Ryan Raftery's Watch What Happens - Live On Stage! is a fascinating theatrical production that brings together two seemingly disparate worlds - the world of reality television and the world of theater. This show, which has been performed to great acclaim in both New York and Los Angeles, is a hilarious and irreverent take on the popular Bravo TV series, Watch What Happens Live.
At its core, Watch What Happens - Live On Stage! is a parody of all things reality TV. Ryan Raftery, who wrote and stars in the show, plays the role of Andy Cohen, the host of Watch What Happens Live. In this version of the show, however, Cohen is not just an affable talk show host - he's also a conniving, manipulative mastermind who will stop at nothing to make great television.
The show follows Cohen as he sets his sights on three famous women - Bethenny Frankel, Teresa Giudice, and Vicki Gunvalson - and tries to lure them onto his show. Along the way, he employs a variety of underhanded tactics to get them to agree to appear, including blackmail, bribery, and outright lies.
One of the most interesting things about Watch What Happens - Live On Stage! is the way it blends elements of traditional theater with the frenetic energy of Reality TV. The show features musical numbers, elaborate set pieces, and lots of over-the-top drama, but it's all delivered with a wink and a nod. Raftery's script is full of clever jokes and snarky one-liners, and he's clearly having a great time skewering the conventions of both television and theater.
Another notable aspect of the show is the way it engages with questions of celebrity culture and the nature of fame. Through Cohen's scheming, we see how easily public figures can be manipulated for the sake of ratings, and how the facade of reality TV can be used to both build up and tear down stars. At the same time, however, Raftery clearly has a lot of affection for his subjects - even as he's poking fun at them, there's a sense that he genuinely admires their willingness to put themselves out there for the world to see.
In all, Ryan Raftery's Watch What Happens - Live On Stage! is a thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking production that successfully bridges the gap between Reality TV and theater. It's a show that's sure to make you laugh, but it's also a show that will leave you thinking about why we're so obsessed with watching other people's lives unfold on our screens. Whether you're a die-hard Bravo fan or a skeptic of the whole Reality TV phenomenon, this show is definitely worth checking out.