A special Broadway show for the holiday season is now playing at the Imperial Theatre. Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show (Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show for short) runs through December 30, 2018. In addition to Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken who star in this show, the cast also includes Farah Alvin, Ken Arpino, Julian Diaz-Granados, La’Nette Wallace, and Khaila Wilcoxon. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Inclusion Project which is one of the leading voices for the inclusion of children with disabilities.
Written by Ken Arpino and Jesse Joyce, Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show is directed by Jonathan Tessero, with musical staging by Lisa Shriver and music direction by Ben Cohn. The design team includes Rob Bissinger (scenic), Paul Miller(lighting), James BrownIII (costume), Bruce Landon Yauger (sound), and Jason Lee Courson (projection design).
The Rivalry and Variety in the Show
The show cleverly draws upon the rivalry between the men who vied for the title of the American Idol in Season 2 of the popular show back in 2003. They made it down to the final two and their sing off and voting remains one of the hallmark events of the American Idol series. So it is right on target that their Christmas Show opens with a Star Wars style scrolling summary of that rivalry via a projection screen onstage. Then, each takes their turn onstage singing songs of the season. It starts easily but it evolves into a competition of who can do it bigger and better than the other. One becomes funnier than the other culminating in Clay being lifted off the stage and Ruben gliding in as the Phantom of the Opera. It is funny as well as light-heated to see this and it sets the tone immediately for most of show. It is worth noting that even those these two were rivals, they have done a tour and shows together before and obviously get along well!
There are a few more mentions of the rivalry as the show continues on, but variety becomes a focus. It is divided into a number of different segments in which Clay and Ruben and the other cast members sing, tell jokes, and even have a small piece of audience participation. A number of Christmas and holiday songs are in the show. The newest controversy with “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is presented and discussed. Songs are also selected from a group of Christmas movies. Clay does a stirring rendition of “The First Noel” and Ruben does several rhythm and blues songs including songs made popular by the late Luther Vandross. There is a Laugh-In style curtain used to poke the casts’ heads through and deliver some corny jokes. One of the most unique moments is when the entire cast does a mashup of something like 40 songs in less than 5 minutes. A video about the National Inclusion Project is run after intermission. The show concludes on a bit of a serious note as videos of both Ruben and Clay show aspects of their lives important to them including a tribute to Ruben’s beloved brother who passed away this year.
About Ruben and Clay
Ruben Studdard was the winner of American Idol Season 2. His 2003 platinum-selling debut album, “Soulful,” debuted at number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and garnered him his first Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. His follow-up album, “I Need an Angel,” became the fastest and biggest selling gospel album of 2004 and made him one of only two men in history to have a solo gospel album chart in the top 20 of Billboard‘s Hot 200. Ruben looks and sounds very good in this show. His soulful style earned him the nickname of “The Velvet Teddy Bear” on American Idol and hearing him in this show is further testament to that name.
After finishing as runner-up in Season 2 of American Idol, Clay Aiken became the first artist in history to have his first single debut at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. His subsequent album, “Measure of A Man,” also debuted at #1 with the highest first week sales by a debut artist. In 2012, Clay appeared on Broadway in Monty Python’s Spamalot. He served 9 years as a UNICEF Ambassador and in 2003, he co-founded, with Diane Bubel, what is now the National Inclusion Project (NIP). Clay is always known for his strong vocals and precise technical style which comes through loud and clear in this show. His high energy level works well here too.
Television used to feature variety shows at this time of year performed by popular entertainers of the time. This show is a throw back to that era. There is an audience who will really enjoy seeing Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show. If you never saw this style format, it is well worth going to check out. The show I attended was sold out; even the standing room was filled. So grab tickets now and get a delightful holiday treat. Tickets are available online at Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, and in person at the Imperial Box Office.
For more information, visit rubenandclay.com.