2025 is officially here! As we head into the new year, we here at BroadwayWorld know that sometimes it takes a little inspo to help pull us out of the doldrums of the post-holiday slump and launch us into the future!
As theatre fans, we know that all of our favorite plays and musicals are jam-packed with practical wisdom, universal truths, and unparalleled moxie. To give your spirit a boost, we have compiled some of the finest advice Broadway has to offer from the minds behind some of this season’s most masterful shows.
Happy New Year!
Oh, Mary!
Follow even your most psychotic dreams.
Do you dream of Broadway stardom? Wealth beyond imagining? Producing and starring in a glittering cabaret act mid-Civil War? Whatever your dream may be, this year, take a page out of Mary Todd’s book and chase it down with all the ruthlessness and gusto of a deranged First Lady hunting for her next fix–optics, political or otherwise, be damned!
Elf the Musical
Get your priorities straight.
At face value, this holiday tuner may tell the familiar tale of a North Pole elf who makes his way to New York City to find his family. At its heart, however, is the story of Walter Hobbs, a children’s book publisher who has lost his way. With career pressures mounting, Walter has become neglectful of his family and resentful of the long lost son whose holiday antics threaten to upend his busy life. This year, let’s leave the work at work and do our best to keep our sights on what’s truly important– the people whose love makes life worth living.
Death Becomes Her
Looking good is the best revenge.
I have a secret you would die for. Well, it’s not exactly a secret, but it is a piece of tried and true wisdom– sometimes nothing feels better than looking your best. In 2025, embrace self care and a little glamour and resurrect your most fabulous You! Whether you’re stepping into the spotlight or plotting to murder your frenemy, before you do (Disclaimer: Don’t do any murders), drink in some self love, adjust your crown, sharpen your shade-throwing skills, and step into your inner diva.
Sunset Blvd.
Don’t get stuck in the past.
While the most practical piece of advice from this hit musical revival is, “Don’t go into that weird woman’s spooky house,” we can all learn a thing or two from Norma Desmond. A faded film star with no future to speak of, Norma lives out her days in nostalgic delusion, clinging to the memories of her lost youth and stardom. This year, take the lessons from your past wherever you go, but always keep your eyes on tomorrow. You’ll be ready for your close-up when opportunity strikes.
Left on Tenth
Anything can and will happen– so LIVE.
Writer Delia Ephron is no stranger to life’s curve balls. From finding late-in-life love in most serendipitous fashion to getting a diagnosis that rocked her world, this author and screenwriter lived to tell the tale and make her Broadway dreams come true. So, however, you choose to spend this next year, choose life! You never know what she’s gonna throw at you, so enjoy the good times while they last and weather the storms in the embrace of people you love. You may just live to see a happy ending.
