend Patti Bosworth, a writer, one-time actress and lifelong theater fan.

Like I suspect many of you, I’ve grieved all those losses and tried to find some solace in the varied productions that have sprung up on Zoom, YouTube, Audible and other digital platforms. Just this past week, I was knocked out by Playing Burton, a solo audio play in which Matthew Rhys brilliantly portrays Richard Burton (you can listen to it by clicking here); and All the Devils Are Here, Patrick Page’s magnificent deconstruction of some of Shakespeare’s most infamous villains (you can see it by clicking here).

They’ve scratched the itch familiar to all of us theater junkies and given some theater folks a way to make a few bucks to tide them over. But, of course, they’re no substitute for being in a theater, breathing, without fear, the same air as the performers and creating together that uniquely symbiotic experience that is live theater.

It’s still too soon to tell when “normalcy” will return and we can all gather together again safely but I feel blessed that my husband K and I have so far remained healthy (my theatergoing buddy Bill too) and grateful to those of you who continue to check in here. I'm also mindful that theater returned stronger than ever after the plague emptied stages during Shakespeare’s time. I’m hopeful that it will be the same for ours. In the meantime, stay safe and stay healthy.