The Perfect Gift for Any Broadway Fan!

If you’re searching for the perfect gift for your favorite Broadway fan this holiday season, this list is exactly what you need!  Trust me, I’m an expert; most of this list is copy-pasted from my letter to Santa.

This year’s hot items:

• The Be a Broadway Star board game: The perfect gift for anyone who practices their Tony Award speech in the shower with a shampoo bottle as a substitute Tony.  A description of the game, provided by the website: “You'll start out in acting school and work your way up to the top, buying pictures and resumes, earning your "Equity" card, getting an agent, going to auditions, going to more auditions, and maybe even winning a Tony Award!”  Cost: $35
• Stephen Sondheim’s Finishing the Hat: the book of the season for any fan of musical theater, particularly for the Sondheim fan in your life.  It’s the definitive book of Sondheim lyrics, annotated by the man himself, and includes tons of behind-the-scenes photos and information.  It’s sure to please even the pickiest Broadway fan.  Cost: $22.90 at Amazon
• Dance on Broadway game for Wii: This Wii game teaches you the choreography as players dance along to 20 of their favorite show tunes.  It’s great Broadway fun and an enjoyable workout all in one.  Note, if you’re getting this for someone like myself, you’re going to have to buy a Wii to go with it.  Cost: $16.73 on Amazon.
• Patti LuPone's Memoir: Chances are high that the Broadway fan in your life pre-ordered this and read it cover-to-cover the day it came out.  On the off chance that he or she has been holding out for the paperback edition, go ahead and give the gift of the life of one of Broadway’s biggest starts!  Cost: $14.38 at Amazon.

If money’s no object:

• For the Broadway fan who has everything, how about investing in his/her name in the Spring 2011 production of Godspell!  How cool would it be to be an actual Broadway producer?  This is a gift that’s sure to be a big hit – especially since all producers get their names on display in the theater.  Cost: $1,000 and up.

If you’re on a budget:

• Get crafty!  If you’re like me and you don’t have a whole lot of money to spend this holiday season, make something!  Use your imagination!
• If you want, you can borrow an idea I’ve used for decorating my apartment.  If you have a bunch of those flyers they hand out advertising Broadway shows, they make great collages!  Just buy a cheap frame at your local craft store, and arrange/glue the flyers.  You can make a collage with a bunch of shows, or choose your gift recipient’s favorite show.  I’ve included pictures of the ones in my apartment.  If you don’t have any of these flyers on hand, you can get a bunch pretty cheap on eBay.  There’s a whole section in theater memorabilia just for ads and flyers.  I was able to get a collection of about 75 flyers for about $5.  This is especially handy if you live far from New York City.

For the activist in your life:

• One of the great things about the Broadway community is the commitment to charity, from the biggest star right down to the fans.  A perfect holiday gift would be a donation in your loved one’s name to a Broadway charity.  Don’t know any?  Try these: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Broadway Impact, and Broadway Barks.
• Is your gift-ee a hardcore fan of a particular Broadway star?  Do a little research, find out what charity their favorite star loves, and make a donation to that charity.  For example, if your loved one is a huge Kristin Chenoweth fan, consider a donation in his/her name to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.
• If your loved one is already a proud supporter of one or more of these wonderful charities, give them a way to show their support and pride!  Try a BC/EFA tote bag or a Broadway Impact t-shirt?
• What better way to get in the spirit of the holidays than to sign up as a potential life-saver?!  Leukemia has been in the news around Broadway lately.  Go ahead and sign yourself and your gift-ee up as bone marrow donors.  It only takes a minute, you’ll feel great, you could save someone’s life, and best of all, it’s free!

For the collector:

• If you want to get the perfect piece of Broadway memorabilia for your Broadway fan, check out eBay!  You can find tons of good stuff on ebay.  My personal favorites are the BC/EFA auctions, which are always packed with great stuff.
• Don’t forget about the Playbill store!  They have Playbills from current and past seasons, and nifty Playbill storage and display options!
• There’s also lots of fun Broadway Christmas stuff out there.  My favorite?  The Chita Rivera ornament. 

The obvious:

• I feel silly even mentioning this, because it seems obvious, but the best gift for any Broadway fan is, of course, tickets to a Broadway show!
• Not sure which show to see?  TKTS offers gift certificates, and a good old-fashioned home-made coupon saying “I’ll take you to the Broadway show of your choice” can’t possibly fail.
• Not in New York City?  A trip to NYC is always a great gift, but a less expensive option is a night of awesome regional theater or a national tour.  Most theaters around the country offer gift certificates, but many require you to purchase them in person at the box office.

Hopefully this told you everything you needed to know to get the perfect gift for your favorite theater nut.  Whatever you decide, don’t forget your Broadway wrapping paper!