by Paula Kaplan-Reiss
(Berkshire on Stage critic Paula Kaplan-Reiss recently went on Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Cruise with Seth Rudetsky! Here she shares her experience with you.)
This cruise was a compromise. I had always wanted to go on a Broadway cruise and get up close and personal with Broadway performers. Seth Rudetsky, the host of the Broadway channel on Sirius FM radio and an accomplished performer and pianist has entertained me in my car for years. I even saw him at Barrington Stage when he accompanied and interviewed Jessy Mueller. He is due to perform with Norm Lewis on August 8th. He is the name, host, and coordinator of these adventures at sea.
Although my husband loves Broadway, he was far more interested in a trip to Iceland. At the last Broadway show we attended, he saw the advertisement for this cruise in the Playbill. He pointed to the ad and said, “This I’ll go to.” As soon as I got home, I reached out to my college friend whom I met in Godspell and asked her if she and her husband would join us. She leapt at the chance.
The only cruise I had taken prior to Iceland was on the Queen Mary II, 16 years ago. It was elegant and very British and was a transatlantic voyage. The Celebrity cruise line was very different. Twenty-seven hundred people joined us, only 150 of whom were part of the Broadway cohort. It was noisy and crowded and sometimes difficult to find an empty seat for lunch in the main dining room, with excessive amounts of mediocre food.
The Broadway crowd, however, met a few times per day when we were at sea. A friendly bunch of theater nerds of varying ages got together on the first night as Seth encouraged us to stand in different lines based on the decade of our preferred Broadway shows. It was a fun and successful ice breaker. I chose the 70s, the decade I was introduced to the magic of Broadway. Pippin, A Chorus Line, and Sweeny Todd continue to be my favorites.
That evening, Seth and his frequent radio co-host, Christine Pedi entertained us. Seth and Christine refer to themselves as the Dueling Divas. While having a fabulous voice, and having played Mama Morton in Chicago, Christine is best known for her ability to sound like: Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Liza Minelli, and Carol Channing in rapid succession while singing one song. She and Seth have a running affectionate repartee as they have performed together for years. What I did not know is that Pedi is virtually blind due to a progressive retinal issue, causing her to need a cane and significant assistance to navigate where she is going. Nevertheless, she recently performed the role of Dolly Levi at a theater in Kansas, and she never seemed to bemoan her disability, nor allow it to affect her performance. Both she and Seth regaled us with stories of all the Broadway stars they know as we ate up every bit of gossip and Broadway lore. Inviting questions, they seemed to have an anecdote about everyone who walked the boards.
The next day we were invited to rehearse three musical numbers for a Variety Show on our last night at sea. The songs were All That Jazz from Chicago, As the Parade Passes By from Hello Dolly, and Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Roof. After learning the harmonies (a skill I do not possess), the Broadway stars, Emily Skinner, Pedi and Ari’el Statchel did the solos for each song. Singing, with a bunch of musical theater buffs, we sounded pretty great.
(Left to right: Paula and Seth Rudetsky; the whole Cruise cohort; and Paula with Ari’el Statchel)
The chance to see Statchel do his autobiographical one-man show, Out of Character, previously performed to rave reviews at the Berkshire Theater Group’s Unicorn Theatre last summer, was a much-appreciated encore. Statchel, a Tony award-winning actor from The Band’s Visit, has lost none of his energy and enthusiasm telling the story of his anxiety disorder and his history of denying his Israeli-Jewish-Yemeni background while growing up and attending college. Having a dark complexion, he was targeted after 9/11 and embarrassed by his father’s Israeli accent. Feeling more accepted by the black community, he adopted this identity and avoided contact with his father. What joy to see Statchel accompanied by his father on their first cruise, with Statchel proudly displaying his true identity, his affection for his father, along with his gorgeous voice and his support of Israel.
For Broadway wannabes, Seth offered a Master Class on auditioning. Many from our cohort brought songs for Seth to play and critique their performance. Needless to say, bravery was required. Yet, Seth offered valuable advice in a supportive way, and fellow cruisers cheered each other on. Pedi, and Jack Plotnick, a friend of Seth’s and a film and television actor, with a Randy Rainbow vibe, also provided helpful feedback. Check out Plotnick’s hysterical YouTube videos. Most notably, he recommended that we release the demons that keep us anxious when auditioning, including negative self-talk. Several people displayed wonderful voices, including my dear friend Jill who moved us when she sang, Make Someone Happy. She did just that, and made us even happier when she responded to helpful feedback and sang it again.
We had the opportunity to watch Seth do his radio show which basically involves his recording intros to various Broadway songs with personal stories. Any illusions that he is sitting in a radio studio and listening to the music were put to rest. Seth is obviously frustrated that he plays no role in choosing the musical selections played on the station. His humor and sarcasm punctuated the entire week.
Emily Skinner, a Tony nominee who has performed in 11 Broadway shows including Billy Elliot, The Full Monty and Side Show, was remembered for giving a glorious performance at Barrington Stage in A Little Night Music in 2022. She was an enormous treat to have on our cruise. Seth’s style of interviewing and playing piano for each star enabled us to get to know each performer. Skinner sang a great range of songs, including an hysterical tune about bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon? She will be performing at Mr. Finn’s Cabaret on August 30th. Don’t miss her!
On Friday night after our group performance, complete with choreography and harmony, Seth conducted his weekly Broadway Shabbat which airs on YouTube. No shortage of Jews in our group, we offered prayers for healing and blessed the candles, wine and challah, with Statchel and his father front and center. Again, Statchel sang Sabbath Prayer while we joined in on the chorus.
The highlight of my week, however, was my being able to perform a song parody I wrote for Seth and the group, as a duet with my friend, Jill. Choosing Old Friends from Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, we focused on Seth’s funny quips and his noted acts of philanthropy, while singing about our own long-term friendship. The crowd responded to every joke and easily got each familiar reference. Seth stood and applauded when we were through. Because he was exhausted and is dealing with the stress of his husband having a serious illness, he was more than happy to sit back and enjoy, letting us sing a capella.
In the end, my husband thoroughly enjoyed the Broadway entertainment. I found the Iceland landscape amazing. I was thrilled to reunite with and sing with Jill. The vacation was a success.
Seth, our friend
Who we met in Iceland
We’re on a ship and then
We hear your voice and we see
That Broadway reigns
And we will not complain
We’re sailing
And singing
At sea!