Star File
Word of Mouth Panelist Peter
Meet Peter, one of the regular theatergoers that was chosen to be a part of the Broadway.com Word of Mouth panel for the 2011-2012 theater season!
How far do you live from Broadway?
I live in Long Island, about 45 minutes from Broadway.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a college professor.
Who first exposed you to Broadway and how?
My mother, who loved the theater, saw all the greats in her time--Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Julie Andrews, Richard Burton, Zero Mostel. She thought a good first musical for her son would be Destry Rides Again, a "shoot-'em-up" musical starring Andy Griffith. I remember being amazed by the cowboys and astonished by the dancing saloon hall gals. What a great combination for a kid!
Any other special childhood theater memories?
I remember a school trip to see Carnival at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, starring Anna Maria Alberghetti, Jerry Orbach and Kaye Ballard. I was mesmerized by the transformation of the dark stage into a full-blown living circus. And then the puppets came to life with such emotion and sensitivity that I couldn't believe they weren't real people. Wait, they were!
What do you love about Broadway?
Well, there's no business like show business! What I love about Broadway is that sense I get of being transported from everyday life into an imaginary world of story and song and dance and music and dialogue and poetry.
Have you ever acted? Had aspirations of being on Broadway yourself?
I'm a background actor in film. The greatest experience was being an extra in the film of The Producers. I was an astonished audience member in "Springtime for Hitler."
Who do you like to go to the theater with and why?
My wife Barbara, with whom I have seen thousands of shows! And with my students--for years my students and I were the culture vultures and took hundreds of trips to Broadway seeing everything from Marcel Marceau to Aida.
What are some of your all-time favorite Broadway shows?
Pippin, The Producers, Company, On the Town, Cabaret, The Crucible, Cyrano and Death of a Salesman.
Why should Broadway.com viewers listen to your opinion?
Because I believe in the audience. I sometimes say that the audience is the most important part of the theater. We see, we hear, we think, we feel. And I am a great and appreciative audience. I love the magic, and I respect the work. My opinions will help audiences get to where they want to go!
What was your reaction when you found out you'd been chosen for the panel?
I was stupefied! Thrilled! Like Pippin, I had been searching. When I found out I was chosen, I said, "I found my corner of the sky."
How far do you live from Broadway?
I live in Long Island, about 45 minutes from Broadway.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a college professor.
Who first exposed you to Broadway and how?
My mother, who loved the theater, saw all the greats in her time--Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Julie Andrews, Richard Burton, Zero Mostel. She thought a good first musical for her son would be Destry Rides Again, a "shoot-'em-up" musical starring Andy Griffith. I remember being amazed by the cowboys and astonished by the dancing saloon hall gals. What a great combination for a kid!
Any other special childhood theater memories?
I remember a school trip to see Carnival at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, starring Anna Maria Alberghetti, Jerry Orbach and Kaye Ballard. I was mesmerized by the transformation of the dark stage into a full-blown living circus. And then the puppets came to life with such emotion and sensitivity that I couldn't believe they weren't real people. Wait, they were!
What do you love about Broadway?
Well, there's no business like show business! What I love about Broadway is that sense I get of being transported from everyday life into an imaginary world of story and song and dance and music and dialogue and poetry.
Have you ever acted? Had aspirations of being on Broadway yourself?
I'm a background actor in film. The greatest experience was being an extra in the film of The Producers. I was an astonished audience member in "Springtime for Hitler."
Who do you like to go to the theater with and why?
My wife Barbara, with whom I have seen thousands of shows! And with my students--for years my students and I were the culture vultures and took hundreds of trips to Broadway seeing everything from Marcel Marceau to Aida.
What are some of your all-time favorite Broadway shows?
Pippin, The Producers, Company, On the Town, Cabaret, The Crucible, Cyrano and Death of a Salesman.
Why should Broadway.com viewers listen to your opinion?
Because I believe in the audience. I sometimes say that the audience is the most important part of the theater. We see, we hear, we think, we feel. And I am a great and appreciative audience. I love the magic, and I respect the work. My opinions will help audiences get to where they want to go!
What was your reaction when you found out you'd been chosen for the panel?
I was stupefied! Thrilled! Like Pippin, I had been searching. When I found out I was chosen, I said, "I found my corner of the sky."
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