The Third Annual Broadway Unplugged: 11/13/2006

Broadway Unplugged is Scott Siegel’s annual plea for the doing away with amplification of performers in Broadway musicals. Similar to a trial, each year Siegel presents almost two dozen witnesses to testify, in song, that the Broadway musical does not need microphones. This year’s highlights were Sarah Uriarte Berry’s “Somebody Somewhere” from The Most Happy Fella, Barg Jungr’s “When You’re Good to Mama” from Chicago, Liz McCartney’s “Cornet Man” from Funny Girl, Eddie Korbich’s “Love in a New Tempo” from New Faces of 1952, Euan Morton’s “Not While I’m Around” from Sweeney Todd and Beth Leavel’s show-stopping “Surabaya-Santa” from Songs for a New World (which is actually an Off-Broadway show). Siegal (who is ironically the only person using a microphone on stage) makes a good case for doing away with amplification with anecdotes and facts that accompany his introductions, but alas we have a better chance of getting Disney out of Broadway theaters than we do of getting rid of amplification. But at least Scott Siegel allows us to dream for one night.