Broadway, a blog, a brother and a birthday

Today is Steve on Broadway's birthday!

Many of you reading this know Steve and even some of you who've never had the pleasure have heard me kvell over him and what a wonderful friend he's been to me.

There's no doubt that Steve's passion for theatre has had an impact on my life, ever since he answered an e-mail I sent him, in 2006, when I was planning my first trip to Broadway to see Kevin Spacey in "A Moon for the Misbegotten."

In the five years before we met, the total number of plays and musicals I'd seen: 1. In the five years since: nearly 150. Before bloggers brunches, before Twitter, he was someone with whom I could share my newfound enthusiasm. And without his encouragement, I wouldn't have started a blog of my own. (The name Gratuitous Violins was his inspiration.)

I'm pretty sure that when Steve answered my first e-mail, saying "I'm delighted you found me," he never expected to get caught up in all of my drama. But he is a good and generous person and a loyal friend, with an amazing capacity to welcome new people into his life.

And having Steve for a friend means you never know when there'll be a surprise just around the corner. Two years ago, he threw me the best birthday party I've ever had. He took a day that I'd been dreading and suddenly made it all seem worthwhile.

Really, there's only one word to describe Steve - he's a mensch. I feel so blessed to have him in my life and I'm so proud to be his adopted Jewish sister. As he marks a milestone today, I just want to say: Happy birthday, Steve! Love you lots!

The play that changed my life

I've already ordered The Play that Changed My Life, a book compiled by the American Theatre Wing in which 19 playwrights talk about the works that influenced them and their careers.

If you'd like a chance at winning a copy, and a package of other theatre-related titles from Applause Publishing, the Wing is sponsoring an essay contest.

Just write, in 350 words or less, about the show that had the greatest impact on you, when you saw it in the course of your life and most importantly, why it meant so much to you.

I'm guessing most of the people who enter will write about shows they saw when they were young children or in their teens or twenties. I didn't become a regular theatergoer until I was - let's just say older. But as my story proves, it's never too late to start.

Of course, anyone who's read this blog for any length of time knows about the play that changed my life: seeing A Moon for the Misbegotten on Broadway with Kevin Spacey in April 2007.

Before that, I'd gone to the theatre a handful of times over the years but it was never a habit. I didn't grow up with theatre-loving parents. My friends weren't theatergoers. And it never occurred to me that I could go alone. Plus, I thought I'd have to get all dressed up.

I'd only been to New York City a few times, never longer than overnight and always for a specific event. And I'd never been to a show on Broadway. But the draw of Kevin Spacey was impossible to resist. The problem was, where to begin? I didn't even know how to get tickets. (Yes, I was that clueless!)

Enter Steve on Broadway.

I found his blog and e-mailed him asking for help. Along with great advice, Steve gave me his friendship, the first of many wonderful theatergoing friends I've made.

He was so excited about my first trip to Broadway that my nervousness, and any thoughts I might have harbored about backing out, evaporated. What began as a pipe dream became something I could see myself doing.

And as I pored through the archives of Steve's blog, peppering him with questions about all the shows he'd seen - and it seemed like he'd seen everything, his passion for the theatre was irresistible, too.

My Broadway adventure began on April 12, 2007.

When I walked into the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and saw the set for A Moon for the Misbegotten, the same one I'd seen pictures of from the London production at the Old Vic Theatre, it was thrilling.

The orchestra section was small - more intimate than I thought it would be. I was in Row A, Seat 109 and much closer to the stage than I thought I would be. And noticing how casually my fellow theatergoers were dressed, I realized that I'd packed way too much!

The first person I saw when the play began was Eve Best as Josie Hogan, and she made an entrance I'll never forget - bursting out the front door of this little ramshackle farmhouse with incredible energy and purpose. I was mesmerized.

As for Kevin well, I was a little bit in shock. All I could think was, "It's Kevin Spacey. I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm so close." My jaw dropped in amazement, a smile crossed my face, and I'm not sure it ever completely left for 2 1/2 hours.

It was such a different experience from seeing him in a movie - much more memorable because he was right there in front of me. I saw every wrinkle and line in his face, the little strawberry-colored birthmark on the back of his neck, the way his hair curls around his ears. At one point, I swear he looked right at me.

Afterward, I stood with a small crowd at the stage door, managed to say a few words to Kevin and got his autograph. I told him it was my first time seeing a play on Broadway and that I'd made the trip just for him. He said, "welcome."

You know what, I did feel welcome in New York City. I ended up walking around Times Square for about an hour, reveling in being a part of the huge crowd, snapping pictures of theatre marquees all lit up.

And I was hooked.

Happy birthday, Steve On Broadway!

This song goes out to Steve on Broadway, with love. Happy birthday my dear friend, and thank-you for always lifting my spirits.

Here are Paula Kelly, Chita Rivera and Shirley MacLaine in the 1969 movie Sweet Charity, singing "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This."

Break a leg, Steve

If you look at the lists on the right side of this blog you'll see the names of all the plays and musicals I've attended in the past couple of years. Without a doubt, my enthusiasm for the theatre started when I found Steve on Broadway.

As I've written before, I came upon Steve's blog in November 2006, when I was searching for information about A Moon for the Misbegotten. I sent him an e-mail and his reply was so gracious. He was excited for me and wanted to help make my first trip to Broadway a memorable one. He did and it was.

Now that Steve on Broadway has gone into blog semi-retirement, I'll miss reading him every day. He's had a great run - nearly three years - that would be the envy of most shows on the Great White Way.

And there's always the possibility of a revival or a special theatrical event. Steve's promised to post occasionally, if there's a headline he wants to write about or a personal experience he wants to share. He may also post capsule reviews of shows he's seen. And I hope he does!

Until then, browse through his archive. You'll find a passionate and knowledgeable voice, humor and wit, a fierce commitment to freedom of expression and an incredible generosity of spirit. Of all the posts he's written, this one is among my favorites.

I am so grateful for the gift of Steve's time - how he always finds a few minutes in his busy day to answer my e-mail, the hours I've spent with him and the love of his life at the theatre, sharing a meal, walking around New York City and staying as a guest in their home.

Steve, you've made me an enthusiastic theatergoer, you encouraged me to start my blog and most importantly, you remain a treasured friend and brother. Thank-you for welcoming me into your life at a time when I needed some welcoming.

As you take a well-deserved breather and move on to other pursuits, break a leg. Know that you have a permanent place on my blogroll and in my heart.

Letts in London

There's a good interview with playwright Tracy Letts at the online magazine MusicOMH, conducted by freelance journalist Natasha Tripney, who also blogs at Interval Drinks. You can read her review here.

Letts talks about bringing August: Osage County to the National Theatre in London for an eight-week run. He says that the Tony and Pulitzer-winning drama, which arrived with most of its Broadway cast intact, is "playing differently" in Britain, and one reason is the U.S. election.

“The world views America with a little more hope and optimism than it has in recent years and I think that changes the reading of the play. It might make it a bit of a period piece but it also makes the play serve as a kind of warning which I still think is very valuable."

Letts also talks about what it was like to have his father, Dennis Letts, appear in the play on Broadway, despite having been recently diagnosed with cancer. (He passed away in February.)

"It was strange, having him in my work place, but delightful, I’m glad we had that time together. He was fascinated by the process, to be around stage actors of this magnitude, of this skill level. Even though he’s only in the first fifteen minutes of the play he came to every rehearsal and watched everything. It was a great experience for him to have at the end of his life, I’m glad he got that chance to do it."

And Letts says that his new play, Superior Donuts, which had a run over the summer at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will be coming to New York next year. As a big fan of August: Osage County, I was already hoping to see his next play. And an enthusiastic review from Steve on Broadway sealed the deal. This is on my must-see list for 2009.

There's much more to the interview, so check it out!

When something Wicked came my way

Five years ago today, on Oct. 30, 2003, Wicked opened on Broadway, at the Gershwin Theatre. Variety offers a good look back at the show's phenomenal success on Broadway and around the world. After 2,065 performances, so many words have been written about this immensely popular musical. But hey, always room for a few more, right?

I have to admit, I was only vaguely aware of Wicked a couple of years ago, when I found Steve on Broadway's blog. Looking through his archive of posts, in December 2006, I realized that he mentioned the musical quite a lot. In the midst of a very lengthy and memorable e-mail exchange, he told me how big a fan he was of the show, and he called it captivating. I didn't know it at the time, but Wicked holds special meaning for Steve and the love of his life.

I don't know if it was a coincidence or the planets aligning or it was simply meant to be, but the touring production of Wicked was making a stop in Providence the very next month. Steve's enthusiasm convinced me to buy a ticket. (And he assured me that those scary flying monkeys from the movie only fly out over the audience in the Broadway production. Whew! That was a big relief.)

The last time I'd been to the theatre was the previous fall, when I saw Hamlet. And before that, it had been nearly a decade, when I saw Fiddler on the Roof in Israel. So I hiked up to my seat in the mezzanine at the Providence Performing Arts Center giddy with anticipation.

And Wicked lived up to the advance billing. From the very beginning, when the dragon's head above the stage comes alive, its mouth opening wide and its eyes turning a fiery red, Wicked captivated me, too.

I loved all of the subtle and not-so-subtle references to The Wizard of Oz, the way many of the memorable lines from the movie are worked into the dialog. (As well as a hilarious shoutout to Evita.)

I loved the way Wicked filled in the back story of a classic and beloved movie with so much cleverness and wit. I mean, I really had no idea that it would be so funny. So that's how the Tin Man and the Scarecrow got to be that way. Who knew?

It cracks me up when I think of Glinda looking at the yellow brick road and saying "I hope they find it. I'm really bad at directions." I felt some of the same sense of amazement that I did when I saw the movie as a child. (And those monkeys still creep me out!)

And I thought the way Glinda (nee Galinda) and Elphaba were drawn: the spoiled rich, self-absorbed party girl and the unpopular, cerebral loner who looks different from everyone else, was so inspired. I'd recently watched the movie of The History Boys and I thought, in some ways, Wicked is a more realistic portrayal of adolescence - in all of its pettiness, jealousy and cruelty.

I started crying when I heard "For Good" and it still makes me cry. How awesome is it that the most tender love song in the musical is not about two lovers but about the enduring power of friendship. When I heard that line, "People come into our lives for a reason," of course I thought about the new friend I'd just made. Even though I went alone, I knew I could e-mail my friend all about the experience, and he'd be thrilled to hear from me.

Since seeing Wicked, I've also read Gregory Maguire's novel. And realizing how book writer Winnie Holzman, composer Stephen Schwartz and director Joe Mantello shaped the musical is pretty fascinating. (I think it's a big improvement. The novel, in my opinion, is much less accessible and certainly much darker. Definitely not for children!)

In the past two years I've seen lots of shows: some that engaged me, some that bored me, some that just left me thinking, "Eh." But rarely have I seen anything like Wicked, which I loved from start to finish. Happy anniversary!

The Blog Turns One!

Happy blogoversary to me! Yes, my blog turns one year old today. I can't believe I've kept it going for an entire year - 328 posts in all and nearly 20,000 page loads from just about every state and many, many foreign countries.

On Sept. 28, 2007, whether the world needed it or not, I added my voice to the crowded blogosphere. (Always room for one more, right?) My very first Gratuitous Violins post was a review of The 39 Steps, which was then in the middle of its pre-Broadway engagement at Boston's Huntington Theatre Company. (I loved it!)

Writing has been an important part of my life ever since I was a little girl. But for the past 10 years, life hasn't afforded me much opportunity to do it - outside of e-mail. So blogging has enabled me to return to something I love, but in a way that I never imagined. I've never done much reviewing, never written about the arts. I don't have a background in theatre. But I've truly loved the challenge of having a new and exciting subject to explore and to write about.

One of the great things that I've discovered about blogging is, it's pretty much a writer's dream. I have a tremendous amount of freedom. I'm not limited to one topic, and I've enjoyed writing about a variety of subjects that are important to me. I can write as much or as little as I want about absolutely anything I want, and I can revise and refine to my heart's content. (Which is probably a curse as well as a blessing!)

Now, none of that would matter if I didn't have an audience. I've never been one of those writers who's content to toil away in obscurity. I love knowing that people are reading what I write. If you've stopped by or added me to your blogroll or left a comment, thank-you so much. I'm grateful whenever anyone reads something I've written. It's been so much fun and so interesting to see where my readers are coming from, to hear from you and to get to know you.

One of the things that's amazed me is, I've gotten hits from all over the United States and all over the world - including from countries with which we don't even have diplomatic relations. Sure, a lot of those hits have come from people looking for violin music, but they still count, don't they?

Another benefit of blogging is that in the past year, I've made some wonderful new friends among my fellow bloggers. I've met many of you at our very enjoyable bloggers brunches, others I only know through e-mail or the comments you've left. Someday soon, I hope I'll get to meet more of you.

And I would never have gone to the theatre so often over the past 18 months if it hadn't been for my theatre-blogging buddies. Thank-you for being so generous and welcoming. Your enthusiasm comes through in everything you write. I wish I could describe what I see on stage with the same level of skill and knowledge and flair.

Finally, I have to give a special thank-you to the one person without whom Gratuitous Violins would not exist. For a long time, I resisted blogging. I didn't think I had anything to say that anyone would want to read. But Steve on Broadway encouraged me to start a blog after I filled up his comments section and inundated him with lengthy e-mails about all of the shows I was seeing and all of my thoughts about the theatre.

One of the hallmarks of a great friend is that the person knows what you want to do even when you don't know it. Steve knew how much I loved to write and he never passed up a chance to encourage me, to tell me he thought it was something I did well. He was gentle, yet persistent. He never gave up because he knew that once I started, I'd love blogging. And he was right. In fact, he even came up with the name for my blog!

Since I first discovered his blog nearly two years ago, Steve has become a treasured friend and indeed a beloved brother, as well as a terrific theatre guide. He's also a terrific writer and comes up with titles for his posts that are way more witty and clever than mine will ever be.

So Steve, thank-you for the gift of friendship and for the gift of blogging. Yours is the first one I check every day.

Happy birthday Kevin Spacey!

If you asked me who first sparked my interest in theatre, I'd have to say that it's Kevin Spacey, who turns 49 years old today.

Way back in 2005, I watched Kevin sing and dance his heart out in Beyond the Sea, the Bobby Darin biopic. While it didn't get great critical acclaim, the movie was a true labor of love for the two-time Oscar winner, who also directed. I loved the movie, too, especially Kevin's singing.

I bought the soundtrack and listened to it pretty much nonstop for months. There was just something about Kevin's voice that really got to me. In fact, I did something I've rarely done in my life - I wrote him a fan letter in care of The Old Vic Theatre in London, where he serves as artistic director. And to my utter surprise, a few months later I received a short but very sweet personal note from Mr. Spacey.

Well, as you can imagine, Kevin pretty much vaulted his way to the top of my list of favorite actors. I caught up on all of his movies and television talk-show appearances, read every interview with him that I could find. In every interview what came through strongly and clearly was Kevin's love for the theatre. You couldn't help but catch some of his enthusiasm.

Here's a small sample of what I mean, from an interview with the British publication The Stage: “You get to come in every day and experiment and then you get a chance to get up every night and work on a different part of your game. I just happen to love the thrill of that - the high-wire act of it and the ritual of it. I love the ritual of coming into the theatre every night and working with the same people, creating a family, because everyone’s up for it."

Even though I hadn't been to a play or musical in years, Kevin's passion for the theatre made me want to give it a try. He made the experience sound positively thrilling. After that gracious note, I figured it was the least I could do for him, especially since there was no chance I'd get to London to see a show at The Old Vic.

I decided to go see the next play that the Trinity Repertory Company was putting on, which happened to be Hamlet. Kind of funny now that I think about it - the last show I saw before Hamlet was Fiddler on the Roof in Israel, in Hebrew. Two classics, both a little difficult to understand, but I had a great time seeing both of them.

And when Kevin announced in November 2006 that he'd be bringing the Old Vic's production of A Moon for the Misbegotten to New York the next spring, I knew I had to make my first trip to Broadway. Soon, I found Steve on Broadway's blog and the rest, as they say, is history.

I watched Kevin last night on The Tonight Show. He was as witty as ever, doing impressions of Bill Clinton and Johnny Carson, talking about his Emmy nominations, his work on the HBO movie Recount and playing opposite Jeff Goldblum in Speed-the-Plow in London.
He told a funny story that I'd heard before, about forgetting his lines one night during a performance of Lost in Yonkers on Broadway, for which he won a Tony award.

So happy birthday, Kevin - and come back to Broadway soon!

The curtain falls

I really didn't see this one coming. Curtains, the first musical I saw on Broadway, is closing June 29 after what will be a 16-month run at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

The last time I looked, the show was playing at 75 percent capacity, with an average ticket price of $65, which seems like a perfectly respectable number to me, especially since we're at the tail end of winter. And attendance is up 13 percent over the previous week. According to Variety, the show hasn't recouped its initial investment, so I guess that's probably a big part of it.

Yes, I know shows close all the time, but this one, like The Color Purple, is hitting me especially hard. Curtains plays a big role in what I wrote yesterday about the value of theatre. But it's also special to me for a few other reasons.

First of all, I saw it at the end of a wonderful day in New York City, in which I walked all the way from Macy's at Herald Square up to the Museum of Natural History, crossed Central Park, made my way down Fifth Avenue, visited the Top of the Rock, and had a delicious meal at The Blue Fin. And did I mention how friendly and helpful New Yorkers are?

You'd think I would have been pretty wiped out by 8 o'clock and in no shape to see a show, but I loved Curtains. The cast was terrific, especially David Hyde Pierce as the Boston detective sent to investigate a backstage murder and Debra Monk as the show's brassy producer. I loved the humor, the murder mystery plot and the dance numbers, especially the duet between Hyde Pierce and Jill Paice. The final scene is hilarious. And I'm constantly listening to the cast CD. It gives you a great taste for the show. I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Meeting the cast afterward and getting my picture taken with David Hyde Pierce just made it perfect. When I told everyone that I'd seen my first play on Broadway the night before, and Curtains was my first musical, they were beyond nice. Mr. Hyde Pierce especially won my heart when he asked me what play I'd seen the night before and whether I liked it. He was terrific when I ran back and asked for a picture. He is a great performer and a great gentleman.

While I'd love to see it again, in a way I'm glad I probably won't have a chance. I want to remember Curtains just the way it was the first and only time I saw it.

Way back in December 2006 (which seems like a very long time ago!) when my new friend, Steve on Broadway, was helping me plan my first trip to Broadway, I asked his advice on a musical to see. I'd never heard of Curtains, but Steve told me that he'd seen it in Los Angeles and it was fantastic, "everything a Broadway musical should be." And he was right.

But little did I know that seeing the show, on April 13, 2007, wasn't going to be the end. There was the thrill of David Hyde Pierce winning the Tony for best actor in a musical that June. I was so happy I jumped up from the couch and cheered!

Then, in July, I got a package from Steve. Even though he wasn't seeing Curtains, on a trip to New York he stopped by the stage door and had the entire cast sign a souvenir program. It came with a personal hello from David Hyde Pierce! A few weeks later I met Steve for the first time, and he brought me two gifts: an opening night Playbill from the show we were seeing that evening, The Color Purple, and a program from the 2006 premiere of Curtains.

In addition to being incredibly entertaining, and having a gracious and talented cast, Curtains is a memorable show for me because of a wonderful friend and brother who helped make it even more special.

A Web gem

When I was scouring the Internet 18 months ago looking for information about A Moon for the Misbegotten, Steve on Broadway was the first theater blog I found. I knew right away he was pretty special, so I'm thrilled that Graydon Royce, who covers theater for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, has picked Steve on Broadway as a Web Gem.

Here's what Royce has to say about SOB:

"His name is Steve Loucks, and he lists his location as United States, but we all know him by his Internet nom de plume. SOB is a terrific theater compendium of critical capsules, expanded commentary, background and news (lots of sources reported London's Olivier winners; Loucks listed all the nominees with his post). He's also unselfish enough to steer us to a number of other blogs and theater news sites. His chatty and intelligent style - terribly well informed - draws great contributions."

Terrific, unselfish, chatty, intelligent, terribly well informed. It sounds like SOB to me! Steve, if it weren't for your encouragement and support, I wouldn't be writing a blog today. And now that I've been at it for a few months, I know how time-consuming it is for you to assemble those critics capsules. You do a great job.

Steve is a pretty modest person and I know he doesn't like to toot his own horn. But since he's so generous at giving shoutouts his fellow bloggers, I hope he won't mind if I do the same for him. Congratulations to Steve on Broadway on some very well-deserved recognition!

The A to Z of me

Modern Fabulousity did this meme first, and then Steve on Broadway. They were both interesting and fun to read, so I figured I'd add my 2 cents. Without further ado, here are the ABCs of Gratuitous Violins:

A - Age: Approximately two months younger than Kevin Spacey - if he's telling the truth about his age.
B - Band listening to right now: Original Broadway cast recording of Hairspray. What can I say? I just can't stop the beat.
C - Career future: Hopefully, to continue having a career.
D - Dad’s name: Herbert.
E - Easiest person to talk to: Steve, of course!
F - Favorite type of shoe: Mizuno running shoes. I'm breaking in a new pair right now. While I don't run, I do walk a lot, and I overpronate. Mizuno shoes have a thick, sturdy sole and they're very comfy.
G – Grapes or Grapefruit: Grapefruit, definitely. White, not pink, with a sprinkling of sugar.
H – Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island. But my spiritual home is Manhattan.
I – Instrumental talent: Uploading songs to my iPod. That's really my only musical talent.
J – Juice of choice: Orange, with or without pulp.
K – Koala Bear or Panda Bear: Koalas are cute, but there's something about pandas. Plus, I've never seen a koala, but I saw a panda once, at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and it was adorable. I remember it was sitting up straight, just like a little furry person.
L - Longest car ride ever: Providence to Syracuse, N.Y. (I'm obviously not one for long car rides).
M – Middle name: Iris.
N - Number of jobs you’ve had: 11. Including: Babysitter (I'm a girl after all), library aide, jewelry factory piecework, assistant in the public affairs office of an agency of the Defense Department, selling newspaper subscriptions over the telephone, work/study in the history department in college, news editor in college, yearbook editor in college, English teacher in an elementary school in Israel, reporter, copy editor. Best: Current job. Worst: Tie between jewelry piecework and selling newspaper subscriptions over the phone.
O - OCD traits: Reading over my blog posts to check for typos.
P - Phobias: Heights, although I'm fine in airplanes. Also, mice. I'm not afraid of them in the abstract, only in the concrete.
Q - Quote: "Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny," from "Rosalita," by Bruce Springsteen
R - Reason to smile: My first trip to Broadway in 2008 is coming up next month!
S - Song you sang last: "Manchester, England" from Hair.
T - Time you wake up: 7.5 to 8 hours after I go to sleep.
U - Unknown fact about me: I'm physically incapable of snapping my fingers. I can't carry a tune, either. I'm not sure about this, but the two things might be related. I guess I'll never get cast in West Side Story.
V - Vegetable you hate: Peas. Although lima beans would be a close second.
W - Worst habit: Checking my statcounter to see how many more hits I have now than I did five minutes ago.
X - X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, foot, little toe, ankle. But there have been some occasions when I've thought I should have my head examined.
Y - Yummiest food my belly likes: Mmmm, carbs.
Z - Zodiac sign: Taurus.

Broadway, a blog and a brother

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason."

Sometimes, you just instantly connect with a song. I started to cry as soon as I heard that line from "For Good." I knew that there was one reason why I was sitting in a theater early in 2007 watching "Wicked" on tour and planning my first trip to Broadway - because one particular blogger had come into my life.

A few months before, I'd found Steve on Broadway while searching for information about "A Moon for the Misbegotten." (Regular readers of SOB will recognize those eyes!) Steve posted an item on the upcoming Broadway production and I sent him an e-mail asking a few questions. I told Steve that Kevin Spacey was one of my favorite actors, and I really wanted to see him in that play. "I'm delighted you found me," he wrote back.

Steve has never stopped being delighted to hear from me, whether it's through comments on his blog or numerous, sometimes lengthy, e-mails. Whenever I need to talk, and whatever I need to talk about, he's always there to listen and click on the reply button.

Like many bloggers, Steve writes about a topic that's not connected with what he does for a living. But he brings great skill, insight, dedication, enthusiasm and wit to the job, whether he's writing about his love for the theater, his love for this country and commitment to freedom of speech, or about the love of his life.

Steve on Broadway's comments section has been an outlet for my writing even when, as a novice theatergoer, I didn't have much to say. I've caught his enthusiasm for the unique power and emotion of a live performance, whether it's on Broadway, a local production or a national tour. Now, I have quite a bit to say!

Without Steve, this blog wouldn't exist. No matter how many times I told him I wasn't interested in starting one, he never stopped encouraging me, because he knew how much I loved to write. When I told him I'd finally decided to take the plunge, he even came up with the name, Gratuitous Violins. After I turned down his first half-dozen or so suggestions, most people would have given up and told me to find my own blog name. But not Steve.

When I started reading his blog, I'd never been to New York City for longer than an overnight stay, and I'd never seen a show on Broadway. Now, I can't get enough of the city. This fall, I'm planning my third trip there in six months. I've been in a Broadway audience 13 times, with more to come! One of those times was an unforgettable evening at "The Color Purple" with Steve by my side. We bought our tickets months apart, but fate was incredibly kind, and our seats ended up being right next to each other. Personally, I like to think it was the unseen hand of Oprah at work!

I've learned a lot about the theater over the past year, not just from Steve on Broadway, but from all the blogs on his list of daily reads. They each have their own distinctive voice and way of doing things. Some are just about the theater, and others delve into a variety of topics. I enjoy them all, and I'm glad to be among them. As Lt. Frank Cioffi, played by the talented and gracious David Hyde Pierce, says in "Curtains," it's an honor.

So Steve, thank-you for letting me borrow a song that I know holds a special place in your life. You've become my theater guide, my blogging mentor, my loyal friend, and best of all, my brother. And I am happy and fortunate and very proud to be your sister. Thank-you for welcoming me into your life. I'm here for good.