Richard Jay-Alexander

For those of us who love Theatre and the Performing Arts, PBS has been THE HOLY GRAIL, for as long as I can remember.

Being in 'the business' for 40 years, it's a wonderful feeling when you can step back and take a look at a talented individual, as they approach a major crossroads in their life. That person would be Andy Señor, Jr.

The Broadway Community worships at the altar of Michael McElroy and, pretty soon, so will the world. The Broadway veteran, with many shows under his belt, founded the Broadway Inspirational Voices in 1994 and, last night, photographer and friend Walter McBride and I were invited to a private home, where an awe-inspiring event transpired. We witnessed the birth of PARLOR NIGHT, something that ladies Di Ana Pisarri and Schele Williams had dreamed of for some time.

On Monday night, June 15, Sir Ian McKellen will receive the Trevor Hero Award at The Trevor Project's TrevorLIVE New York event, presented by Wells Fargo and held at the Marriott Marquis, right in the heart of the theatre district.

Today at Broadway's American Airlines Theatre - family, friends, industry professionals and fans will gather to pay tribute and honor the memory of the late, great Polly Bergen. Because I could not be there today, I reached out to Rob Diamond at BroadwayWorld and asked if I could pay tribute and share my highest respect and love for this extraordinary woman, via the site. Happily, he said yes.

Today we bring you something rare and fun. Via Andrea McArdle and the Original Broadway Cast of ANNIE, is a clip from an Television Special that aired on NBC, in 1977, the year the musical opened on Broadway at the ALVIN Theatre and became a bonafide SMASH! THE ANNIE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL was not particularly good, but was capitalizing on the name of the show that suddenly everyone was talking about.

While Rob and I were talking, we started chatting about the year in theatre and in life and BroadwayWorld.com's 10th Year in business and how it all began with his Dad taking him to see THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and how it led him down the path of becoming a fan of Michael Crawford. There's a story in there, that you may or may not know, but, it's a pretty safe bet that if that 'theatrical moment' hadn't occurred, this website might not be in existence. So ... today, I offer you MICHAEL CRAWFORD singing one of the most beloved traditional and holy songs of the season.

Welcome to Day 9 of BroadwayWorld's 12 Days of Christmas 'video' features. Today, we have something really, really special. SO special, that I will NEVER throw away my VHS copy. I watch it every single year!

Today, being Saturday, we chose a cartoon. A REALLY POPULAR cartoon. The song in the video clip is 'Christmas Time Is Here' from A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. The animated television special first aired on December 9, 1965 and was based on the famous characters in Charles M. Schulz' syndicated comic strip, PEANUTS. The comic strip began in 1950 and remained wildly popular until the year 2000.

For Day 7 of BroadwayWorld's 12 Days of Christmas 'video finds,' we present Carol Burnett and Alan Alda. They both boast Broadway pedigrees.

So .... this is sort of a 'mash-up' of mediums and a fun 'take' on a traditional Hanukkah song, bolstered by the additional creative forces of Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman. It also boasts the talents of Harvey Fierstein, Jackie Hoffman, Peter Matthew Smith, Shoshana Bean, Clarke Thorell, Jenn Gambatese, Michael Longoria, Rashad Naylor, Tracy Jai Edwards, Chester Gregory II, Dick Latessa and others from the Broadway cast of HAIRSPRAY. The year was 2003, and HAIRSPRAY, pretty much, owned Broadway.

Unless you've been living under a rock this year, you will know that this year has been the YEAR OF IDINA MENZEL. With Elsa from FROZEN and her soaring vocal on Bobby and Kristen Lopez's 'Let It Go', inspiring more YOUTUBE videos than even Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' and then, John Travolta's 'gaffe' on Oscar night, annointing her with the new name of ADELE DAZEEM, it was off to a pretty good start.

If you've been joining us for BWW's 12 Days of Christmas video features, on this 3rd day, the choice was easy and obvious for me. Tonight, for the first time ever on a stage, MR. MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL will be staged and performed, benefitting the The Actors Fund. The very special event takes place this evening at 7:30 pm at The Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College (524 West 59th Street). For more info, and how to get tickets, click here.

BroadwayWorld.com is, once again, celebrating the Holiday Season with a special 'countdown' which will reveal some favorite holiday-themed performances! For the 5th Anniversary of this Exclusive Feature, we've invited director/producer Richard Jay-Alexander to be our first-ever Guest Editor, to share with us HIS holiday favorites. His list will be composed of holiday songs and boasting performances with artists we know and love from Broadway and beyond. We'll bet that this countdown will surely get you into the holiday spirit, as the big day rolls around on December 25th, but we won't forget Chanukkah and Kwanza either. This is sure to be a 'Must Check-In Daily' event to see what's on RJA's list, while we wish you Happy Holidays from all of us at BroadwayWorld.com!

Today is Sunday and Sunday night is HOMELAND on Showtime, now in it's 4th season and as riveting as ever. It also informs my choice for Day 2 of BWW's 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Holiday Video picks. Over the years, I have done a number of benefits for BroadwayWorld. Rob Diamond has a wonderful relationship with Tom Viola and everyone at Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS and the that has been the focus of the fundraising at these events. Now, when I do, pretty much, anything, I put alot of thought on the 'assignment' and am not a fan of, what I like to call, PARK & BARK events. I try to match talents and material in a very special way. This brings us to LAILA ROBINS.

Well, as promised ... we have a CHRISTMAS DAY (night) BONUS to our 12 Days of Christmas 'video' features series that ended yesterday. And SPECIAL it is. Once again, we dove into the VAULTS of BroadwayWorld.com on ICE, a benefit we did, back in 2006, with proceeds going to BC/EFA.

I'm thrilled to hear from so many of you, that you are really 'into' and enjoying BroadwayWorld's 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Feature 'videos.' Today is DAY 6 and I'm REALLY EXCITED to share this one with you. I think Christine Pedi is one of New York's best kept secrets. The girl is INSANELY talented and I would cast in her in just about anything.

We did it! Welcome to Day #12 of BroadwayWorld's 12 Days Of Christmas 'video' features. It has been really fun being your 'Guest Editor' for these 12 days and today, on this Christmas Eve, we, once again, have something really special for you, which had us, yet again, digging into the VAULTS.

Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury. I saw her in Mame, my first Broadway show seen ON BROADWAY at The Winter Garden Theatre from the front row of the mezzanine in seats my dad bought from a scalper because he knew I wanted to see it so badly. I would never recover from the splashy front of The Winter Garden Theatre.