Something new flying ogre Macy's parade
By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 16 minutes ago


This year's Macy's Thanksgiving parade will march down Broadway on Thursday with a grumpy green Shrek — one of three new balloons — and the Virginia Tech marching band playing in tribute to victims of last spring's campus shooting.

The 81st annual parade will also feature the cast of "Legally Blonde" minus costumes and props, which are locked behind the picket lines of striking Broadway stagehands.

This year's 11 giant helium balloons include three new ones: William Steig's swamp-loving ogre, "Sesame Street's" fairy-in-training Abby Cadabby and Hello Kitty Supercute, the cape- and tiara-wearing feline superhero.

When the parade gets under way Thursday, it'll be to a Michael Feinstein tune especially written for 600 kids from around the nation whose opening number was choreographed by John Dietrich of the Radio City Rockettes.

Some 10,000 people will march this year, half of them Macy's employees.

Among them will be almost 2,000 cheerleaders, 800 clowns, the Rockettes and 11 marching bands including the Virginia Tech Regimental Band — nicknamed the Highty-Tighties — on the route from Central Park West to Herald Square in front of Macy's.

Four Broadway shows — "Legally Blonde," "Mary Poppins," "Young Frankenstein" and "Xanadu" — nabbed coveted positions in the parade, the only annual event besides the Tony Awards where Broadway struts its stuff on national TV.

Because Broadway stagehands are locked in a contract dispute with the League of American Theatres and Producers, cast members of "Legally Blonde" won't be able to use their costumes and props when they perform the show's "What You Want."

The strike has shut down that show, but the other three productions in the parade have not been affected because their theaters have separate contracts with the league.

"We're going to have a national spot on television and we're going to be half represented," said Jerry Mitchell, "Legally Blonde's" director and choreographer. "We're going to be the only musical performing without our props and costumes, which I find very disheartening."

They planned to use replacements, which most spectators likely won't notice since the lead role involves a law student who loves to wear pink.

Because anyone appearing in the parade falls under a TV contract with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, "Legally Blonde" performers will not be crossing picket lines by marching, according to their union, Actors' Equity.

The parade will be televised nationally on NBC from 9 a.m. to noon in all time zones, with areas of the country not on Eastern time watching a taped version.

All rehashes of former movies, WOW Broadway aren't you proud.

Ha-ha, I bet they'll all be sold at Macy's, just in time for Christmas!

ZOMG XANADU IS IN THE PARADE!!!!

Anxiety said:

But, did you SEE it?

I was so disappointed. Even my 75-year-old mother was talking about how the girl playing Keira looked like "a zombie" and was not feminine at all.

applekisses said:

i love that girl! she totally gets the balance between kitsch/camp and bubblegum pop brilliance, and she doesn't sing like a musical theatre clone!

i thought it was funny the way she sang the word "ETERNALLY!!!" with her eyes all bugged out, yes, like a zombie. she's even more over the top in the actual play.

Anxiety said:

I see your point. But, I just love that in the movie what their doing is taken so seriously
I don't like my kitsch pointed out for me.

applekisses said:

I think she did a good job of bringing the camp and the kitsch without spelling out the punchlines, and there are certainly much worse performances in the play by people who do exactly that (I haaate the Sonny character - I dunno if it's the writing or the actor or maybe both, but he's guilty of exactly what you're saying) but then there's also Jackie Hoffman (she played the chronic masturbator in "A Dirty Shame") who is spot-on hilsariously PERFECT as one of the evil muses.

But you know me: whatever. Put a bunch of people dancing around to the Xanadu soundtrack on a stage and I'm set for the night.

Anxiety said:

I just love the movie so much I think I'm being more of a purist than I should be. I think I'd rather have the movie make an audience participation comeback ala Rocky Horror.

applekisses said:

i thought it was bizarre that the xanadu musical got airtime at the parade at all! i mean, besides obvious reasons (i told endo afterwards, "that is a moment in my life i never thought would happen - xanadu on the macy's parade!" ). part of the whole premise of the "xanadu" musical is that it's a parody of movies that get turned into broadway musicals! it got a little too "meta" for me when i thought about it too much.