Fair colleagues, hail! Has it been a year
Since I've trod a path round the blogosphere?
Striving daily to plot the course
Of that splendid steed: stately "War Horse"
From the spindly steps in early '11
To his brilliant climb to Tony-award heaven
The year began with bouts of 'ballie'
And ends at last with boughs of holly
Waddya say, sweet dudes and dames
May I now announce the roll of names?
Brian Lee Huynh, Jeslyn Kelly
May your Yuletide shake with bowls of jelly
Steady now, give a show of hands
To David Pegram and Joel Reuben Ganz
Let us party hard: until the death
With Walleck, Cat and Numrich, Seth
Christmas grog must bubble and boil
For Alex Hoeffler and Matt "Billy" Doyle
Oh my God, I said "Shut up!"
And clasp your hands around a cup
Of lethally potent Devonshire cider
With McGiver, Boris and Smith, T. Ryder
Bring bijoux, Santa, if you can
To Shannon's mum (Ms. Bresnahan)
Now pirouette and chance a twirl
For Leenya Rideout, Joby Earle
Sound a snort, emit a neigh
For S. J. Anthony and Rico Wey
It's time, it's time, I say: Ach, schnell!
Ascend the tower, toll the bell
For Peter Hermann, German-reared
Who could (hey, Wardrobe!) sport Santa's beard
And lavish bling on Austin; Prentice
And anyone else that Equity sent us
All good gifts help fill the tree
For Ariel Heller and Tom "Daddy" Lee
The happy hols are not the time
For me to break my Christmas rhyme
And fill my blog with dish and dirt
The kind that spurs a host of hurt
Under the ivy, I kiss not tell
And tip my cap to Bhavesh Patel
Your secrets, yes, are safe with me
We're Broadway, kids, not last night's "Glee"!
When daylight breaks come Christmas dawn
All good things for Woofter; Braun
To both the Jon-a-thans, ho heave
Spring secret Santas Christmas Eve
And just what for our pair of Zachs?
What toys will burst from St. Nick's sacks?
Whatever springs, no lump of coal
Shall mar a hand that guides a foal
Now blow the horn and strum the lyre
Shout gladdest tidings, Christmas choir!
Arise, Bold Liam, Mighty Kate
Grace us with your voices great
For Stephen Plunkett, Hannah Sloat
And all who keep our show afloat
For children, yes, let's shout "Amen"
To Emilie: Miss Madeleine
Pile all our plates with food
For you know who (Ian, Ben, and Jude!)
Include some grub for Villar, too
Richard, Sanjit, all the crew
Of dressers led by Bowling, Lynn
(Who's better with a thread or pin?)
For all stage managers: they are grand
Spread the word across the land!
Readers, now, please rest your gaze
My poem winds down while Yule logs blaze
Tweets be silent, phones draw blanks
Let us say a final thanks
To Joey and his pal Topthorn:
Some extra oats on Christmas morn!
For all God's creatures, copious mirth
And let us strive for peace on earth.
Brendan Lemon is the American theater critic for the Financial Times and the editor of lemonwade.com.
