I admit, I’d never even heard of Michael Strahan until he was chosen to be Kelly Ripa’s new co-host on the newly renamed LIVE with Kelly & Michael. Clearly, I’m not a sports person (he played with the New York Giants, who won a Super Bowl during his tenure).
But the first time I saw him on LIVE with Kelly & Michael, I knew right away he was a stand-up guy with good values and a respect for all humans and creatures. Yes, I got all that in the first couple minutes. He’s just that kind of guy.
And he’s a go-getter, too! This week he makes his Broadway debut in the Christmas-themed Elf at the iconic Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Tomorrow, LIVE will air a special behind-the-scenes piece with Strahan’s backstage prep and take us into the theatre as he becomes a Broadway performer for the very first time. Since I can’t find him listed on the Elf Musical site, I’m guessing it’s maybe a one-time appearance.
In addition to Strahan’s Broadway debut, LIVE’s “Holidays in New York Week” will also feature Ripa’s behind-the-scenes look at the New York City Ballet production of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker”; Strahan’s day in the city, taking in the city’s seasonal magic with his twin girls; and viewers sharing their own special New York City holiday memories.
Produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures in association with Unique Features and Jujamcyn Theaters, Elf is currently playing on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) through January 6th. If you’ve seen the movie starring Will Ferrell, you know it’s the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole.
Buddy is raised unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and his step-brother doesn’t believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.
The musical stars Jordan Gelber as Buddy, Leslie Kritzer as Jovie, Mark Jacoby as Walter, Michael Mandell as Store Manager, Adam Heller as Mr. Greenway, Valerie Wright as Deb, Mitchell Sink as Michael, Beth Leavel as Emily, and Wayne Knight as Santa.
