What am I giving away today?
2 tickets to the Spring revival of Garson Kanin's Born Yesterday starring Jim Belushi, Robert Sean Leonard and Nina Arianda!
Oh, and just for kicks, we've got a free dinner for two at a new midtown eatery, The Ember Room.
Born Yesterday is comedy about . . . sex and politics.
Which made me think . . . what living politician or political figure would you like to see make their Broadway debut? And bonus points for putting them in a show.
Comment below and be entered to win!
My choice? Elliot Spitzer as Billy Flynn in Chicago.
- – - – -
FUN STUFF
- Take the Broadway Investing 101 Seminar. Click here for dates in NYC and LA.
- Come to the Director-Writer Speed Date! RSVP here.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
98 Responses to The Sunday Giveaway: 2 Tickets to Born Yesterday and a Free Dinner.
Leave a Reply
MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS
Email Me
Subscribe in a Reader
Ken’s Top 5 Reads
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business...
Seth Godin
buy now
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Seth Godin
buy now
The Commercial Theater Institute ...
Frederic B. Vogel & Ben Hodges
buy now
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Robert B. Cialdini
buy now
Producing Theatre : A Business Guide
Donald C. Farber
buy now
I gotta see this show!
I would love to see that show.
I think Bill Clinton would make a good Willy Loman.
Mean as it may be, I’d put Michele Bachmann in Julie Taymor’s (now closed and revamping) SPIDERMAN, in hopes that she’d get a concussion that would knock some sense in to her.
Chris Christie in the producers
Jimmy McMillan (The Rent’s Too Damn High Guy) as Sweeney Todd!
Sarah Palin as Annie Oakley.
You CAN Get a Man with a Gun.
Plus, “Folks are dumb where I come from, they ain’t had any learning.”
And you know it’d tour well through Middle America.
Jim McGreevey as Albin in La Cage Aux Folles. I guess after all those years as mayor of my town & his short stint as governor of NJ, it would be kinda fun to see him play that part.
Andrew Jackson in Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson; Fiorello LaGuardia in Fiorello; Jimmy Walker in Jimmy; and of course FDR in Annie. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see the actual politicians in the shows they are represented in?
Bill Clinton in Wicked
I can’t believe no-one’s said it, but Rahm Emanuel! First of all, he’s already a trained ballet dancer
, and certainly has the charisma and sex appeal…as for the show, that’s a bit more of a stumper. Of course, one where he could display his talent for cursing would be a plus, perhaps a Mamet play? For sheer dance skillz, however, I’d love to watch him in “Cats,” hehe…
Bear with me. . .
Dubya in a strict revival of “You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush.”
with no editing on his part. go off script and he recieves some form of advanced interrogation technique
as Rahm Tahm tugger perhaps?
Janet Reno in “Keep It Gay” from the Producers. As Shirley Markowitz, the lighting designer.
I hope Marian Seldes will be well enough to see it!
Speaker Boner in The Solid Gold Cadillac.
Hillary Clinton in Mamma Mia!
Mayor Bloomberg as Professor Dillamond in WICKED. (Or is that a baaaaaad idea?)
Dick Chaney as Col. Nathan Jessep in A Few Good Men. Yes, we CAN handle the truth.
George W Bush in The Sound of Music playing Captain Von Trapp (don’t know why, it would just crack me up
)
Tom DeLay in Catch Me If You Can
Rudy Giuliani as Mary Sunshine in Chicago.
Bill Clinton as the Wizard in Wicked. Or maybe John Kerry and George W. Bush in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. Oh, yes, Bush and Kerry in The Odd Couple, PLEASE! Haha.
Dan Quayle in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!
Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee in “The Book of Mormon”? They’re a little long in the tooth for those parts, though.
Bill Clinton as Marrying Sam in “Li’l Abner”! He’d make the song “I’m Past My Prime” delightfully creepy.
I would want to see someone portray themselves in a show – like George Bush in You’re Welcome, America or Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon.
Al Gore as the Wizard in Wicked!
Thanks Ken for your talk in Southbridge on Friday night. I was in audience and really enjoyed it. Learned a lot!
Stephen Colbert as Harry in Company!
Sarah Palin as Eva Peron in Evita!!!!!
Hillary Clinton as Madame Morrible in Wicked.
Obama as Hoke Coleburn in Driving Miss Daisy. Think about it – following Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones, those 3 men have the most soothing, distinguished voices.
Ohh yeah….Sarah Palin as Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA. Or maybe that should be Bristol Palin.
Bill Clinton as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls.
Sarah Palin as Lola in Damned Yankees, as she is clearly in league with the devil.
Hillary Clinton in Honour
Rod Blagojevich as the title role in The Music Man. Or Rahm Emanuel as Riff in West Side Story.
Mitt Romney as Elder Price in THE BOOK OF MORMON.
Chicago! starring:
Janet Reno as Mary Sunshine
Hillary Clinton as Mamma Morton
Bill Clinton as Billy Flynn
Hillary Clinton as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd.
Since a few people made double suggestions, hope you don’t mind a second choice. No sooner did I click on my first posting, than I thought of the obvious:
GEORGE BUSH IN AMERICAN IDIOT
Fred Thompson as Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came To Dinner…. C’mon, he’d be a hoot!
Rudy Giuliani as Albin in La Cage aux Folles. He already has the costume and makeup.
How about the obvious???? Bill Clinton in MR. PRESIDENT
It can be done in the style of the last revivals of Sweeney Todd and Company – the stars can be the musicians. Bill can play the Saxophone!
Gotta cast Guys and Dolls with … Ed Koch as Nathan Detroit, Mike Bloomberg as Sky Masterson, Kirsten Gillibrand as Sarah Brown and … Sarah Palin as Miss Adelaide, although she probably wouldn’t get the jokes.
Ed Koch. Billy Flynn in Chicago. Would that be a hoot or what?
Sarah Palin as Evita. “Don’t Cry for me, America-a!”
How about Al Sharpton as Dupree in Cry Baby and John Boehner as Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker.
We need the three singin’ and dancin’ P’s: police, politicians and prostitutes!
Therefore, let’s raise the curtain on “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, starring:
*George W. Bush as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd
*Ann Coulter as Miss Mona (understudied by Sarah Palin)
*Bill Clinton as the Governor of Texas doing “The Sidestep”
*Newt Gingrich as Melvin P. Thorpe
Football players/chorus boys/Chicken Ranch patrons: Mark Sanford, Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards, Jim McGreevey, Barney Frank, David Vitter, Larry Craig, Jesse Jackson and Hugh Grant
Miss Mona’s Girls: Nancy Grace, Nancy Pelosi, Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Katie Couric, Donna Rice, Judith Nathan, Monica Lewinsky, Linda Tripp, Lindsay Lohan, Katherine Harris and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
Chicken Ranch Cleaning Lady: Barbara Bush
Bill Clinton in La Cage Aux Folles
I would love to see Hillary Clinton as Florence Greenberg in “Baby It’s You!” – saw it recently and think that HC would really fit this role
Hillary Clinton as Joanne in Company.
Nina Arianda gave a chilling, multidimensional performance in Walter Bobbie-David Ives Classic Stage collaboration, VENUS IN FUR. I would love the chance to see her performance in BORN YESTERDAY.
Hmm. How about Gaddafi as Franz in The Producers?? Or maybe Mrs. Hannigan in Annie…
Condoleezza Rice in Carmen Jones.
Mike Bloomberg as the Wizard in Wicked
Sarah Palin as Elphaba in Wicked!
Madeline Albright as Madame Armfeldt
Ed Koch as Ned Weeks in THE NORMAL HEART! How topical…
Rudy Giuliani as Roger de Bris in The Producers … it’s all an act anyway & he gets to play a dictator that we can openly laugh at…
Marc Zegans
Sarah Palin in Annie get your gun.
First of all, HOLYS**T! Born Yesterday is my all-time favorite play, I directed it my senior year of high school for my senior thesis project <3 And my friend for his birthday saw it, which I was jealous of, but I didn’t know Robert Sean Leonard was in it!!! So now I’m freaking out and more jealous of my friend!! Robert Sean Leonard is the best; and not just as Wilson on House MD (yes, I am a Wilson shipper! lol) but Dead Poets Society all the way! Carpe Diem, all! <3
Ok, now back to the question. LOL This is a difficult one! I’m not very into politics of today since they’re so confusing and full of drama (and not the good kind!) But I’d definitely see President Obama in a play. Lik how Reagan was an actor, then a politician? Well, Obama would do very well as vice-versa! He is such a brilliant speaker, and with such a lovely, rich voice– I could listen to him for hours. As for putting him in a play…hmm…dude, put him in Othello as the lead and I’d be happy ;D Hear that voice do Shakespeare? Yes please!
Senator Jon Kyl in Proof (or some other show that requires at least a basic concept of numbers.)
John Boehner as Judd Fry in Oklahoma
(u/s = Dick Cheney)
Bill Clinton as Wintergreen in OF THEE I SING
It’s a story about empowerment and enlightenment. One man can grow up in one day with a kick of the unlearned knowledge.
Al Gore as valentine in ARCADIA. They have the similar smart and considerate vibe. Or he can just do a one man show. Well to be fair he’s not a conventional stereotypical politician. But he’s qualified.
Donald Trump in Hair
Or Anything Goes
Or Barnum
Oh wait, he would demand the title actually have ‘Trump’ in it….hmmmmmm
Mayor Daley as Cladwell in Urinetown!
Mayor Michael Bloomberg as Og in a (finally) successful revival of FINIAN’S RAINBOW. Perfect casting. He can even supply his own pot of gold.
I’d have to go with George W Bush as Officer Krupke in West Side Story.
Cory Booker as J. Pierpont Finch in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”
I literally laughed out loud when I saw the suggestion of Sarah Palin for “Annie Get Your Gun.” Comedy gold, right there.
My contribution: Rod Blagojevich in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” The real question is, which part? He’s not quite slick enough for Lawrence, and not likable enough for Freddy…
Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck (alternating perfs, of course) as The Green Goblin in SPIDERMAN 2.0. (Just to see them go SPLAT!)
John Kerry as Georges in LA CAGE!
I’d have to say Christine O’Donnell as Elphaba–we already know she’s dabbled in witchcraft, so I think she’d be perfect!
Arnold Schwarzenegger As Zaza From La Cage! J
Gavin Newsom in the lead of Promises, Promises
I seriously need to start seeing more plays! Since my focus is musical theatre, it’s mostly all I go see on Broadway!
Michael Dukakis as Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys.”
Bill Clinton in The Music Man as Harold Hill.
Hillary Clinton as Rose in Gypsy
If living or dead, it’d be Strom Thurmond as Mdme Armfeldt in Night Music. Otherwise, Ron Paul as John Wilkes Booth in Assassins.
Hillary Clinton as Rose was my first thought, but I see I am not alone in thinking of that. How about Colin Powell as Tom Collins in RENT? (For now, that would have to be an off-broadway debut I guess…)
Obama as Marius Pontmercy in Les Miserables
NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as Caldwell B. Cladwell in ‘Urinetown’, because it’s only a matter of time before *that* is taxed, too. Can’t you just hear him singing, “Don’t Be the Bunny”?
Sarah Palin as Diana in Next to Normal
I’d love to see “Born Yesterday!”
Who can replace Judy Holliday?
Larry Craig(former Senator from Idaho) as Carmen Ghia in “The Producers.”
Rep. Anthony Weiner as the emcee in Cabaret. Picture it. Amazing.
I’ve heard Nina Arianda is fantastic in this! As to a musical politician, I’d like to see John Ashcroft sing, maybe in “Assassins.” At least we know he *can* sing (YouTube “let the eagle soar”)
i want food nom nom
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF LET bARAK HUSSEIN OBAMA PLAY THE FATHER “IF i WERE A RICH MAN”
I would like to see John Edwards as “Lick Me-Bite Me” in The Producers.
Obama as Tom Collins in Rent
George W. Bush in How to Succeed in Politics Without Really Trying.
George W. Bush as the Professor in “Jerusalem.”
George W. Bush and Barack Obama as Valjean and Javert, respectively, in Les Mis.
Sarah Palin as Fantine
Bristol Palin as Cosette
Bill and Hillary Clinton as the Thenardiers
Bill Clinton would be an interesting choice for The Streetsinger in the revival that will likely never happen for Brooklyn the Musical – but he could play his own sax!
But in all seriousness – Barack Obama would be great in Twelve Angry Men. The most compelling Juror #8 could be our current Mr. President…