Gigi Opens on Broadway

The Broadway revival of Gigi opened last night at the Neil Simon Theatre and the reviews are in.  The production's reviews are decidedly mixed.  The design elements of the show are just right, but the feel of the show is too sterile for most.  The show has lost much of what made it charming in previous versions, having made lots of changes to the original material to render it less creepy, including to the song Thank Heaven for Little Girls -- originally sung by a 70 year old Maurice Chevalier in the 1958 movie now being sung by two older ladies, for example.  So, the show may be more savory for a modern audience, but is also less appealing.

Hand to G-d Opens on Broadway

The Broadway production of Hand to G-d opened last night on Broadway and the reviews are in.  The show got stellar reviews, including for the writer, star Steven Boyer, and supporting players Mark Kudisch and Geneva Carr.  I think this dark comedy will do well come Tony-nomination season at least in the categories of Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor, and for sets and costume designs.  Mark Kudisch and Geneva Carr also have strong shots at supporting actor and actress nominations.

Skylight Opens on Broadway

The Broadway revival of David Hare's Skylight opened last night at the Golden Theatre and the reviews are in.  The general consensus seems to be that that the production is top notch.  The production, a revival of David Hare's 1995 play, is a transfer from London's West End starring Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy giving some of the best performances of their careers, if the reviews are to be believed.  The production design is also said to be "essential" (Ben Brantley of the New York Times) and expands on the context and understanding of the play.  This will definitely be a hot ticket soon enough, as word gets out.

Honeymoon in Vegas Sets Closing Date

Honeymoon in Vegas, the new musical based on the 1992 film of the same name, has announced its closing date at the Nederlander Theatre.  The show will close this coming Sunday, April 5th, 2015 -- Easter Sunday.  For more information on the show, check out the notice.


http://www.broadway.com/buzz/178675/last-bets-honeymoon-in-vegas-starring-rob-mcclure-tony-danza-sets-broadway-closing-date/

The Heidi Chronicles Opens on Broadway

The first Broadway revival of Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles, starring Elizabeth Moss, opened this past Thursday at the Music Box Theatre and the reviews are in.  The show received neutral to positive-ish reviews.  The production itself and Pam MacKinnon's direction were rather sterile -- passable enough not to distract too much, but not strong enough to be said to add anything to the show. The show's historical resonance is still felt, as well.  It was the performance of Elizabeth Moss that received the strongest praise.  She probably won't get a Tony nomination, but may come close … particularly if the category proves especially tight.

Third Tony Eligibility Rulings of the Season

The Tony Nominating Committee met for the third time this season and has made decisions about two productions -- Constellations and Honeymoon in Vegas.  Here are their decisions:

For their performances in Constellations, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson will be eligible in the Lead Actor in a Play and Lead Actress in a Play categories.

Tony Danza's performance in Honeymoon in Vegas will be considered eligible in the Featured Actor in a Musical category while Rob McClure will be considered in the Lead Actor in a Musical category.

All other decisions were consistent with the show's opening night credits.

On the 20th Century Opens

The Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of the 1978 tuner On the 20th Century has finally opened, the reviews are in, and they are rapturous.

Ben Brantley of the New York Times called the production "a ripping, lavishly appointed revival [that features] over-the-moon acting, which is rare and occupies its own special cloud land in heaven."  His conclusion?  "There are many reasons to celebrate this On the 20th Century."

The other reviews pretty much said the same thing and highly praised performances of Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Gallagher, Andy Karl, and Mary Louise Wilson.  At least three of these four (all but Karl) are almost guaranteed Tony nominations, with Mr. Karl a highly likely candidate.

The Audience Opens

The new play The Audience, starring Helen Mirren, has opened on Broadway.  The play, about Queen Elizabeth II and several imagined meetings between her and several of the 12 Prime Ministers in power during her reign, opened on Sunday night and the reviews are in.

The reviews were mixed-to-positive.  Many of the reviews commented that Ms. Mirren's central performance was a strong one.  The writing itself, however, got much more mixed results.  Some critics  did not really discuss their opinions on the quality of the writing, merely summarizing the relevant parts of the story.  Others, however, were downright critical of the structure, flow, and dialogue (and I would say rightly so).  This is one of the few plays I've seen where the second act is significantly more entertaining than the first.  Of note in this production, of all things, are the costumes and sets.  These, along with Helen Mirren, are likely to get Tony nominations -- and the costumes may well win.

A Fish in the Dark Opens

Who would have guessed that Larry David would be a Broadway playwright?  Well … his play, A Fish in the Dark, opened last night at the Cort Theatre, turning him into just that.  The reviews have come in and are decidedly mixed.  Sales are so high that the reviews basically don't matter much, though.  That being said, the reviews are decidedly mixed.  Ben Brantley of the New York Times hated the play, while reviewers for Variety and The Hollywood Reporter loved it.  The cast, which includes Jerry Adler, Jane Houdyshell, Ben Shenkmen, Rita Wilson, and Rosie Perez, seems to be the real star of the production, however.  They should laugh all the way to the bank.

Bruce Willis to Make Broadway Debut

It has been announced that Bruce Willis will be making his Broadway debut this fall.  He will be starring in a stage adaptation of the Stephen King novel, Misery.  The adaptation will be written by William Goldman, who won Academy Awards for his screenplays for the films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President's Men, and is also well known for his screenplay to the cult hit The Princess Bride.  The production will be directed by Will Frears.  Elizabeth Marvel will costar.