Theatre Peeps & BroadwayCon

Trish Befus

OnStage Canada Columnist

As the second BroadwayCon approaches, I find myself looking at my videos and photos from last year. There’s something magical about being there. Just as going to a live show, the friends you make are real. They are in front of you. Even if it’s just for a weekend, they become a part of you. The weekend, though, is longer than any Broadway show. 

Like rehearsals for a show, you spend a lot of time with people brought together for the same reason, the love of theatre.

Performing.
Watching.
Teching.
Directing.
Embracing.
Growing.
Changing.
Embracing.

Social media is such a great way to follow your new friends. Who’s in what show. I had so many friends in “Heathers” at the same time. Different cities, different countries.

I look forward to reconnecting. Rediscovering friendships. Hearing show stories. Shows you put your heart and soul into. Shows you saw that made you laugh. Shows that made you cry. Shows that did both at the same time. Memorable lines that worked their way into your everyday conversations. Cast albums you play on repeat. Shows you discovered. Shows you saw in a new light.

There’s something magical about the Broadway stars, directors, designers, writers, musicians, stage managers that come as speakers to the con. They are passionate about what they do. They have been us. They get excited. They know what stage door means. 

Theatre is live. They have one shot to impress me. Things can go wrong. It’s dealt with in front of you. There’s no take two. Every show is different. Every audience is different. 

I am excited to be surrounded by people who understand that going to a Fringe show is better than a blockbuster movie, who know that having rehearsal trumps any evening out, who understand tech week, who get it.

No one at Broadwaycon will ever say “I’m not a theatre person.”

They knows it’s “Maureen I’m not a theatre person.”