Comedian and SirusXM radio host Seth Rudetsky is next up in Theatre Raleigh’s beloved TR in Concert series as he brings “Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Show” to the North Carolina stage. Crowned “the mayor of Broadway,” Rudetsky is perhaps best known for knowing everyone and everything there is to know about the business we call show. His signature 90 minute production is a little bit of stand up, little bit of singing, and a whole lot of singing lessons as he focuses on his famous “deconstruction” in which he breaks down performances from Broadway’s biggest and best diva starlets. 

Powered by showmanship and sparkle fingers, Rudetsky focuses on three specific themes as he teaches his audience about the various technical elements found in musical theater vocals and explains why we as listeners find them aesthetically pleasing. 

“I want you to know why you love a show.”

Included in the different themes are sharps versus flats, belting, and vibrato. 

For each point he makes, Rudetsky plays a clip of a song that highlights the vocal technique he plans to discuss. He then breaks down the clip and explains what makes it successful and how the technique in question is applied. 

The production started out with an ode to his childhood as he played a clip from the musicals that shaped his own musical theater upbringing, including Grease and The Pajama Game. With enough sass to power the room, he explained the difference between sharps and flats and where examples of each can be found across Broadway musical numbers. 

Next up was a lesson on belting, particularly high belting, as he declared his love and appreciation for the deeper voiced Broadway divas, including Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Betty Buckley, and Patti LuPone. As he played examples of their greatest theatrical hits (and perhaps not so greatest, as he lovingly teased now infamous blunders of both Ms. Streisand and Ms. Minnelli), he hailed their ability to sing the powerful high notes while still keeping them in their belty chest voice. 

One of Rudetsky’s last lessons of the night was straight tone versus vibrato and how to mix the two. Using recordings of Gavin Creel as an example, he explained how adding vibrato to certain phrases can make them more audibly interesting to listen to.

“Straight tone is salad and vibrato is ice cream. The vibrato is the treat.” 

Interspersed between these lessons were stories and snippets from Rudetsky’s life and illustrious career. As he told stories about the people he’s met and offered up the comedic antidotes for which he has become known, he let his audience in on secret stories and behind-the-scenes facts about some of Broadway’s most well-known productions and performers. 

Full of showmanship, Rudetsky is a very physical performer. His excitement and passion for what he does is palpable in his cheeky one-liners and zippy quips with a style that is almost that of a stand up comic. Admittedly, musical theater stand up is a very niche topic, but Rudetsky knows his audience well. He knows we all know who Liesl and Gretl are and who sings “TradiTIOOOOOOON, tradition!” as he endearingly makes fun of this thing we all love, expertly balancing the classics with modern productions and performers like Dear Evan Hansen and Kristin Chenoweth. 

Rudetsky closed his show with a plea to appreciate and revel in live theater now that it has returned from its long, covid-induced hiatus, bringing back that glittery, giddy magic that can only be found on stage. 

Photo credit to Theatre Raleigh

More information about Theatre Raleigh and future performances can be found here.