Please Go Down This #FBF Rabbit Hole With Us
July 21, 2017

Sometimes life just drops gems into your lap, on an otherwise typical Friday—like the 1980s public access television show “Stairway to Stardom” and the font of video footage that is the stairwaytostardom YouTube channel. Founded by Brooklynite Frank Masi—an amateur singer and apparent proponent of local talent—”Stairway to Stardom” featured child and teen performers who sang, danced and even performed comedy acts. It’s an earnest show, and we don’t mean to disparage the performers, but it’s definitely fun to take a trip back to the ’80s and reminisce over costume choices (SO MANY SEQUINS), jazz layouts and 3-D bangs—all performed on the smallest of (carpeted) sound stages. Though many of these performers went on to pursue other life choices, occasionally you stumble upon someone you recognize, like Anthony (AC) Ciulla. He’s an Emmy award-winning and Tony Award-nominated choreographer who definitely made it big, but that’s not gonna stop us from watching his “What a Feeling” (from Flashdance) performance over and over again:


Again, there are many, many gems to see on this DIY talent show. (And if, like me, you quickly become obsessed, please check out this interview NPR did with big-time fan Mitch Friedman about the show.)