Broadway Performers are Amazing, and So Are Your Neighbors

Our theme for the month of June is “confessions.”

Here’s a confession: For all my love of theatre and collecting the programs of every musical or play I’ve gone to see, I have never been to NYC to see a Broadway show.

It wouldn’t be accurate to say that I’ve never seen a Broadway show, having seen several national tours. But I haven’t had the privilege of seeing a brand new show in the Big Apple, which means missing out on some gems that don’t tour. That said, every year, I make a point to watch the Tony Awards, and this year in particular hosted some amazing musicals that I desperately want to watch live. Instead, here were some of my favorite performances (in order of performance):

 

1. Buena Vista Social Club

I think it’s fun when the music for a show is incorporated into the plot. In this case, it’s literally a show about a group of musicians living in Cuba starting in the 1950s, so the singing and dancing is diegetic. The Tony performance was super fun (featuring the first guitar solo I’ve ever seen in a Tony performance), and I’d be curious to see what the rest of the show has in store.

 

2. Maybe Happy Ending

This musical took home the coveted Best Musical award, so it’s no wonder it makes the list. Speaking of incorporating the music for the show, this performance did an interesting fourth-wall break involving the orchestra, and while I suspect the musical number they shared may have been a spoiler for the show, it was a quieter and more reflective performance than you usually see at these awards, and I’m extra intrigued by a plot that involves a search for fireflies.

 

3. Floyd Collins

I’m always a sucker for musicals with a folk music background. Just the opening notes from this performance were enough to get me to say “oooh,” and I’m fascinated by the choice to turn the story of a trapped miner into a musical. While this show is probably a bad choice for anyone with claustrophobia, I’m curious how the lighting design was handled to depict the crevices of a cave. Too bad it’s closing this month! I guess I’ll just have to hope that the Broadway version will spark renewed interest in a regional version.

 

4. Real Women Have Curves

Not only is the song they performed very catchy, I think a musical partially set in a garment factory is a fascinating location, and I’m already invested in the story from this song alone. It’s frustrating that this musical is also closing this month—it’s been getting some great press, so I hope the expenses of keeping up a show on Broadway won’t keep it from continuing its trajectory.

 

5. Gypsy

This musical has never really interested me that much. I’m sure it’s a compelling watch, but Mom-who’s-a-little-too-invested-in-her-daughter’s-showbiz-career just doesn’t call to me in a sea of other fascinating musicals. That said, Audra McDonald gave an incredibly intense performance of the show’s famous number, and it led me to wonder what events led to the character’s breakdown.

Okay, here’s another confession: While Broadway gets all the accolades, I think regional theatre is often on-par with the quality of Broadway and sometimes even better than the national tours I’ve seen. This is partly because national tours are forced to perform in huge venues with easily moveable sets, which can remove some of the intimacy and personality of a show. But I also think that regional theatre is stock-full of amazing, Broadway-level talent, with the benefit of smaller venues and fresh takes on a story. It frustrates me when people are dismissive of regional theatre—I have particular beef with the song “A Summer in Ohio” from The Last Five Years, not just because I love Ohio but also because Ohio has amazing professional and repertory theatre that this character doesn’t seem to realize exists. And community/school theatre is just as impressive! A friend saw GRCC’s production of John Proctor is the Villain a week after seeing it on Broadway and said that GRCC’s version contained some choices she liked even more, which speaks for itself.

In his acceptance speech for his play Purpose winning Best Play, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins said, “I encourage everyone to please support their local theatres. A lot of great stuff happens in New York, but a lot more happens out in the regions.” I look forward to the day that I can visit NYC, but I have never felt lacking in amazing theatre, and neither should you.

One final thought on this Juneteenth: It’s important to note that Jacobs-Jenkins was the first black playwright to win the Tony for Best Play since 1987. This article discusses some of the conversations being had around Broadway’s lack of support for Black artists and how those numbers have gotten better or worse over the past several years, as well as a discussion of ways theatres can do better that I think applies beyond Broadway.

I also wanted to highlight a few local shows/theatres that you should make a point to see if you live in the Grand Rapids area:

Dreamgirls at Circle Theatre (performing next month!)

Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Civic Theatre (Jan/Feb 2026)

Cullud Wattah at Actor’s Theatre (May 2026)

Ebony Road Players doesn’t have an upcoming show currently listed, but keep an eye out.

Additionally, BAM Talent is a local nonprofit working to support black and underrepresented art that I wanted to mention.

Now get out there and see some theatre!