Tonight: Broadway Backwards

Tonight: Broadway Backwards III at the American Airlines Theatre. Playbill eleborates on the lineup: Gary Beach, Cheyenne Jackson, Liz Callaway, Anthony Rapp, Len Cariou, Ann Harada, Sy Adamowsky, Brooks Ashmanskas, Danny Beiruti, Michelle Blakely, Sierra Boggess, Tituss Burgess, David Burtka, Charles Busch, Kerry Butler, Jenn Colella, Lilli Cooper, Gavin Creel, Sandy Duncan, Malcolm Gets, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Julie Halston, Neil Patrick Harris, Lainie Kazan, Kathryn Kendall, Aaron Lazar, Charis Leos, Jose Llana, Karen Mason, Lea Michele, Eryn Murman, Kevin Reed, Phoebe Strole, TASTiSKANK, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tony Yazbeck and Remy Zaken as well as a 30-member ensemble and a surprise guest (who was this - Julie Halston I think???)! Seth Rudetsky hosts. How in the world are they going to cram all of these stars into two hours?

Well, they did it - it was a cram packed two hours of fun:

Liz Callaway- Pretty Women (Sweeney Todd)- crystal clear soprano!
Kerry Butler- When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love (Finnian's Rainbow)
Charles Busch- The Music That Makes Me Dance (Funny Girl)
Jen Colella and Michelle Blakely - Hello Little Girl (Into the Woods) - a very funny set up in a lesbian bar - a scary song that sounded so sexy!
Julie Halston, Ann Harada, and two other women- Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)- complete with choreography
David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris - Take Me or Leave Me (Rent) - melisma all over the place
Karen Mason- I Loved You Once in Silence/How to Handle a Woman (Camelot)
Gary Beach- 50 Percent (Ballroom)- he sang the hell out of this number! Definitely the highlight of the evening for me!
Aaron Lazar and Tony Yazbeck- A boy Like That/I Have a Love (West Side Story) (Aaron was Anita, Tony was Maria) - BEAUTIFUL!
Sierra Bogess- Kiss the Girl (The Little Mermaid) (Jessica Lee Goldyn played the girl she kissed) - this girl is FUNNY!
Girls of Spring Awakening- Bitch of Living (Lilli Cooper as Moritz and Remy Zaken as Melchior) (ouch - my ears)
TASTiSKANK- a song about they might just be "lesbos"
Malcom Gets- Dancing on the Ceiling (Evergreen) (Tony Yazbeck was his dance partner)
Jose Llana, Brooks Ashmanskas, and Gavin Creel- I Want it All (Baby) - This was INCREDIBLE! I loved that Liz Callaway was in the house for this.
Len Cariou- Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music) - lovely
Ensemble men- I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair (South Pacific)
Lainie Kazan- The "Gal" That Got Away (A Star is Born) - she still belts a high C
Andrea McArdle and Ensemble women- All I Care About Is Love (Chicago)
Titus Burgess- Maybe This Time (Cabaret) - 3rd best, definitely and what a smile he has
Anthony Rapp, Cheyenne Jackson, and Ensemble- Suddenly Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors)

I shook Len Cariou's hand. I'm happy.