Overtime Fun: Broadway Performers in Concert

      Hello again, readers, and welcome to another Monday post. For those of us with jobs, we are often asked if we can stay after or come in on the weekend to do a little more work or participate in a company function. The same goes for Broadway performers. Even when these immensely talented individuals have performed eight shows a week (or more!!), often times they find themselves working for the public a little longer. This often comes in the form of a concert. I have had the pleasure of seeing Broadway performers in concert for some time now. I cannot begin to tell you the work that I've seen.
       There are two categories in which I place Broadway performers in concert: concerts done in an effort to promote their show and concerts done just for the thrill of performing work they don't normally have the opportunity of performing. The former greatly differs from the latter. Concerts held to promote their shows usually happens in a public setting, often times for free. A good example of this is the popular summer concert Stars in the Alley. At this event held in Shubert Alley in the heart of the Theater District, performers from Broadway shows give a glimpse of their shows to a massive outdoor audience. Shows may also do smaller offerings, usually coinciding with a CD release for new shows, or also appearing on television shows such as The View, The Today Show, The Late Show, among others. These performances may come with a catch, for example having to register for free tickets or purchase a CD at the store the event is held. These concerts, however, provide an amazing opportunity to entice the theatergoer to check out the whole show in person.
       Concerts done strictly for the thrill of performance, as one can imagine, offer a much more intriguing environment. This venue allows performers to showcase material, usually with some sort of theme, that they may not have the chance to do anywhere else. These concerts usually require a ticket, with a minimum amount of drinks or money should the venue be a bar or restaurant. New York offers countless venues for these concerts, with a couple of prominent venues being Birdland Jazz Club, home to Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland series as well as Cast Party every Monday night. Feinstein's/54 Below, the Cafe Carlyle, and Lincoln Center's American Songbook series. Also, audiences can expect a wide range of performers, whether it be well known Broadway stars to performers audiences rarely see go on. I often find myself enthralled equally with the entire range of talent that I have seen perform. These concerts, while requiring some extra work on the part of the performers, often providing a phenomenal reward for performer and audience alike.
         I cannot emphasize of attending as many concerts as possible. One can't begin to know who they may see perform and be able to say they knew someone when they were just a special guest this one time at a concert they saw. You can check for upcoming concerts at the web sites of the venues mentioned above, as well as other theater news sites. Have any memorable concert experiences? Share them in the Comments section below. Until the next time, this is Mike signing off, ghost light lighting on.