Broadway Bares 2012

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 9:34pm

Who’s going? Post your pictures and experiences here!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 1:07am

It was one of the best ever. There were over 220 dancers and 12 numbers, all around the themes of fairy tales and "happy endings."

Two of the numbers involved aerial work. They were the most awe-inspiring.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 1:32am

It was so beautiful. I wish I had bought tickets for the midnight performance but I spent all my money on the dancers during the rotations. The Rapunzel sequence with Lady Bunny was very entertaining.

They had many signs saying that photography was prohibited so I didn't get to take any pictures, sorry!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:32am

Yes everyone always films and snaps away. LOL. I could not get good ones from around the tall man by me. Ah well. This year was quite amazing as far as the show itself went. Really really fantastic, witty and often FILTHY. I missed more of the crazy celebrity appearances, but the ones this year were quality. Rachel Potter blows the roof off without fail.
I was at the midnight show and I will say I was frustrated at how difficult it was to find a change boy to break bills...

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:07am

Here's one of the aerial numbers, "Sleeping Beauty." The fast spin that starts at about the 1:25 point took my breath away.

http://youtu.be/nlVfY0ZFews

Updated On: 6/18/12 at 10:07 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:14am

And here's the other aerial number, "Aladdin." Reed Kelly from Addams Family and Spider-Man is the spectacular dancer on the ground:

http://youtu.be/HP6i83hRKGU

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:16am

It was really a fantastic event this year. Gorgeously put together. My favorite numbers were the Sleeping Beauty and the Pied Piper, which back to back were totally thrilling.

Bravo to everything who participated.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:19am

Who is Josh Smith? Woof!

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:23am

"Two of the numbers involved aerial work. They were the most awe-inspiring."

The aerial work is always amazing, but I've never understood why they're in Broadway Bares. They are not Broadway performers.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:24am

The Pied Piper number was everything you go to Bares for. Boys in kilts...twirling!

And you also go for divas: Miriam Shor did a great job singing the opening number, and Jennifer Tilly was genuinely funny.

And Nikka Lanzarone is an amazing dancer. She can snap her leg up to her head and snap it back like a switchblade.

But Rachel Potter's vocal on the final number was a knockout. I thought she was good in Evita, but I had no idea she had that kind of a powerhouse voice.

Updated On: 6/18/12 at 10:24 AM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:14pm

The Pied Piper felt like you got punched in the face. It just came out of nowhere and hit you full on. LOVED it.

Reed Kelly is hands down one of my favorite dancers - male or female - to watch.

Rachel Potter has one of my favorite voices. I have said it for years and I will say it again, she needs to be STARRING in a show. Anything she sings is effortless. I had the luck to see her as Glinda in Wicked and - not long after - hear her do "Defying Gravity" and both were a piece of cake. I'd crawl over people to my hands on a cd single release of that number from last night.

I'm still in a bit of a shock from the Goldilocks number. It was DIRTY at the midnight.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:23pm

^ How dirty? The 9:30 PM was risque but a little tame.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:33pm

Ghostlight - A lot of the performers who participate in Broadway Bares are not technically Broadway performers; I'd say probably more of them have not been in a Broadway show than have. That's not really the point.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:45pm

I was going to post an interview with one of the Goldilocks dancers 'cause he was cute. Then I realized it was by Corine and changed my mind.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:48pm

"I'd say probably more of them have not been in a Broadway show than have. That's not really the point."

I understand that it may not be the point for you, but it is for me. It's the Broadway community pulling together, or should be (imo). That Vegas performers are injected into the mix, and that money has to be spent to accommodate them, has always bothered me. As for the first part of your statement I've quoted, you are absolutely incorrect. The vast majority of the onstage performers have not only been on Broadway, but are often currently in a Broadway show.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:57pm

Ghostlight - the joy is that a lot of the people involved in the production come from a lot of different aspects of the Broadway community - some of the guys who appear on stage are stagehands, dressers etc. I stand by my case that a lot of the cast have never been Broadway performers.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 3:03pm

Ghostie, I have veard others complain about outsiders (civilians) participating and I get your point.
The first arielists got involved when Jerry choreographed for them in Vegas, so that's the connection. But a few years ago I was talking to them and one had been in a Broadway show and many of the girls are trained dancers. It's a small price to pay for what those numbers add to the show, and they are usually surrounded by Broadway kids also.

I've seen Nikka in other shows (and BARES) But she was the stand-out for me. Wow, what a Dancer!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 4:15pm

This is a silly argument. The aerialists were in two of the twelve numbers--ALONG with Broadway dancers--and they added immeasurable beauty and incredible sexiness to the show. If it makes you feel any better, the lead in the Aladdin number was Reed Kelly, a certified Broadway dancer.

And Michael Bennett is absolutely right. A lot of the dancers and dancers who are helping out backstage are not currently working on Broadway.

So what?

They have worked with the various choreographers on tours and in stock or regional--so what if they haven't yet made the leap to Broadway? So what if they were in a Broadway show or a tour and now are back to auditioning and hoping? So what if some of them are even working (GASP!) in restaurants? They are all part of the Broadway community, and they are all donating their time--and their talent--to help raise money for BROADWAY Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Actors Fund and the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Project.

For crap's sake, man, the show involved over 220 dancers! To make every one of them show a "Current Broadway Cast" card is ludicrous.

And Curtain--I have officially become a Nikka Lanzarone fan.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 5:04pm

I wasn't aware I was in an argument. I was merely expressing an opinion, and you're miss-stating mine, to boot. I have never come close to suggesting that "every one of [the performers] show a "Current Broadway Cast" card".

I merely countered MB's assertion that more of the performers onstage have not been on Broadway than have. That simply isn't true. I say this because I've worked on the show every year (except this one) since the early 90's. There is fierce competition on Broadway for a slot on the show. Broadway performers get turned down every year because they can only have so many people onstage.

Like CPD says regarding the flying performers, I'm not alone in my opinion that they really don't belong, despite the Mitchell connection. In any case, it really isn't that big a deal. It isn't like I lose sleep over it.

That said, more pictures, please. I would love to see Broadway Bear John Tracey Egan.






BC/EFA website, check back for photos later. Updated On: 6/18/12 at 05:04 PM

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 5:39pm

I wanted to get close to one of the Bears during rotation but boy, he was popular!

I did see a couple of actors who are currently on Broadway in Bares and they were overjoyed that I recognized them without their usual costumes.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 8:05pm

Came up from DC to see this. Liked it a lot. The Aladdin number was my favorite of the evening. In the last three years I've attended, this year was probably my most obstructed view throughout. Even though I was fairly close, it was impossible to see.

I also noticed one of the "does anyone have an extra ticket" guys get in, and wasn't satisfied with is priority view ticket and kept trying to sneak into the VIP area (with little success).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 12:08am

The Aladdin number

http://youtu.be/8ClBoNucGqA

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 12:09am

The Pied Piper number

http://youtu.be/KM3KlqMNcLQ

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 12:09am

The Pied Piper number

http://youtu.be/EO4W5ThDNsw

Updated On: 6/19/12 at 12:09 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 12:12am

Sleeping Beauty

http://youtu.be/nlVfY0ZFews