We’re In This Together A Reason To Smile Dan Rather and Team Steady Apr 27 “Gypsy” star Audra McDonald (credit: Getty Images). Sometimes the lyrics from a great song are timeless. And on occasion, words written decades ago seem more appropriate now than back then. That thought occurred to me as I listened to a clip of a number from one of my favorite musicals with an all-new cast. If you have never seen an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, I highly recommend it. The network invites musical artists to its Washington, D.C., offices to perform. Even when it is a solo act, it’s usually a tight squeeze, but this week NPR hosted the cast of Broadway’s “Gypsy,” along with its 26-piece orchestra. NPR posted the entire 20-minute concert, and the whole thing is terrific. But if you have time for only one song, fast forward 5 minutes and 22 seconds to “Together, Wherever We Go.” It is this week’s reason to smile. The list of actresses who have played Gypsy Rose Lee is a who’s who of musical theater icons, including Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, and now six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald. The incomparable cast also includes Tony winner Danny Burstein and Joy Woods. They performed the song on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” last month. All the songs from the iconic musical, written by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, are toe-tappers, but the showstopper “Together” resonated with me, especially right now. Sondheim’s lyrics remind all of us living through what is arguably one of the most challenging times in American history that we are not in it alone. “Wherever we go, whatever we do, we’re gonna go through it together.” That may sound quaint, as only a 1950s Broadway musical can, but it is also true. We will survive this, and the country will too, because we, my Steady friends, are in this together. Thank you for not only reading these words, but also supporting your fellow subscribers. Your comments are enlightening, engaging, and always thoughtful. What a wonderful community we have built. Together. If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible. No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening. Stay Steady, Dan