Here are my five favorite things that caught my eye this week, theater-related or not!

1. Watch out Skype, there’s a new kid in town.

Have you Zoomed, yet?  If you’re tired of Skype updating itself every time you log on or just think it looks a bit like MySpace, check out Zoom.  I just changed all my video conferencing to this platform and I’m never going back.  In fact, I even paid for it. It’s a private company that I expect will get bought out or go public someday soon.  I’d invest, that’s how good of a product it is.

2. I paid $125, for this book.

I went to a marketing conference recently and got such a strong word of mouth recommendation on this book that I bought it for $125.  And that’s not even on Amazon.  On Amazon, it’s going for this much! (Go ahead guess and then click.)  Why was I willing to pay that much?  First, the WOM was that good.  Second, $125 is less than the cost of one ticket.  Certainly, I will learn enough from the book to sell one more ticket.  Too often we don’t like at the potential ROI of something we purchase.  We just think, “It’s too expensive.”  But is something that costs $1,000 too expensive, if it could earn you $100k return?  I’m 10 pages into this book, and I feel it has already helped me sell 100 more tickets.

3. We keep pulling Magicians out of our hat.

Another magician in residence was enough for the city this week.  I count about a half dozen in the last couple of years, not to mention The Illusionists, currently making buckets of money on Broadway (again).  This is no longer a phase, no longer a trend, and it’s not going to “disappear” anytime soon. Is it time for Copperfield to return?  Where is David Blaine when we need him?

4. A lesson in inspiration and entrepreneurship from a Broadway Star.

I instagrammed these little note-card nuggets from Sierra Boggess this week, but they deserve another mention here.  Not only because I find them helpful, but also because I love when artists follow their passion and become entrepreneurs.  Get yours here.

5. You’ve got 44 chances left.

Once on this Island, one of the most unique, exciting and theatrical Broadway shows I’ve ever seen, not only produced, has 44 performances left on Broadway before we close on January 6th.  Go see it.  We won a Tony over two GLORIOUS productions of other classic musicals.  There’s a reason.  Click here to get your tickets now.

Happy holiday shopping!