EXCITING NEWS! Our very own special Oktoberfest celebration is coming back on October 7th !!!  Traditionally, The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Bavaria, Germany during late September and early October The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese.. The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the happy royal event which was held on a large meadow in Munich, named after the princess — Theresienwiese (Theresa’s fields) — and featured a horse race, beer, food, music and dancing.

The citizens of Munich have enjoyed re-creating this celebration ever since. As Germans emigrated to North America, smaller Oktoberfests sprouted up in their communities.

 After a special opening parade and ceremony — where the festival hosts along with musical bands and the waitresses arrive on decorated carriages to the festival grounds — the doors of all 11 beer tents burst open and people rush in to get their steins of beer. Oktoberfest beer is of a variety called Märzen which is darker and stronger than traditional beer.  Just 6 Munich breweries - Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten - are permitted to serve beer at the festival.

Revelers in Munich enjoy traditional hearty fare such as Hendl, whole chickens grilled on a spit, roasted meats, potato dumplings served up with the traditional red cabbage and the apple dish (Blaukohl). Local specialties such as roasted ox tails, grilled pork knuckles, or Bavarian Weißwürste, steamed white veal sausages served with sweet mustard, sauerkraut, and a pretzel or bread roll are found on just about every menu. Typical dessert dishes include Dampfnudel, a steamed honey-dumpling served with vanilla sauce, apple strudel, and Kaiserschmarrn, a sugared pancake with raisins.

Music performances include oompah music, popular and traditional folk music, marches, and polkas which Germany is stereotypically famous for around the world.  As the evening wears on, the music becomes louder and more and more people begin to sing, linking arms and swinging beer mugs from side to side, some standing and swaying and dancing on benches or tables. Before each break, the band will offer up "ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit", a toast to contentment, congeniality, and relaxation.  

At WBT, we’ll have all the fun and excitement of the traditional music, dancers and performers along with Oktoberfest culinary specialties & of course, THE BEER!  JOIN OUR OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION on  OCTOBER 7th!  Call The Box Office at (914) 592-2222 or The Website: www.broadwaytheatre.com For All the Delicious Details!!    

  Our sides will surely ache at The Comedy Night here at WBT on April 1st!! SIX seasoned comedians will commemorate the day of trickery with humor that will have us guffawing!

April Fools Day, sometimes called All Fools Day, is the day most of the western world knows is set aside for good hearted pranks, hoaxes, gags, and giggles. The day is generally observed by playing a practical joke on a "victim" who soon becomes known as an April Fool. This custom is thought to have started in France during the 16th century but the British are credited with bringing it to the United States.  The commonly accepted origin of April Fool’s Day involves changes in the calendar. At one time, the New Year celebration began on March 25 and ended on April 1. However, in 1582, King Charles IX adopted the Gregorian calendar and accepted the beginning of the new year as January 1. Those who refused to acknowledge the new date or simply forgot received foolish gifts and invitations to nonexistent parties. The butt of such a prank was known as a "poisson d’avril" or "April fish." In Scotland the person is called a gowk (cuckoo), the symbol of a simpleton. (more…)