The great thing about being in New York for a couple of decades and seeing lots of shows is that you get to see the first breakout performances of people who become stars.

It’s happened to me a bunch.  I’m watching someone on stage and they’re doing something incredible and I just get this, “Who is this guy/gal?” feeling in my stomach and then flash forward a few years later and a star is born.

Kristin Chenoweth in Steel Pier, Lea Michele in Ragtime, Megan Mullally in Grease . . . and more.

The Off Broadway musical Ruthless, which played the Variety Arts Theater downtown  (which has since passed away) when I was in college, had a few of those performances.  In addition to starring Laura Bell Bundy, a couple of other now bold faced names were in the cast including Britney Spears and Natalie Portman (I know, I know, you’ve never heard of ’em).

And now Ruthless is being revived Off Broadway, and I can’t help but wonder . . . what star-to-be is in the show now?

If you don’t know Ruthless, it’s a campy cult show about an eight year old girl (and her mom) who will do anything to star in her school play.  And I’m sure you can only imagine what happens from there.

But why imagine, when one of you can go for free on this Sunday’s Giveaway!

And here’s how you enter to win . . .

Tell me a performance you saw of someone who became somebody.  And it doesn’t have to be a big time Hollywood star.  I’m still talking about when I saw Brian d’Arcy James in Titanic.

Describe your favorite breakout performance and you could win two tickets to Ruthless!  Good luck!

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