Bandstand Pays Homage to the Challenges Facing Returning Veterans

A couple of weeks ago, my wife, my daughter and I had the awesome pleasure to see a video presentation of Bandstand, presented by Fathom Events.  Fathom had shot video of two live performances of this Broadway musical to put together an amazing video presentation of this live event.  The presentation is then shown in several movie theaters across the country.  Thus, we were able to watch a Broadway show on a Tuesday evening at a local theater for a fraction of the cost of a Broadway ticket.

Bandstand is an original musical composed by Richard Oberacker with book and lyrics by Oberacker and Rob Taylor.  Directed and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), the show opened on Broadway on April 26, 2017, running 24 previews and 166 performances.  The show closed on September 17, 2017.  The musical tells the story of a group of veterans returning to the United States after World War II.  The veterans struggle to settle into a normal life while dealing with the lingering effects of the war – including post traumatic stress and survivor’s guilt for friends who did not survive.  They form a band with the intention of winning a national TV contest but the real prize is how the healing power of swing, bebop, and jitterbug music along with the support of their band members help them put their lives back together.

There has been a lot of criticism recently about the “commercialism of Broadway”.  The original story and music of Bandstand flies in the face of this blanket assessment.  Bandstand offers hope to those who cry about the death of Broadway.  The show was awarded the 2017 Tony for Best Choreography and received several other Tony nominations.  Even watching a video presentation of this show it is clear these accolades were well deserved.  The story provides characters you grow to care about and the chemistry between the actors is a rare thing indeed.  Plus, I challenge anyone to maintain dry eyes as Laura Osnes sings “Welcome Home”, a song that summarizes the show’s theme in 3:35.  She has quickly become one of my favorite performers.

Throughout its run, the cast and crew of Bandstand paid homage to the veterans whose stories they portray eight times per week.  Each performance was dedicated to individual veterans.  Backstage, the walls were covered with letters and remembrances from veterans and their families.  Bandstand partnered with the veteran’s support group Got Your Six on a shared mission to highlight the experiences, talents, and heart of American veterans through a compelling and truthful portrayals through the performance arts.

Thank you Fathom Events for providing the opportunity for musical fans throughout the country to to enjoy the Broadway experience. Thank you, too, to the creative team and artists who the story of Bandstand to life.