Rewatching Broadway Shows

I am what one might call a Broadway musical fanatic. I love to go watch Broadway shows, I keep up with when certain actors or actresses leave or start in a show, and I listen to cast albums all the time. One might think, “Why would you go rewatch a Broadway show you have already seen? Isn’t it just the same thing over again?” The short answer is yes, the music and the choreography wouldn’t change, but every time you go watch a show the experience is new and each time is just as good as the last. I have seen Hamilton, Chicago, and Book of Mormon each two times, and I just saw Kinky Boots this past weekend for the third time.

I went to watch Kinky Boots again, despite having already seen it twice before. I went again because I found out that one of my favorite professional dancers from Dancing with the Stars, Mark Ballas, was going to be in it. The second time I went to watch it, I went because I wanted to watch Wayne Brady and Kirstin Maldonado (David Cook was also in it but I didn’t care as much about him). The fun thing about going to watch someone you know and love be in a Broadway show — besides actually seeing them perform the role they’re in — is getting to meet them at the stage door after the show. I got to meet Mark Ballas and Kirstin, but I did not get to meet Wayne Brady or David Cook. I have also gotten to meet other performers after other Broadway shows and have them sign my Playbill from the show.

Each time I have gone to see this show, or any show that I have seen more than once, each experience is brand new and entirely unlike the previous time. There’s nothing quite like live theater to begin with. Watching the most talented performers sing, dance, and act exceptionally well gives me goosebumps each time. And knowing they do it 8 times a week makes it that much more impressive. Another thing about rewatching a show is that the cast could be different each time you watch it, so although the songs may be the same, you get to hear a new voice sing it and see each new person playing a role give it their own flair. It’s kind of like rewatching your favorite show on Netflix, but in my opinion it’s a little better. The parts you love most about it — like the songs or the choreography or even your favorite line in the show — stay the same but you still get a new aspect to it each time.