Cast Member Blog - On Broadway - Becca Ballinger

Sing out, Blogfriends! Tonight is the opening night of Arts Collective's On Broadway: A Musical Theatre Revue. Spanning over 80 years of Broadway's most mesmerizing pieces, On Broadway is... well, let me put it this way: I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of musical theatre, but I've seen the show twice already, and will be there for each and every show this weekend. The singing is fantastic, the dancing is fun and sexy, the acting is honest, and the lights and costumes work together to make eye candy tastier than anything Willy Wonka could dream up. There isn't a single area in which this show falters. And coming in at around a mere 90 minutes, I guarantee you'll wonder where the time went as the house lights come up. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, I recommend doing so RIGHT NOW, as tickets are going quickly for this one-weekend only extravaganza! Basically, what I'm saying is that I promise you, this will be one of the best (if not THE BEST) piece of musical theatre you'll see anywhere this year. Oh yeah, I said it.

Ok, I've gotta go take a trip down ol' Broadway, but while you wait for the show to start, might I suggest our final (sadface) cast member blog for the show? Cast member Becca Ballinger is on hand today to explain why tradition is so important in musical theatre, and how to build on that tradition to make a show like the audience has never seen before... kinda like On Broadway. Huh, imagine that! Take it away, gurl.

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Lights fade on “Rockette” kick line. After the company has exited—mirror panels to black—the house lights slowly come up. . . There are no additional “Bows” after this—leaving the audience with an image of a kick line that goes on forever.

This was my father’s least favorite part of Arts Collective’s production of A Chorus Line last fall. Numerous heated debates about this final stage direction have occurred between my dad and me. “The kick line is what the show is famous for! It’s magical!” I yell. “You guys didn’t get the praise you deserved because the audience didn’t know the kick line was considered the bows. Not to mention band wasn’t even acknowledged and they were great!” he retorts. “Well, that’s just the way it’s done.” And that will be that.

I’m the only person in my immediate family that is active in the theatre arts, so you can imagine how frustrating it can become when the beauty of tradition goes unappreciated. I’m a strong believer that if something as legendary as Chorus Line’s kick line or Fosse’s isolations exist, then it is sometimes necessary to stick with tradition. If something is renowned for its excellence, why mess with it?

Now don’t get me wrong, in theater there is always room to make something “your own,” and nothing compares to the creativity of a true artist. One should always add a personal flair to their work. It’s a very tricky process, but once you reach that perfect blend of new and old, it’s really something extraordinary.

In On Broadway, we are staying true to a lot of the choreography and style of the original Broadway productions. But thanks to the pure genius of our choreographers, this revue is turning into a fine, one-of-a-kind hit.

A great example of reaching that “perfect blend” is presented in the number “Razzle Dazzle,” choreographed by the fabulous Jill Grabau. My mind was blown with what this girl came up with! No, seriously. I was squealing every time we learned a new step. While the Fosse style was very present in her choreography, it was 100% Grabau. (Okay, so one move was inspired by the movie, but what else can you do when the lyrics are “Roar! Roar! Roar!”?)

You really do not want to miss out on the gorgeous gift this cast and crew is bringing you. Get your tickets now! (And you should probably subscribe while you’re at it.) See you this weekend!