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"Always a Banana, Never the Bride"
I debuted my one-woman show, Always a Banana, Never the Bride: An Ode to Broadway's "Lesser Ladies" on the OB Playhouse stage in October 2022. Billed as "part Broadway Cabaret, part motivational talk," the show was received with overwhelmingly positive feedback, and was awarded the 2023 BroadwayWorld San Diego Award for Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance.
About the Show
"Part comedy show, part Broadway cabaret, part motivational talk - and ALL fun!”
Join local San Diego actor Alyssa Anne Austin as she pays homage to Broadway's beloved “second bananas” in her premiere one woman-show, Always a Banana, Never the Bride: An Ode to Broadways "Lesser Ladies." Originally performed in October 2022 at the OB Playhouse in San Diego, Always a Banana had audience members singing, laughing, and even making some powerful personal discoveries throughout the course of the show!
Packed with songs from classic Broadway shows like Chicago, She Loves Me, Wicked, Guys & Dolls, Kiss Me Kate and more, Always a Banana celebrates and shines a spotlight on some of our favorite “lesser ladies” to make the case that we don't NEED to fit ourselves into any sort of mold to be successful, happy, or memorable.
*A portion of all ticket sales from past & future Always a Banana performances will be donated to Helen Woodward Animal Center in honor of Alyssa's beloved dog, Georgie. Learn more about Helen Woodward here.
Why I Created "Always a Banana"
When I first had the idea for a one-woman show spotlighting Broadway’s “Second Bananas,” initially, I just wanted to pay homage to some of these ladies (such as Adelaide in Guys & Dolls, Ilona in She Loves Me, and Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate) and their unique characteristics. And - if I'm being honest - I also wanted create the opportunity for myself to step into these characters and perform their songs, because they are all characters I would love to play someday!
But as I started thinking more about the show, it became more than that. It became a way for me to combine my two passions - acting and coaching - and create something truly unique and uplifting for audiences.
In shining a spotlight on these Second Bananas, not only could I pay homage to them, but I could also use them as a fun way to challenge audiences to think differently about labels, stereotypes, and the boxes we put ourselves and others in. And that's when I started to weave in the self-discovery prompts and coaching elements of the show that make it so unique.
Learn more about the creation of Always a Banana in this interview with Broadway World San Diego writer E.H. Reiter - Read the Full Interview on Broadway World Here!
Book Always a Banana!
Interested in having Alyssa come and perform her "part Broadway Cabaret, part TED talk" one-woman show at your venue? Email Alyssa directly at alyssa.anne.austin@gmail.com.