A starry series of livestream readings of Broadway’s best plays to benefit The Actors Fund.

Jessie Mueller can currently be seen in Tracy Letts’ Tony Nominated Best Play, The Minutes, playing at Studio 54 until July 23rd.

We are very grateful that Jessie took some time between shows to answer BBS’s newest series “Twenty Questions with a Tony Award Winner.”

Imagine having a true life “in the theater”, what would that mean? Austin Pendleton, now celebrating his 60th year in the theater can tell you.

“Sometimes it seems…as though only intelligent people are stupid enough to fall in love & only stupid people are intelligent enough to let themselves be loved.” – Elizabeth Bishop, from her notebook

At the heart of August Wilson’s ‘Gem of the Ocean’ is a magnificent ritual that takes place in ‘the City of Bones’ which is located many fathoms deep down in the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic is said to be the largest graveyard for the millions of Africans intended for slavery in America but who died […]

My attempt to “mother” while on stage, was the first of many miscalculations as a parent. As much as I’d like to think I’m a swell multitasker-there was simply no damn way to do both tasks at hand.. I could not maintain even a slight veneer of the character.

She stopped me with this gem of a lesson, “Why are you apologizing to me?? Stop it. Are you sorry for having a question? Do you ever notice how women are the only people who apologize for asking something? It’s ridiculous…

It’s unpredictable, sometimes even unreliable, but it’s in that unknowing that makes theater a place where the most interesting and wonderful things can happen. And it’s radical. People are affected differently when you put yourself out there in front of them.

Broadway’s Best Shows is proud to present Show of Titles, a musical extravaganza with dozens of Broadway stars performing the title songs from over 20 beloved musicals to benefit The Actors Fund.

One of my favorite things about working in the theater is how fiercely present it forces us all to be. How much courage is required. And what discoveries spring from that.

It was a wonderful opportunity to explore Lillian Hellman’s classic play with such a dream cast as part of this series of online performances.

In my first 10 years or so in New York, I concentrated on being a performer and I wasn’t really aware that I wanted to direct – but I’d subconsciously absorbed the shows and experiences where the staging had a big influence on me.

In 1981, I was in my last year of high school in the suburbs of Toronto. I’d done a bunch of musicals in theatre class (Godspell, Pippin, Fantasticks) but never worked professionally.

So I’m known for being rather enthusiastic in rehearsal rooms, and the energy of this season was apparently really sending that enthusiasm into its extremes – hah!

So he asked me to come to a callback audition a few days later. At which I totally bombed. I’d never heard of a callback.

On the night of February 1, 1979, I stood in the vom of Circle-in-the-Square on Broadway, terrified.

About 6 minutes into the evening I noticed that sitting on front row…in…the middle…to my right was my ex girlfriend.

Pearl Cleage on “Naked Wilson” and her thoughts on intersectionality in theatre.

frequently asked questions

Double Tony nominee Dede Ayite on how her costumes tell stories

Heather Gilbert reflects on “The Sound Inside”

Will Hochman interviews Adam Rapp

Daniel Kluger discusses “The Sound Inside”.

Keepers of the “Dream”: The men who portrayed MLK on The Great White Way

Normally when we celebrate our history or historical figures, they are people of the past who have done amazing things to help build our society to where we are today. There are also those that we watch make history as they live their lives. One of those history makers is Broadway’s longest running African American Press Agent and Producer Irene Gandy.

Though 45 Years Have Past, “The First Breeze of Summer” continues to be a Timeless American Play

The Broadway production of Tartuffe, at Circle in the Square, in 1978 was something that set me on an unthinkable trajectory of success.

The role that escaped me – one that I would have loved to play. It’s a play I’m pretty sure hasn’t been written yet. There are significant roles for Vinie Burrows and for me. I’ve met Vinie only a couple of times and seen only a little of her work.  But she impresses me, and […]

The acclaimed musical event will stream beginning Monday, February 15 at 7:30pm ET with all proceeds benefitting The Actors Fund.

“Scholars have speculated that Charles Dickens’ 1843 holiday classic may be the ‘most adapted’ text in the English language.” – Katie Birenboim

“Although it wasn’t identified then as such, Broadway got its first Christmas song on Oct. 13, 1903. In the 117 years since, the sweeping swirl of Victor Herbert’s “Toyland” from Babes in Toyland has come to epitomize the joyful spirit of the season.” – Harry Haun

“When someone discovers that I am an actor, at some point I am often asked, ‘How do you remember all those lines?’ I sometimes wonder myself.”

“I waited as the director looks at me…takes off her glasses and says, ‘Don’t ever do that monologue again!'”

“But why? What is it about this type of show that’s so appealing?” – Mark Blankenship

My Most Embarrassing, Humiliating & Humbling, Moment On The Broadway Stage

“Like many directors before me, acting was my gateway drug into the theater. I caught the bug very early on…”

“I lost my memory during intermission of Ma-Yi Theatre’s production of Alice Tuan’s Last of the Suns.”

Strange Moments That Were Oddly Not Embarrassing

The Best Audition Ever

The One That Got Away

That’s the kind of story, in fact, that could become the basis of a play.

Get Tickets

As early as the 1930s, there were attempts to record the scores to Broadway shows. But technology made distributing those recordings in any reasonable way something of a challenge.