You too can be part of the event that combines “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “The Tony Awards” and “The Daily Show” into one as “Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Show,” coming at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Clark State Performing Arts Center.
The show is presented by the Springfield Arts Council as part of its Showtime Series.
“This is a comedy show about Broadway for people who are completely obsessed with Broadway and for people who know nothing about Broadway,” Rudetsky said.
Already doing a series that broke down Broadway videos and audio showing performances and how they work or sometimes don’t, he added the humor, starting at his own expense – a recording of his 11-year-old self.
Rosie O’Donnell encouraged him to write a whole new show around the videos and comedy.
The audience will take a journey with samples of classic Broadway divas including Betty Buckley and Patti LuPone and shows as well as newer hits including “Dear Evan Hansen” and will share with the audience things they may not know and can appreciate in a new way.
“The show is celebrating talent and musical theater. We go through several Broadway shows,” he said.
You’ll also experience the bad with the Osmond Brothers doing an awkward “Fiddler on the Roof” medley and the “Brady Bunch” cast attempting show tunes.
Rudetsky claims none of the stars he’s included have been offended, instead taking it in the intended spirit and many have even attended his shows. Idina Menzel told him she’d finally made it when she was included in one of his shows.
“I haven’t got any cease-and-desist orders yet,” he said.
Rudetsky is also famous for his Sirius/XM Radio show. What began as a side project blew up in a good way when the pandemic hit and Broadway went dark. The radio show became an alternative for people who couldn’t attend shows and his ratings soared and brought even more surprising converts who operate far from Broadway.
“Steven Spielberg is a fan and Alice Cooper is a giant fan. Being trapped in your house at that time, this became a fun thing to do for people and for me I get to listen to Broadway all day,” he said.
He also started a streaming series with his husband, “Stars in the House” featuring Broadway stars, cast members of various Broadway shows and television series as a fundraiser and pulled in more than a million dollars so far.
It’s always the entertainment aspect and celebration Rudetsky wants to bring across whether he’s on stage or radio.
“I love it, it’s what you do and now it’s turned into my life,” he said.
Rudetsky previously performed here in 2011 and attended Ohio’s Oberlin College where he was a piano major. He encourages people to check out his website, www.sethrudetsky.com/.
Clark State requires masks be worn by audience members in the PAC to attend this performance. Distance seating will be available.
HOW TO GO
What: “Set’s Big Fat Broadway Show”
Where: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 South Fountain Ave., Springfield
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12
Admission: $34.75-53.20
More info: www.springfieldartscouncil.org/
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