Tomorrow night– Tuesday January 18th PBS 9pm– the best revelation in Frank Di Lella’s “Reopening: The Broadway Revival” comes around 18 minutes in.
Adrienne Warren, the Tony winning star of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” tells New York 1’s Frank Di Lella that last summer, preparing to return to Broadway after the pandemic break wasn’t so easy.
Warren says, “When I went into the rehearsal room I realized I’d completely forgotten the show!”
Warren is just one of a bunch of Broadway stars who appear in the special including Aaron Tveit, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, James Michael Scott of “Aladdin,” and Jeanna de Wal of the late, lamented “Diana.”
It’s a terrific special and a great commercial for Broadway. Alas some of the shows featured have closed, like “Diana” and “Ain’t Too Proud.” But “Tina” is running just fine, so is “Moulin Rouge,” there are 19 shows running on Broadway now. They need all our support.
Me? I bought a ticket for the Michael Jackson musical, “MJ,” last week, and really enjoyed it. This is a great time to get tickets to shows usually sold out. In a couple of months, things will go back to normal, trust me.
Back to Warren, who is adorable: between her and all the other performers including the great Rachel Tucker — I didn’t know she was in “Come from Away,” now I will get a ticket– DiLella really shows what happened to Broadway, how the lockdown affected all the people who work there, and why it’s so important that the shows come back full force.
Also featured, all articulate and so endearing: Sara Bareilles (“Waitress”), Tony nominee Elizabeth Stanley (“Jagged Little Pill”), Alexandra Billings (“Wicked”), Jawan M. Jackson (“Ain’t Too Proud”), Tony nominee Andrew Rannells, Tony nominee Norm Lewis (“Chicken and Biscuits”), Olivier Award winner Sharon D. Clarke (“Caroline, or Change”), Tony winner Lea Salonga, Tony winner and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth, Tony winner Chita Rivera, Tony winner Laura Benanti, Tony winner David Rockwell.
Broadway fans, this is must see TV!
