Broadway Season Nears FinaleAs May begins, thus ends the 2005-06 season on Broadway. But before it fades into history, a few more shows are set to open, including the only truly original Broadway musical of the season,
The Drowsy Chaperone -- which has so much advance buzz that it is likely the frontrunner for Best Musical at this year's Tonys; the Ralph Fiennes/Cherry Jones vehicle
Faith Healer; Martin McDonough's latest
The Lieutenant of Inishmore, -- which could give
The History Boys a run for the Best Play Tony;
Shining City with Brían F. O’Byrne, Oliver Platt and Martha Plimpton; and Disney's latest spectacle that's already SRO,
Tarzan.
It's probably a safe bet that many of this year's Tony Award winners will come from these last offerings of the season. Personally, I'm most looking forward to catching Cherry Jones and Ralph Fiennes. We'll see if the Tony Awards agree.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Cherry Jones, Faith Healer, Musical, Play, The Drowsy Chaperone, The History Boys
Encore: Spotlight Week Ending April 30While I’ve spent considerable time – perhaps too much -- this past week focusing on the two Broadway musicals that received mixed to negative reviews, my underreported story of the past week is the rousing success enjoyed by British import
The History Boys. In fact, I didn’t report on it at all, but really should have.
Alan Bennett’s hit is the likely front-runner for this year’s Best Play Tony. For me, the show would be worth the price of admission just to see the talented Frances de la Tour perform live; de la Tour is primarily known to American audiences for her role as Madame Olympe Maxime in the latest big screen incarnation of Harry Potter. Personally, I loved her fine understated performance in “Love Actually,” which was completely edited out (fortunately, it still lives on DVD among the deleted scene selections).
The History Boys also marks yet another milestone along the already shining track record for director Nicholas Hytner, who helmed everything from
Miss Saigon in the 80s to
Jumpers two years ago.
Rent celebrated its tenth anniversary on Broadway this past week with a star-studded concert that featured its original cast. Among them was Idina Menzel, who will be returning to her Tony Award-winning green roots to once again play Elphaba as
Wicked shoots for a September opening on London’s West End. Also heading to London will be
Spamalot’s Christopher Sieber, who will reprise his role as Sir Galahad (and others) along with Tim Curry, who will once again play King Arthur.
Off Broadway, the critically-acclaimed
Stuff Happens – which had previously sold out at the Public Theater – has extended again, this time to June 25. The historical drama centers on the Bush Administration’s decision to go to war in Iraq.
Perhaps the most exciting news of the past week is that four-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury may be ready to tread the boards once again on Broadway. When contemplation turns to reality, you can bet that I’ll be reporting on it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Approaching One Year, Chicago's Wicked Continues to Captivate (May 23, 2006)
Wicked's West End Witches Update (May 17, 2006)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 16, 2006)
Broadway Season Nears Finale (April 30, 2006)
Labels: Angela Lansbury, Broadway, Play, Rent, Stuff Happens, The History Boys, Wicked
Critics Not Completely Engaged by The Wedding SingerI can see it now – ads proclaiming
The Wedding Singer as the feel-good Broadway musical of the year, especially with such critical quotes as “…imagine
Jersey Boys being married to
Hairspray," (
Clive Barnes,
New York Post), “…the show that opened last night at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre is a good-natured, harmless, high-energy knockoff of the 1998 Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy about nuptial rituals of 1985…Chad Beguelin's lyrics find cleverness in surprising places,” (
Linda Winer,
Newsday), “…
Singer has more heart and a better sense of humor about itself than some of its similarly wacky, winking peers,” (Elysa
Gardner,
USA Today), “One of the show's greatest assets is Rob Ashford's inventive, comic choreography,” (
Howard Kissel,
New York Daily News), and “…the show has at least a flutter of a hedonist's pulse. And …the cast members exude earnestness and good nature,” (
Ben Brantley,
The New York Times). You’d be forgiven for thinking that
The Wedding Singer was a critical smash. You’d be wrong. Truth be told, the reviews showed that the critics were less than completely engaged by this musical.
When it gets right down to it, it seems as though a few critics have truly bad memories of the 1980s. Poor Brantley, for example, must have had an awful time, as he states, “How quickly our dreary yesterdays become bright, cute and endlessly repackageable.” Yikes! Was it really that bad, Ben? Or have you succumbed to the revisionist notion that the 80s were only about corruption and greed – which to its credit
The Wedding Singer did not simply gloss over. Yet, apparently the musical based on the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie still reminded theatre-goers that this was the decade that girls (and boys) just wanted to have fun.
For me, the 80s were the time when I came of age. It was a much more innocent time and -- not surprisingly -- is an era that I enjoyed, big hair and all. The critics would do well to remember that every generation has a decade gone by for which they'll eagerly embrace nostalgia offered up. In
The Wedding Singer, it appears my generation is being served exactly that: a musical where the cast enthusiastically encourages the audience to lighten up. As even Clive Barnes notes about the cast, “all seem to be having fun. As did, it's only fair to note, most of the audience.”
Despite the reviews, I’m looking forward to having fun, too, when I take in this show one week from today.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Film, Musical, The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer's Secret Weapon: Kevin Cahoon?While
The Wedding Singer is ostensibly a love story between the characters played by Stephen Lynch and Laura Benanti, I'm hoping that this might be actor Kevin Cahoon's breakthrough role in which he portrays George (the one in the middle of the photo) -- a cross somewhere between Boy George and Dead or Alive's lead singer Pete Burns.
I first caught Cahoon in
The Rocky Horror Show revival back in 2001 portraying Frank 'N' Furter when Tom Hewitt was out, and the guy turned in a tour de force performance as if it was his from the start. This was one understudy I didn't mind seeing. Then I had the pleasure of seeing him again Off-Broadway with Matthew Broderick in a revival of
The Foreigner -- Cahoon practically stole the show.
Last time I saw Cahoon was off-stage during an intermission at a performance of
The Light In The Piazza. I couldn't resist telling him that I was a huge fan. Unfortunately, when he asked if I'd be coming to see his then current show --
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang -- I sheepishly responded that seeing the London version of the musical a couple years earlier had been enough for me.
Mr. Cahoon, you can bet I already have my ticket for
The Wedding Singer. Nothing would make me prouder than to see you -- and the show -- become a rousing smash.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for The Wedding Singer tickets.Click here for more on Kevin Cahoon.Labels: Broadway, Film, Kevin Cahoon, Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer Opens on Broadway TonightWith
Lestat having just taken a critical drubbing, and
Ring Of Fire about to burn out with an early close, what's a Broadway musical got to do to earn some respect? Aside from critically acclaimed revivals like
The Pajama Game and
Sweeney Todd, along with the jukebox hit
Jersey Boys, there has been precious little critical success for musicals this year. While
The Color Purple is arguably a success at the box office, much in the way that
Wicked was two years ago and
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was last year, the critical reviews were mixed for all three.
Now comes the latest entry,
The Wedding Singer, based on the hit 90s movie with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Perhaps the most well-known name associated with this musical is choreographer Rob Ashford -- who won a Tony for
Thoroughly Modern Millie four years ago, and who turned Ewan McGregor into a surprisingly stylish dancer in last year's glorious West End production of
Guys and Dolls. But I'm banking that the humor from Chad Beguelin (Book and Lyrics) and Tim Herlihy (Book) will strike the right chord with actors Stephen Lynch, Laura Benanti and -- one of my favorite quirky actors -- Kevin Cahoon at the helm.
Only one more night before we'll see whether I'm right.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Broadway, Film, Musical, Opening Night, The Wedding Singer
Jan Maxwell Exits Entertaining Mr. SloaneEarlier today, I was sorry to learn that the immensely talented Jan Maxwell has exited Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway production of
Entertaining Mr. Sloane. While I thoroughly enjoyed the entire ensemble when taking in the black English comedy last month and noticed that the ogling audience was particularly fond of Chris Carmack's Sloane, it was Maxwell who truly delighted the audiences with her horny romp as Kath, who together with her stage brother Ed (portrayed in over-the-top fashion by Alec Baldwin) schemed for Sloane's affections. The show simply won't be the same without her.
Maxwell is being replaced by Barbara Sims.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets. Labels: Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Off-Broadway, Play, Revival
A Chorus Line's Casting AnnouncedPerhaps I was just too young to understand Broadway's long-running
A Chorus Line during its first outing that lasted an impressive 15 years (1975-1990). I saw a touring production somewhere around 1980, when I was still a teenager. But my recollection of seeing it was wondering what the fuss what all about.
Now, 26 years later, the full cast of
A Chorus Line's second Broadway incarnation has been announced, and three stars may make this fussbudget interested in seeing the revival.
First, Charlotte d’Amboise has been cast in the pivotal role of Cassie. d'Amboise has built her stellar reputation not only on her many returns to the Broadway revival of
Chicago, still going strong after all these years, but also for stepping in for injured Christina Applegate as Charity Valentine in last year's
Sweet Charity as the production limped along from Chicago to Boston, before finally opening in New York (with Applegate's triumphant return).
Additionally, Michael Berresse -- currently playing the role of Giuseppe Naccarelli in
The Light In The Piazza -- will star as Zach, who directs
A Chorus Line's show within a show while adding tension as Cassie's former lover.
The cast member I'm most eager to see is the sensational Deidre Goodwin. Last time I had a chance to see her was in
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life earlier this year. Where she really turned it all out was in her amazing performance as Our Lady of the Spa in the breathtaking
Nine with Antonio Banderas and Rivera three years ago. If you weren't able to catch either of those performances, you may recall seeing her in the "Cellblock Tango" number in the movie version of "Chicago," where she played June ("He walked into my knife ten times..."). The opportunity to see this soon-to-be superstar alone should be worth the price of admission.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Chorus Line, Broadway, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, Deidre Goodwin, First Word On New Show, Michael Berresse, Musical, Revival
Critics Sink Their Fangs Into LestatWith reports of scenes being changed right up through last weekend, perhaps it's not suprising that Broadway's
Lestat provided theatre critics with an easy target for their sharpened fangs. The third, yet perhaps most anticipated, of the vampire musicals to descend on the Great White Way in the last three or so years,
Lestat has received middling to poor reviews in the initial check of leading critics at such outlets as
The New York Times (Ben Brantley), New York's
Daily News (Howard Kissel),
New York Post (Clive Barnes) and
USA Today (Elysa Gardner).
Brantley suggested that
Lestat might make a great alternative to Ambien;
Kissel pummels everything as being "flat";
Barnes' headline ("Bloody Awful") sums up his half-star rating; and while
Gardner gave the show a mediocre two-and-a-half stars, she still likened the show to syrup.
Of course, with the legions of Anne Rice fans out there, it remains to be seen whether this show will have the last laugh and live forever, or suffer the fate of vampires with a stake driven through its heart. And personally, I'm waiting to see what Rice herself has to say, especially since she was not pleased with the casting of Tom Cruise in the movie adaptation.
Hopefully, the Broadway version of
Billy Elliot - The Musical -- which even the jaded Brantley seemed to enjoy -- will demonstrate just how appreciative the theatre community can be toward Sir Elton John's musical genius. I'll write more about how truly exhilarating this London production was in future postings.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Lestat tickets.
Click here for Billy Elliot - The Musical tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre, London, UK) (May 18, 2006)
Billy Elliot in Triplicate on First Birthday (May 9, 2006)
Lestat Opens On Broadway Tonight (April 25, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Elton John, Lestat
Critics: Sharpen Your Pencils!Starting a new blog -- my very first -- is more than a little daunting. But I'm relying on old friends, and complete strangers, to keep me honest in my assessments. I'm looking for real dialogue with those of you who enjoy the entire theatrical experience as much as I do. So regardless of what you think of this site, I invite you to post your comments.
While I'm known to be a bit of an SOB (thus
Steve On Broadway), this site has a few simple ground rules. First, we don't need to be vulgar to make our points. Instead, we'll engage in polite discourse on a topic -- theatre -- on which we're unmistakably passionate. We may not like a particular actor, actress, playwright, composer or director, but we'll not take the low road with our comments. Instead, we'll engage in true critical analysis that aims to be thought-provoking and stimulating.
So go ahead, post your comments and let the critical analysis begin!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Musical, Play, Steve On Broadway, Theatre Discussions
Lestat Opens on Broadway TonightIt's been 12 years since Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" opened in movie theatres. Tonight,
Lestat, the much-anticipated Sir Elton John-Bernie Taupin collaboration on the Broadway musical version opens at the Palace Theatre, which was home to Sir Elton's last New York production,
Aida. Despite being denied a 2000 Tony nomination for Best Musical,
Aida earned Elton John his first Tony for Best Original Score (he was previously nominated for his work on
The Lion King in 1998).
What should be noted on
Lestat is that the John-Taupin collaboration went into high gear after a less-than-celebrated world premiere in San Francisco at the close of 2005. The hit songwriting duo -- who had never previously worked together on a stage effort -- were forced back to the drawing board to rework Rice's novel. With three bona fide stage hits under Sir Elton's belt already (
Aida,
The Lion King and
Billy Elliot - The Musical, the amazing retelling of the 2000 British film that currently may only be seen at London's Victoria Palace Theatre), can his proven flair for musical staging be reaffirmed once again? We'll see what the critics say tomorrow morning!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Critics Sink Their Teeth Into Lestat (April 26, 2006)
Labels: Aida, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Elton John, Lestat, Musical, Opening Night, The Lion King
Floyd Collins (The SOB Review) - Theatre Latte Da, Minneapolis, MN*** (out of ****)I walked into
Floyd Collins wondering, "How on earth could anyone write a musical about a cave-explorer?" Perhaps the more appropriate question would have been to ask how deeply
in earth someone could write such a nugget.
Floyd Collins, the musical written by Adam Guettel -- grandson of the musical great Richard Rodgers -- and Tina Landau, has landed at Minneapolis' Loring Playhouse in a surprising production directed by Peter Rothstein, and all is good.
Even though the eponymous hero was not saved in real life, the actor portraying him, Dieter Bierbrauer, soars. I've had several opportunities to see Bierbrauer before and never has his beautiful singing and emotional sense of timing been more well-suited for a role, particularly with music that so eloquently conveys both the dreams and desperation faced by the lead character during the two and a half hour performance. For anyone seeking to understand the musical roots of
The Light in the Piazza's gifted composer, they need dig no further than
Floyd Collins.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Floyd Collins, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Musical, The SOB Review
