Broadway Our Way 2024
My thoughts on Broadway Our Way 2024 or…putting the WOW in BWOW!
Broadway Our Way, Uptown Players annual fundraiser and gender bending revue, is always one of the highlights of my theater going year and I’ve never been to one I didn’t enjoy. However, this year’s version is the best and most wildly entertaining one since the pandemic. You will leave the theater elated and moved by this celebration of LGBTQ life in showtunes. It is a gathering of divas of all ages and genders singing and dancing their butts off to Broadway songs with a twist and a lyric change or two or three or twenty. It’s clever, funny, tender, and pure theater joy.
Director and writer and DFW Superstar BJ Cleveland sets the scene backstage where the entire cast is waiting to perform musical numbers they have chosen for Broadway Our Way and eventually they all get their chance. It’s got A Chorus Line vibe. There’s no forced story imposed on the actors, and everything feels immediate and fluid. And speaking of fluid, this BWOW moves with wonderfully fun choreography from Alli Betsill. Just check out the songs with backup dancer/singers. Betsill nails it every time.
Music Director Cody Dry who also conducts and plays Keyboard 1 has the orchestra sounding great no matter if the song is a soulful ballad or rock. The orchestra includes Lee Harris, who also music directs and plays Keyboard 2, Michael Ptacin providing percussion, Sal Bollinger on bass, Jesse Ramirez on guitar, and Chad Ostermiller on woodwinds. Also, a major shout out to Adam C. Wright for the arrangements.
Dennis Canright’s set provides the perfect “backstage” on a turntable that becomes the multilevel performance area. Brian Christensen’s sound design had everyone well amplified and wardrobe supervisor Suzi Cranford has the cast in sometimes casual, sometimes dazzling outfits. Lighting Designer Kyle Harris does remarkable work here, enhancing all performances. This is the only time I can remember hearing audience members chatting about the lighting at intermission and after the show.
The performances. They range from terrific to unbelievable. The stars include Tim Brawner, B.J. Cleveland, Peter DiCesare, Presley Duyck, Stephanie Felton, Elizabeth Kensek, Natalie King, Linda Leonard, Laura Lites, David Lugo, Michael B. Moore, Randy Pearlman, Amy Stevenson, Kylie Stewart, Carlos Strudwick, Sammy Swim, Trey Tolleson, Emily Truelove, Danny Vanegas, Lee Walter, Brett Warner, and Garrett Weir.
To pick a favorite performance from that group of people I admire so much would be like picking a favorite child…so that’s not happening. In fact, I would suggest that you not even look at the list of musical numbers in your playbill or listed here and just let the magic of Broadway Our Way 2024 sweep over you. My one caveat is, if you are on the front couple of rows, beware of Mrs. Lovett, her pies, and her lusty lyrics.
A big thank you to Executive Producers Craig Lynch and Jeff Rane and Writer/Director B.J. Cleveland for bringing us this LGBTQ celebration of love and acceptance. It’s a gold mine every year. This year it’s a diamond mine.
photos by Kris Ikejiri
