Interview: Seth Rudetsky On Upcoming Streaming Concerts With Broadway's Biggest Stars

The Seth Concert Series is back and better than ever before! Regular Sunday evening performances will resume beginning October 3rd at 8 PM - with a five star lineup now on sale. We chatted with the leading man himself, Seth Rudetsky, about the upcoming streaming concerts.

Upcoming performers include Shayna Steele (October 3rd), Justin Guarini (October 10th), Jessie Mueller (October 17th), Erika Henningsen (October 24th), and Shoshana Bean (October 31st).

Those who have seen Seth's concert series know that there is nothing else like them. Even if you've seen one of the stars in concert before, this is guaranteed to be different because these concerts are never fully planned.

And for the first time, the guest artists will be performing in the same room as Seth, allowing for high definition video and audio. Tickets are now on sale with each concert priced at just $20 for a limited time only.

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What have you been up to since the first run of the series went 'off the air?

Firstly, James and I moved back to the Upper West Side! We had been upstate for the pandemic and we just signed a lease for September 1st to return to the city. WE ARE BACK! Not since Dolly Gallagher Levi! Also, I started doing my concerts in-person again in Provincetown. As cool as it was to be able to concertize with singers while we were in two different places, it was so great to finally be in the same room again! I also wrote my new show "Seth's Broadway Breakdown" which is playing at AsylumNYC. Or, I should say, I procrastinated and had anxiety that I HADN'T written my new show "Seth's Broadway Breakdown" and then, finally when I had barely any time left, I forced myself to finally get it done. Yes, it's called Adult ADD and it ain't going anywhere.

Why is now the right time to bring The Seth Concert Series back?

Well, like I said in ye olde previous question, I love being in the same room as the performer! So, now that we have vaccines, I felt it's safe to do these concerts from my music studio in our new apartment. And, ps, I don't mean the vaccines are enough to make it safe; we also have home rapid-antigen Covid-19 tests so right before the concert the singer and I take a Covid-19 test to make sure we can be in the same room with our masks off! Plus, we have a great air purifier right next to us!

Who are the guests who will be opening the series? What are you most excited about performing with each of them?

Well, most importantly, I can't wait to see what the audiences request! That's the amazing thing about doing these shows live...the audience is watching and commenting and we're going to take requests during the show!

As for the my faves; My first beltress is Shayna Steele. Holy cow! I became obsessed with her when she was in RENT and I was happy when I was able to give her a big, fat featured spot singing "White Boys" in my HAIR concert. She really can sing anything and the high notes and riffs are off the charts! So I'm most excited about what she's going to do with standard songs like "Don't Rain On My Parade".

As for Justin Guarini, I remember seeing him on American Idol and loving his voice but it wasn't until I saw him in "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell and Patti LuPone that I heard how flexible his voice is. You HAVE to listen to him and Stokes sing "Microphone". That final note! OMG! I'm hoping we recreate "As Long As You're Mine" which he sang on Broadway as Fiyero...and YES, I'll be on for Elphaba."

Jessie Mueller is known for her versatility so I will be making her belt as Carole King, Bareilles Belt as Jenna from "Waitress," high soprano from "Carousel," country belt as Loretta Lynn, scat as she did when she starred in "On A Clear Day" and recreate her high school roles like the Princess in "Once Upon a Mattress."

Erika Henningsen was so fabulous in "Mean Girls" but a lot of people don't remember that she was Fantine in "Les Miz" on Broadway! I want to do the whole "I Dreamed a Dream" into Fantine's Arrest into "Come To Me" into Fantine's Death.

And Shoshana Bean ends the month. When I saw her in GODSPELL right after she graduated college, I flipped the F out! I'm still hoping she plays Fanny Brice on Broadway so I will make her sing lots 'o songs from that show! And, of course, I must hear the riffs she added in WICKED that got her into trouble!

Do you have any favorite stories about performing with Shayna, Justin, Jessie, Erika or Shoshana?

Fave Shanya moment: I added a crazy opening belted chord to "White Boys" for my HAIR concert and I LOOOOOVED how Chris Gatelli/Dev Janki staged it to have Shayna, Brandi Massey and Ledisi on an elevator rising up to the stage as they were belting it. Such a fantastic visual to start a song!!!!

I've never done a concert with Justin or Erika so I don't have a fave moment yet...that's coming!

As for Shoshana: I remember rehearsing a concert with lots of amazing women playing Fanny Brice. I was rehearsing Shoshana singing "Cornet Man". When Shoshana added her amazing riff to "He's shy on height", Andréa Burns was backstage and told me that she smeared her eyeliner because she went into a state of shock!

And Jessie's fave comes during last year's concert: I asked her why she had never been in Les Miz. She told me she didn't know and I told her she'd be amazing as Eponine and then said "Hit It". I made her sing "On My Own" and it was amazing! This is why I love doing these live concerts...I never know what the singer is going to wind up singing!

Can you give us any hints or a sneak peek at who might be coming up later in the series?

I will say that I have some amazing people lined up...including another Elphaba!

The series is taking on a new format - with you and the artists in the same space. What are you most excited about being in the same space as them?

There's nothing like creating music in the same space! And it will be so fun for us to be able to read the comments together in real time!

Will anything else be different when the series comes back?

I think the biggest difference is: no replay! The concert is live only once! It's like when you see a Broadway show...it only happens once and exists in your memory from then on. And I think the audience interaction will be a lot more than last time so I am very excited! We'll have planned songs but who knows what else we're going to sing because of an audience request!?!? I love that these concerts are truly unique! So, start thinking of what you want Shayna, Justin, Jessie, Erika and Shoshana to haul out and get ready to request it!

How can audiences keep up with what's coming up and get tickets?

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updated, but to be absolutely first to know about new artists and early bird pricing - sign up for The Seth Concert Series newsletter here!

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