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What We Gain From Local Theatre

There’s something so magical about seeing a show on Broadway. You get the whole experience of being up in New York City, with all the people and flashy signs and excitement at every turn. And of course, there’s nothing like sitting in a theatre in Broadway. You’re part of a whole thing, experiencing these incredible shows with thousands upon thousands of other people. Not just in the theatre you’re sitting in, but all of the theatres up and down the strip.

Yeah, I totally love Broadway.

The thing is…Broadway isn’t the end all be all of theatre. Of course, it’s a treat to go see a show (even when you’re as close to NYC as I am), but I think there is truly something to be said about local productions of shows. I think people often rank local productions below Broadway productions (or even touring shows, really), but I think that’s just wrong. Local productions can be phenomenal. They can start a spark, remind us why we love a show, or even just be a fun experience.

I’d like to start with where it all began for me. When I was thirteen, my mom took me to see a production of Hair at The Media Theatre, a local theatre. Technically, I shouldn’t have been allowed in (spoiler alert: there’s nudity in Hair), but my mom lied about my age to get a ticket. Twenty years ago, Hair hadn’t been anywhere near Broadway in decades. But that was when I started to understand that shows don’t have to be on Broadway to be musical.

For the record, I have now seen Hair on Broadway twice. Also in Central Park when it was produced there, before it went back to Broadway in 2009. And it’s one of my favorite musicals of all time (it probably ranks #2). I wouldn’t have gotten there if it hadn’t been for a local production.

Unfortunately, I think there’s a good amount of Broadway snobbery, as I’m going to call it. I think we all have it to a certain degree. There’s an excitement around shows on Broadway, especially if you’re seeing the original cast (or any degree of original cast, like if some of them are in a show). I’ve definitely experienced Broadway snobbery. I’ve definitely gotten endless thrills out of seeing original casts, or even pieces of original casts.

Hell, I saw Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in a RENT tour and nearly lost my damn mind. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been totally blown away by other Marks and Rogers. I recently saw RENT at The Media Theatre (you’re going to hear a lot about them, since they’re the major local theatre that does musical theatre) and fell completely in love with the man who played Roger. He was absolutely fantastic. I’ve seen a few Rogers now, including Adam Pascal (the original), and the guy from The Media Theatre blew me away.

Of course, on the flip side, I’ve also been let down by original cast members. I saw Jennifer Damiano in Next to Normal on Broadway and felt so disappointed. She was so strong on the cast recording, and seemed so weak when I saw her onstage. But when I saw the show at The Media Theatre, the girl who played Natalie was outstanding. Why should people judge by where they’re seeing a show? Local theatre wins again!

One of the most important things to me is the part that isn’t even about me. It’s about people across the country, across the world. Because, while I’m very close to Broadway and Philly, where I can see touring casts, not everybody is. There are so many people that don’t have that access. There are so many people who have to rely on local theatre to see a lot of these shows. Which I think is a truly beautiful thing.

Even in my area, local theatre is the only option for some people. It’s expensive to get up to NYC and see a show on Broadway. It’s also expensive to see a touring show. When The Media Theatre puts on shows like RENT, or Hedgerow Theatre does In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), they’re giving a lot of people the chance to see something that they wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for local theatre. No matter where you are, there is talent around to bring a show to life, even if it’s a show you wouldn’t expect that for. Besides, you never know where these people are going to next. Obviously, so many people on Broadway, or big touring casts, got their start in local theatre. And with the talent I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those people do make it to Broadway.

I haven’t been up to NYC for a show in a long time. I obviously want to get up there, but most unfortunately, tickets and travel are expensive. I miss it, because there’s really nothing like Broadway. Not just seeing a show, but the whole experience of it. The crowds, the lights, the giant marquees. But I also count myself as lucky to be around places where I can see shows with performances and show production just as great. Local theatre is definitely not something to be counted out, even if you suffer from Broadway snobbery. I’ve enjoyed every local production of a show that I’ve seen on Broadway…and really, you just can’t beat that.

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