Thanksgiving morning, many prepare for the day’s festivities with last minute cooking and cleaning. For me and many others across the nation, the morning also brings telecasts of the Macy’s Thaanksgiving Day Parade. While the parade is en-route to Herald Square, viewers have the opportunity to catch performance numbers from some of the hottest Broadway shows. Missed these parade performances? I got you covered.
On NBC, the theme seemed to be medley as each show showcased multiple numbers in their short air-time. The first musical to perform was Motown the Musical, showcasing a medley of “Get Ready” and “Dancing in the Street,” the last song taken quite literally as the cast braved the cold temperatures to show off their Astaire Award-winning choreography. Next up was a performance from Matilda the Musical with song selections “Revolting Children” and “When I Grow Up.” While the number was similar to the Tony Awards telecast, we got to see some new faces take on this medley – Milly Shapiro had the beginning solo (later joined by the other girls), Jill Paice brought a new voice to Miss. Honey, and a number of new “maggots” helped to make the performance shine. Kinky Boots strutted down next on the Macy’s star with the finale number “Raise You Up/Just Be.” The fierce cast showed off their fabulous footwear, excellent vocals, and the universal message of acceptance. Pippin performed next with a medley of “Corner of the Sky” and “Magic To Do.” Matthew James Thomas began his number in the Herald Square crowd while Patina Miller and the rest of the cast brought their magic to the streets. Even having to adjust outside, the circustry was still alive and awe-inspiring. The final “show” performance was from The Sound of Music Live!, airing on NBC on December 5th. Carrie Underwood joined hosts Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie to not only discuss the event, but also to introduce Michael Campayno and Ariane Rinehart as they performed “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.” I thought the performance was beautiful and only added to the anticipation for the event. We were also treated to other stage stars including Kristin Chenoweth performing “New York, New York,” Tituss Burgess with Beverley Staunton performing “One Song,” and Megan Hilty performing “Merry Christmas Darling.”
Meanwhile on CBS, viewers got performances from another three shows! What makes these performances different from others is that they are pre-taped in their home theaters. Actors luckily don’t have to worry about freezing temperatures and are better able to adapt to the camera. First up: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella with “Impossible/It’s Possible” featuring Laura Osnes and Rebecca Luker. I was very excited to see Ms. Luker in the number, as she is only in the show while Victoria Clark appears in The Snow Geese. Next up was First Date with “The One” and “Something That Will Last.” These two numbers are the borders of the show and gave each cast member a chance to shine. Stars Krysta Rodriguez and Zachary Levi were fantastic and the crowd really seemed to enjoy their performance. The final show to perform was A Night with Janis Joplin with “Me and Bobby McGee.” Mary Bridget Davies channeled Joplin and knocked the song out of the park. Additionally, Jonathan Groff popped in to add commentary and excitement for the parade. He discussed why he’s proud of his work with Frozen and Glee.
One of the best parts of the Thanksgiving Parade is how much attention is given to Broadway. The performers get to showcase their talent to a national audience as they enjoy an American tradition now eighty seven years running.
Photo via RogerCaitlin.com
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