If there was a Top 10 List of “Most Significant Events in the Theater” over the last twenty years, there’s no doubt that one of them would be the birth of Encores.

Encores was started in 1994 in order to “celebrate the rarely heard works of America’s most important composers and lyricists,” and it has brought us some incredible performances, and a few Broadway transfers, including one of the longest running Broadway shows of all time, Chicago.

With that one show it has made an ultra-significant impact on the Broadway theater.

And now, because of its success, they’ve created an Off Broadway spinoff called Off-Center.

That’s right, Off-Center is the Off Broadway version of Encores.  And I’ve no doubt that it won’t be long until one of the shows that it puts up in concert will be headed to the Great White Way.  Oh and tickets are only $25.

Additionally, this program will only help showcase how essential the Off Broadway musical has been to American theater history (more on this in tomorrow’s blog).

The inaugural season of Off-Center included three titles:  The Cradle Will Rock, Off-Center’s Artistic Director’s own Violet, and the last show of the year is . . . the 70s female empowerment musical, I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road.

And we’ve got two free tickets for one of you to see it!

Here’s how to win:

Tell me what your favorite Off Broadway musical is  . . . let’s come up with some ideas for Off-Center for the future.  Now remember, Spring Awakening, Rent, shows that started there that moved on, don’t count.

Give me something that started Off Broadway and stayed there.  For example . . . umm, let’s say mine is . . . ah . . . Altar Boyz.

Good luck!

 

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