What united them all was the fervent delight they contained. Christian, composer of Anton Ego’s title song, is a composer by trade), others from procrastinating college students (Sophia James’ “I Knew I Smelled A Rat” was written while putting off an essay). The original songs contained within the show came from incredibly different sources - some from trained musical theatre aficionados who intend to make a career in the industry (R.J. Harris, actor, and playwright of this year's Tony-Nominated Slave Play, served as one of the Executive Producers of the project). In the discussion of gender and race disparity on Broadway, the pit has been ignored by many proponents of change in favor of fighting more visible fights, but Ratatouille made a concerted effort to be diverse in all levels of the production, from the pit to the performers to the producers (Jeremy O. The Broadway Sinfonietta is an orchestra of all women, with a majority of performers being women of color. Ratatouille was supported by an orchestra consisting entirely of women - something that has never been recorded as having occurred on Broadway, London’s West End, or in any union national tour. A Broadway where even Remy, our tiny rat with a huge dream, has a seat at the table.” A Broadway that uplifts the voices of women and queer artists. Together, we imagine a Broadway that celebrates the artistic brilliance and historic work of everyone in our community, especially theatre workers that are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. “Tonight is a moment for Broadway to look forward to 2021 and beyond. Acceptance of all was at the core of their story, and they positioned themselves there from the outset when creator Emily Jacobsen opened the stream with a short prelude speech. Not one person approached the project as if they had to apologize for their unabashed enjoyment - in a decade permeated with fights over what constitutes valuable art, Ratatouille washed its hands of the idea that high and low art should be stratified. The Ratatouille musical cleverly walked the line of earnest sincerity without ever feeling saccharine. That feel-good atmosphere permeated every moment of the production - from Kevin Chamberlin’s home printed book cover for Anyone Can Cook to the Queens of SIX’s (Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert, Brittney Mack, Courtney Mack, Mallory Maedke, Abby Mueller, Samantha Pauly, Anna Uzele) earnest dedication to the Rat Queen choreography, what was most remarkable about the production was how much fun everyone was clearly having. A triumph of collaboration, it brought together collaborators from across the globe to create a piece of unrepentant glee. The show featured Titus Burgess as Remy, the rat with dreams of becoming a Parisian chef Adam Lambert as Remy's brother Emile Ashley Park ("Emily in Paris") as human chef Colette and even some "Cats" jokes and dancers in Mickey Mouse ears amid the Broadway-at-home atmosphere.Yesterday, one million dollars were raised for The Actors Fund by the initial stream of Ratatouille the TikTok Musical - a production that defied every standard logistical boundary associated with putting on a musical. The virtual musical was a viral oddity for those needing a musical-theater fix, yet it was Wayne Brady, sporting a pink nose and makeup whiskers, who stole the show on social media. "And there’s still time to watch: head to for tickets, through Monday 1/4!" "Oh mon dieu! We can’t believe it! Thank you ALL for supporting a life in the arts!!" the organization tweeted. The organization thanked viewers for their contribution in a tweet Friday. The money from the music is going to The Actors Fund, which provides a "safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan," according to its Twitter bio. The crowdsourced "Ratatousical" is a collaboration of original songs, lyrics and ideas from fans - including Emily Jacobsen, who wrote the original “Remy the Ratatouille” song for TikTok - as well as out-of-work theater performers to adapt the 2007 Pixar animated movie into a two-act show. In a time where COVID has kept Broadway dark for months (and staying that way as 2020 came to a close), “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” arrived Friday and has raised over $1 million for charity.
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