Thursday, March 31, 2011

"La Cage" Revisited

Harvey Fierstein has returned to performing on Broadway, replacing Tony winner Douglas Hodge in the current revival of La Cage Aux Folles. The New York Times has re-reviewed the show with the new cast and the show is decidedly different with Fierstein in it. Check out the review below to see what I mean.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/theater/harvey-fierstein-joins-la-cage-aux-folles.html?ref=theater

Daisey Egan Profile

Daisey Egan, the youngest female performer to win a Tony Award (which she won at the age of 11 for her performance in The Secret Garden) is back in the spotlight again, having left the theater after a series of personal tragedies. She is now performing a solo show in New York called Still Daisy After All These Years. Check out the New York Times profile on her at the link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/theater/daisy-eagan-in-still-daisy-after-all-these-years.html?_r=1&ref=theater

Elizabeth Moss Dishes on Mad Men and Her New Stage Work

Elizabeth Moss provided Broadway.com with an interview in which she discusses on her West End debut in The Children's Hour, news about Mad Men, and meeting Keira Knightley. Check it out!

http://www.broadway.com/shows/childrens-hour/buzz/155822/elisabeth-moss-on-mad-men-delays-broadway-memories-her-star-turn-in-londons-childrens-hour/

The Normal Heart Has a Added Cast Members

Luke McFarlane (of Brothers and Sisters fame) and Patrick Breen have joined the cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart. The last-minute addition to the season has also added a few production staff members, including David Rockwell (sets), Martin Pakledinaz (costumes), and David Weiner (lights). These additions are joining a cast that already includes Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies), Joe Mantello (who acted in the original production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America and directed the recent revival of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins and the Broadway production of Wicked) and Jim Parsons (of TV's The Big Bang Theory). The show will be directed by Broadway veteran Joel Grey who, because he is also starring in the upcoming revival of Anything Goes, is being assisted in his direction by another Broadway vet -- George C. Wolfe, who recently directed the Broadway premier of John Guare's A Free Man of Color.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Will Swenson to Direct Film Project

I just found this article on the New York Times website. It pretty much speaks for itself. Below is the actual article, as it appeared on the site.


Broadway Star to Direct Film Version of ‘Facing East’
By RACHEL LEE HARRIS

Will Swenson, a Tony Award nominee for his performance in “Hair” (2009) and a star of the new Broadway musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” will direct an independent film adaptation of Carol Lynn Pearson’s play “Facing East.” In the play, a Mormon couple grapple with their faith after the suicide of their gay son. Ms. Pearson, whose 1986 memoir, “Good-bye, I Love You,” told the story of her husband’s struggle to come out as a gay man and his eventual death from AIDS, also wrote the screenplay. Mr. Swenson has personal reasons for working on this project: “Getting through my own adolescence as a young Mormon was challenging as it was, but watching my best friend struggle with his identity as a gay teenager was heartbreaking,” he said in a statement from the producers. Production is expected to begin in the fall. A percentage of the film’s profits will be donated to the Trevor Project, a nationwide crisis and suicide prevention help line for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Film Version of In the Heights Dropped

Universal Pictures Studios has dropped the film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony winning musical In the Heights. The reason cited is that, with no stars attached to the film, the planned $37 million budget was too risky.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Fourth Nomination Predictions

After a number of changes to the 2010-2011 season, including the addition of a number of new productions and the departure of a major comic book contender which needs not be named, I have updated my predictions for this year's Tony nominations. The official nominations will be released on May 3rd, so I will probably update my predictions two or three more times before that date.


Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Book of Mormon
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
Elf
The People in the Picture
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Book
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
The Book of Mormon
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
NO CHANCE:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The People in the Picture

Score
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The Scottsboro Boys
Wonderland
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Sister Act

Play
A Free Man of Color
War Horse
Good People
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Jerusalem
Lombardi
Brief Encounter
NO CHANCE:
Elling
The Pitmen Painters

Musical Revival
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Play Revival
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Ernest
OUTSIDE SHOT:
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy
NO CHANCE:
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
A Life in the Theatre

Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, La Bete
David Hyde Pierce, La Bete
Al Pacino, Merchant of Venice
Jeffrey Wright, A Free Man of Color
Dan Lauria, Lombardi
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem
James Earl Jones, Driving Miss Daisy
Tristan Sturrock, Brief Encounter
Dennis O'Hare, Elling

Actress in a Play
Lily Rabe, Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Cherry Jones, Mrs. Warren's Profession
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Frances McDormand, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves

Featured Actor in a Play
Mos Def, A Free Man of Color
Damon Daunno, Brief Encounter
John McMartin, A Free Man of Color
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Ernest
David Harbour, Merchant of Venice
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Paul Dano, A Free Man of Color
Byron Jennings, Merchant of Venice
Tate Donovan, Good People
Richard Easton, Elling

Featured Actress in a Play
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bete
Dana Ivey, The Importance of Being Earnest
Estelle Parsons, Good People
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Dorothy Atkinson, Brief Encounter
Sarah Topham, The Importance of Being Earnest
Nicole Behari, A Free Man of Color
Christina Ricci, Time Stands Still
NO CHANCE:
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The House of Blue Leaves
Veanne Cox, A Free Man of Color
Jennifer Coolidge, Elling

Actor in a Musical
Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Will Swenson, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Aaron Tveit, Catch Me if You Can
Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Colin Donnell, Anything Goes

Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Sherie Rene Scott, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Janet Dacal, Alice: A New Wonderland
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Beth Leavel, Baby, It’s You!

Featured Actor in a Musical
Coleman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O’Malley, The Book of Mormon
Joel Grey, Anything Goes
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Jeff Hiller, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
John Cullum, The Scottsboro Boys

Featured Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kristine Nielsen, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Karen Mason, Alice: A New Wonderland
Beth Leavel, Elf

Director of a Play
Matthew Warchus, La Bete
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Daniel Sullivan, Merchant of Venice
George C. Wolfe, A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Emma Rice, Brief Encounter
David Leveaux, Arcadia

Director of a Musical
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jack O'Brien, Catch Me if You Can
Jerry Zaks, Sister Act
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
NO CHANCE:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Set Design of a Play
La Bete
Merchant of Venice
War Horse
The Pitmen Painters
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
The House of Blue Leaves
NO CHANCE:
Driving Miss Daisy
Arcadia

Costume Design of a Play
Lombardi
Free Man of Color
War Horse
La Bete
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Merchant of Venice
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Arcadia
Mrs Warren’s Profession
NO CHANCE:
House of Blue Leaves

Lighting Design of a Play
La Bete
War Horse
Merchant of Venice
A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
Arcadia
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy

Sound Design of a Play
La Bete
A Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
Brief Encounter
OUTSIDE SHOT:
War Horse
Arcadia
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters

Set Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Woderland: A New Alice
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes

Costume Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Catch Me If You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Wonderland: A New Alice

Lighting Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Catch Me if You Can
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act

Sound Design of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Alice: A New Wonderland
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Choreography
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Jerry Mitchell, Catch Me if You Can
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Danny Mefford, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Ross Coleman, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Anthony Van Laast, Sister Act

Orchestrations
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Brief Encounter
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Opens

The revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierpont Finch opened last night at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.  The reviews are pretty poor, but Daniel Radcliffe does get an A for effort -- from what I've read, he goes against the grain of the title and really does try.  The show's choreography and Tammy Blanchard's performance are the only things remotely worth writing home about, according to what I've read, along with maybe Mr. Radcliffe's star power.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Bret Michaels Suing the Tony Awards

Almost two years after his accident with a set piece at the 2009 Tony Awards ceremony, rock star Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, is suing CBS and the awards show's producers.  The suit arises from an incident at the 2009 Tony Awards ceremony where a moving set piece hit Michaels in the head.  The suit, filed in Lon Angeles superior court, alleges that the defendants did not properly instruct Mr. Michaels how to exit the stage and were, therefore, negligent.

"The Tony Awards dropped a piece of the stage on Bret's head, and then instead of doing the right thing, joked about it and played it off for ratings," said. Michaels' attorney Alex Weingarten. "Bret never wanted to file a lawsuit, but the Tony Awards have left us with no choice. They must be held accountable for almost killing Bret, and that is what we are going to do."

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Spider-Man's New Choreographer

Amongst all the other changes being made around the new Spider-Man musical, one of them is the addition of a new choreographer, Chase Brock.  No one's really ever heard of him, so the New York Times reprinted a profile they did of him a year ago when he had a different choreography job -- for a video game.  Read the article posted below for more information.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/arts/dance/01wiidance.html?_r=1

Friday, March 25, 2011

The Book of Mormon Opens on Broadway

The Book of Mormon, a new musical by Trey Parker and Matt Stone (of South Park fame) and composer Robert Lopez (from Avenue Q), opened last night at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.  The reviews are in and are very strong and very positive, and are comparable to the reviews for The Producers 10 years ago.  It looks like I will have to rework my nomination predictions.

Lanford Wilson Dead at 73

These things come in threes, so it seems.  After the passing of Elizabeth Taylor and Helen Stenborg yesterday comes the news that playwright Lanford Wilson has died at the age of 73.  His plays include Balm in Gilead, Angels Fall, Serenading Louie, Redwood Curtain, Fifth of July, Burn This, and the Pulitzer-Prize winning Talley's Folly.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Helen Stenborg Dead at 86

When it rains, it pours!  Right on the heels of the news of Elizabeth Taylor's death comes the news of Helen Stenborg, beloved stage actress and mother of director Doug Hughes.  Ms. Stenborg died in her Manhattan appartment with her children at her side, at the age of 86.  Ms. Stenborg starred in Broadway productions of The Crucible, A Doll's House, and A Life, as well as a Tony-nominated performance in 2000 for Waiting in the Wings.

Iconic Actress Elizabeth Taylor Dead at 79

Elizabeth Taylor, the legendary actress of stage and screen, has died at 79 of congestive heart failure.  She won two Academy Awards for her classic performances, the first for Butterfield 8 in 1960 and the second for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1966.  As a child star, Ms. Taylor shot to fame for both her talent and her beauty in National Velvet, followed quickly by A Place in the Sun and Cleopatra.  The latter is a four hour epic film that recounts the entire history of Cleopatra's life and is one of the most expensive films ever made, but which was a vanity project created around Elizabeth.  What may have been most surprising about Ms. Taylor was the combination of her striking beauty and how talented she actually was, given that she never had any formal training as an actor.  This is particularly striking when one considers the range of characters she played over her career, from the lead in the epic Cleopatra to two Tennessee Williams heroines in Suddenly, Last Summer opposite Katherine Hepburn and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opposite Paul Newman, to a softer role in Butterfield 8 and her brashly harsh but spot-on turn in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? opposite her then-husband Richard Burton, even including a turn as Katherine in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.

Audra McDonald Is Looking to Return to Broadway

Audra McDonald, four time Tony winner, is looking to return to Broadway in a production of Porgy and Bess.  Having left her TV gig on Private Practice after four years, she is preparing to star in a production of the show at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that she hopes will bring her back to New York.  The production will open at the A.R.T in September of this year.  This production is a re-imagining of the George and Ira Gershwin opera and is being put together by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks and composer Diedre Murray.

Ghetto Klown Opens on Broadway

John Leguizamo has opened his third solo show on the Great White Way and the reviews are in.  First, there was Freak in 1998.  Then there was Sexaholix in 2001.  Now, we have Ghetto Klown.  Though reviewers loved Leguizamo's boundless energy, style, and impersonations, the writing seems less fresh this time around.  The New York Times put it best when Charles Isherwood said that the play's issues are "as much a problem of the material's substance as is Mr. Leguizamo's interpretation of it."

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Good News for Good People

Manhattan Theater Club has announced that their current production of David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, starring Frances McDormand and Estelle Parsons, has extended its run at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre by three weeks.  The play, in a production directed by Daniel Sullivan, opened on March 3rd and was originally slated to close on May 8th, but will now close on May 29th.  The play has been playing at nearly full capacity since receiving rave reviews across the boards.

Stars Join "Company" at the Philharmonic

"Phone rings, door chimes, in come" ... the stars.  A production of Stephen Sondheim's Company at the New York Philharmonic has just added a few stars to its roster.  Christina Hendricks of Mad Men fame will join the cast as April, Jon Cryer (until recently, Charlie Sheen's co-star on Two and a Half Men) will play David, and two time Tony-winner Katie Finneran will play Amy (for those of you who know the show, she's the one who's "Not Getting Married Today").  This announcement adds to the list of stars who were already attached to the production, including Patti LuPone as Joanne, Neil Patrick Harris as the central role of Bobby, Tony-Winner Anika Noni Rose as Marta, and Martha Plimpton as Sarah.

Monday, March 21, 2011

"Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" Opens

The Australian musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert has opened on Broadway.  The show has received mixed-to-poor reviews for its writing and construction, but strong reviews for its acting.  Tony Sheldon, friend to this blog whom I interviewed recently, has gotten extraordinarily high praise for his performance as Bernadette and it now seems likelier than ever that he could win a Tony for this role.  Audiences seem to be loving the cam and the music, but reviewers didn't seem to catch on to that -- the structural issues seemed to get in their way.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Environmental Theater and Odd Props

We don't get too much environmental theater in New York, but it would seem that we're getting a high quality example right now from Punchdrunk, a British theater company that is currently visiting the city.  The New York Times has written a great profile of the company (linked below) and their current show here -- a Hitchcock/Shakespeare mash-up.  For those who may not be aware, is theater that has been developed in and around a specific location that is not a traditional theater space.  (An example  might be a production of Hamlet that takes place in and around  the real Elsinor castle and which has the audience move through the castle from scene to scene.)  For more detail on environmental theater (also called site specific theater), check out the Wikipedia article below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/theater/sleep-no-more-from-punchdrunk-transforms-chelsea-warehouses.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=theater&adxnnlx=1300554041-bcUWTbuCMhVCOV364fCyWw


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_theater

Friday, March 18, 2011

"Arcadia" Opens on Broadway

Arcadia, Tom Stoppard's highly academic play about math, entropy, and the desire to learn, opened last night in a revival directed by David Leveaux.  The production stars Tony Winner Billy Crudup and four time Tony nominee Raul Esparza.  The show got decidedly mixed reviews, with reviewers enjoying the production overall, but finding many of the actors miscast.  I still think the show can get a best Revival Tony nomination, but I don't know about any others, except maybe Best Director.

Fat Pig Postpones

Neil LaBute's sophomore outing on Broadway has postponed its Broadway birth.  The show will now open in the 2011-2012 season due to the loss of one of the show's key investors, though the identity of that investor was not disclosed.  The delay comes as a result of the producers' desire to keep the current team involved with the show.  New dates have not been announced.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Aaron Tveit's Rise to Fame

The New York Times has published a great profile on Aaron Tveit, who will take on the lead role in the upcoming musical adaptation of Catch Me If You Can.  Coming out of the chorus and into the spotlight with roles in Wicked and Next to Normal on Broadway, Tveit is, according to the Times, on his way to being Broadway's next leading man (and, in my best guess, the next Tony Winner for Best Actor in a Musical -- remember that you heard it here first!).

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/theater/aaron-tveits-journey-to-catch-me-if-you-can-on-broadway.html?_r=1&ref=theater

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Tony Announcement Date Announced

Well, dear readers ... We are one step closer to Tony night with the release of the date when the Tony nominations will be announced.  We will find out who is nominated for the 2011 Tony's on May 3rd ... shortly after the eligibility deadline of April 28th -- the day by which a show must open on Broadway in order to qualify for awards this year.  The awards will be given out on June 12th in a live broadcast from the Beacon Theatre from 8 to 11.  The ceremony was pushed out of Radio City Music Hall this year for the first time in 13 years because Cirque du Soleil has booked that space this year for its production of Zarkana.

New Disney Adaptations in the Works

Disney Theatricals is in the process of adapting more of their famed film collection into musicals for the stage.  Up next are Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Father of the Bride, and Freaky Friday.  Tim Burton, who directed a recent film adaptation of Alice in Wonderland with Disney is in the works to direct that film's stage version with the film's scriptwriter, Linda Woolverton, will contribute to the show's script.

Michael Chabon, author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and The Yiddish Policemen's Union, is set to write the script for the adaptation of Dumbo, which will be directed by Stephen Daldry.  Mr. Daldry won a Tony for his direction of Billy Elliot a few years back.

Bartlett Sher (Tony-winning director of the hit revival of South Pacific) will direct the adaptation of Father of the Bride, while Christopher Ashley will direct the adaptation of Freaky Friday.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

King's Speech to Come to Broadway

A stage adaptation of the recent Best Picture Oscar-winner The King's Speech has its eye on Broadway.  David Seidler, the film's script writer, has said that he originally envisioned the story as a stage play and audiences may be seeing the show as soon as next year.  The film's stars will not join the cast of the stage adaptation.  Oscar- and Tony-winner Geoffrey Rush, who played speech therapist Lionel Logue in the film, has said, "I know David Seidler would like me to do the play.  I have to keep myself alert and diversified.  I'm getting older and I have to be open to other possabilities.  [Also], they have to let the film mellow with the audience."

Monday, March 14, 2011

Olivier Award Winners Announced

Winners of the 2011 Olivier Awards, London's equivalent of the Tony's, were announced last night.  And the winners were ...


BEST NEW MUSICAL
Legally Blonde - The Musical by Laurence O’Keelfe and Nell Benjamin (music and lyrics), Heather Hach (book)

BEST NEW PLAY
Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
Into the Woods at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

BEST REVIVAL
After the Dance at the NT Lyttelton

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
David Thaxton, Passion

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sheridan Smith, Legally Blonde - The Musical

BEST ACTOR
Roger Allam, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2

BEST ACTRESS
Nancy Carroll, After the Dance

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Adrian Scarborough, After the Dance

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Michelle Terry, Tribes

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Jill Halfpenny, Legally Blonde - The Musical

BEST ENTERTAINMENT
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit, adapted by Mike Kenny

BEST DIRECTOR
Howard Davies, The White Guard

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Leon Baugh, Sucker Punch

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Neil Austin, The White Guard

BEST SET DESIGN
Bunny Christie, The White Guard

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Hildegard Bechtler, After the Dance

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Adam Cork, King Lear

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Lyric Hammersmith for Blasted

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
La Boheme at the Soho Theatre

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
Christian Gerhaher for his performance in the Royal Opera’s Tannhauser at the Royal Opera House

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Babel (Words) by Eastman vzw and Theatre Royal de la Monnaie at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Antony Gormley, for his set design of Babel (Words)

BBC RADIO 2 AUDIENCE AWARD
We Will Rock You

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Tom Stoppard on "Arcadia"

The New York Times published a great article that gets into the mind of one of the great modern playwrights, Tom Stoppard, and his thoughts on what is generally heralded as his masterwork, Arcadia, which is being revived on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in a production to open on Thursday.

Enjoy the article!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/theater/tom-stoppards-arcadia-is-revived.html?_r=1&ref=theater

Friday, March 11, 2011

American Idiot to Close

American Idiot, the musical based on Green Day's album of the same name, has announced a closing date of April 24th.  Green Day front man Billy Joe Armstrong will return to the show starting April 5th and remain through the show's closing.

That Championship Season Has Begun

The Broadway revival of That Championship Season, "Jason Miller's portrait of morally bankrupt men remembering their glory days as a high-school basketball team," (as Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes it) opened on March 6th.  The production is directed by Gregory Mosher, who also directed last season's hit revival of A View From the Bridge, and he brings a sensibility to this play similar to the one he used on that other play by a Mr. Miller -- one that tries to preserve the "drama's perverse comfort factor ... [its] gleam [or] polish."  But many reviewers thought that, as strong as the physical production was, the play did come across as awfully dated, and as though it could have been written by-the-numbers.  Three of the play's actors have been cited for overacting, with Kiefer Sutherland (making his Broadway debut with this production) being called "the most credible of the lot, quietly conveying a shrunken man poisoned by passivity and resentment."  But in the end, the play comes across as mostly flat and dated, with "little natural flow or friction among the performances."  Could that be why we don't see productions of this play too often?

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Julie Taymor Fired from Spider-Man

In the latest development of the ongoing saga of the trials and tribulations of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Julie Taymor, the show's director, has been fired.  When, in 1996, Disney Theatricals handed her The Lion King, she was a relatively unknown director of experimental theater who, over night, turned into a theatrical wunderkind.  To quote the New York Times, "now, all of a sudden, she is something else entirely."  Nine years into her work helming Spider-Man, a show she co-wrote and costume designed in addition to directing, she is being entirely overhauled.  A new director is being brought in, as is a script doctor, to carry the production along over the next three months.  This will, of course, push the show out of this year's and into next year's Tony race.  As of press time, no comments were available from Ms. Taymor.  The reason for her departure from the production seems to be "creative differences" which, in this case, means that Ms. Taymor would not allow the producers to bring in anyone else to make suggestions on or changes to the show -- either by not meeting with or not following the suggestions of outsiders brought in to help.  The show will now be directed by Phillip William McKinley, whose credits include The Boy From Oz on Broadway as well as a number of circuses with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tony Sheldon Interview


I just got off the phone with Tony Sheldon, an Australian actor making his Broadway debut in the Broadway musical adaptation of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.  Mr. Sheldon and I spoke during a break in rehearsals about his history with the show, the outrageous costumes, and his views on the show's secret weapon!

You are now in previews for the show.  How is the show coming along and how have audiences been responding to it?
The audience s behaving as we’d hoped, screaming and yelling at the end and buying more tickets for their friends to come see the show.

You have been with the show the longest of any of the current cast members.  How has the show developed since you began with the show back in Australia?
It’s a completely different animal.  We stated with a script that bore no relation to the movie.  We then moved to directly adapt the film and add the songs directly from the movie, which I believe is the direct feeder to the popularity of the show.  The songs of the show have changed the whole feel of the show entirely.

Tell me about Bernadette, the character you play in the show.
She’s based on a very well known personality in Sydney in the 1960’s.  She’s still around now, and she was the star of Les Girls.  She was extremely glamorous – the first public sex change.  (The real) Bernadette now is doing her own show called, I believe, the Priscilla Show (cashing in on the success of the film).  When we meet her (for the first time in the show), her lover has just died and she is very bereft and that’s why she is so willing to go on this outrageous trip.

What have you learned about Bernadette in the past few weeks of rehearsals?
I wouldn’t say that I’ve learned anything about my life (from playing Bernadette), necessarily, but I have learned about the theater.  Audiences are the same wherever you go.  All actors have different temperaments and different goals, and I have to stop being so judgmental about other actors.  I probably wouldn’t have been ready to do this show 10 years ago, but now I’m just in the right place for this show.

For those who are familiar with the movie, how much of the show is the same or different?
The story line is relatively in tact, but we’ve – what’s the word? – not, sanitized, but softened it. The film is an abrasive movie.  We’ve felt from the beginning that we wanted to hit a wider audience and didn’t want to offend anyone, so we’ve softened the edges, but we wanted to keep the qualities that keep it unique.  It’s not a Broadway musical – it’s an Australian version of a Broadway musical.  It’s about its specific time and people.  About “low rent” performers who throw together a show with a few pins and a glue gun and we wanted to keep that aspect of the film to keep it special.

Are there any fun new twists added to the Broadway production to keep things fresh for modern audiences?
The production numbers are the twist.  Since we don’t have the desert, so we had to do something.  Now we’ve got the bus and the costumes, which are a total fantasy.  Lizzy (Gardiner) and Tim (Chappel) who won the Oscar for the film’s costumes, worked on this show and their budget was multiplied by about 100 (compared to the film), which has totally allowed them to run rampant with the costumes.  This was the first time I actually laughed with joy when I first saw the costume design.  We had to add a finale to add costume parade to remind people of some of the outrageous designs from the film that we couldn’t fit anywhere else in the show.

When the movie came out in 1994, it was a boundary pushing film, bringing gays and drag queens to the forefront in a way Hollywood had not experienced before.  Given the changes in gay rights issues that have come about in the almost 20 years since the movie, would you say that the show’s message of acceptance is still relevant?
I’m not sure the climate is different. There’s more visibility now, but there’s still lots of hostility towards the community.  Particularly where gays and trans have no rights whatsoever.  I don’t think, though, that this show speaks only to gays.  I feel this show speaks to everyone who feels different.  I think we strike a chord with lonely people, with people of all ages, creeds and types who feel unappreciated and shut out, overlooked.  It’s that message about “your true colors are beautiful so flaunt them.  Be yourself.” – Kiss the glitter, as we say in Australia.  The audiences we’re getting are responding to something deeper – and that’s the surprise of the show.

I opened my mail today and one was from an 81 year old woman who thanked me for giving back her faith in the Broadway musical.  Another was from a priest who just said, “divine”.  This relates exactly to why Priscilla was chosen to be the first Public Service Announcement for the It Gets Better campaign.

How do the cast changes effect the dynamic of the show?
This show changes all the time, particularly with all the casts.  I’ve now done this with 9 or 10 different casts and one is not necessarily better than the other because each person brings something different to each role.  We are all so dependant on each other, so the chemistry is important.  The New York group is one of the best yet and we are really getting along fantastically.  This dynamic really comes through to the audience.

Any encouraging words to those who may be on the fence about this show, given its content?
Our secret weapon is that people don’t think it will be any good – people have made up their minds before they see us.  My only suggestion is that people come with an open mind and just come – this may turn out to be one of the best musicals you’ve ever seen!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Estelle Parsons Interview

I recently finished conducting my second big interview for this blog, today with Estelle Parsons.  The Oscar-winner and theater regular was a real treat to speak with and was great about answering all my questions.  I hope you enjoy reading the interview as much as I enjoyed conducting it!


Ms. Parsons, thank you for taking the time to speak with me this afternoon.  I’ve been reading up on your background and learned that, after finishing college, you studied law at BU.  How did you get from there to acting?
I started out singing and acting in community theater since the age of 6, and later moved up to singing in bands.  (As for the law,) I was interested in constitutional law and legal theory, (but never as a career).  I’m not interested in performing for a living, I’m just interested in living my life.

You are known for your film career, including your Oscar-winning performance in Bonnie & Clyde, yet you continue to return to Broadway every now and again.  What draws you back to the stage rather than staying in Hollywood?
I’m not known for movies – I’m known in theater!

How did you get from acting and singing in Massachusetts to Broadway and Hollywood?
At 16, I started into summer stock, where Melvin Douglas and a lot of other people you’ve never heard of were working.  I worked as an apprentice in those class-A stock companies with Jack Lemon, a childhood friend.  After doing that, I went off to boarding school and college.  I was trying to get some work in Marblehead and Boston.  It was really hard – there was only one company in Cambridge, the Brattle (which is now a movie theater).  They had a rep company, but the weren’t going to take anybody.  After my year in law school, I was living with a friend in New York and we worked on what became the Today Show.  I went back to Massachusetts and went into politics in Marblehead.  Then I came back to NBC and had Barbara Walters’ job before she had that job (as the first network political news reporter).  I’ve been acting in New York ever since!

Given your roots in Lynn, Massachusetts, does Good People feel like somewhat of a homecoming for you?
Oh god, does it ever!  After the 1st day of rehearsal, the director said “ok … you could show up as soon as we start performing”  I had it down so well.  It’s just like a trip home.  Before this, I was doing Deathtrap with Simon Russel Beale in London and had to act with a Dutch accent, which is a terrible accent for theater.  I then did August: Osage County for a year, but it was already a hit, so it was different to step into this where I’m not the lead.  I was very relieved to do a play where I’m not playing such a difficult character.  I was a monster for two years.  Though it’s a funny play, it was a terrible experience!

Many actors say that playing a character in a play teaches them something.  What, if anything, have you learned from Dottie?
The whole thing is a learning experience.  Isn’t that why we do the theater?  Starting from square one each time is always a learning experience.  I stepped very far away from myself in this character, which is harder to do than a large part.  With a large part, you have all night to get it right, but with a small part you have to get it right from the beginning.  I like that.  Maybe I’ve learned I can step far away from myself.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Third Nomination Predictions

Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Book of Mormon
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Catch Me if You Can
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
The People in the Picture
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
Elf
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Book
Catch Me if You Can
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
The Book of Mormon
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
NO CHANCE:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
The People in the Picture

Score
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Wonderland
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Sister Act

Play
A Free Man of Color
War Horse
Good People
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Lombardi
Brief Encounter
Jerusalem
Fat Pig
NO CHANCE:
Elling
The Pitmen Painters

Musical Revival
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Play Revival
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Ernest
OUTSIDE SHOT:
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy
NO CHANCE:
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
A Life in the Theatre

Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, La Bete
David Hyde Pierce, La Bete
Al Pacino, Merchant of Venice
Jeffrey Wright, A Free Man of Color
James Earl Jones, Driving Miss Daisy
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Ernest
Dan Lauria, Lombardi
Tristan Sturrock, Brief Encounter
Dennis O'Hare, Elling
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem

Actress in a Play
Lily Rabe, Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Cherry Jones, Mrs. Warren's Profession
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Frances McDormand, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves

Featured Actor in a Play
David Harbour, Merchant of Venice
Mos Def, A Free Man of Color
Damon Daunno, Brief Encounter
John McMartin, A Free Man of Color
Richard Easton, Elling
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Byron Jennings, Merchant of Venice
Paul Dano, A Free Man of Color
Tate Donovan, Good People

Featured Actress in a Play
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bete
Dana Ivey, The Importance of Being Earnest
Estelle Parsons, Good People
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Good People
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Sarah Topham, The Importance of Being Earnest
Jennifer Coolidge, Elling
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The House of Blue Leaves
Dorothy Atkinson, Brief Encounter
Christina Ricci, Time Stands Still
NO CHANCE:
Veanne Cox, A Free Man of Color
Nicole Behari, A Free Man of Color

Actor in a Musical
Benjamin Walker, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Will Swenson, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Aaron Tveit, Catch Me if You Can
Daniel Radcliffe, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
OUTSIDE SHOT:Colin Donnell, Anything Goes

Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Sherie Rene Scott, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Janet Dacal, Alice: A New Wonderland
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Jennifer Damiano, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Rose Hemingway, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Featured Actor in a Musical
Coleman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Jeff Hiller, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joel Grey, Anything Goes
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
John Cullum, The Scottsboro Boys

Featured Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kristine Nielsen, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Karen Mason, Alice: A New Wonderland
Beth Leavel, Elf
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Isabel Keating, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
T. V. Carpio, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

Director of a Play
Matthew Warchus, La Bete
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Daniel Sullivan, Merchant of Venice
George C. Wolfe, A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Emma Rice, Brief Encounter
David Leveaux, Arcadia

Director of a Musical
Julie Taymor, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jack O'Brien, Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Jerry Zaks, Sister Act
Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
NO CHANCE:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes

Set Design of a Play
La Bete
Merchant of Venice
War Horse
Arcadia
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters
NO CHANCE:
Driving Miss Daisy

Costume Design of a Play
Lombardi
Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
La Bete
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
War Horse
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Arcadia
Mrs Warren’s Profession
NO CHANCE:
House of Blue Leaves

Lighting Design of a Play
La Bete
War Horse
Merchant of Venice
A Free Man of Color
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Brief Encounter
Arcadia
House of Blue Leaves
Driving Miss Daisy

Sound Design of a Play
La Bete
A Free Man of Color
Merchant of Venice
Brief Encounter
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Arcadia
A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
The House of Blue Leaves
The Pitmen Painters

Set Design of a Musical
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
The Scottsboro Boys
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Woderland: A New Alice
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Catch Me if You Can
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
NO CHANCE:
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes

Costume Design of a Musical
The Scottsboro Boys
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Catch Me If You Can
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Wonderland: A New Alice

Lighting Design of a Musical
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Catch Me if You Can
Wonderland: A New Alice
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act

Sound Design of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark
The Scottsboro Boys
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anything Goes
Sister Act
Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Choreography
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Danny Mefford, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Jerry Mitchell, Catch Me if You Can
Ross Coleman, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
OUTSIDE SHOT:
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Anthony Van Laast, Sister Act

Orchestrations
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The Scottsboro Boys
Brief Encounter
Catch Me if You Can
OUTSIDE SHOTS:
Wonderland: A New Alice
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Market Research on Broadway?

Variety Magazine's Gordon Cox has written an article about the upswing in focus groups relating to Broadway shows and how that has influenced Broadway advertising campaigns.  Cox's article appears below.

For many Broadway producers, market research is the thing you do when you stand at the back of the house and gauge an audience's reactions to a show. But for a production's marketing campaign, a growing number of producers is finding more formally conducted research -- via surveys and focus groups -- handy in measuring efficacy.

Unlike the opening-weekend blitz for a film, a legit ad campaign can be out in the marketplace hawking a show for as long as that production is on the boards. In success, that can turn out to be a long time, and the same campaign that helped launch a show might not be the one to help it continue to pack 'em in.

"There seem to be certain key junctures in a show's life where you need to take the public's temperature," says Sandy Block, chief creative officer of Broadway marketing agency Serino Coyne.

The Broadway League, the trade association of legit producers and presenters, releases a recurring batch of studies about Broadway and the road on a regular basis, but these focus on overall demographics or economic impact. Much of the research devoted specifically to Broadway product, on the other hand, is conducted in the form of focus groups, operated either by research-oriented companies like Entertainment Research and Marketing or by Rialto advertising/marketing agencies such as Serino Coyne and SpotCo.

Participants are usually assembled in groups of 10 to 12, broken down by key demo traits such as race, gender and residence, as well as, say, theatergoers with children and those without. It's what these people say that can influence a marketing campaign in midstream.

Take "Memphis," the musical that started off slow at the B.O. last season before gaining momentum that peaked with a Tony win. Producers were finding that although audiences seem to respond to the show once they got in the door, enticing them to buy a ticket was harder than expected.

About four months after the production opened in October 2009, producers, including Sue Frost and Randy Adams, tapped ERm to find out what elements of "Memphis" most interested potential ticketbuyers. They learned it might pay to focus not on the history of rock 'n' roll, as the ad campaign had been doing, but rather on the storyline's forbidden romance and the show's many dance numbers. Around that time, the tagline "Blowing the roof off of Broadway" also was added, in effort to spotlight the high-energy staging.

"We just watched sales go up and up from where we had been," Adams says.

According to Frost, the information gleaned from the process was crucial for what was, at the time, an unfamiliar new title that isn't based on a well-known film or other property.

"This kind of research is really critical to a show with no brand recognition," she says.

According to marketers and researchers, focus groups can especially benefit a production prior to the launch of an advertising campaign, or a few months post-opening (as was the case with "Memphis") or three to four years into a run, once the show has begun to establish itself as a fixture and target an ever-widening circle of auds from around the world.

Last year, about four years after its 2006 opening, "Mary Poppins" launched a series of ads featuring audience testimonials. The marketing switch was inspired by focus groups -- the first time Disney Theatrical Prods. had used them for "Poppins."

The ads, which are still running, showcase real-life theatergoers touting what they enjoyed about "Poppins." And those ads worked, according to Disney Theatrical's exec veep David Schrader, who says year-on-year sales rose some 10% in the wake of the ads.

"Right away, we could tell something was different in the marketplace," he says.

However, even focus-group proponents acknowledge such groups can be problematic: One persuasive or bullying member, for instance, can sway an entire group's responses.

Researchers say they take great care in crafting questions that aren't leading or slanted. "In many cases, you're testing suppositions you already have," says SpotCo topper Drew Hodges. "But there's usually at least one surprise."

Some producers resist market research entirely, in part because it smacks of marketplace-driven creative tinkering. But those who do it argue they're only trying to pinpoint a show's top selling points.

"We're not trying to get too involved on the creative end of things," says ERm's Joseph Craig. "That's their business."

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Spider-Man to Enter A Web of Fines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal organization responsible for monitoring and legislating safety standards in the workplace, has "cited Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark for three serious workplace violations" on Friday, according to a New York Times article.  The fine associated with the citation is $12,600 -- a number that seems relatively small compared to the $65 million this show has already eaten through.  The citations relate to the highly publicized injuries sustained by cast members during performances of the mega-musical's flying sequences.  These citations follow non-fined citations given handed down by the New York State for the same safety violations.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Interview Preparation

Dearest Readers ~

    I have some exciting news to report.  Tony Sheldon, star of the upcoming Broadway production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has just called and agreed to grant me an interview.  I will be getting back in touch with him on Wednesday late morning to conduct the interview but, in the mean time, I would love to hear from you, my readers, to see if there are particular questions you'd like me to ask him.  I can't guarantee that I ask every question you post, but I will do my best!

Thanks in advance,

Sam

Good People, by David Lindsay-Abaire, Opens

Manhattan Theater Club's production of David Lindsay-Abaire's newest play, Good People, has opened at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre and the reviews are out.  The play itself, along with its direction, have gotten relatively high praise.  The real praise here, though, has gone to Frances McDormand's leading performance in the central role of Margie Walsh.  Many of the supporting performances were noted, as well, so the question remains as to which one, or even ones, will be nominated.  This play looks as though it may through my most recent predictions for a loop! 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Daniel Radcliffe Profile

 Daniel Radcliffe will always be remembered as that kid who played Harry Potter in the movies.  This is a mold he has recently started trying to break away from, famously stripping naked in a stage production of Equus a few years ago.  Radcliffe is now coming back to Broadway in a revival of the Pulitzer Prize Winning How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.  The New York Times has published a profile of Mr. Radcliffe at the link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/theater/06radcliffe.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=theater

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Importance of Being Filmed???

Adding to the series of Broadway shows being filmed for screening in movie theaters is Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners, The Importance of Being Earnest.  Three performances will be filmed -- one on Friday, March 11, and two on Saturday, March 12, and will air in June.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Jane Russel, Star of Stage and Screen, Dead at 89

Jane Russell, who caused a major controversy when Howard Hughes brought her to Hollywood, has died at 89.  Ms. Russell starred opposite Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and its sequel of sorts, Gentlemen Marry Brunettes.  She made her only Broadway appearance as Elaine Stritch's replacement in the original Broadway production of Company.  Her full obituary is linked below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/movies/01russell.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries