Stage Scene
Broadway acknowledges time of tragedy

USA Today

Cast and crew members (including Nathan Lane, third from left, and Matthew Broderick, fourth from left) sang "God Bless America" after the Sept. 13 performance of "The Producers" at the St. James Theater in New York. Associated Press

There were many similarly unusual, emotional moments both on stage and off in the last week, as Broadway relit for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center.

The first few shows began opening Sept. 13.

At 8 p.m., marquee lights dimmed for two minutes to acknowledge the tragedy. Then actors, producers, musicians and crew members echoed the sorrow and fortitude that have been aroused in their fellow Americans.

Casts of "The Producers," "The Music Man," "Phantom of the Opera" and the Disney musicals — "The Lion King," "Aida" and "Beauty and the Beast" — led audiences in singing "God Bless America." After a performance of the Tony-Award-winning play "Proof," stagehands sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee."

Valerie Harper and Michael Cumpsty, who star, respectively, in "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife" and "42nd St.," expressed gratitude to fans who were struggling to overcome their grief. Harper delivered a statement penned by "Allergist" author Charles Busch and director Lynne Meadow: "It is such a privilege for us to perform for you tonight and to see you made a choice to come out, to laugh and most importantly, to carry on and not be ruled by fear." (Before the performance, Busch had done some light editing, modifying a few lines in the comedy that alluded to terrorism.)

Other speeches also recognized the value of escapist entertainment, even as they nodded to the victims of Tuesday's disaster. At performances of the Disney musicals, stars spoke of theater's tradition as "a place where people could forget our problems." But they added that "the tragic events of Sept. 11 cannot be easily forgotten and perhaps never should be" and asked audiences for a moment of silence to honor victims and their families.

Performances of "Cabaret" and "Les Miserables" also featured moments of silence, during which cast, crew and orchestra members gathered on stage. The "Cabaret" company gave up its curtain call for the observance. David Warner, appearing in "Major Barbara," dedicated the remainder of the show's limited run to the victims and their loved ones.

But even amid all this graveness, theater's most powerful players projected an unsinkable resolve, evoking the adage "the show must go on." At a preview of "Urinetown" — which was supposed to have opened Sept. 13 (it was expected to open on Broadway yesterday instead) — attendees were compensated with slices of cake. Lindsay Law, a producer of "The Full Monty," gave a pep talk to the audience, urging them not to succumb to terror.

Before the performance of "The Producers," which played to a packed house — 150 cancellations were quickly snapped up — producer Rocco Landesman touted the healing power of musical comedy. "I think laughter is a great bonder of people," he said. "I don't think anything could be better in terms of making a statement about what is going on than to attend an event where we can all be together and laugh together."