- [Narrator] "Here's the Story."

(people speaking indistinctly) ♪ Come what may ♪ ♪ Tomorrow, tomorrow ♪ ♪ I love ya tomorrow ♪ ♪ You're only a day away ♪ - Hello, everyone.

(crowd clapping and cheering) Good evening, welcome to... - [Both] Broadway Meets the Beach!

(crowd clapping and cheering) Never thought it was gonna happen.

(laughs) - How many phone calls did we have between each other today?

- Too many to count.

- It's on, it's off.

It's in, it's out.

We're happening, it's not.

It's raining, it's cloudy.

Guess what?

We're here.

- Yay!

(crowd clapping and cheering) - Are we lucky or what?

We are so lucky.

Tonight, we have so many performers that are gonna blow your mind.

I'm so excited.

- I was gonna say, tell us the amazing talent that's here tonight.

- We have stars from some of the biggest Broadway shows ever.

We have new and up and coming talent that you won't believe.

They're gonna be big, big stars very, very soon.

We have a very, very special guest.

We're gonna tell you a little bit more in a few minutes.

- Yep, and isn't it amazing that we get to enjoy this talent right here in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

(crowd clapping and cheering) - Wow.

You don't have to drive into New York.

Are you ready to be blown away?

(crowd clapping and cheering) All right.

(wind whipping) I bought this shirt at a second hand store.

- [Interviewer] Oh yeah?

- It's a woman's shirt.

I got for like five bucks.

Isn't it kind of cool?

- [Interviewer] Yeah.

- It's a woman's shirt.

I know that because the buttons are on the left side.

Wait, the buttons are on, yeah, on the left side.

- [Interviewer] Yeah.

Well, that's all right.

- It doesn't matter, right?

No one can tell that.

- [Interviewer] A good-looking shirt's a good-looking shirt no matter where the buttons are.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, when I started to button it, I said, "Oh, this is a woman's shirt."

But sometimes a woman's shirt's cut so different, (ahem) but it didn't seem to be.

- [Interviewer] What does this time of the year feel like for you?

- Um, kind of like limbo a little bit, sorta.

At the shows, my summers are really booked up with the shows, and so I'm really locked in.

My energy's very focused and everything.

And then, I usually have a couple months where I, developing some new stuff going forward.

You know, I haven't really started to put together the next year's shows, so now I'm working on some other projects and things.

So it's a bit...

I mean, I would think after all these years, I would know this time is coming and have stuff already like...

I mean, I do have projects.

It's a bit more open and a bit more uncertain and... (sighs) Which is, on one hand, exciting, 'cause it's like I can create some new stuff.

On the other hand, I like the feeling of being really locked in and super focused and... - [Interviewer] In the autumn, do you do a deep reflection on the summer concert series that has just passed?

Do you think about them?

- Oh yeah, I definitely think about them.

I think about how was it for the people in the show?

How was it for the people in the audience?

Was the town happy with the shows?

What did I do differently and did it work?

Did it enhance the whole experience for everybody?

And then what kind of direction do I want to take it next year?

Because I'm not the kind of person to do the exact same thing next year.

I like amping it up a little bit, making it more exciting for everybody in the show and everybody in the audience and then for me too.

So, I'm already thinking like, hmm, what am I gonna do next year that's gonna make it like, oh wow, that's cool for everybody.

(bright piano music) - [Narrator] This is Joseph Brunetti, or as we came to know him, Broadway Joe.

He's the producer of an ongoing, very successful, small town, home-spun, summertime, beach town concert series in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

(crowd clapping and cheering) It may be an hour and a half off Broadway, I mean, with no traffic that is.

But the talent that Brunetti books and brings to this boardwalk shore town three times a year is very much on par with The Great White Way or on their way to it.

♪ Gotta find my corner ♪ ♪ Of the sky ♪ (crowd clapping and cheering) But make no mistake about it, this story is as much about Joseph Brunetti as it is about the show he produces.

Because with Broadway Joe, all the world's a stage.

He's a mover and a shaker because he's a talker.

It's probably his greatest talent, actually, the role of a lifetime.

Being the ringmaster, the chief cook and bottle washer, the bus driver, the snack bartender, the storyteller, being himself, being Broadway Joe.

- Lemme tell you, the audience is gonna be there.

The first one we have, I have this 10-year-old boy that's going to sing, that's an opera singer, and he's gonna bless the show.

He is gonna sing "Ave Maria."

People from Broadway, people from "America's Got Talent," people from "American Idol."

Kind of bring New York here.

Can't beat that, a free show for your whole family?

If they want to stay, make a day of it, I'll get beach passes, beach chairs, pizzas, ice cream.

I just feel like it's top-notch entertainment.

It's gonna be really fun.

It's gonna be crazy.

It's gonna be spontaneous.

What could be better?

Right over the ocean.

- [Narrator] This is the story of Broadway Joe at the beach.

But let's go back to the beginning, back to the winter, before showtime.

(bright piano music continues) (Joe laughing) - Oh, you're funny.

How are ya?

- [Interviewer] And so it begins.

- (laughs) And so it begins.

Here's where we do the shows and we got...

It's so interesting how, the difference in the summertime when we're doing the shows, these are all so alive and packed with people, and now it's peaceful, it's different.

I kind of like it sometimes to come down here in the winter, and you can just kind of contemplate a little bit, you know, not like in the summer, it's action.

Here's the stage.

We can come up on the stage.

- [Interviewer] Let's go up.

- Let's go up.

Wow, and look at that, look at the ocean.

I mean, that to me, this is "Broadway Meets the Beach to me.

You can do shows anywhere in the theater, but they all look the same.

Here, wow, it's so beautiful.

It really is so beautiful.

When you get that breeze, look at the seagull.

Come here, baby.

(clapping) Oh my gosh, honestly, honestly.

I moved to the Jersey Shore, and my buddy, Harry, and I opened an ice cream shop here on the boardwalk.

So a year prior, I was a designer in New York City.

One year later, I was standing in my own ice cream shop overlooking the ocean.

I had only been to the ocean like three times in my life.

I grew up in Pittsburgh.

Well, so my brother Ted was on Broadway at the time in a show called "A Bronx Tale."

He calls me on the phone in the morning.

He said, "Hey, the whole cast is coming "to the Jersey Shore today."

I said, "For what?"

He said, "Oh, this really wealthy person "loves the show and bringing 'em."

I said, "Bring 'em to the ice cream shop.

"I'll get the press to come."

He said, "We can't, it's already scheduled."

So, I hung up the phone and I thought, okay, I'm gonna bring Broadway shows to the Jersey Shore.

We always have a little bit of a breeze, so we have never not had that.

You got the ocean water sound, you got the breeze, you got the sun setting.

Even the cast members love it, and their families, you know?

They're like, "This is the best.

"Oh, I love doing these shows."

One of my brothers told me when I had this idea, he said, "Do you know how hard that is?

"You don't know anything about this."

He said, "A lot of people try to do it."

I said, "They ain't me."

Chaz, this is Joseph Burnetti.

Good, how are you doing?

I know, I know.

How's your wife?

Oh, you guys are great.

You guys are awesome.

Well, I'm calling 'cause I have this idea.

You know I do these shows called "Broadway Meets the Beach" here at the Jersey Shore?

Yeah, they're really fun, and I had this idea for this summer.

I was thinking about getting the whole cast, the original cast of "A Bronx Tale" together and doing a whole show, "A Bronx Tale" like reunion show.

Oh, you do?

I was thinking about a Friday in August.

Truly speaking, the shows take almost all year to do.

I think when you come to the show, they're kind of seamless, and they seem kind of easy, natural, but that takes a lot of work, like anything.

You go to see ballet, it looks kind of easy, but they're training all day and night.

I put a lot of thought into every aspect of the show, the dates, the times, the casts, the songs, the contests, the prizes, the posters, the radio spots, the newspaper ads.

That's a lot of work, you know?

And everything about the show is really kind of crafted so that it flows real nice for the audience and kinda makes sense in a way.

There's not too many ballads in a row, you know, there's a lot of little things- - [Interviewer] Right, people don't realize, but they do realize.

- Yeah, I mean, they get the enjoyment, because when they see the show, it just, "Wow, that was a great show," but they don't have to know.

There's a lot of work behind the scenes.

But that's okay, you know, it's a labor of love.

Because even the first year, it's not about the money or anything like that, it's just about kinda what I grew up in, the culture of doing a show, I love it.

How about this, how about I send you an email, I'll give you all the details, I'll give you the exact dates.

There's three dates that are possible, but I was thinking the middle show in August.

Okay, that'd be awesome.

Okay.

Okay.

I'll definitely send you the email.

Okay, thanks, Chaz.

- [Interviewer] Well, it seems like you do a lot of your work on the phone, is that true?

- Oh yeah, I do almost all of it on the phone.

I almost never use a computer.

I use a computer about 5% of the time.

I don't know why.

The phone is just so convenient.

Everything's there, everybody's numbers, all the pictures, blah, blah, blah.

And yeah, that's part of what I do.

It's just a personable thing, you know?

And I tell the people, "This is not about money."

If you really wanted to, you could make more money doing some other show, but you're not gonna have any more fun.

You'll never do anything else that's more fulfilling and more fun than my shows.

And afterwards, they all come up and tell me, "You were right.

I'm gonna do it next year.

"Call me, call me, call me, whatever you want, I'm in."

I'm like, "Okay."

(laughs) That's fun, you know?

- [Interviewer] How much of what you do is your need and desire to control things?

You know, watching you running around, being the guy who's throwing the party.

- I'm writing the show.

I'm producing the show.

I'm stage managing the show.

I'm in the show.

I'm the producer.

I'm the stage manager.

I'm the director.

I'm the whatever, you know what I mean?

Parking, I'm getting parking for people.

I'm getting the food for the cast and everything.

- [Interviewer] Can I ask you something?

Can you get a parking space for the film crew?

- Yeah.

- [Interviewer] How much of that is your need and desire to control things, and how much of it is just sheer necessity of producing a show or having a party?

- Well, it's kind of a sensitive question for me, because (laughs), because I come from a family of like self-professed, controlled people.

I think when there's trauma in your life or something, you become controlling, 'cause you want to eliminate problems in your life.

So, I definitely have come from that kind of a background.

And I've also gone through a lot of therapy and stuff like, so I just know that ultimately, the controlling thing has just come from fear, and I don't wanna live like that.

So, I do my best to give away responsibilities.

And I have had people say, "I'll come early, I'll help you."

It just so happens a lot of them don't show up and stuff, you know what I mean, so I'm like, "Okay."

I'd say I do as little as possible based on just controlling things and more out of necessity and because we don't really have a...

The budget is so small for the shows that I don't have a budget to be able to have an assistant right now, so I just do what I have to do, you know?

(traffic humming) (people speaking indistinctly) - [Interviewer] How are you, Joseph?

- Pretty good, pretty good, lots going on.

- [Interviewer] Tell me a little bit of what's going on.

- I'm in "Broadway Meets the Beach" hell.

(laughs) No, not hell, but it's funny, I was talking to my girlfriend last night.

She's like, "Does this happen every year?"

I said, "Yeah, pretty much."

You know, you cast this net for how... You know, I cast the net for what I want optimally for all the shows, and then, it's a matter of... People kept just waiting, people getting back to me, people checking their schedules, people checking if they're gonna be in another show.

You know, if they get a Broadway show, they're not gonna do "Broadway Meets the Beach," who would?

But, and it's like juggling.

And then it's like babysitting, kind of like how can I appease everyone with what they need and yet, have the shows be what they need to be and have the finances be what they need to be.

It's a lot of work, these shows, so I'm knee deep in... And it always is like this.

They always work out great.

Every year people say, "That's the best show I ever saw," which always surprises me, but it's nice to hear.

But the thing is, right now, I have no idea how really each one's gonna turn out, because there's so much unknown.

- [Interviewer] And that happens every year?

- Happens every year, yeah, happens every year.

I have so many plates spinning and possible things, and I'm just, I guess everything's just meant to be, so in the long run, I should just chill out and, you know.

But, and I do pretty much, but it's... And as the shows get closer, it's like the pressure starts to build, and I'm like, I have to kind of push buttons and make things and you know, and tighten the noose a little bit on everything.

- [Interviewer] Does the pressure add to the inspiration and getting it done and making the magic happen?

- That's a good question.

Probably, probably.

I mean, when the stakes are higher, I think people are at their optimal, because they're tuned in and really on.

So yeah, for that, yes.

Yeah, I'd say yeah.

- [Interviewer] Do you endeavor every year to avoid feeling your back is against the wall?

- Yes, I mean, in my mind, I'm gonna invite the people that I want, put the feelers out, and they're all gonna say, "Yeah, oh yeah," and I'm just gonna have it easy, and you know, never ever, ever like that.

- [Interviewer] Never happens.

- No, no.

But you know what, and this is like life in general, they always work out great, like I said.

It's like if these people can't come, then I meet other people, or I hear about other people, or someone suggests other people, or I see a show, and then they're even better or whatever.

So it's like things always work out, but it can be nerve wracking.

There's always that little voice at moments that say, "What if everybody says no?

What am I gonna do?"

But that never happens, but that's life.

Wait a second, we're getting a call.

Oh my gosh, hold on a second.

Hello.

Hi, how are you?

Good, good.

Mmhm, it's Friday, Friday, August 12th.

6:30 PM.

About an hour and a half.

Oh yeah, I can do that, mmhm.

One location, 43rd Street and 8th Avenue.

Pick everybody up, bring 'em.

And you can just tell them, they can decide if they want to stay, make a day of it, I'll get beach passes, beach chairs, pizzas, ice cream.

And then we'll have a green room and showers and everything, everybody can change, get ready for the show.

We'll have dinner, do the show, and then we can take 'em back to New York that night, okay?

Yeah, oh no, it's a blast.

Yeah, just circle back.

Okay, thanks a lot.

Okay, bye.

- [Interviewer] Do you enjoy the hustle to make this happen?

- Thank you.

Do I enjoy the hustle?

Yeah, yeah, I have to say I do.

You know what, when I moved to the Jersey Shore, I had like a...

I don't know, socially, it was hard.

I found people out here who weren't as eager to do things, like they were in New York.

In New York City, all my friends would say, "I'm in your neighborhood, come on out."

Or if I said, "Do you want to go to a museum?

"You want to go to a concert?"

Everybody said yes.

Here, people tend to stay inside their house.

So, and I was having a hard time having a conversation deeper than like a bagel, you know?

So bringing "Broadway Meets the Beach" to the Shore, it's also part of my way of socializing with people that I relate to.

- [Interviewer] Creating an event.

- Yeah, kind of bring New York here.

(lively piano music) (bell chiming) Hey, how are you?

- Good to see you.

- Good to see you too.

- Can we come in?

- Come on in.

Come on in.

Welcome.

Welcome.

- Thank you.

- I'm Italian, I like to welcome people.

(laughs) - [Interviewer] Well thanks for having us over.

- Sure, have you been to Island Heights before?

- Once or twice.

- Once or twice?

It's nice 'cause it's just a couple miles from Seaside, but it's sort of like "Mayberry R.F.D.," it's very quiet here, it's a dry town.

Yeah, it's a nice place.

- [Interviewer] How long have you lived here?

- I've been here about 10 years.

I moved from the city here about 10 years ago.

- Gotcha.

- And want a little tour?

- [Interviewer] Sure, let's do it.

- (laughing) Okay, let's see.

- [Interviewer] I think you can tell a lot about a person from looking at the place they live.

- That's probably true.

I have my stuff down here right now, 'cause I'm doing the show for Friday, and I have the schedule and a lot of things, prizes and performers and things like that.

- [Interviewer] Glow sticks?

- Yeah, I got some glow sticks, 'cause sometimes there's a lot of kids at the show.

So let's see, oh, you wanna meet my birds?

- Birds, yeah.

- (laughs) Come on.

Over here, come on in here.

Oh, come on in.

Sien is the little yellow parakeet, and Vincent is the blue English budgie back there.

Vincent's named after Vincent Van Gogh, and Sien is named after Vincent's girlfriend, Sien.

- [Interviewer] Oh.

What kind of kid were you growing up?

(Joe speaking indistinctly) - Well, I came from a crazy, huge Italian, very super creative family, and so I was very creative.

I think I was the kind of kid that didn't take no for an answer.

Because I have six sisters and two brothers, I realized very, I was about four-years-old and I realized, hey, you know what, no one's gonna give you anything.

But I literally was about four-years-old, and I remember saying to myself, "Hey, no one's giving you anything.

"If you want something, you need to figure it out.

"You need to make it happen."

And that's been really good for me in my life, my business life, hasn't been so good for me in my personal life, 'cause I've had to really learn how to trust and allow other people to give to me and support me, which I'm getting much better at, but in general, that's the kind of kid I was.

When I was about 10-years-old, I heard about a television show in Pittsburgh, and they're gonna do an interview show, "A Boy and His Dog," and crazy premise, but this kid and his dog were gonna interview all the famous people that came through Pittsburgh.

I didn't have a dog.

I took myself downtown on the trolley.

I got there, there were like 10,000 kids with their dogs.

I didn't have a dog, so when I finally got up to the front, they said, "Where's your dog?"

And I said, "He ran away."

And they said, "Ah, do you still wanna audition?"

I said, "Can I?"

They said, "Sure."

I got the show.

This has stuffies, and it's nice for if there's children (indistinct).

It's comfortable here.

This is where the magic happens.

That's a joke.

- [Interviewer] Yeah, it's funny.

Usually people say the bedroom is where the magic happens.

(Joseph laughing) - Yeah.

- [Interviewer] But I guess you're an artist and a creator, so that's- - Yeah, come on out here and look.

You mentioned the view, so this is a nice view out here.

Come on out here.

This is a nice mimosa tree, but I like to come out here and chill out.

I usually take a nap out here during day, 'cause... Would you like something to drink?

- Yeah, sure.

- Okay, come on.

You wanna see something funny?

This is my beverage room.

Now, look over here.

Up here, these drinks are all stevia sweetened.

Do you like snacks?

- I could use a snack.

- (laughs) Come on in here.

Stand over here.

Okay, ready, this is my upstairs snack closet.

I have a downstairs one too.

This is, 'cause I have a lot of guests and pretty much anything you can think of is in here.

I'm working on the schedule right now, "Broadway Meets the Beach."

This is for Friday, July 12th.

It's crazy because here's the thing, doing these shows is very different from doing shows inside of a theater.

Inside of a theater, weather, the weather means nothing.

You're just doing a show.

You know, you have other things that you're worried about.

But my shows, weather is very important, because it dictates how I'm gonna do these shows.

And this week, it's some kind of hurricane or something.

So I keep looking at the weather and it's like, oh my God.

Every day is like thunderstorms, thunderstorms.

Like, oh okay, okay.

Now, the good thing is we have an inside space, but it definitely changes- - The vibe.

- The vibe, the show, you know, I'm in a place with a lower ceiling as opposed to out, overlooking the ocean.

We've done it before, and they're fantastic, they're just different, but it adds a tension, it adds a pressure, you know, to kind of...

I mean, there's nothing I can do about it.

I can't control the weather, so I do my best to sort of say, "All right, let's just wait and see," 'cause the weather apps are usually wrong, (playful music) and you kind of have to wait and see by the hour, but you wanna keep everybody safe.

- [Interviewer] When do you make the decision?

- Sometimes it's right up to the show.

- I've done it in the show.

There was a time or two a year ago, okay, the mayor came up to me in the middle of the show and said, the audience couldn't see it, the audience was facing the ocean, but behind the audience, the sky was getting black, and the audience was in bliss just watching our show.

But me and the mayor and everybody were looking past the audience saying, and the mayor came up to me and said, "Don't you think we should end the show?

Look at that sky."

I said, "Wait a second, wait a second.

"I have a big trivia contest "with a lot of prizes coming up."

He says, "I know, but look at the storm."

I said, "This is so fun, this contest.

"It's like my favorite part."

I said, "Let's just get through the trivia."

(laughs) So he said, "It's up to you, but I'm just saying."

- [Interviewer] You know, throughout this time period that I've been filming you, it's sort of been two sides to this story.

One of them is the ecstasy of the performance.

And the other side is the stress and anxiety of being the guy who puts it all together.

I think the last time we spoke, you were telling me that, that anxiety sort of drives you.

So you start off, and when we interviewed you in February, it was all about great expectations.

And then since then, it's kind of been a rollercoaster ride for you.

- Everything in life is like this, it kind of has a flow.

At the beginning, it's much more stressful.

I'm just creating ideas, and I like showing that part of it, because you know what, anybody could do what I'm doing, really, you just have to have the guts to do it.

It's not like I know exactly what I'm doing.

(thunder crashes) (bright music) Are we doing it?

We're doing it.

- Yup.

- It's like gambling, right?

(person responds indistinctly) You're like, "Roll the dice, baby."

(playful music) - [Caller] The radar just changed and now by 6:50, it's gonna be right on top of us.

It's not even gonna miss us or possibly miss us, that's what I was just told, so I just think we need to move it inside.

- I have a feeling it's not going to be, but she just wants to be safe.

Wait, what are they saying?

- [Jay] So look, this is coming up our way.

- So, it's coming this way?

- [Jay] Yeah.

- It's gonna hit us, maybe?

- [Jay] It's just right as we start, unfortunately.

(Joe speaking indistinctly) (playful music continues) - I mean look, for me, big open sky or someplace with like a ceiling like this, I'd rather do the outside.

(playful music continues) You gotta roll the dice.

- Hey.

- Right?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

- But I've done many a gig, a big gig out, 4th of Julys that have just been monsoons, and the show must go on, right?

(chuckles) - We did every show out here, outside on the stage this year, and they were all great, and the weather was great.

But, I think every one of them this past summer, up until even during the show, there were moments of like, I don't think we can do this.

I think we have to move inside.

This is gonna be a thunderstorm, you know?

And then it's so stressful, oh my gosh, it is so stressful.

So, what do you think?

- [Interviewer] I was told by more than two people that when you say, "It's not gonna rain," it doesn't rain.

- (laughing) I know, I said, "Roll the dice.

Let's do it."

("Be Our Guest") ♪ Ma chère Mademoiselle ♪ ♪ It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure ♪ ♪ That we welcome you tonight ♪ ♪ So, sit back, relax ♪ ♪ As the dining room proudly presents ♪ ♪ Your dinner (chuckles) ♪ ♪ Be our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Put our service to the test ♪ ♪ Tie a napkin 'round your neck, cherie, ♪ ♪ And we'll provide a rest ♪ ♪ Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres ♪ ♪ Oh my dear, we live to serve ♪ ♪ Try the grey stuff, it's delicious ♪ ♪ Don't believe me, ask the dishes ♪ ♪ They can sing, they dance ♪ ♪ After all, Miss, this is France ♪ ♪ And the dinner here is never second best ♪ ♪ Go on, unfold your menu ♪ ♪ Take a glass and then you'll be our guest ♪ ♪ Oui, our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Beef ragout, cheese soufflé ♪ ♪ Pie and pudding, en flambé ♪ ♪ We'll prepare and serve with care ♪ ♪ A culinary cabaret ♪ ♪ You're alone and you're scared ♪ ♪ But the banquet's all prepared ♪ ♪ No one's gloomy or complaining ♪ ♪ While the flatware's entertaining ♪ ♪ They tell jokes, I do tricks ♪ ♪ With my fellow candlesticks ♪ ♪ And it's all in perfect taste, that you can bet ♪ ♪ Go on and lift your glass ♪ ♪ You've won your own free pass ♪ ♪ To be our guest ♪ ♪ If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest ♪ ♪ Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Life is so unnerving ♪ ♪ For a servant who's not serving ♪ ♪ He's not whole without a soul to wait upon ♪ ♪ Ah, those good old days when we were useful ♪ ♪ Suddenly those good old days are gone ♪ ♪ Ten years we've been rusting ♪ ♪ Needing so much more than dusting ♪ ♪ Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills ♪ ♪ Most days, we just sit around the castle ♪ ♪ Flabby, fat, and lazy ♪ ♪ You walked in and oops-a-daisy ♪ ♪ It's a guest, it's a guest ♪ ♪ Sake's alive, well I'll be blessed ♪ ♪ Wine's been poured and thank the Lord ♪ ♪ I've had the napkins freshly pressed ♪ ♪ For dessert, you'll want tea ♪ ♪ And my dear, that's fine with me ♪ ♪ While the cups do their soft-shoein' ♪ ♪ I'll be bubblin', I'll be brewin' ♪ ♪ I'll get warm, piping hot ♪ ♪ Heaven's sakes, is that a spot ♪ ♪ Clean it up, we want the company impressed ♪ ♪ We've got a lot to do, is it one lump or two ♪ ♪ To be our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Be our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Our command is your request ♪ ♪ It's been years since we've had anybody here ♪ ♪ And we're obsessed ♪ ♪ With your meal, with your ease ♪ ♪ Oh my dear, we aim to please ♪ ♪ While the candlelight's still glowing ♪ ♪ We will help you, we'll keep going ♪ ♪ Course by course, one by one ♪ ♪ 'Til you shout, enough, I'm done ♪ ♪ Then we'll send you off to sleep as you digest ♪ ♪ Go on and put your feet up ♪ ♪ But for now, let's eat up ♪ ♪ Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest ♪ ♪ Please be our guest ♪ (crowd clapping and cheering) (bright music) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (bright music continues) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (singer singing in a foreign language) (gentle piano music) ♪ I remember days full of restlessness and fury ♪ ♪ I remember nights that were drunk on dreams ♪ ♪ I remember someone who hungered for the glory ♪ ♪ I remember her, but it seems she's gone ♪ ♪ Where's the girl ♪ ♪ Where's the girl with that blaze in her eyes ♪ ♪ Where's the girl with that gaze of surprise ♪ ♪ Now and then I still dream she's beside me ♪ ♪ Where's the girl who could turn on the edge of a knife ♪ ♪ Where's the girl who was burning for life ♪ ♪ I can still feel her breathing beside me ♪ ♪ And I know she remembers how fearless it feels ♪ ♪ To take off with the wind at her heels ♪ ♪ She and I took this world like a storm ♪ ♪ Come again ♪ ♪ Let the girl in your heart tumble free ♪ ♪ Bring the renegade heart home to me ♪ ♪ In the dark of the morning ♪ ♪ I'll warm you, I'll rouse you ♪ ♪ Margarite, don't forget ♪ ♪ Let her know who you are ♪ ♪ We were cut from the same surly star ♪ ♪ Like two jewels in the sky sharing fire ♪ ♪ Where's the girl ♪ ♪ So alive yet still aching For more ♪ ♪ We had dreams that were worth dying for ♪ ♪ We were caught in the eye of a storm ♪ ♪ Come again ♪ ♪ Let the girl in your heart tumble free ♪ ♪ Bring your renegade heart home to me ♪ ♪ In the dark of the morning I'll warm you ♪ ♪ I'll rouse you ♪ ♪ Where's the girl ♪ ♪ Is she gazing at me with surprise ♪ ♪ Do I still see that blaze in her eyes ♪ ♪ Am I dreaming or is she beside me now ♪ (crowd clapping and cheering) ("Part of Your World") ♪ I wanna be where the people are ♪ ♪ I wanna see, wanna see 'em dancin' ♪ ♪ Walkin' around on those ♪ ♪ What do ya call 'em, oh, feet ♪ ♪ Flippin' your fins you don't get too far ♪ ♪ Legs are required for jumpin', dancin' ♪ ♪ Strollin' along down a ♪ ♪ What's that word again, street ♪ ♪ Up where they walk, up where they run ♪ ♪ Up where they stay all day in the sun ♪ ♪ Wanderin' free, wish I could be ♪ ♪ Part of that world ♪ ♪ What would I give if I could live ♪ ♪ Out of these waters ♪ ♪ What would I pay to spend a day ♪ ♪ Warm on the sand ♪ ♪ Betcha on land they'd understand ♪ ♪ Bet they don't reprimand their daughters ♪ ♪ Bright young women, sick of swimmin' ♪ ♪ Ready to stand ♪ ♪ And ready to know what the people know ♪ ♪ Ask them my questions and get some answers ♪ ♪ What's a fire and why does it ♪ ♪ What's the word, burn ♪ ♪ When's it my turn ♪ ♪ Wouldn't I love ♪ ♪ Love to explore that shore up above ♪ ♪ Out of the sea ♪ ♪ Wish I could be ♪ ♪ Part of that world ♪ (crowd clapping and cheering) (bright piano music) - Hi, Joseph.

- Hi, Dee.

- How are ya?

- Good.

Hey, we didn't have to worry about the weather tonight.

- Well no, this is the first time that I went hour-by-hour and wasn't going minute-by-minute.

Usually I'm telling Joseph, "Speed it up, speed it up.

"Contest to the end, contest to the end," but we don't have to do that this time.

- Sometimes they say, "Cut the contest."

I'm like, "No, no, it's too fun."

(Dee chuckling) What if someone gets- - But, we're gonna have a beautiful night tonight.

- I worked hard on that contest.

- [Dee] Little chillier tonight, but I think it's nice.

It's a little crisp.

- So you know, "Broadway Meets the Beach" has become like a family.

So, we're starting a little tradition where everybody turn to the person beside them and say, "Welcome to 'Broadway Meets the Beach.'

Let's all do it now.

Welcome to "Broadway Meets the Beach."

- [Dee] Welcome to "Broadway Meets the Beach."

- [Joseph] All right, now it's official.

You're part of the family.

(people speaking indistinctly) - So I had been doing a bunch of different events for quite some time in Seaside Heights, and my good friend, Joseph Burnetti, called me one day, and he's really the brains behind it, and he said, "What do you think about bringing some Broadway people "to the Boardwalk?

And I said, "I love the idea.

What do you think?"

And that's how it started is just because Joseph has connections, and his brother was in Broadway shows, and we said, "Can we get this type of talent to come to Seaside Heights?"

And, of course, the answer was yes, every single one of 'em wanted to come.

And so, he really is the catalyst for getting this going.

And it just became such an unbelievable experience and bringing people here and seeing this level of talent.

I mean, right here, we have our genie from Aladdin.

But the level of talent is unbelievable.

And the great thing is the combination of the revitalization of Seaside Heights.

I'm a resident of Seaside.

I'm so proud of it.

And this show, I think, just emulates everything good that's happening in Seaside Heights.

- [Interviewer] So, how do you know Joseph Burnetti?

- Who doesn't?

(laughing) Great person, full of so much heart and just cares so much about the Broadway community and every community he's in.

And you don't find that that often.

And these are Broadway professionals, these are people in the industry.

These are people that are paid a lot of money and tickets are a lot of money, especially right now.

And for that to be free and to bring that to the backyard, the beach, who does that?

("Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat") ♪ I dreamed last night I got on the boat to heaven ♪ ♪ And by some chance I had brought my dice along ♪ ♪ And there I stood ♪ ♪ And I hollered, someone save me ♪ ♪ But the passengers, they knew right from wrong ♪ ♪ For the people all said sit down, ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ People all said sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ And the devil will drag you under ♪ ♪ By the sharp lapel of your checkered coat ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ I sailed away on that little boat to heaven ♪ ♪ And by some chance found a bottle in my fist ♪ ♪ And there I stood, nicely passin' out the whisky ♪ ♪ But the passengers were bound to resist ♪ ♪ For the people all said beware ♪ ♪ You're on a heavenly trip ♪ ♪ People all said beware ♪ ♪ Beware, you'll scuttle the ship ♪ ♪ And the devil will drag you under ♪ ♪ By the (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ And as I laughed at those passengers to heaven (laughs) ♪ ♪ A great big wave came and washed me over board ♪ ♪ And as I sunk, and I hollered, someone save me ♪ ♪ That's the moment I woke up, thank the Lord ♪ ♪ And I said to myself, sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ Said to myself sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ And the devil will drag you under ♪ ♪ With a soul so heavy you'd never float ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ Sit down, sit down, sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ ♪ Sit down ♪ ♪ Sit down, you're rockin' the boat ♪ Woo, thank you, thank you so much!

(crowd clapping and cheering) ("Send in the Clowns") ♪ Isn't it rich ♪ ♪ Are we a pair ♪ ♪ Me here at last on the ground ♪ ♪ You in mid-air ♪ ♪ Send in the clowns ♪ ♪ Isn't it bliss ♪ ♪ Don't you approve ♪ ♪ One who keeps tearing around ♪ ♪ And one who can't move ♪ ♪ But where are the clowns ♪ ♪ Send in the clowns ♪ ♪ Just when I'd stopped opening doors ♪ ♪ Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours ♪ ♪ Making my entrance again with my usual flair ♪ ♪ Sure of my lines ♪ ♪ No one is there ♪ ("Send in the Clowns" continues) ♪ Don't you love a farce ♪ ♪ My fault, I fear ♪ ♪ I thought that you'd want what I want ♪ ♪ I'm sorry, my dear ♪ ♪ But where are the clowns ♪ ♪ Send in the clowns ♪ ♪ Don't bother, they're here ♪ ("Send in the Clowns" continues) ♪ Isn't it rich ♪ ♪ Isn't it queer ♪ ♪ Losing my timing this late in my career ♪ ♪ But where are the clowns ♪ ♪ There ought to be clowns ♪ ♪ Well, maybe next year ♪ (crowd clapping and cheering) - Thank you very much.

And there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

- [Interviewer] We witnessed you sort of doing everything, from setting up chairs, to getting ice and food and beverages.

Is it fair to say that you kind of are doing everything, or at least, have a hand in everything that happens with "Broadway Meets the Beach?"

- Wow, that's a beautiful question, because I've been contemplating this exact thing.

First of all, the last couple days, I was thinking about all the people that help for the shows, these people that help with the technical elements of the show, when it's going to be, the chairs, the pizzas.

There's just no way I can do it without them.

And I thought without them, I'd have nothing.

So I'm so appreciative of them and my partner, Dee.

She comes and she does an amazing job.

I hand her the script and she just throws herself into it.

But she helps with all the sponsorships and things like that and getting on the radio, so there's no way I could do without her.

So, and of course, the cast, bringing all their talent and everything.

So, from a big perspective, there's no way I could do any of this without all these people, and I love them, and they give so much love to it.

They don't just go through the motions.

They bring this excitement and love and appreciation that I really appreciate.

And then from another perspective, yeah, I wear a lot of hats for the shows.

Yeah, I get the ice, get the chairs.

(laughs) I've been trying to like whittle that down.

I'm trying to tell my friends each year, "Look, if you can bring a chair, can you bring your chair?"

But inevitably, they're like, "Hey, can you get five chairs for me?"

I'm like, "Okay, okay," and I'm setting up the chairs, and I'm putting their names on the chairs, and I'm setting up the ice, and I'm setting up the drinks, and I'm going to the store and getting the cupcakes for the choir.

And I don't know, I'd like to not do all that so I could really chill out, but it's kind of the way it goes.

It's like throwing a party, that's how it... And then when the cast comes at night, and as soon as we meet eyes, anybody in the cast, "Hey, hey," it's just this excitement of like, "We're gonna do this."

It's like Super Bowl night, you know?

- [Interviewer] Well, you sort of do have the energy of somebody who's really great at throwing a party.

Because when you're a great party person, you move around very quickly before the guests arrive.

And then as the guests arrive, you're still moving, but then when the party gets started, you have fun, and I think that's what we witness.

You're running over to Coors to get ice.

You're making sure the pizza's coming.

You're making a phone call to get the chairs set up.

You're doing all of this, and then when the show starts, you're up on stage, you're laughing, you're dancing, you're having a party.

- I do.

And I do it, 'cause I tell myself, "Appreciate it, really."

First of all, life is short.

But I'm like, the talent is so great, and the songs and the music and the crowd and the ocean.

So I tell myself every show, "Just drink this in.

"Oh, drink this, enjoy this song," when I'm sitting on the side and watching and stuff like that.

Yeah, I love it.

I love it.

- [Interviewer] Do you stop long enough to observe the moment and realize how fortunate you are to not only be creating that for others, but also for yourself?

- I think I do as much as possible.

The problem is there's just always stuff, someone saying, "Hey, am I next?

Hey, what about this thing?

"Hey, it might rain.

We better cut the contest."

So there's always somebody, like... One time, it was in the middle of the show, my college friend's father came up to the stage in the middle of the show, and I was like, "Yeah?"

He said, "You know that ice cream coupon you gave me?"

"Yeah."

"I lost it."

I was like, "Okay."

And I was like, (laughing) you can't get mad at him, but I was just like, you know, because if it was a real theater, they wouldn't be able to get to you, 'cause you'd be backstage.

But people just see and they go, "Hey, hey, hi," in the middle of the thing, and I'm going...

Meanwhile, I'm trying to prepare for the next part of the show or something.

(lively piano music) (lively piano music continues) (lively piano music continues) - [Interviewer] Last question for you, do you see yourself stopping "Broadway Meets the Beach" anytime in the near future?

- No, I've even thought, I mean, in my life I'm like, "Maybe I wanna live on a farm and rescue some cows," and I really do want to do that.

(chuckles) But in my head I click, "Oh, but I always have to do these shows," like no matter where I am or whatever, this is just, it's just become something that's important to me and important to so many people that I think people would be really sad, and I would be too if they didn't happen.

- [Interviewer] How about "Broadway Meets the Farm?"

(Joe laughing) - Yeah, we'll have Elsie the Cow on the stage.

I like that.

- [Interviewer] I don't know.

I have a feeling wherever you go, it will be Broadway follows you.

I think you're Broadway Joe or Joseph.

- (laughing) I like Broadway Joe.

Broadway Joe is different from Joe.

(laughing) (people speaking indistinctly) I tell you what, that was a good show.

I don't mind saying that was a good show.

I mean, there was so many different types of music and everybody knocked it outta the park, and the weather held out.

That was a good, that was a fun show.

We are just lucky.

We are just lucky.

So thank you, God, thank you, everybody.

Thank the gods of theater, thank you to the gods of Seaside, and thank you, thank you.

- [Interviewer] We'll see you next time.

- See you next time, "Broadway Meets the Beach."

(singer singing indistinctly) (upbeat music) ♪ We are exactly what you see ♪ ♪ Bruised and scraped up knees ♪ ♪ Still we find our way ♪ (person yelling indistinctly) ♪ If I come ♪