FLASH FRIDAY: Live From New York, It’s 30 ROCK!

Today we are taking a look at both versions of last night's live episode of the every-award-winning NBC comedy 30 ROCK starring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski with a special emphasis on the theatrical elements - such as a newly written (or at least lyric-ized) theme song performed by two of Broadway's best, a musical montage infomercial, and some shrewdly-placed stage tricks - and the many memorable moments from the slightly different, but equally effectively excellent, episodes aired on either coast. It was an event quite unlike any other before or since and even guest stars Jon Hamm, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Matt Damon, Chris Parnell and Rachel Dratch got in on the game-changing nature of the live television event and hammed it up for the live studio audience. Surely, if absolutely nothing else, the two versions of the theme song - one sung by Jane Krakowski for the East Coast feed, the other sung by Cheyenne Jackson for the West Coast - are more than enough to generate some interest and excitement from the Broadway babies out there who are destined find a lot to love in this unprecedented live show and the overall allure of 30 ROCK itself! In addition to a thorough discussion of the two shows and side-by-side clip comparisons, also included in this article are links to the complete episodes so you may compare and contrast them yourself in their entirety. Without further ado, let the live hilarity ensue!

Live Show, It's The 30 ROCK Live Show

Last night NBC's 30 ROCK hosted live shows for both the East Coast and West Coast audiences and the theatricality of the quick-witted situation comedy was brought to its zenith over the course of the collective total hour's worth of entertainment. All the zaniness, zest and polish of the always-entertaining - and sometimes genius - enterprise was given ample chance to shine last night, and having stage animals like Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski, Cheyenne Jackson and Jack MacBrayer in the cast - in addition to the SNL alums like creator and star Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Chris Parnell and Rachel Dratch - only added to this allure. The show has rarely been better than it was last night and Fey and her writing staff even changed up the many of the jokes, faux advertisements and used different lyrics for the opening jingle in the two different versions just to keep everyone - cast and audience alike - on their tip-toes. In today's FLASH FRIDAY we are taking a look at both Jane Krakowski and Cheyenne Jackson performing the East Coast and West Coast versions of the opening number, as well as viewing the two vastly different versions of the musical montage sequence by Chris Parnell (as Dr. Spaceman - pronounced "Spa-che-men") and the equally-riotous physical comedy stylings of MAD MEN and THE TOWN star Jon Hamm proving himself as game as anybody else in the stalwart ranks of the incomparably talented cast of the show. Mention also must be made of the marvelous-to-genius star stunt-casting in the episode, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Liz Lemon's alter ego, Matt Damon as Liz's pilot paramour in addition to Don Draper himself all makes a great night even greater. All that was missing was an Elaine Stitch cameo!

Click below to check out Jane Krakowski singing Version One of the 30 ROCK theme song.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/185763/30-rock-30-rocks-live-intro-east-coast

Click here to see Cheyenne Jackson sing Version Two of the 30 ROCK theme song.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/185756/30-rock-30-rocks-live-intro-west-coast

Click on these links to check out the two different versions of Chris Parnell's hilarious Dr. Spacemen's musical faux infomercial.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/185758/30-rock-live-commercial-1-west-coast

Now check out the versatility and range of Jon Hamm as he takes comedic matters into his own hand - whether it's that of an African American man or an especially lady-like female in these two clips!

Lastly, here is a link to the complete versions of both episodes as they aired on both coasts. It's more than mere fun to compare and contrast them, but which one is your favorite? Which theme song won out? Which hand gets the biggest hand from you? Who was your favorite guest star? If this was any indication of how good this cast can be live, and I am sure it was, then let's hope this is the first of many more live episodes of 30 ROCK in the future!

http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/video/

That's all for this week. Please remember that if you have discovered a particularly thrilling, unique, bizarre or hilarious Broadway-related clip to please send us a line at the link below. Until next week…