Long Island theater fans unite: Cosplay, dance at Broadway Rave

When you think of the term "rave," sounds of high-energy dance music and images of laser lights, fog and glow sticks come to mind. The "Broadway Rave," which hits Spotlight at The Paramount in Huntington on Feb. 28, will be a bit different.

"This is where theater folks can be themselves, celebrate their favorite musicals and be in a no-judgment zone," says Ethan Maccoby, co-owner of Burwoodland, which produces the event. "It brings in a fun and interesting group of people that are not your typical partiers who are raging on a Friday or Saturday night."

A live DJ runs the floor, playing show tunes from modern musicals like "Hamilton," "Rent," "Wicked" and "Dear Evan Hansen" and older classics such as "The Music Man," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Cats" and "Oklahoma!"

"It’s a beautiful community of people from all shapes, sizes, colors, ages and types coming together to express their love of Broadway," DJ Jay C. Ellis says. "Everyone has a blast due to the true commitment of those who come out and support."

COSPLAY WELCOME

Theater fans who come to the rave traditionally cosplay as their favorite characters from Broadway musicals.

"This crowd goes all out," Maccoby says. "We even have ‘Wicked’ fans painting themselves green head-to-toe like Elphaba."

Ellis adds, "Once, this girl came as Glinda the Good Witch enclosed in a bubble."

Nathaniel H. Lopez, 34, of Huntington, has attended 10 "Broadway Rave" events. He has cosplayed as a variety of characters, such as Marty McFly from "Back to the Future: The Musical," Dr. Pomatter from "Waitress" and Seymour Krelborn from "Little Shop of Horrors" complete with an Audrey II plant puppet on his arm.

"People coming together to celebrate Broadway music is not something you see too often," he says. "You hear music that you wouldn’t normally hear in other clubs. Plus, I love the energy of the crowd."

INTERACTIVE SET LIST

Ellis, the DJ, gets playful with the attendees by conducting games with songs like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from "Mary Poppins."  Plus, he  takes requests.

"If I see people dressed like the characters from ‘Xanadu,’ we are playing some ‘Xanadu’ tonight. Someone shows up wearing roller skates, I’ll put on ‘Starlight Express,’ " he says. "We go based on what the vibe is. Every ‘Broadway Rave’ is a specific and unique experience."

"Broadway Rave" is also known for snagging surprise guest appearances by notable Broadway actors. Cameos have included Chris McCarrell ("Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief," "Les Misérables"), Ryan McCartan ("The Great Gatsby"), the cast of “& Juliet," the cast of "Maybe Happy Ending," Mary Kate Morrissey ("Wicked" national tour), the cast of "Mean Girls," and Thayne Jasperson ("Hamilton"). Ellis, who portrayed Jellis J in "Freestyle Love Supreme" on Broadway, the national tour and its Las Vegas residency, will be creating a freestyle rap on the spot.

"For me it’s all about the audience. It’s your time to take the stage and be the main character while I’ll be your best supporting actor," Ellis says. "Some attendees are looking to grab the mic for their moment to shine. I will mute the vocals and let them belt one out."

While the evening flows based on requests, there are some staple moments, such as "Defying Gravity" (from "Wicked"), "Seasons of Love" ("Rent"), "Don’t Rain on My Parade" ("Funny Girl") and "One Day More" ("Les Misérables").

"Everyone rushes to the stage and someone gets a flag," Maccoby says. "Nothing is out of bounds or off base. It’s all inclusive."

Spotlight is equipped with a full bar, with 12 beers on tap ($7-$8), craft cocktails ($16-$18) and house wine ($12-$14). A bar menu features dishes like buttermilk fried chicken hot honey sliders ($18), jumbo Bavarian pretzels ($15) and wood fired pizzas ($21-$23).