Feature: A Fabulous Cruise to Alaska with Seth Rudetsky on the Celebrity Solstice.

At the age of almost 69, I just took my first cruise (on the Celebrity Solstice), and it was all about Broadway — okay, Broadway and Alaska, but I got involved in as many Broadway pursuits as Alaska activities, thanks to Seth Rudetsky, of Seth’s Broadway Vacations, Sethsbroadwayvacations.com. In addition to Seth and his husband, James Wesley, I got to meet and spend a week interacting with Donna McKechnie (Tony winner for A CHORUS LINE), James Monroe Iglehart (Tony winner for ALADDIN), and Ann Hampton Callaway (Tony nominee for SWING! and inductee in the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame).

For those of you who neither frequent New York nor listen to the Broadway channel on Sirius XM radio, and don’t know who Seth is, you are missing someone special. Seth is a jack of all trades: Writer, composer, singer, pianist, actor, interviewer, raconteur … if it involves theatre, he’s probably done it on his radio show or elsewhere. (Full disclosure: I am a friend of Seth’s dad and stepmom and have followed Seth’s career ever since I found out about the family connection). Seth and James began the cruises before the pandemic which, of course, they had to put on hold. Fortunately, the trips are back, featuring various cruise lines and different destinations on each trip. Each voyage involves three different Broadway stars who entertain, teach and exhort the group members, help Seth critique participants’ voluntary vocal performances, and help teach several numbers for an all-hands (all-feet?) final vocal and dance show. In addition to the formal events, there are also trivia sessions and opportunities to schmooze.

Thanks to Seth’s and James’ winning personalities, the great programs they and the three stars on my cruise arranged, and the opportunity to bond with Seth and James and the Broadway stars, the latest effort was, in my opinion, a resounding success. I would go so far as to say that my husband’s and my trip through Alaskan waterways on the Celebrity Solstice was a highlight of my life, more because of the Broadway aspects of the cruise than seeing even the breathtaking Alaskan scenery.

Seth pretends to be meaner than a charging bull. And gosh, can he glare! It’s all fake — he is actually a teddy bear and a patient teacher. There is no pressure at any of these events; the participants used music and lyrics for some of the numbers at the final event, although we went off-book for “One,” from A CHORUS LINE. (I didn’t know all the words to the women’s counterpoint, and I found it almost impossible to say “Loaded with charisma is my jauntily sauntering, ambling shambler” slowly, let alone sing it quickly; I substituted da-da-da-da-da).

Seth added a second vocal music master class for those of us who couldn’t get into the first one, giving me two extra days to practice the high B-flat in “Think of Me,” from THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. I told him that I was deliberately moving out of my comfort zone by singing the difficult cadenza at the end. Thankfully, he did NOT tell me to forget auditioning with that piece, even though I wobbled on the B-flat. Instead, he concentrated on helping me appear more professional and less nervous. Basically, he told me in a nice way to stop wiggling. That advice also improved the B-flat because I didn’t waste as much air by moving unnecessarily. I consider Seth’s advice to be invaluable.

Seth’s best advice to everyone, in my view, was to make sure that every musical performance includes great acting. The three celebrities showed how to do this in their cabaret performances — James Monroe Iglehart (by the way, his last name is pronounced EYE-gl-hart, not EA-gl-hart), who won his Tony for playing the genie in ALADDIN, brilliantly ambulated around the tiny stage during his performance of “Friend Like Me,” demonstrating how to make people laugh during a dance number. He told the group that it’s necessary to move well, but not to dance formally. James’ advice freed me to work out interesting moves to go with catchy vocal audition music, without feeling constrained to use “official” dance steps.

Not only is Donna McKechnie an expert dancer with formal training, but she is a choregrapher, singer, writer, and dramatic actor. She shared numerous stories about her fabulous career and choreographed simple moves for us to use in the final presentation. Seth spiced up Donna’s revelations by showing video examples. My favorite story was one about PROMISES, PROMISES, with the “Turkey Lurkey” number at the time potentially on the chopping block. To shorten a very long story, the original scene, intended to simulate amateurs putting on a show, was a bust. Michael Bennett quickly rewrote the number to add body movements that all but defied human anatomy. The new version stopped the show, at least figuratively.

Award-winning songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway held a unique session, teaching the participants how to write a song by quickly improvising music and lyrics that can later be revised. Although she strongly recommended we record our efforts, I forgot to do so; the lyrics I improvised to her chord progressions are lost to the ages. Ann even generously invited the folks in the group to send her songs we write at home. Oy, what she is in for from me — my musical version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with both music adapted from classical compositions and original pieces, will soon be on its way to her inbox.

One of the things that surprised me was that Broadway veterans provide extensive help to newcomers; I always thought that theatre professionals were cutthroat. Yet, each of the stars paid homage to people who assisted them on their way up —James Monroe Iglehart, for instance, talked about how Chuck Cooper mentored him. (Disclosure: I went to high school with Mr. Cooper’s wife, playwright and lyricist Deborah Brevoort). Donna McKechnie specifically mentioned help and advice from luminaries as well.

I don’t know if all the trios of celebrities are as haimish as the three on our trip. Donna, Ann, and James gave tirelessly of themselves, spending time with the group members outside of the official events and becoming buddies with us. And yes, they insisted we call them by their first names. As Ann pointed out (seconded by Donna and James), this particular group bonded especially strongly. Ann even used the word “love” to describe the connection.

Everywhere the SOLSTICE docked in Alaska (Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway), and in Victoria, British Columbia, there were other cruise ships docking at approximately the same time, for passengers to experience the same or similar shore excursions. If someone embarks on a cruise to enjoy the locations and the ship’s amenities, I assume that they can have an equally good time on any of the ships that go to the desired destinations. However, as Seth’s Web site states, a Seth cruise is a double vacation, with both the usual cruise amenities and excursions, as well as the excitement of Broadway built into one trip. For me, it was the Broadway part (thanks to Seth and his team) that made the voyage special.

So will I go again? Frankly, I’m still not a fan of sea voyages, even though I ADORED Seth’s program. Only the promise of more of Seth’s fabulous offerings could possibly induce me to go out on future cruises, but, really Seth, can I talk you into adding land programs to the mix? Perhaps a bus tour of England or a week at a really nice resort in a place like Arizona or Southern California? But, unlike me, most people love cruising, and Seth has picked some fabulous destinations for upcoming voyages. The next trip is from October 8th-15th, 2023, from Lisbon to Barcelona aboard the Seabourn Ovation. (That trip is apparently almost sold out). In 2024, Seth plans cruises to Bermuda from June 2-9th, around the British Isles from August 29-September 10th, and around the Greek Isles from October 20-27th.

For more information about Seth’s incredible cruises, consult the website or the Facebook page, or email reservations@sethsbroadwayvacations.com.

 

 

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