As Steppenwolf Ensemble Grows, Effort To Reflect Face Of Chicago ShowsLast year, the Chicago edition of
Time Out thoroughly examined how inclusive the city’s theatre companies were by measuring the number of ensemble roles for actors of color. As one of Chicago’s premier theatrical institutions,
Steppenwolf naturally found itself under the microscope. Although its renowned acting ensemble was 35 strong, there was but one actor of color (the versatile
K. Todd Freeman) to be found.
While it’s easy to look strictly at the number of ensemble members, as
Time Out did, an equally important measure of how inclusive a theatre company is should be the types of plays it performs. Several of my favorite productions over the past couple years --
The Unmentionables,
Master Harold And The Boys,
The Sunset Limited,
Sonia Flew and
The Pain And The Itch -- worked so well because they not only focused squarely on race or ethnic identities, but they provided an array of breathtaking performances by many actors of color.
With the exception of Arenas, I’ve had an opportunity to see each of these tremendously gifted actors tread the boards of Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre over the past couple years. And from what I’ve heard about Arenas’ performances in
The Bluest Eye and
The Sparrow Project, both of which I regretfully missed, she -- along with her new ensemble colleagues -- adds tremendously to the evolving face that is Steppenwolf. Clearly, these six actors are now part of the ensemble, not because Steppenwolf has some quota to fill, but because they’ve earned their place in it.
I applaud the announcement that dovetails exceptionally well with the company’s stated mission:
Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon. The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work. Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation.
Indeed, Steppenwolf has stunningly transformed itself from its auspicious beginnings in a church basement when three white buddies --
Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and
Gary Sinese, all formidable talents in their own right -- founded the company that was just born to be wild. I salute the men and women of today’s Steppenwolf for ensuring that this prize theatre continues to reflect its hometown community by welcoming every potential audience member in Chicago.
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Labels: Chicago, Ensembles, Steppenwolf
Corporate Sponsorship Addictions
From the "What
were they thinking?" file
comes word that the
Actor's Fund benefit performance of
Addictions scheduled for Los Angeles last evening was abruptly canceled.
Seems playwright
Tricia Walsh-Smith happened upon a flier for the fundraiser that listed
Smirnoff among the corporate sponsors for the evening. No matter that the advance billing clearly stated that "
Addictions will benefit the
Chemical Dependency Program of The Actors' Fund and is dedicated to the memory of Kevin Walsh."
After just watching the engagingly ironic film "
Thank You For Smoking," I find the brazenly calculated sponsorship by Smirnoff akin to a major cigarette company sponsoring an affair aimed at quitting smoking. I'm not opposed to corporate sponsorships per se, but wouldn't it behoove an organization like the Actor's Fund to ensure its sponsors are appropriate for the cause?
Cheers to Walsh-Smith for having the courage of her convictions to just say "NO!" And here's hoping that the Actor's Fund can find more suitable sponsors in the future.
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Labels: Actors Fund, Addictions, Charitable Organizations, Corporate Sponsorships, Tricia Walsh-Smith
Good Greif, Rocco's Right
If you've ever taken a sidelong view of Steve On Broadway, you'll certainly have noticed that I proudly display my Daily Reads.
Last week, Rocco scooped virtually every
mainstream theatre site known to man to report that
Michael Greif will be helming
Romeo And Juliet next summer during the Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park festival. Rocco got the scoop after learning that a casting notice had been posted. As usual, that news led to some clever and acerbic musings regarding who might actually be cast.
Romeo And Juliet will be presented at the Delacorte Theatre from June 5-July 8. Cheers to Rocco for having the first word on the new show. Now let's pray that the stunt-casting is limited.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, First Word On New Show, New York State, Off-Broadway, Play, Public Theater, Revival
The Empire Strikes Back!In a most stinging of rebukes, acclaimed British playwright and two-time Tony nominee
Sir Alan Ayckbourn has lashed out at all those supposedly glorious Hollywood stars desperately hoping to prove they have the necessary chops for live theatre.
Flat-out declaring that they're "ruining the theatre,"
Ayckbourn takes no prisoners in an interview reported in today's issue of London's venerable
The Times.
Bitterly complaining that many of these glitterati could barely be heard beyond the third row (
Kevin Spacey was singled out as
the notable exception), Ayckbourn believes that the West End producers are single-handedly turning off potential audiences:
What is happening is that the theatre is being stuffed with the stars’ fans. What they experience in the theatre is a poor performance, and they go out profoundly disappointed and disenchanted. That is another blow for the theatre. You’ve emptied the theatre for a whole load of people who will never go again....We have tremendous talent in this country. Young actors have never been better, but they are fed up with seeing their jobs whipped away by people who’ve chanced by a TV camera or stood in a field taking off their clothes.
So who are the worst offenders? According to Times arts correspondent Dalya Alberge, they include:
The remaining "misses" identified ironically
included the aforementioned Spacey (although he
was dual listed on the "hit" list for his role in 1998's
The Iceman Cometh), along with
Jerry Hall (sure, she regularly slept with
Mick Jagger once upon a time, but big
Hollywood star???),
Glenn Close ("about 25 years too old to be playing Blanche DuBois"),
Gillian Anderson (aside from landing a role in "
The Last King Of Scotland," has anyone really seen her since "
The X-Files" was canceled??) and
Stephen Gately (since when is this Irish boy-band member of
Boyzone a
Hollywood name???).
To be fair, neither Spacey or Close really belong on a list of "Hollywood" types ruining theatre. Both of them are clearly accomplished on the stage and have been lauded for their remarkable contributions to it. For some unknown reason, the online version of
The Times story carries a photo of Spacey from his
acclaimed turn in
The Iceman Cometh -- hardly seems apropos given the story.
And while I've done plenty of thumping about the ongoing unfortunate use of stunt-casting to keep formerly great shows alive that were nearly dead -- I haven't even mentioned the ridiculous things
they're saying about
Don Johnson in London's
Guys And Dolls or
Tony Danza in Broadway's
The Producers -- I'm left with a "Is that all there is?" feeling when reading through
The Times' list of offenders.
Sure, the spectacle outside the theatre each night after
Julia Roberts performed on Broadway had to be seen to be believed, even if many thought her performance
inside the theatre left something to be desired.
I, for one, actually enjoyed Three Days Of Rain.
Sure, the performance of
Sean Combs or Puff Daddy or P. Diddy or whatever he's calling himself was largely considered to be underwhelming, but look at how many fans he single-handedly brought into the theatre to see acting at its best by his Tony-winning
Raisin In The Sun co-stars
Audra McDonald and
Phylicia Rashad.
Sure, television star
Christina Applegate was a novice to the Great White Way before pluckily showing yeoman's determination and sheer grit in keeping the 2005 revival of
Sweet Charity alive, even after it had been pronounced dead. Heck, she even nabbed a Tony nod as her reward.
Thankfully, as this morning's positive reviews of
Translations demonstrated, a great piece of theatre need not have a well-known cast in order to captivate critics. Just look at the success of no-name shows like
Avenue Q and
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
So while on the surface, Sir Alan's comments make for great copy, I just don't buy that the relatively
few Hollywood names surfacing on Broadway or in London are going to be the end of great theatre as we know it.
I'll be very interested in hearing what you think.
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Labels: Alan Ayckbourn, Broadway, Kevin Spacey, London, Madonna, Musical, Play, Stunt Casting
Dreamgirls Revival Heading Toward Broadway?
Last time
Dreamgirls was presented on the Great White Way, it was strictly for
one night only -- a scant two weeks after the horrific events of 9/11.
Now,
finally, in the aftermath of the success of the
movie version, there is word via
New York Post columnist
Michael Riedel that another true Broadway revival may actually be in the works. And according to Riedel:
John Breglio, a lawyer who oversees the estate of Dreamgirls director and choreographer Michael Bennett, has called a meeting next month to discuss plans for a Broadway revival, said Henry Krieger, the show's composer.
Even more tantalizing is the prospect that
Jennifer Hudson, who's a shoo-in for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar this year for her breathtaking portrayal of Effie Melody White, "may be asked to reprise the role of Effie on stage."
While an Academy Award nomination for Best Film may have eluded the silver screen version of "Dreamgirls," it's entirely likely that a Broadway revival would fare substantially better come Tony time if not for the sheer raw talent that would surely be amassed. And if Ms. Hudson is in the house, she may very well be a lock for a Best Actress in a Musical Tony.
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Labels: Broadway, Dreamgirls, Film, First Word On New Show, Jennifer Holliday, Musical, Revival
Did Translations Translate Into Good Reviews
Translations, of course, is a limited run revival of yet another
Brian Friel play set in Ireland. Last year, similar praise was heaped upon the revival of his
Faith Healer when it opened on Broadway.
Proclaiming it "nothing short of glorious,"
Charles Isherwood of the
New York Times waxes rhapsodic: "A basic fluency in the workings of the human heart is all that’s necessary to absorb the beauties of Mr. Friel’s tender, sad and funny play about the difficulty of finding a home in the world, a person to share it with, and a name to call it by....On this occasion it has wisely been entrusted to
Garry Hynes...Ms. Hynes has in turn wisely entrusted Mr. Friel’s challenging play to a stageful of little-known but hugely talented actors, creating an ensemble of an extraordinarily high caliber and consistency."
Labeling
Translations "engrossing," the
New York Sun's
Eric Grode sounds a positive note: "Director Garry Hynes, follows (Friel's) lead, crafting a well-paced, suitably raucous potboiler that slips in cultural commentary with admirable stealth. Not even a handful of over-the-top performances can dampen the bracing effect of her empathy for Mr. Friel's boisterous, doomed villagers.
In offering up a three-and-a-half star review,
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner notes: "The Manhattan Theatre Club's absorbing, heartbreaking revival...captures the tortured contradictions at the heart of Friel's drama without stooping to sentimentality. Garry Hynes...expertly directs
Translations, which is anchored by a trio of superb performances....After more than 25 years, Friel's study of the beauty and futility of words, and the power and difficulty of human connection, remains as haunting and relevant as ever."
The Associated Press'
Michael Kuchwara also has words of praise: "It is an extraordinary play, emotionally satisfying and intellectually bracing at the same time. And this splendid Broadway revival...has been able to tap into both aspects. It expertly recreates what is the most heartbreaking of Friel's many fine dramas....Credit should go most prominently to director Garry Hynes. She has brought together a gifted collection of actors as well as several fine designers (specifically
Francis O'Connor and
Davy Cunningham), who have given the play a dark, shadow-flecked setting that suggests a world ominously on the brink of change."
Calling the show "fascinatingly flawed" in his two-and-a-half star review,
New York Post's
Clive Barnes laments: "It can't...overcome the play's ramshackle structure, and one of those terribly Irish, O'Casey-style endings that leaves you up in the air with a sense of loss, without knowing quite what has happened. It's a difficult play to produce...is better than most in uncovering playwright Friel's elusive inner poetry. We also have some grand performances, best of all (
Niall) Buggy's boisterous, near tragic Hugh. Yet despite many beauties displayed, the play's broken-backed problems are here left quite a distance from solution."
Now we'll see whether mostly positive reviews translates into green at the box office, for although Translations was filled to 87.5% capacity last week, it was primarily through deeply discounted tickets -- the average ticket price last week was a mere $40.15, the lowest of any show currently on Broadway.
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Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Play, Revival, Translations
Did Critics Find Radio Golf On Par With Wilson's Other Works?
Proclaiming the work's "excellence,"
Chicago Sun-Times'
Hedy Weiss offers a positive review: "If (Wilson's) physical being was failing him at the time, the enduring force of his imagination and the lip-smacking delight with which he harnessed that vision for the stage suggest a life force in almost giddily triumphant mode....Faster in tempo than his earlier plays, and more connected to the world of upscale brand names and the marketing jargon of upward mobility,
Radio Golf -- splendidly directed by
Kenny Leon -- is a play for the age of
Tiger Woods,
Barack Obama and
Bill Clinton's Harlem Renaissance."
Although he calls the show "thick with import,"
Chicago Tribune's
Chris Jones finds plenty to criticize: "When critical analyses are performed at greater, colder remove, I doubt
Radio Golf will be regarded as among Wilson's best. It lacks a character of the complex gravitas...it doesn't have the gorgeous linguistic cadence...it doesn't howl with...poetic anguish...and it doesn't reach for Greek tragedy....
Radio Golf has a convention narrative structure....One can predict its main trajectory...even as it unfolds.Things feel, understandably, a little rushed."
Of course, the show is now on a trajectory toward the Great White Way. I'm making my own toward the Goodman Theatre over the next couple weeks and will provide my very own SOB Review then.
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Labels: August Wilson, Chicago, Critics' Capsule, Play, Radio Golf
Oíche Tosaigh: Translations For Opening NightA dozen years have passed since
Brian Friel's short-lived
Translations first appeared on the Great White Way. But this evening marks the limited run Broadway revival for the work at the
Manhattan Theatre Club where it is scheduled to run more than twice as long as the original.
The play concerns the miscommunication, and its resulting clashes, within the mythical 19th Century Irish community of Ballybeg.
While major stage names like
Brian Dennehy,
Dana Delany,
Donal Donnelly and
Michael Cumpsty graced the boards of the
Plymouth Theatre during the drama's 25 regular performance run back in 1995, the new
Garry Hynes-helmed revival features actors mostly unfamiliar to Broadway audiences. They include:
Niall Buggy,
David Costabile,
Alan Cox,
Dermot Crowley,
Michael Fitzgerald,
Morgan Hallett,
Geraldine Hughes,
Susan Lynch,
Graeme Malcolm and
Chandler Williams.
Will last year's belated, enthusiastic reception to Friel's
Faith Healer translate into positive reviews? Or will the moldy residue from MTC's last work,
Losing Louie, sour the critics' opinions of anything new opening at the
Biltmore Theatre? I'll let you know via my critics' capsule tomorrow.
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Click here for tickets.Labels: Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club, Opening Night, Play, Revival, Translations
That's FrankenSTEEN: Just In Time For Halloween
What promises to be the year's most highly anticipated Broadway musical -- especially if it can retain all of its amazing workshop talent -- is
Mel Brooks' hotsy-totsy
Young Frankenstein. According to
Playbill, casting notices have confirmed that rehearsals will begin in June aimed toward a fall opening on the Great White Way.
Most insiders have speculated that with
Susan Stroman and
Thomas Meehan doing for this film-to-stage treatment what they did for Brooks'
The Producers (Stroman directed and choreographed while Meehan collaborated with Brooks on the book), the new tuner will likely replace the other after its six year run at the
St. James.
Rest assured that I'm tracking developments of this one very closely.
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Labels: Broadway, Film, Kristin Chenoweth, Mel Brooks, Musical, The Producers, Young Frankenstein
Radio Golf Tunes Into Chicago Opening Tonight
Radio Golf -- the final chapter in Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning
August Wilson's prolific cycle of the African American experience -- opens this evening at Chicago's
Goodman Theatre.
As if the Goodman's
August Wilson Celebration weren't enough to pique the public's interest, last week's news that the
Kenny Leon-helmed
Radio Golf is likely Broadway-bound has surely swelled audiences further as evidenced by the Goodman's one-week extension to February 25. It will also likely sharpen the critics' focus on the show.
Naturally, I'll be providing a critics' capsule in the days ahead. And you can look for my own review of the show after I see it on February 4.
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Click here for tickets.
Related Stories: Labels: August Wilson, Broadway, Chicago, Opening Night, Play, Radio Golf
Being Bebe
Now,
Broadway.com today has a
wonderful interview in which Neuwirth not only discusses how her return to this wonderful revival came to pass (it was at her own suggestion), but also how she considers herself more of a dancer than an actor.
What makes the piece all the more compelling is that Neuwirth discusses the impact of her recently completed hip surgery on her dancing -- certainly far from the easiest thing for a dancer to endure. To be honest, I'm glad I didn't know about her travails going into my performance a couple Saturdays ago, because then I would have been completely fixated on whether she was changing a step merely to compensate. But as it was, I can tell you that I was absolutely riveted by her breathtaking bravura performance, which showed no sign of weakness whatsoever.
Neuwirth's continued enthusiasm for live performances not only shines through when seeing her perform, but also in the Broadway.com interview. When asked what makes live theatre so "meaningful," the Great White Way's current Roxie Hart states:
That exchange of energy with an audience is quite satisfying. I also believe that theatre is a sort of primal need. It's the contemporary version of gathering around a fire with your tribe and telling stories; every person present is part of the communal event. That said, I don't think that I'm a ham. I don't thrive on audience response. It's not a question of showing off—performing is more of a spiritual event for me.
Amen, Bebe! So in that spirit, I once again strongly and enthusiastically urge readers to see Chicago with Bebe Neuwirth while you can!
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Labels: Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, Chicago, Musical, Revival, Stunt Casting, The SOB Revisit
West End Drowsy Chaperone: Another Great Paige Turner
One of London theatre's favorite musical actresses,
Elaine Paige, will be stumbling along in the title role of the upcoming West End production of
The Drowsy Chaperone. She'll be joined by none other than the original Man in Chair, Canadian
Bob Martin (a Brit by birth), when the musical begins performances at London's Ivor Novello Theatre this May.
Although Paige has only had one turn on the Great White Way -- as a replacement for Norma Desmond in
Sunset Boulevard in 1996 -- she's been a West End staple ever since winning a Laurence Olivier Award in 1978 for her breakthrough performance as the original
Evita. As if that iconic role weren't enough, she originated the role of Grizabella in another
Andrew Lloyd Webber premiere:
Cats in 1981.
Five years later, Paige was nominated for a second Olivier Award for her work in
Chess, and her single from that show "I Know Him So Well" became an international hit. A third Olivier nomination came for her turn as Reno Sweeney in
Anything Goes in 1989. Her fourth nod came via her portrayal of
Edith Piaf in 1993's
Piaf, while number five came in 1996 with
Sunset Boulevard.
Given Paige's incredible stage status, that many place in a parallel universe with American
Patti LuPone -- particulary because of the many roles they've originated/played on each side of the Atlantic -- her early addition to London's
The Drowsy Chaperone will surely make this original musical a hot ticket across the pond. And to think that little show had its genesis in a Canadian fringe festival!
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Click here for The Drowsy Chaperone tickets (U.S.) Related Stories:
The Drowsy Chaperone (The SOB Review) - Marquis Theatre, New York, NY (October 3, 2006)
The Curse Of The Understudy (October 2, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)
Mixed Reviews Tire The Drowsy Chaperone (May 2, 2006)
Will The Drowsy Chaperone Wake Critics? (May 1, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Elaine Paige, First Word On New Show, London, Musical, Patti LuPone, Transfer
Laurence Olivier Award Nominations Announced
Named for the man who was arguably
the greatest actor of the 20th Century bar none, the Oliviers rank as
the most prestigious award bestowed on London's theatre community, as well as for dance and opera.
The nominations for the 2007 Laurence Olivier Awards were announced yesterday and winners will be announced the evening of Sunday, February 18 at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.
Nominees include:
Best Actress
Eve Best, A Moon For The Misbegotten
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'N' Roll
Tamsin Greig, Much Ado About Nothing
Kathleen Turner, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Best Actor
Iain Glen, The Crucible
David Haig, Donkey's Years
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'N' Roll
Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon
Best Performance In A Supporting Role
Samantha Bond, Donkey's Years
Deborah Findlay, The Cut
Mark Hadfield, Thérèse Raquin
Colm Meaney, A Moon For The Misbegotten
Jim Norton, The Seafarer
Best New Play
David Harrower, Blackbird
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Tom Stoppard, Rock 'N' Roll
Conor McPherson, The Seafarer
Best New Comedy
Patrick Barlow (Adaptation from original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, John Buchan's The 39 Steps
Patrick Marber after Molière, Don Juan In Soho
John Kolvenbach, Love Song
Best Revival
Arthur Miller, The Crucible
Michael Frayn, Donkey's Years
Eugene O'Neill, A Moon For The Misbegotten
Edward Albee, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Best New Musical
Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (Music and Lyrics) and Jeff Whitty (Book), Avenue Q
Tony Kushner (Book and Lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (Music), Caroline, Or Change
Eric Idle (Book, Lyrics and Music) and John Du Prez (Music), Monty Python's Spamalot
George Gershwin, Dubose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin, The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess
Outstanding Musical Production
Joe Masteroff (Book), John Kander (Music) and Fred Ebb (Lyrics), Cabaret
Tim Rice (Lyrics) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (Music), Evita
Richard Rodgers (Music), Oscar Hammerstein II (Lyrics) and Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse (Book), The Sound Of Music
Stephen Sondheim (Music and Lyrics) and James Lapine (Book), Sunday In The Park With George
Best Actress In A Musical
Nicola Hughes, The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess
Tonya Pinkins, Caroline, Or Change
Elena Roger, Evita
Jenna Russell, Sunday In The Park With George
Hannah Waddingham, Monty Python's Spamalot
Best Actor In A Musical
Tim Curry, Monty Python's Spamalot
Daniel Evans, Sunday In The Park With George
Clarke Peters, The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess
Philip Quast, Evita
Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Anna Francolini, Caroline, Or Change
Tom Goodman-Hill, Monty Python's Spamalot
Sheila Hancock, Cabaret
Summer Strallen, The Boy Friend
Best Director
Sam Buntrock, Sunday In The Park With George
Dominic Cooke, The Crucible
Joe Mantello, Wicked
Best Theatre Choreographer
Rob Ashford, Evita
Javier De Frutos, Cabaret
Bill Deamer, The Boy Friend
Stephen Mear, Sinatra
Best Lighting Design
Jean Kalman, The Crucible
Hugh Vanstone, Monty Python's Spamalot
Natasha Chivers and Mike Robertson, Sunday In The Park With George
Neil Austin, Thérèse Raquin
Kenneth Posner, Wicked
Best Set Design
Tim Hatley, Monty Python's Spamalot
David Farley and Timothy Bird, Sunday In The Park With George
Eugene Lee, Wicked
Best Costume Design
Tim Hatley, Monty Python's Spamalot
Alison Chitty, The Voysey Inheritance
Susan Hilferty, Wicked
Best Sound Design
Mic Pool, John Buchan's The 39 Steps
Ian Dickinson, Rock 'N' Roll
Gareth Fry, Waves
Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre
Pied Piper at Theatre Royal, Stratford EastTheatre Royal, Stratford East for a powerful season of provocative work, reaching new audiences
Love And Money at the Maria, Young Vic
Roy Dotrice for his performance in The Best Of Friends at the Hampstead
Best New Opera Production
English National Opera's Jenůfa at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's The Makropulos Case at the London Coliseum
English National Opera's Orfeo at the London Coliseum
Opera North's Peter Grimes at Sadler's Wells
Outstanding Achievement In Opera
John Mark Ainsley, Orfeo
Joyce DiDonato, Hercules
Amanda Roocroft, Jenůfa
John Tomlinson, Götterdämmerung
Best New Dance Production
The Royal Ballet's The Sleeping Beauty
Kabuki Fuji Musume & Kasane
The Royal Ballet's DGV
The Royal Ballet's Chroma
Outstanding Achievement In Dance
Steven McRae, Homage To The Queen and Chroma
Carlos Acosta for his programme of work and his performances at Sadler's Wells
Marianela Nunez, Chroma and The Sleeping Beauty and in Carlos Acosta's programme at Sadler's Wells
Wayne McGregor for his choreography, Chroma
At first blush, there appeared to be some bias against American offerings that have migrated across the pond. Actors Bill Irwin (Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?) and Idina Menzel (Wicked) were both snubbed, despite having won Tonys for the sames roles they've recreated on the West End. Also, despite all the critical acclaim for Kevin Spacey's production of A Moon For The Misbegotten, as well as nominations, Spacey himself did not receive a nod.
However, after a closer look, American-made productions like Avenue Q, Caroline, Or Change, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? and even -- dare I say -- Monty Python's Spamalot, fared fairly well, collectively earning a total of thirteen Olivier nominations; the last received six nods.
Although Menzel was overlooked, Wicked earned four nominations, including for its director Joe Mantello. Even playwright John Kolvenbach was nominated for Love Song in the Best New Play category. And lest I forget, Frank Langella received a nod for his portrayal of Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon, while Floridian Rob Ashford was nominated for his choreography on Evita.
Finally, with so many nominated classics originating from playwrights and composers on the west "side" of the pond, one could argue that Americans have done quite well in this year's Oliviers. Not bad considering all the excellent homegrown fare the British have exported to the U.S.
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Click here for information on how to win two tickets to this closed-door gala. Labels: Laurence Olivier, London, Musical, Olivier Award Nominations, Olivier Awards, Play, Revival
Beauty Out On Broadway
If you polled most Broadway pundits on the musical most likely to depart its boards to make room for another production by the same creative team, I'd wager that most would respond, "
The Producers." After all,
Mel Brooks'
Young Frankenstein is already eagerly anticipated and expected to take over the former's berth at the
St. James Theatre.
But today, the folks at Disney announced they're going to finally put a fork in
Beauty And The Beast, making room at Broadway's
Lunt-Fontaine Theatre for their stage adaptation of their animated screen feature
Little Mermaid.
Beauty And The Beast, of course, was based on the
only all-animation film to ever be Academy Award nominated for Best Picture (1991). However, "
Little Mermaid" is largely credited as
the flick that in 1989 helped rejuvenate Disney's credentials in a declining genre.
I have to be candid. I thoroughly enjoyed the magic of
Beauty And The Beast not long after its 1994 debut at the
Palace Theatre, but when I revisited the show a couple years ago at the Lunt-Fontaine, I was a bit embarrassed by how tired, if not shoddy, the tuner had become.
In recent years, the production has heavily relied on stunt-casting, including the recent turn by former teen idol
Donny Osmond as Gaston, and they actually have an actor worth seeing now that
John Tartaglia (
Avenue Q) is portraying Lumiere. To its credit, the musical still managed to draw a capacity of 80.3% last week for a take of $590,259. But the production looked so thoroughly exhausted when I last saw it, I wished that they would have put this
Beast out of its misery and let it die with dignity long ago.
When Beauty And The Beast finally closes on July 29, it will have had 5,464 regular performances, enough to make it one of the Great White Way's longest running hits -- number 6, to be precise.
The Little Mermaid will make its first splash just a few days before
Beauty And The Beast closes -- July 26 -- at Denver's
Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Opening night on Broadway is currently scheduled just in time for the Holidays on December 6.
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Labels: Beauty And The Beast, Billy Elliot The Musical, Box Office, Broadway, Closing Notices, Disney, Film, First Word On New Show, Stunt Casting, The Little Mermaid
Chicago (The SOB Revisit) - Ambassador Theatre, New York, NY
**** (out of ****)
If
Bebe Neuwirth could return to Broadway's current longest-running revival, I decided I could, too. So over the past weekend, I made my way back to
Chicago. What a trip!
I had no doubt that Neuwirth would make the journey worthwhile, but I truly expected the musical to show its age. Far from it. That the entire experience still rocks and excites is a huge credit to
Walter Bobbie's exquisite direction, which received a very well-deserved Tony.
It doesn't hurt that
John Lee Beatty's ingeniously spare set design is also stripped down to the bare essentials. It sharpens the focus on the performances by the nimble, agile cast, including exceptional ensemble members. Of course, with
William Ivey Long's sexy costume design, it's impossible to take your eyes off of them.
While the tuner has become infamous in recent years for practically writing the book on shameless stunt-casting, the only real novelty in the production today is that its original Velma Kelly is now portraying Roxie Hart through March 25. But there was never any doubt Neuwirth could pull it off and make it look so beautiful, funny and effortless. The question in my mind was whether the rest of the cast could keep up.
Because the current cast is now filled with solid pros -- like veteran
Brenda Braxton as Velma Kelly,
Rob Bartlett who's returned as Amos Hart,
Roz Ryan as "Mama" Morton,
R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine and
Philip Casnoff as Billy Flynn -- audiences are guaranteed an excellent show by troupers who more than hold their own opposite Neuwirth. In fact, Bartlett was perhaps the biggest surprise with his tender, nuanced turn as the nebbish Amos; mining the absolute depths of this supposedly see-through character, he brought a tear to my eye.
Suffice to say that I wouldn't hesitate to strongly recommend a return visit to anyone who has seen Chicago before -- in fact, I was half-tempted to take in the next performance.
And for anyone who has only seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to see the live stage show the way it was really meant to be performed. At least for now, you have the perfect opportunity. Go ahead, make the journey!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories: Labels: Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, Chicago The Musical, Musical, Revival, Stunt Casting, The SOB Revisit
The Curse Of The Understudy - Part II
In case you've read my review of
The Apple Tree and wondered why there were absolutely no references to the performance of
Marc Kudisch, there's a simple rationale: He was out when I saw the show.
Fortunately for me, I've had the opportunity to see Kudisch perform elsewhere before. But it's always a disappointment whenever one of the lead actors in any show is out for whatever reason. To be honest, I was very surprised that he was already absent for a production that had only officially opened one month earlier to the day.
However, much to my pleasant surprise, Kudisch has a stellar understudy. Although he regularly plays the second act's Tiger, as well as handling ensemble duties,
Sean Palmer (pictured) -- perhaps best known to television audiences for his portrayal of Stanford Blatch's long-suffering boyfriend Marcus on "
Sex And The City" -- expertly assumed Kudisch's responsibilities. What a revelation!
Yes, I knew that this Reno native had once portrayed Tony Manero in the stage version of
Saturday Night Fever, and yes, I recall seeing him in the film version of "
Chicago," but I had no idea just how talented he really is...until now. With a wonderful set of pipes, suave dance moves and seductive acting style, Palmer more than holds his own opposite
Kristin Chenoweth and
Brian d'Arcy James.
Here's hoping that Palmer's star is only begining to truly shine.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Broadway, Curse of the Understudy, Marc Kudisch, Musical, Revival, Sean Palmer, The Apple Tree, Understudy
The Apple Tree (The SOB Review) - Studio 54, New York, NY
**1/2 (out of ****)
The revival is unevenly cut into three rather disparate slices. On the surface, they appear to have many of the same ingredients, but ultimately they taste comedically different.
Sure, they each showcase the breathtaking talent of star
Kristin Chenoweth, whether it's her genuine comic timing or her gorgeous four-octave singing voice. In "Eden" (the first act), she is masterful in her heartfelt portrayal of a very wise Eve, always in search of more answers and never ceasing to learn. Chenoweth lets completely loose as Princess Barbára in the second act's semi-barbaric kingdom. And she's all glitz and glammed up for her third act turn as Passionella.
Likewise, each act underscores how criminally underutilized the gifted
Brian d'Arcy James is on Broadway. Whether he's playing the somewhat dim-witted Adam in part one, Captain Sanjar in part two or Flip, the Prince, Charming in part three, d'Arcy James makes for the perfect romantic foil for each of Chenoweth's characters.
And although each vignette is ultimately about the quest for knowledge and its implications on love, the three pieces of the pie fail to come together as one, unless you count the references to the color brown. I expected for the reprisal of at least one number in each successive act, yet none came. Even the set and costume designs for each portion are so unique to its own story that lined up side by side, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were from three different shows.
Yes, each segment is delicious in its own way -- the first act set in the Garden of Eden is perhaps the most tasty and poignant -- but as one, the show is not brown enough and comes off as half-baked. It doesn't help that unlike the first and third acts, the second never offers a satisfying ending.
As a result, The Apple Tree's often-tempting pie somehow adds up to less than the sum of its pieces. Yet it sure can be fun sampling each slice.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Broadway, Kristin Chenoweth, Musical, Revival, The SOB Review
Reports: August Wilson's Radio Golf To Swing Into Cort
Over the last quarter century,
August Wilson emerged as one of our most prolific and prestigious playwrights. Sadly, the acclaimed, audacious articulator of the African American experience died in late 2005, but not before witnessing the premiere of
Radio Golf. Its world premiere at the
Yale Repertory Theatre concluded his revered epic cycle that stretched all the way back to 1984's
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Several reports today indicate that
Radio Golf is all but assured a berth at Broadway's
Cort Theatre later this year. When confirmed, it will mark the ninth Wilson play to be performed on the Great White Way.
So admired was Wilson that Broadway's Virginia Theatre, built in 1925 as the Guild Theatre, was rechristened the
August Wilson Theatre on October 16, 2005 -- just two weeks after he succumbed to cancer (the August Wilson Theatre is now home to the Tony-winning
Jersey Boys).
So celebrated was Wilson's writing that each of his eight previous cycle chapters was Tony nominated for Best Play;
Fences took the Best Play honors for 1987. He also received five Pulitzer Prize nominations, winning for both
Fences and
The Piano Lesson (1990). Cumulatively, Wilson's dramas enjoyed 993 regular performances on Broadway and earned a whopping 43 Tony nominations, winning in eight categories.
Since I'll be in the audience for the Goodman run, you can look forward to my review of Wilson's finale in the coming weeks and preview for what is certain to be one of the critics' most anticipated events on Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Wilson, Broadway, Chicago, Fences, Play, Radio Golf
Revisiting Chicago
Tomorrow, I'm making a trip back to
Chicago. Not the city, mind you, but the longest-running current Broadway revival.
While I've certainly enjoyed the film version over and over, including quite recently, I haven't seen the musical live since 1998.
Now I know I've been somewhat harsh on the production over the past year, particularly as they've resorted to stunt-casting. Though some of their choices have been inspired, many simply have not reflected well on a show that in my humble estimation deserves nothing but the best.
Fortunately for the tuner, they now have it once again in
Bebe Neuwirth, who has rejoined the production through March 25. I'm revisiting
Chicago precisely to experience its glory-day razzle dazzle now that she's returned. Of course, what's truly inspired about her return is that she's now portraying the
other merry murderess, Roxie Hart. Neuwirth took home a Tony for her take on Velma Kelly back in 1997.
Neuwirth will be joined by
Chicago veteran
Brenda Braxton as Velma Kelly,
Rob Bartlett as Amos Hart,
Roz Ryan as "Mama" Morton,
R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine and
Philip Casnoff assuming the role of Billy Flynn from
Huey Lewis (Lewis had been scheduled to depart the production on Sunday, but it appears that Casnoff starting his gig two days early).
With musical pros like Neuwirth and Braxton back in the saddle, the show just has to be good. But you can bet I'll provide you with my recap once the curtain falls!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, Chicago The Musical, Musical, Revival, Stunt Casting
Prelude To Prelude Previews
The earlier incarnation of
Prelude For A Kiss had a top-notch cast, including
Timothy Hutton and
Mary-Louise Parker as a newlywed couple who received an unexpected kiss by an "old man" played by the late great
Barnard Hughes. Other castmembers included
Larry Bryggman,
John Dossett and the inimitable
Debra Monk, who like Parker is no stranger to Lucas' plays (they also appeared together in the lone Broadway run of
Reckless in 2004).
The 1990 production not only received two Tony nominations including for Best Play and Best Actress in a Play, but Lucas was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. The comedy about the pure connection of love enjoyed 440 regular performances before closing in May of 1991.
Over the course of the past year, Mahoney found it necessary to drop out of two Chicago productions -- including the Goodman's staging of
David Mamet's
Romance (Mahoney would have reprised his role from the London production) and Steppenwolf's
The Unmentionables.-- reportedly for health concerns. A much-beloved veteran of "
Frasier," Mahoney did show up earlier this television season in an episode of "
ER" appearing rather gaunt.
Here's wishing Mahoney Godspeed and the entire cast and crew a terrific limited run of Prelude To A Kiss.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, First Word On New Show, John Mahoney, Play, Prelude To A Kiss, Revival, Steppenwolf
Deuce Tickets Now On Pre-Sale
So much for best laid plans.
More than a month ago, I marked my calendar for January 14 as
the date that tickets for
Terrence McNally's new play
Deuce would go on pre-sale. This is the hotly anticipated show that teams up beloved stage actresses
Angela Lansbury and
Marian Seldes; it also marks Lansbury's first regular Broadway role in more than a quarter century.
Earlier today, I confirmed that pre-sale date through a posting on
Playbill's Web site. But something must have happened late this afternoon or early evening. When I happened to check for more information about the pre-sale, I learned that it had actually begun, apparently today -- four days earlier than originally announced. Even more confounding was that the
Playbill story now indicates that tickets are on pre-sale.
What happened?
Whatever! Since Lansbury is one actress I would move mountains to see treading the boards, I bought my tickets immediately and will now be in the audience on the evening of May 5 when most of the critics will be there on the eve of the production's official opening. If you're like me and wait with baited breath for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see your favorite actors perform live, you'll understand my disappointment in learning that the pre-sale date was accelerated. But you'll also appreciate my relief in finding out now instead of Sunday.
As it turns out, I landed a third row seat. I'm looking forward to seeing the legendary Lansbury and superb Sendes together in what could very well be the hottest ticket of the year. If you've also been waiting for Deuce tickets to go on pre-sale (the pre-sale is open to American Express Gold Card holders, while the regular sale begins on January 27), now you know!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Angela Lansbury, Broadway, Deuce, Play
Money For The Begotten?
Supposedly, Spacey is seeking $25,000 per week, along with an extra 10 percent of the weekly take over $350,000. Naturally, we're only getting half the story, and there's no word yet on whether Spacey's demands are for real, and if so whether they'll be met or countered.
If the production attracts sizeable crowds, it will be in no small part due to Spacey's role in the show. There's no denying Spacey's a distinguished thespian of the first order with two Oscars and a Tony to show for his breadth of talent. And while he's been tirelessly working across the pond as the
Old Vic's artistic director for reportedly nominal wages (and thus foregoing more lucrative film opportunities) over the course of more than three years, there's no discounting the critical acclaim his portrayal of James Tyrone, Jr. in London has already garnered. That will, no doubt, further enhance the box office despite the paltry draw of the last Broadway revival in 2000.
Compared with most Great White Way fare, A Moon For The Misbegotten is arguably a smaller show, with only five principal characters and substantially lower overhead than the typical production. Savvy audiences are smart enough to know that such factors don't make the tickets any less expensive -- they just make producers' return on investment come back more quickly.
So at a time when overzealous producers are already charging exorbitant "premium" seating tickets at well over $200 a clip, shouldn't more of that money go into the hands of those squarely responsible for placing butts in the seats in the first place? I won't begrudge Mr. Spacey one moment for trying to negotiate a handsome reward for himself; in my mind, he's earned it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Kevin Spacey, Play, Revival
Was 13 Lucky With Critics?
Proclaiming
13 "sheer bliss" and a "celebration of the kind of teen spirit that soars rather than smells,"
Variety's
Robert Verini heaps on the most praise: "It's actually pretty refreshing to have the everyday angst of the teen years taken so seriously. If
13 leaves out the harsher realities of adolescence, the realities it does confront are resonant, nowhere more so than in Jason Robert Brown's score. A less ambitious but no less tricky assignment than his Tony-winning
Parade, songs remain true to the kids' argot and emotional core while granting aud a Broadway sound that makes us tap our toes and cheer."
Finding the show "sometimes predictable...fresh, funny and sometimes touching," the
LA Weekly's
Neal Weaver provides a mostly upbeat review: "This engaging, fast-moving musical (book by Dan Elish, songs by Jason Robert Brown), with its all-teenage cast, is all about being cool....And it provides ample opportunity for Brown’s high-spirited songs, and dances by
Michele Lynch. But it’s the terrific teenagers, singing, playing and dancing up a storm, who make it all worth while."
Saying that
13 is "like an '
Afterschool Special' staged with superlative artistry and verve," the
Los Angeles Times'
Charles McNulty offers a mixed review: "Directed by
Todd Graff...the production, hampered by a hackneyed book, features a mostly delightful teen cast that compensates for the work's obvious deficiencies....The story whitewashes experience in order to reassure us that we all see ourselves as different at some point....Brown's music, bubblegum rock performed by a live garage band perched on a platform above the action, serves mostly as a convenience for the plot-pushing lyrics. But to its credit, the canned guitar sound helps create the feeling of the pressurized cabin that Evan and his peers frenetically inhabit."
Noting how the "paper-thin story" is "more notable for its newbie-teen context -- 13 songs delivered by 13 actors, average age 13 -- than its content," Bloomberg's
Michael Janofsky laments that Brown: "has delivered a generic show long on pubescent energy but short on substance. Apart from a passing reference to
Paris Hilton and R-rated movies, it lacks any discernible links to contemporary youth culture....The joy of
13 comes from watching energized performances from so many young talents making the most of an opportunity to work under accomplished professionals like Todd Graff....It's just too bad the actors were not given more inspired material. This show will need some reality checks if it has any hope of competing on Broadway."
Will all this critical attention mean much to its target audience? Or will the $55 cost per ticket prove unlucky for 13? Other theatres nationally will no doubt be paying close attention during the weeks ahead as this show in scheduled to perform through February 18.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: 13, California, Critics' Capsule, Los Angeles, Musical
