Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re introducing you to the coolest new kid on the block…

54 Below Cabaret. Sketch by John Lee Beatty.

You know the scene. It’s a black and white film set in New York City. The impossibly urbane leading couple finds their way to the swankiest club in town for some delicious banter–all to the latest Broadway chanteuse singing from the stage. Heaven. Too bad a place like that doesn’t exist today, right?

Well, the glamor and pizzazz of a real Manhattan night club might be back–with a hip, young Broadway twist–at the June opening of 54 Below. Designed by Tony-winner John Lee Beatty and architect Richard Lewis, lit by Tony-winner Ken Billington, and with sound by Tony-nominee Peter Hylenski, the new lounge (tucked under the legendary Studio 54) promises to combine fine dining with a star-studded selection of performers.

54 Below Booths. Sketch by John Lee Beatty.

They’re kicking things off with the one and only Patti LuPone, and the rest of their current bookings are a who’s who of music theater and cabaret ranging from class acts like Liz Callawy, Jenifer Lewis and Rebecca Luker; to a sprinkling of Smash with Megan Hilty and Brian d’Arcy James; and on to artistically adventurous types the old fashioned supper clubs wouldn’t normally feature like songwriter Joe Iconis, downtown icon Mx Justin Bond and Lea DeLaria.

The Bottom Line: I know what you’re saying; cover charge and drink minimums make these places a money pit. I won’t lie, if you want to see Patti, you’re going to be paying upwards of $100 a person, however the cover/food charges for other artists come down significantly to a respectable special night out at $55 a seat for top-line entertainment. If you want to sample the atmosphere without breaking your budget, “The Green Room” offers after hours seating and live music with no cover or minimum.

Pick Hits: Glancing through the schedule, you can’t go wrong with almost any night you’re in town. But, if I had to create a package, I’d make a tour of next generation Broadway divas and catch:

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Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re taking you behind the curtain of one of the most unusual aspects of the Tony Awards…

The Tony Award. Image via Google.

All the talk about the Academy Awards this week got me thinking; I know how people get nominated for the Oscars, but who decides the nominees for Broadway’s Tony Awards?

Unlike the large bodies that determine the Oscar and Emmy nominations, the Tony Nominating Committee turns out to be a very select (i.e. shockingly small) group of theater professionals who serve overlapping three-year terms and are required to see every Broadway show each year, then vote by secret ballot for their choices. Chosen by the Awards administrators, the panel is made up of people reflecting a wide range of theatrical disciplines.

Although the 2011-2012 panel was initially announced as a 35 member committee, as of January 12, the committee is down to 28 members (one assumes due to a schedule change keeping them from seeing all shows or a large conflict of interest that forces them to recuse themselves.) And who are these very influential people with the power to change careers? Let’s take a look at the list [I'll toss in some insider dish or random thoughts about a few of them in brackets]: Read more…

Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re your friend with benefits…

The 2011 Broadway Beauty Pageant. Image via SymphonySpace.org.

One of the best ways to see the stars you love on stage is not a Broadway show. (Gasp!) Every week in New York there are benefits featuring top tier talent in readings, concerts and special events that allow you to see them up close and personal. Plus, these “off-script” affairs often let the performers show you a new side of their skills (or just a side they’ve kept hidden under their clothes). Let’s take a look at a round-up of some of the most popular and interesting upcoming benefits on the calendar…

The Broadway Beauty Pageant: You’ve heard of “Toddlers and Tiaras“; well, this is more “Speedos and Tiaras”. Four-time Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh hosts a tongue in cheek competition March 19 featuring the most beautiful men of Broadway, judged on talent, interviews and swimsuits by a celebrity panel. Tickets are available now for as low as $25 and support the Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth.

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The “VIP Access” column serves up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. For January, we’ve got the way to experience Broadway, without venturing out into the cold…

Photo by Rido.

The puppets of Avenue Q tell us that the internet is for porn; I’d take a slightly wider view and state that the internet is for procrastination. There’s nothing like avoiding, say, writing a blog post by falling mouse first into the web and getting lost in more information (or videos or images or…well, porn) than you could ever need. For Broadway lovers wanting a cyber vacation, the last month has seen unprecedented content uploaded with the launch of two major website initiatives designed to digitize theatrical archives and make them available online for academics and fans alike: Playbill Vault and Roundabout Theatre Company’s Digital Online Archive. Now that they’re both up and running, let’s take them for a test drive to see how they roll… Read more…

The “VIP Access” column serves up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. With holiday gift giving season upon us, we’ve got a special edition sure to stuff your stocking…

"Elf" on Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus.

What do you get for the person who has Everything…and I don’t just mean “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” as recorded by Patti and Bernadette and Tyne and Angela and Ethel? It can be a real chore to find the perfect holiday treat for a true Broadway fan because, so often, they’re already first in line for the newest CD, poster and script. Let me help you with a list of five favorite gifts that will make any drama diva stand up and applaud:

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Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re going to prepare you for the holiday season…

"Turkey Lurkey Time". Image via YouTube.

It’s Loosey Goosey time…at least when it comes to finding when your favorite Broadway shows are actually running. With the holiday season upon us, each show goes its own way with whether to have performances on Thanksgiving (like Godspell and Private Lives) or skip New Year’s Day and let their casts nurse hangovers (like The Book of Mormon or Lysistrata Jones).

Thankfully, the kind folks at the Broadway League have put together comprehensive schedules for the weeks ahead. Just click for Thanksgiving Week, Christmas Week, New Year’s Week and enjoy!

Want a side of awesome sauce with your Turkey, here’s video of the original Broadway cast of Promises, Promises performing one of the most exuberant and sixties-rific dance numbers in music theater history, “The Turkey Lurkey”. (Hint: Get past the silliness of the song and go right to the hip-swivelling, head snapping perfection of the dance.)

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Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’ve got the secret to getting your hands on cheap tickets to sold-out shows…

Hugh Jackman. Photo by Joan Marcus.

It seems that Hugh Jackman likes ‘em young.

The producers of Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway have announced a lottery system for last minute tickets to the show, but you’ll need to be a student to enter the drawing. Three hours before showtime, people with valid student ID can put their name into the hat at the Broadhurst Theater box office. Two hours before the show, an unspecified number of “winners” will get a pass for single tickets at $31 each (recipients must be present, subject to availability, etc.). The pass can then be exchanged for tickets no sooner than 30 minutes before curtain (ID must be shown again so don’t think about doing a trade). Got all that?

While it may seem like a lot of hoops to jump through just to ogle the boy from Oz, the policy is actually quite normal and is a great way to make a last ditch play for hard to get seats. Generally, “day of” Broadway tickets are available through one of three possible scenarios:

• Lottery: Like the policy above. Names go in a “hat” and everyone has an equal chance of getting seats. Luck be a lady tonight.

• Rush: A select number of discounted seats are made available when the box office opens each day. First come, first served so you’ll need to prepare to wait outside, deal with weather, and guess how early you want to show up to get near the front of the line (the more popular and younger-skewing the show, the earlier the line forms). Patience is a virtue.

• Standing Room: Doled out in a similar fashion to a rush policy, but seats are standing room (yeah, you figured out that part) and often distributed closer to curtain time when they know if they’ve sold out regular seats or not. No sell out, no standing room. And bring your comfy shoes because, if it’s a long show, you’re going to feel it.

Let’s take a look at the current Broadway top five grossers and see what their websites are saying, legalese and all (be sure to check with the box office just to be sure; policies do change):

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Every month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, I hope you’re hungry for a new musical…

"Outlaws - The Ballad of Billy the Kid". Image via nymf.org.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is back in full swing for another three week marathon of new shows and new voices. Navigating the calendar of 250 performances (full productions, concerts and developmental readings) can be daunting; how do you know whether you’re buying tickets to the next big hit (like festival alumni  [title of show] and Altar Boys) or a two-hour nap?  You don’t. So embrace the unknown and dive into the offerings like its a buffet at some enticing but geographically mysterious ethnic restaurant.

In that spirit, I took a look at the 25 fully-produced shows on the NYMF website and, after checking out who is involved and listening to the music samples, I selected five musicals I think might hit the spot and provide a range of experiences. (One note: I’ve seen readings of Kiki Baby, a twisted piece about a 4-year old singing sensation starring the gorgeously talented Jenn Colella, so I removed it from contention. I already know how that one tastes and the fun here is making “blind” guesses.) So, in alphabetical order, I’d pile up my plate with…

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Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’ve got a book to recommend for the actor, theater lover or Rock God in your house…

Sheri Sanders. Photo by Dirty Sugar Photography.

Given the popularity of pop-infused musicals from Rent to American Idiot, it might be time to quit asking “If I Loved You” and find out if you love U2. Good thing actress, teacher and author Sheri Sanders is on the scene to help put some rock in your roll. Her new book Rock the Audition: How to Prepare for and Get Cast in Rock Musicals provides practical advice for student, amateur and professional performers who might be stepping into unfamiliar backbeat territory but, according to Sheri, her advice isn’t just for actors; everyone can learn to let out their inner wild-child. (Warning: in true rock style, there will be wardrobe malfunctions in this interview.)

Every fourth Wednesday of the month, the “VIP Access” column will serve up advice on how to make your theater-going experiences cheaper, easier and more fulfilling with inside scoop from the experts. This month, we’re getting the heck out of this hot, steamy urban sprawl and heading to a little slice of heaven…

Sheep Hill, Williamstown. Image via Union & Field.

Each summer for 57 years, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has attracted loyal audience members and top-tier theatrical talent to a tiny, isolated corner of Massachusetts. How do they do it? Visit once and you’ll understand. Beyond the exceptional diversity of the festival itself, the surrounding area provides the perfect mixture of artistic excellence and natural beauty, total relaxation and active pursuits. And did I mention it tends to be about 10 degrees cooler than New York City?

So let’s get to a few quick tips to make the most of your visit:

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