San Diego Opening Is Catered AffairWhile significant media coverage has centered on the two Broadway-bound musicals due to open this fall (
Young Frankenstein and
The Little Mermaid)
, A Catered Affair has been quietly unfolding in San Diego. Tonight, the world premiere of this other film-based tuner opens at the city's
Old Globe Theatre.
A Catered Affair finds its roots in the
Paddy Chayefsky teleplay for the 1955 broadcast of "
The Philco Television Playhouse" (starring
Pat Henning,
Thelma Ritter and
J. Pat O'Malley) and subsequent
1956 feature film written by Chayefsky and
Gore Vidal (starring
Bette Davis,
Ernest Borgnine,
Debbie Reynolds,
Rod Taylor and
Barry Fitzgerald).
The new musical version is helmed by
John Doyle -- minus his earlier conceit of having actors double as musicians -- and includes a book by
Harvey Fierstein and music by
John Bucchino. The only double duty on display comes from Fierstein via his starring role as Uncle Winston. Other cast members include
Faith Prince,
Tom Wopat,
Matt Cavenaugh and
Leslie Kritzer.
Set in the 1950s,
A Catered Affair centers on how "Bronx family ties are strained when a couple decides to give their daughter the grand wedding they never had." Self-described as "stunning...funny, heartwarming and uplifting for audiences of all ages," the musical is already accomplishing the kind of positive buzz via
New York Post's Michael Riedel that all other comers could only hope for: "Possible sleeper here for the Tony Awards, especially if the industry sours on Brooks' $450 tickets for
Young Frankenstein."
While I won't be able to travel to San Diego to catch the world premiere running through October 28, I'm looking forward to feasting on Fierstein's latest feat on Broadway, due at the
Walter Kerr Theatre on March 25.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See? (June 15, 2007)
Fierstein To Musicalize Bette Davis' Fave Flick (March 21, 2007)
Labels: A Catered Affair, Bette Davis, Broadway, Buzz, Faith Prince, Film, Harvey Fierstein, John Doyle, Leslie Kritzer, Matt Cavenaugh, Michael Riedel, Musical, San Diego, Television, Tom Wopat
No Monday LockoutAccording to
Playbill, the League of American Theatres and Producers has requested additional meetings with Local One of the stagehands' union. As such, there will be no lockout on October 1. But of course, there aren't many Broadway shows that perform on Mondays in the first place.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Stagehands, Strike
The Crucible (The SOB Review) - Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL*** (out of ****)"Are you or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?"
Those thirteen unfortunate words, first uttered sixty years ago in 1947 by Congressman
J. Parnell Thomas -- chair of the House Un-American Activities Committee (which got its start in 1938) -- helped stoke the fire for one of the 20th Century's worst witch hunts in the United States. A rabid ultra-right wing Republican from New Jersey, Thomas launched the intensive investigation into who in Hollywood had any ties to the Communist Party, ultimately resulting in widespread blacklisting. Speaking out was unthinkable.
Three years later, a junior senator from Wisconsin named
Joseph McCarthy announced that he had the names of 205 individuals within the U.S. Department of State who were "known" members of the American Communist Party. Of course, those numbers kept changing, but no matter. Aided by a young
Roy Cohn, he exhibited an uncanny knack for whipping the American people into hysteria that their government had been infiltrated by Communists sympathetic to the Soviet Union. Out of the burgeoning Cold War,
McCarthyism was born.
The reckless Tailgunner Joe was out to make a name for himself while vilifying others. His crusade culminated in the infamous 1954
Army-McCarthy Hearings, during which
Joseph Welch, chief counsel for the U.S. Army finally erupted during questioning, "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
Since the Army-McCarthy Hearings were televised, Americans had one of their first unique opportunities to see their leaders exposed for what they were. Support for McCarthy rapidly dissipated, and by the end of the year,
he was censured by the Senate.
Before McCarthy's last act of desperation played out, three valiant acts made their
1953 debut on Broadway in
The Crucible --
Arthur Miller's classic, allegorical tale of how easily otherwise rational individuals in colonial Salem, Massachusetts would blindly accept a charlatan's testimony about practicing witchcraft. To characterize Miller's mid-century timing as brave would be an incredible understatement, but he certainly contributed to the national conversation in a profound and consequential way.
Now, as realized through
Anna D. Shapiro's fiery, "color-blind" casted production at Chicago's Steppenwolf, it's hard not to find the haunting recreation of the actual 1690s Salem witch hunts disturbing. Yet it's the discovery of layer after layer of allegories abounding that makes this morality play unusually fresh and modern.
Certainly first and foremost is the parallel that Miller intended with the hunt for Communists under every rock. But with the ruggedly righteous
James Vincent Meredith (above photo) portraying protagonist John Proctor, his subsequent lynching makes it hard not to wonder whether his casting wasn't really a deliberate decision on the part of Shapiro after all. And while the last week's headlines could not have been foreseen, the
hateful images out of Jena, Louisiana of hanging nooses made the parallels to today even more chilling.
As if that weren't all,
The Crucible's unelected official Deputy Governor John Danforth (a brilliantly subtle performance by
Francis Guinan) blithely states, "But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there is no road between." Suddenly, as if the other modern allegories weren't enough, Miller's words of moral absolutes effectively come back to bite a certain commander-in-chief, making this about as contemporary production as one could expect.
Overall, the cast is terrific. Special props must be given to
Alana Arenas (in the photo above) as the conflicted Susanna Wolcott,
Mary Seibel as stoic Rebecca Nurse and
Maury Cooper, who provides some of the performance's most welcome comic relief as Giles Corey.
If I have one quibble, and it's not insubstantial, it would be on how the supposed demons of the young would-be witches are manifested. With heartwrenching screams, essential dialogue is often obscured. To be quite frank, I strained to hear much of what was being said, a difficulty I had not previously experienced at this theatre.
Yet, Shapiro's fierce, take no prisoners mix in
The Crucible makes for a completely enthralling evening of live theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: Arthur Miller, Chicago, Freedom of Association, Freedom Of Speech, George W. Bush, J. Parnell Thomas, Jana 6, Joseph McCarthy, Play, Revival, Steppenwolf, The Crucible, The SOB Review
Former Wild Boys Come To BroadwayAnd now for something completely different....
80s pop supergroup
Duran Duran will play a series of "two hour" concerts at Broadway's
Ethel Barrymore Theatre for two weeks this November to "celebrate" the launch of their new album
Red Carpet Massacre.
According to their site, "Duran Duran are developing a unique show that will see them performing not only their innumerable hits from the past 29 years but also the whole of their new record and a special electro set that promises to delight their loyal army of fans."
Promising "magnificent production values," tickets will be offered first to Citi cardmembers on Monday. They won't be cheap, either. Tickets start at $75 and run up to $150 per seat, not including applicable fees).
Does this count as the ultimate jukebox musical? Please, please tell me now!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Duran Duran, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, First Word On New Show, Jukebox Musical, Musical, Special Theatrical Event
Country Girl To Return To Big CityWill Tony-nominated actors
Morgan Freeman and
Frances McDormand finally return to the Great White Way?
Although nothing's been formally announced, they're rumored to be the favorites for the leads in the upcoming Rialto revival of
Clifford Odets'
The Country Girl, which will be directed by
Mike Nichols.
Freeman last appeared on Broadway in 1988's
The Gospel At Colonus, although it was his portrayal of Zeke in the very short-lived nine performance run of
The Mighty Gents in 1978 that earned him his one and only Tony nod. While most audiences know him from his extensive, award-winning work in film, it's to Freeman's enormous credit that he's never forgotten his theatrical roots. In fact, he's acting as the honorary chairman of a $15 million capital campaign for
Playhouse on the Square in his hometown of Memphis.
The Academy Award-winning McDormand's last Broadway appearance came in the 1988 revival of
Tennessee Williams'
A Streetcar Named Desire. Her Tony-nominated performance as Stella was opposite
Aidan Quinn's Stanley. McDormand's one other Broadway performance came in another Odets work: the 1984 revival of
Awake And Sing! This is one actress that I would travel just about anywhere to see perform on stage.
Despite its name,
The Country Girl is a classic showbiz play centering on an alcoholic Broadway actor and his long-suffering wife. The
original production enjoyed 236 performances at Broadway's
Lyceum Theatre back in 1950-51; legendary actress
Uta Hagen earned a Tony in the title role. The play's only
revival in 1972 played a mere 62 performances, but boasted a cast including
George Grizzard,
Maureen Stapleton and
Jason Robards, who received a Tony nomination for his work.
Perhaps most famously, the play was turned into a critically acclaimed
1954 film that received seven Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Actor (
Bing Crosby), but it was the future Princess of Monaco
Grace Kelly who won the Oscar for her portrayal of
The Country Girl.
With this potentially becoming one of Broadway's hottest revivals, you can bet that I'll be reporting on it further as casting is announced.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Clifford Odets, Frances McDormand, Morgan Freeman, Play, Revival, The Country Girl
GWTW Composer: Knowin' Somethin' 'Bout Birthin' BabiesAs
reported in June, the upcoming musical version of
Margaret Mitchell's epic
Gone With The Wind -- which will make its debut next April at London's New London Theatre -- will feature a book and score written by sociologist
Margaret Martin.
Now that the tuner's official Web site is
live, we finally learn more about who Martin is:
MARGARET MARTIN (Book, Music, Lyrics) earned a Doctorate in Public Health from U.C.L.A. in Community Health Science and a Masters degree in both Behavioral Science/Health Education and in Population and Family Health, also from U.C.L.A.’s School of Public Health. Dr. Martin is a specialist in maternal, child and family health and has delivered continuing education trainings for nurses throughout California. She has worked as a consultant for Parenting Magazine, and has conducted Leadership Trainings in community building for the American Public Health Association. She worked as an editor for Fisher Books, and is the author and illustrator of Pregnancy and Childbirth: The basic illustrated guide. Dr. Martin has delivered pregnancy and childbirth classes to expectant parents for more than thirty years and now trains community health-workers in how to deliver such classes.
Dr. Martin studied music theory at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. She is the Founder and President of The Harmony Project, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles that provides musical instruments and ongoing tuition-free music education to nearly 300 children from low-income L.A.-area families (see www.harmony-project.org). Dr. Martin plans to establish Harmony Project programs in inner-cities throughout the country.
Dr. Martin supported herself from the age of fifteen. As a single mother, she identified closely with the challenges faced by Gone With the Wind’s young protagonist, Scarlett O’Hara. She also felt the filmed adaptation left considerably more within Margaret Mitchell’s epic tale to be explored. Dr. Martin developed Gone With the Wind for the musical theater on her own. She brought the project to Trevor Nunn after she had acquired the rights to the property from the Mitchell Trusts. Author of book, music and lyrics, Gone With the Wind is Dr. Martin’s first play. She is the mother of three children and lives in Los Angeles with her youngest son. She is currently at work on two new plays.
If all else fails, perhaps theatrical novice Martin will be able to better inform the musical version's Prissy on the fine art of birthing babies.
With thanks to regular reader BroadwayBaby.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Tickets go on sale September 30.Related Stories:Frankly My Dears... (July 1, 2007)
Gone With The Wind The Musical? (February 22, 2007)
Labels: Film, Gone With The Wind, London, Margaret Martin, Margaret Mitchell, Musical, Trevor Nunn
Giving Birth To Cry-BabyDirector
Mark Brokaw knows a thing or two about birthing shows. And this November, he'll help bring the brand spanking new
Cry-Baby to life at San Diego's
La Jolla Playhouse.
Based on the 1990
John Waters flick, the Rialto-bound
Cry-Baby has a pretty impressive pedigree. For starters, in addition to Brokaw, one of my fave Broadway babies is on board: Tony winning actress
Harriet Harris, who'll make this her second Great White Way outing this theatrical season (she replaces
Jan Maxwell). Opposite Harris will be
James Snyder in the title role. Also in the cast is a terrific talent named
Carly Jibson, whom I first saw as Tracy Turnblad in the touring production of that other Waters-inspired musical
Hairspray.
Cry-Baby's book comes from two grown men who certainly know their way around Waters' material: the estimable
Thomas Meehan (
Annie,
The Producers)
and
Mark O'Donnell, the same duo who wrote the libretto for
Hairspray. Choreography will be provided
Rob Ashford, whose fine work is much in demand on both sides of the Atlantic these days. Broadway novices
David Javerbaum (writer for
Comedy Central's "
The Daily Show") and
Adam Schlesinger (
Fountains of Wayne) are writing the score.
Cry-Baby will be born on November 6 at La Jolla Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. It's expected to reach Broadway in March with an April opening.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Cry-Baby To Move Forward Without Schuck (May 6, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cry-Baby, Film, First Word On New Show, Hairspray, Harriet Harris, John Waters, La Jolla Playhouse, Mark Brokaw, Mark O'Donnell, Musical, Rob Ashford, San Diego, Thomas Meehan
Where's Your Best Seat In The House?Not too long ago, I had a short conversation with one of my regular readers about where we prefer to sit during a performance.
He said he enjoyed sitting up in the mezzanine (dress circle for my readers across the pond) so he could get a birds-eye view of the production and take it all in. His comments were similar to those of someone else I know who said that for the sheer sake of seeing all the scenery, as well as how the choreography all comes together, she vies for a good seat from above.
Personally, I'm one of those who loves to be in the orchestra (English translation: stalls) as close to the stage as possible, even if it means a momentary partially-blocked view here and there. My reason? So I can see every little tic, facial expression and even the spit coming from the mouths of the actors as they enunciate each line, whether sung or spoken. It's particularly enjoyable if the actor, in character, is gazing off...and staring straight through me.
So I ask, if you had to pick your own personal best seat in the house, where would it be for you? Not only do I invite you to vote in my latest SOB Poll to the right, but comment below on why.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Special Messages, Theatre Seating
Before The Holidays Strike?As
previously noted, a potential strike on Broadway looms as
Local One of the stagehands union (or International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) is renegotiating its contract -- that expired in July -- with the
League of American Theatres and Producers.
Despite the relatively collegial nature of the actual discussions
described as "businesslike and civil," there's an underlying threat that is likely causing incredible tension: the League has indicated that if they don't reach an agreement by the end of September, they will force a lockout in early October. What does that mean for theatre fans?
It could force
most of the Great White Way to go dark as early as October -- a time period when Broadway business is traditionally slower. That way, the League controls the timing as opposed to Local One, which could opt to strike during the very busy Holiday season that begins in earnest immediately prior to Thanksgiving.
Why most? Since
Roundabout Theatre Company,
Manhattan Theatre Company (MTC) and
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts are all not-for-profit organizations, their stagehands operate under different contracts.
Considering that the first two have the next three shows to open on Broadway --
Mauritius (October 4 at MTC's
Biltmore Theatre),
The Ritz (October 11 at Roundabout's
Studio 54) and
Pygmalion (October 18 at the Roundabout-leased
American Airlines Theatre) -- if you're looking for safe bets when buying theatre tickets, these would be the shows to see. Whether or not they're any good has yet to be determined.
Update (9/28/2007): The New York Times reports that Young Frankenstein, which will operate in a non-union theatre, and Mary Poppins will not be affected by any lockout or strike.As a loyal patron on Broadway and theatre in general, I don't have a dog in this fight. But since I'm holding tickets for several shows over the next few months, I'm hoping beyond hope that it doesn't come down to a lockout, which I'm fundamentally against.
Given the fact that the IATSE already has a contingency plan geared toward finding its members union work in television or film during any work stoppage, the only real loser in this fight will be the audience.
The audience is hardly an insignificant group, yet their interests aren't being represented by either side in this battle. The audience is not only paying higher ticket prices at the box office, but in many cases, especially around the Holidays, a substantial number are also incurring non-refundable airfares and exorbitant hotel rates (one of my regular readers told me that's she's paying over $500 per night just for a room in November).
And for what? The chance that they might come to the Big Apple only to learn that their show isn't even playing?!
Let's hope the two sides don't reach an impasse. If they do, they risk turning off the loyal theatregoing public that both sides need.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Thanks, Mel! (July 6, 2007)
Labels: Holiday, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, League of American Theatres and Producers, Local One, Mauritius, Pygmalion, Strike, The Ritz, Ticket Prices
No Star LoveSo much for Randy Quaid and the planned Broadway production of
Lone Star Love. The tuner that's currently
playing in Seattle has
inexplicably canceled its Great White Way run that was to have started in November and opened in December.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Seattle tickets.Related Stories:
Evi-duh? (September 19, 2007)
Lone Star Joins Crowded Field Of Musicals (July 20, 2007)
Labels: Broadway, Cancellation, Lone Star Love, Musical, Randy Quaid, Seattle
Leaving Las VegasAlthough it may have seemed like I was in Las Vegas all last week, I was actually safely ensconced in my own bed back home a week ago Wednesday evening.
Fortunately, I didn't suffer any altercations
this visit, but what's with all the lazy people on escalators and moving sidewalks, or for that matter all those using
scooters when they really don't need to? I was practically run over a couple times!
I'm someone who enjoys walking at a brisk, if not rigorous, pace. Seems like no matter where I turned, lethargic and hopelessly slow people were in my way. I practically had to slug my way through just to walk beyond a snail's pace.
But I digress.
I wanted to share the best top shows I've
ever seen in Las Vegas, and fortunately for those of you who may be traveling there, each of them is still playing for your maximum enjoyment and pleasure.
You should note that my short list does
not include any singing or stand-up acts or magicians.
Nor does my list include any Broadway shows, past or present. For the most part -- the surprisingly lackluster
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular notwithstanding -- given Vegas' propensity for cutting shows down to 90 minutes or so, I'd rather spend my bucks to see the real deal on the Great White Way. (It should be noted here that
according to Variety,
Phantom and
Monty Python's Spamalot are bucking a
recent trend by doing great business along Vegas' strip.)
I'd much rather see shows I can't see anywhere else -- in other words, a true splashy, glitzy Vegas spectacle. And yes, with these shows being tantamount to a royal flush, I would agree with
San Jose Mercury News Karen D'Souza that in most cases, Sin City trumps the aces currently showing on Broadway (hat tip to
Man In Chair!).
So here's my top three:
1 - The Beatles Love - Love Theatre,
Mirage
**** (out of ****)In the excellent, mind-blowing
The Beatles Love, I found that all you need is love. Providing the ultimate in sensory overload, this wild ride transports to another time and place. As an exquisite showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles, the Fab Four's classic tunes are brought to life in a most magical way by
Cirque du Soleil.
2 - O - "O" Theatre,
Bellagio
**** (out of ****)O,
Franco Dragone's revolutionary, jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring Cirque du Soleil spectacle was on my
personal top five list of all shows I saw during the 2000-01 Theatrical Season. With performers scampering across the stage one moment and high-divers plunging into the very same space the next, this show makes a theme park water ride seem dull and boring.
O is still playing at one of Vegas' most prestigious hotels.
3 - KÀ - The KÀ Theatre,
MGM Grand
Sure,
Wicked talks a good game about defying gravity, but with its continually evolving stage, the performers in this Asian-tinged spectacle called
KÀ really do. Yes, it's another Cirque du Soleil show, but it's the first to tell a story. When I say it revolves around a pair of twins as they face the opposing forces of good and evil, I mean that quite literally. While the storyline could be stronger,
KÀ remains awesome to behold.
Since three of Cirque du Soleil's five current Vegas shows reign supreme on my top three list -- and yes, I've seen
many other non-Cirque shows in Vegas, and no, don't bother seeing the other two -- it's worth noting that the
troupe is already working on an Elvis-themed show along the lines of
The Beatles Love that will make its debut at the all-new MGM Mirage
City Center in late 2009. The new spectacle will essentially recreate the experience of seeing The King perform. If any organization can pull it off, it's Cirque du Soleil.
Viva, Las Vegas, indeed.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for KÀ tickets.Click here for O tickets.Click here for The Beatles Love tickets.Related Stories:Mystère (The SOB Review) (September 13, 2007)
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular (The SOB Review) (September 12, 2007)
The Beatles Love (The SOB Review) (September 11, 2007)
Becoming SOL (September 10, 2007)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Critics: True Spectacle for the Senses and Beatles' Fans (July 1, 2006)
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil Opens in Vegas Tonight (June 30, 2006)
Broadway's Gamble on Vegas No Sure Bet (June 6, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Cirque du Soleil, Elvis Presley, KA, Las Vegas, Monty Python's Spamalot, O, Phantom The Las Vegas Spectacular, The Beatles
Once Again, I Have To Ask....With stories popping up from
The Wall Street Journal's Terry Teachout and
Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones in
Variety regarding the value of keeping press at bay during previews -- as well as some
outright indignation about the recent review of half a preview by
George Hunka of Superfluities -- I once again must ask "
Are blogs making the time-honored preview obsolete?"
Or at least in the way we currently view previews?
Teachout astutely writes:
[S]ome shows are news, and the fact that the Seattle tryout of Young Frankenstein got mixed reviews in the local papers has not gone unnoticed (or unreported) in New York....With playgoers "publishing" their opinions of new shows whenever they please, is there any reason for producers to keep on holding critics at bay until the last minute? Perhaps for now, but my guess is that the institution of the theatrical preview will soon come to be seen as pointless. As any number of red-faced pols can tell you, there are no secrets in the age of the New Media.
Jones adds:
In an era when a first preview audience disseminates amateur opinions to the world through Internet chatrooms, the out-of-town Broadway tryout seems like an anachronism. Why pay to truck your show all across America if gossip and local reviews will now be almost as widely disseminated in Gotham as if you were playing in Times Square?
Are new media getting an unfair advantage over old media vis-à-vis shows in previews because virtually anything goes in the blogosphere?
In the interest of full disclosure, I wrote and posted my
"review" of Young Frankenstein prior to its Seattle opening and labeled it a "preview." I also wrote and posted my "
review" of 100 Saints You Should Know just days before the show opened. And for the record, with
one notable exception, I never walk out of shows.
I'd love to hear what you think.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Are Blogs Making The Time-Honored Preview Obsolete? (August 20, 2007)
Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Chris Jones, Off-Broadway, Previews, Superfluities, Terry Teachout
100 Saints: Were Critics Singing Its Praises?Two evenings ago, budding playwright
Kate Fodor's new play
100 Saints You Should Know opened. The reviews are mixed on the material, but generally positive on performances.
Calling it "a play you should know,"
Newsday's
Linda Winer recommends the work: "Fodor invents rich characters who speak in their own peculiar rhythms and make observations that defy our expectations for this perilous subject matter....
Ethan McSweeny has directed an exquisite cast to find the humor, absurdity and simple elegance of the search....The luminous
Lois Smith continues her recent surge of priceless portrayals of seemingly ordinary women in such plays as
The Trip to Bountiful....Any cliche of the impossibly precocious daughter is turned into something exhilarating, scary and new by the terrific young actress
Zoe Kazan....
Jeremy Shamos has a quiet, touching credibility as the priest whose conflicts go beyond the generality of headlines into particular heartbreak."
Observing that the show's characters "earn the attention they crave,"
Variety's
Marilyn Stasio also offers praise: "Helmer Ethan McSweeny's sensitive reading of the material and an extremely classy cast make all the difference in a production of this episodic and none-too-original drama about the difficulties of grasping and holding onto one's beliefs in a modern world....Structurally, Fodor has written an articulate, if dramatically circular play, with the overlong and repetitive setup scenes in the first act methodically paying off in the second."
Taking note of "unresolved quality throughout,"
Ben Brantley of
The New York Times is mostly kind: "This tale of everyday people in search of faith, directed by Ethan McSweeny and featuring the estimable Lois Smith, is thoughtful, well spoken, humbly aware of its limitations and respectful of its characters. It is, in other words, the kind of play you could take home to mother. Just don’t expect it to provide you with a transporting night of passion....But the story approaches these topical matters with a calm, open mind and a tidy, symmetrical structure that balances and parallels different points of view....Ms. Kazan enjoyably nails the hostile neediness of an adolescent girl who hates her mother as much as she loves her. And Ms. Smith...turns Colleen’s first scene into a mini master class in acting."
Labeling it "sensitive and engaging yet, in the end, uneven,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News offers a mixed review: "The dialogue sometimes sounds more like a setup for punch lines than honest-to-God conversation....(The second act) tolls with such honesty and depth that one imagines
Francis de Sales, the patron saint of authors, watching Fodor's back when she wrote it....The always excellent Lois Smith makes the most of Colleen....Zoe Kazan, memorable last year in
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is uninhibited and brash and makes the wild-child Abby both believable and sympathetic."
Noting how
100 Saints You Should Know "has enough issues for a trio of
Lifetime movies,"
New York Post's
Frank Scheck offers a two-and-a-half star review: "Though the playwright's compassion is evident -- as is her ability to interweave their plights in emotionally resonant and sometimes humorous ways --
100 Saints has a patented feel that recalls the many similarly sensitive off-Broadway dramas that preceded it....To her credit, Fodor doesn't provide any pat solutions to her characters' crises....It's hardly a surprise that Smith is wonderful, but there is also fine work by Moloney...Shamos....and the two younger performers.
As you'll recall from last week,
I recommended the production with ***1/2 stars. Performances of
100 Saints You Should Know run through September 30.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:100 Saints: One Opening Night (September 18, 2007)
100 Saints You Should Know (The SOB Review) (September 14, 2007)
Labels: 100 Saints You Should Know, Critics' Capsule, Jeremy Shamos, Kate Fodor, Lois Smith, Off-Broadway, Play, Zoe Kazan
Evi-duh?Apparently,
so much happens when you give
one star (and by extension wife) so much control.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Lone Star Love, Michael Riedel, Musical, Randy Quaid
40 Rocks From The Radiant Kristen JohnstonHard as it is to believe, in just a couple days, the eternally effervescent
Kristen Johnston will turn 40.
Johnston is one of those grossly underappreciated award-winning actresses who has chosen to remain very grounded. While I'm betting she could easily have another hit sitcom if she so chose, she's professed in a terrific
Broadway.com interview to having purposely downsized her career by hanging a left toward Off-Broadway in recent years.
I catch her performances anytime I can. Loved her turn as the former "it" party girl Lexi Featherston in the "
Splat!" episode of "
Sex And The City." Loved her in the 2001 Broadway revival of
The Women. Loved her in the more recent Off-Broadway revival of
Aunt Dan And Lemon. And loved her yet again in the even more recent Off-Broadway revival of
The Baltimore Waltz.
While I'm bummed I didn't make it to London to see her
short-lived stint as Joan in
John Kolvenbach's
Love Song,
I'm hoping to love her again in her new Off-Broadway limited run outing of
Scarcity.
Two interesting things you may not know about this electrifying actress are that (a) off stage, the 6 feet tall actress is even more gorgeous and softer in appearance than you'd think (I met her briefly immediately following a performance of
The Women), and (b) she's the daughter of former Republican State Senator
Rod Johnston of suburban Milwaukee -- one of the most decent, moderate politicians I've ever had the honor of knowing (given my regard for Ms. Johnston, I suspect he must have been an outstanding father, too).
Happy birthday, Kristen Johnston!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Cick here for Scarcity tickets.Related Stories:New Duet Partner For McKean In London's Love Song (December 14, 2007)
Was Love Song Music To London Critics' Ears? (December 5, 2006)
Next Stanza: Love Song Opens In London (November 4, 2006)
Kolvenbach's Love Song To Sing In London (October 13, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Labels: Aunt Dan And Lemon, Broadway, Kristen Johnston, Love Song, Off-Broadway, Rod Johnston, Scarcity, Sex And The City, Special Messages, Television, The Baltimore Waltz, The Women
100 Saints: One Opening NightThis evening marks the opening night for
Kate Fodor's "world premiere" Off-Broadway engagement of
100 Saints You Should Know at
Playwrights Horizons, which offers this synopsis:
Theresa cleans the rectory of the local parish to support her unruly teenage daughter. When its priest leaves the church under uncertain circumstances and returns home to his protective mother, Theresa finds herself compelled to pursue him. One eventful night joins them all, forcing a reckoning with the broken memories and shaken faith that divides them — and the discovery of a shared, tenuous common ground.
Last week, I provided
my positive review. Other bloggers have weighed in, too -- some good (like
Rocco at What's Good/What Blows) and some not so good (like
George Hunka of Superfluities who created quite the stir by reviewing the show without staying beyond the first act -- hey, at least he's honest!).
Tomorrow, I'll let you know whether critics think this is a show worth knowing.
(Despite its late September opening, the show is currently scheduled to close on the 30th.)
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
100 Saints You Should Know (The SOB Review) (September 14, 2007)
Labels: 100 Saints You Should Know, Blogs, Kate Fodor, Off-Broadway, Opening Night, Play, Superfluities, What's Good/What Blows in New York Theatre
Boeing-Boeing To Touch Down On Great White WayAccording to
Playbill,
Boeing-Boeing has been cleared for take-off on Broadway next spring.
The super hot, nostalgic revival by
Matthew Warchus opened to
rave reviews in London on February 15 and has been swinging ever since.
The sex farce from
Marc Camoletti and
Beverley Cross (late husband of
Dame Maggie Smith) enjoyed a very healthy London run when it originally performed all the way back in 1961. However,
Boeing-Boeing crashed and burned on Broadway after only 23 regular performances back in 1965.
Will the second time be the charm? And more importantly, will any of the London revival's starry cast fly over the Atlantic to reprise their roles? Personally, I'd love to see both
Frances de la Tour and
Mark Rylance again. But I'd be more than happy to have
another go with
Elena Roger as well.
Presumably, the Broadway revival won't be performed at the
American Airlines Theatre space occupied by the
Roundabout Theatre Company -- this despite said
airlines' current sponsorship of the London production.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for London tickets.Related Stories:Was De La Tour's Latest A Tour De Force With Critics? (February 17, 2007)
London's Boeing-Boeing Flies Into Opening Night (February 15, 2007)
Labels: Boeing-Boeing, Elena Roger, First Word On New Show, Frances de la Tour, London, Mark Rylance, Matthew Warchus, Play, Revival, Transfer
The Apocalypse Is NearAccording to
New York Post's "Page Six" team,
Tori Spelling and her husband
Dean McDermott are the latest spouses to be offered roles in Broadway's über-stunt-casted production of
Chicago.
Eleven years and going, well, weak.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Chicago (The SOB Revisit) (January 16, 2007)
Revisiting Chicago (January 12, 2007)
Happy Birthday, Chicago! (November 14, 2006)
Usher Out (October 12, 2006)
Will Usher Razzle Dazzle 'em? (August 22, 2006)
We Had It Coming: Chicago's Starry 10th Anniversary (July 26, 2006)
Chicago to Usher in New Billy Flynn (July 14, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Chicago The Musical, Dean McDermott, Musical, Stunt Casting, Tori Spelling
The Little Mermaid (The SOB Review) - Ellie Caulkins Opera House, The Denver Center for Performing Arts, Denver, CO**1/2 (out of ****)When its entire considerable empire and reputation is built on
magic (heck, even
one of its cruise ships has been so christened), it's expected that everything bearing Disney's name will have a deft magic touch. But in
The Little Mermaid, Disney has allowed its good name to go adrift.
When
George Tsypin's set designs of everything from an underwater kingdom to ships sailing above to an earthly palace all resemble garishly cheap plastic pieces from a
My Little Pony revue, or when
Tatiana Noginova's costume designs look like
Julie Taymor rejects, or when
Alan Menken and
Glenn Slater's derivative tunes sound more like a bizarre hybrid of
Cabaret and
The Lion King,
The Little Mermaid swims into decidedly unenchanted waters.
Much has been made of director
Francesca Zambello's misguided decision to forego much of magic and for good reason. Instead of using either water or wires, she clearly chose to rely on the score, book and performances to capture the audiences' attention. But this
is Disney, isn't it?!
Here it must be noted that while the score was surprisingly lame (case in point: "Positoovity" comes off sounding more like a rip-off of "Hakuna Matata") with most of the high points coming directly from the original film score by Menken and
Howard Ashman,
Doug Wright's book at least propels the story into greater depths. He explores Ariel's choices and empowers her via a brave emancipation from her overprotective father. Yet there's not enough of the trademark Disney dual-edged wink and nod humor to keep it interesting for the adults. And I'm still baffled by how some of the sea creatures could be next of kin.
More importantly, the cast headed by a sweet
Sierra Boggess as Ariel the mermaid and a formidably fun
Sherie René Scott as the wicked Ursula is what provides the production its true iridescence. Thankfully, there's plenty of heart here.
Other standouts include a charming
Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, a chiseled
Norm Lewis as Ariel's father King Triton and audience favorite
Titus Burgess as Sebastian the crab. There's also a breakout star in the making as the young
J.J. Singleton steals key moments of the show as Flounder. But as Flotsam, Disney and
Altar Boyz fave
Tyler Maynard can't seem to shake the stereotypically fey roles he's perfected.
As much as most of those performances enhanced the show, along with
Stephen Mear's zippy choreography (courtesy of
Heelys),
The Little Mermaid is unfortunately bereft of one major essential element: Disney magic. When
Aida proves more interesting in the enchantment department, Zambello appears to be in over her head.
And while my Denver audience cheered enthusiastically once the would-be spectacle was over -- no doubt largely due to the top drawer cast, I can't help but believe New York audiences will leave disappointed unless Zambello seriously rethinks how to deliver the goods most Disney fans expect and demand. I know I did.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Is Little Mermaid Major Disney Misstep?(August 31, 2007)
Updated: One Rocky Review For The Little Mermaid; One Favorable Post (August 24, 2007)
A Tale Of Two Tryout Cities (August 23, 2007)
Little Mermaid Begins Tonight (July 26, 2007)
Little Mermaid: No Treading Water Before The Boards (July 21, 2007)
Mermaid Casting Anything But Little (March 20, 2007)
Beauty Out On Broadway (January 17, 2007)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Denver, Disney, Film, Francesca Zambello, Musical, Sherie Rene Scott, The Little Mermaid, The SOB Review
Steppenwolf Letts "Juicy" August Move ForwardFor anyone anxiously awaiting the fall Broadway berth of
Steppenwolf ensemble member
Tracy Letts' superb
August: Osage County -- and if you aren't, you
should be --
Steven Oxman's Variety story on its transfer is required reading.
It's ultra-fast move to the Great White Way was the best strategy for bringing most of its Chicago cast, according to producer
Steve Traxler, whom Oxman quotes saying:
There was never any question but to go intact with the Steppenwolf company....Had we waited for the spring, we don't know what would have happened with the cast, and we don't know if a theater would have been readily available.
August: Osage County will mark Steppenwolf's Broadway transfer since the haunting 2001 Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Play
One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets. Related Stories:This October, Letts' "August" Begins On Broadway (August 22, 2007)
August: Osage County (The SOB Review) (August 19, 2007)
Labels: August Osage County, Broadway, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Play, Steppenwolf, Tracy Letts, Transfer
100 Saints You Should Know (The SOB Review) - Mainstage Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, New York, NY
***1/2 (out of ****)Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the death of that
most saintly of 20th Century Nobel Prize winners, recently released passages from
Mother Teresa's remarkable diaries have illuminated what has been characterized as
her personal crisis of faith. All of which begs the question of where faith and disbelief intersect.
Those two intangible elements intersect quite literally in
Kate Fodor’s arresting and provocative new play,
100 Saints You Should Know, now enjoying its "world premiere" at Off-Broadway’s
Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theatre (in actuality, it was first presented last July at
Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre in Chicago, but I won't quibble that point here).
In this frequently humorous, yet ultimately circumspect morality play directed with sharp veracity by
Ethan McSweeny, another Theresa (Janel Moloney) finds herself on a spiritual quest. Having been a teenage mother -- her acerbic, downright bitter teenage daughter Abby (Zoe Kazan) is now teetering close to the precipice in replicating Theresa's earlier missteps -- she is nearing middle age and searching for more meaning in her life. Perhaps it's no accident that she's found herself cleaning toilets in the rectory of a local Catholic Church.
Matthew (
Jeremy Shamos) -- a priest on leave from that parish is experiencing a crisis of faith -- returns home for respite in the care of his reliably faithful, old-fashioned Irish mother Colleen (
Lois Smith). Fueling Matthew’s crisis is his inability to reconcile his inner longings with church doctrine (or for that matter his own mother's).
When Garrett (Will Rogers), the dimwitted young son of Colleen's grocer, drops by with his latest delivery, he immediately places Matthew on the defensive by asking probing, sexually suggestive questions. While Garrett's pondering is meant to assuage his own carnal guilt, his questions further isolate a despairing Matthew.
Later that same evening, Theresa calls on Matthew, while leaving her daughter out in the car. Theresa is seeking spiritual guidance, but finds she must scale the walls Matthew has built around himself. Meanwhile, a very bored Abby is left to her own devices outside; she chances upon Garrett, who's hanging around hoping to bare his soul to Matthew, but instead shares his innermost secrets and desires with Abby.
Since I won't act as spoiler, let's just say that what transpires from there spins everyone's lives out of control (aided by Rachel Hauck's simple, yet stirring turntable set design). What still resonates and lingers with me is the purity in which Fodor wrote this compelling piece seemingly without any agenda or ax to grind.
In the program notes, Fodor writes, "I was interested in thinking about what true religious longing might feel like, especially if it took a nonbeliever by surprise, and as a mirror image, what it might feel like for a believer to be pulled away from God by a longing for the things in the secular world." To that end, Fodor has succeeded brilliantly without being heavy-handed or preachy.
It doesn't hurt that she is aided tremendously by the uniformly exceptional cast. Certainly, many will go to see
100 Saints You Should Know for the unique opportunity to see the graceful dignity offered by Lois Smith. But Shamos offers his own solemn, if sobering, portrayal as the priest in crisis. Kazan once again demonstrates that no young stage actress delivers sassy adolescent insolence quite the way she can. Rogers' tender yet goofy take on Garrett shows the awkwardness that comes with burgeoning teen sexuality. And Moloney is radiant as the would-be believer.
Regardless of your religious beliefs or lack thereof,
100 Saints You Should Know is worth seeing and knowing.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Labels: 100 Saints You Should Know, Ethan McSweeny, Janel Moloney, Jeremy Shamos, Lois Smith, Off-Broadway, Play, Playwrights Horizons, Steppenwolf, World Premiere, Zoe Kazan
Mystère (The SOB Review) - Mystère Theatre, Treasure Island, Las Vegas, NV**1/2 (out of ****)Now that I've seen all five of the famed
Cirque du Soleil shows currently playing to packed houses in Las Vegas, it may surprise you to know that the longest-running of the bunch is the very last one I've seen. It also rates as the least among them.
Mystère has been playing for nearly 15 years at the
Treasure Island Las Vegas. While it certainly possesses many of the key characteristics that now define the sensuously surreal circus based in Montreal,
Mystère comes across merely as Cirque du Soleil 101. It shows its age, yet serves as a pretty primer for anyone not already acquainted with its robust selection of shows.
With its stern ringleader (Marek Haczkiewicz) and affable clown (Brian Dewhurst), this Cirque du Soleil spectacle certainly has the most circus-like feel of any of the company's Vegas selections. And thanks to the hilarious antics of Dewhurst and François DuPuis (as a larger than life baby) -- complete with audience participation -- it's one of the more roundly amusing offerings.
There are also two key trademark Cirque du Soleli performances that are unlike the other four Vegas shows. One is from Paul Bowler, who becomes one with a giant aerial cube in the air, twirling within it as it dangles high above the stage until he lands with it, only to spin the box in a dazzling, illuminating display. The other is downright -- or should I say upright? --
Busby Berkeleyesque as a half dozen performers captivate from above with their synchronized highwire bungees that's nothing short of jawdropping.
The rest is a healthy mix of amazing acrobatics, including two hair-denuded brothers maneuvering their bodies in a painful looking hand and body balancing act performed on a rotating dome. Is it mesmerizing? Sure, but if you've seen other Cirque du Soleil shows, you're likely to find this a retread.
Back in the day, I have no doubt that
Mystère was groundbreaking. It undoubtedly helped set the standard by which Cirque du Soleil is judged today. And to the company's credit, they've continually built on each successive hit.
Yet, aside from the humor and a couple of the aforementioned high flying acts, to see it
after each of its younger Vegas siblings is a bit of a letdown. Even many of its cast members appear to be getting soft around the middle, no doubt contributing to some of the reckless lack of precision I witnessed during
Mystère's Korean plank trampoline routine.
There is just no comparison to the more superior and fantastic
O, which uses death-cheating water trickery, or
KÀ, a gravity-defying epic story -- both of these shows employ many similar acts that are significantly better and demonstrate the extraordinary evolution of Cirque du Soleil. And as I noted a couple days ago, each of those pales in comparison to the excellent, mindblowing production of
The Beatles Love.
Given the pricey tickets, I can really only recommend you see this show if you haven't seen the others, and that's with the caveat that money is not an issue. After all, why would you want an old-school
Sony Walkman if you could have an
iPod for about the same price?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for ticket information.Related Stories:The Beatles Love (The SOB Review) (September 11, 2007)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Musical, Mystère, Special Theatrical Event
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular (The SOB Review) - Phantom Theatre, The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV** (out of ****)The enduring wonders of
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
The Phantom Of The Opera have always eluded me. Actually, they've confounded me.
Apart from the fact that my sightlines were obstructed when I first saw the show nearly 20 years ago, not long after it initially bowed in London's West End, I found the entire proceedings to be a bit of snooze.
Holding out the possibility that jetlag may have gotten the better of me the first time around, I readily accepted a gratis ticket nine years ago on this side of the Atlantic to see it again. It wasn't any better. In fact, I found the plot ridiculous and forgettable.
But since I was going to be in Vegas, I thought how bad could it be to check out the relatively new, truncated 95-minute version of
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, which was once again directed by
Harold Prince.
Let's just put it this way: the third time was
not the charm.
When an ornate lighting fixture becomes the most exciting part of a spectacle, a show's in trouble. In this
Phantom, the celebrated chandelier takes center stage (actual center theatre in the specially-designed opera house) very early on through a whiz of special effects that lifts four separate pieces into place as if it were an object from outer space. During those first five minutes when
Paul Kelly's gorgeous scenic adaptation of the original work whirls together with
David Rockwell's breathtaking
theatre design and special effects, the denouement is dazzling to be sure.
But there's still a couple trifles like the score and book that leave me cold. And then there's the acting, which is entirely overwrought. Worst offender was Kristi Holden in the pivotal role of Christine Daaé; not only did she chew Kelly's considerable scenery, but her acting was so over the top that I kept thinking the chandelier would come crashing down at any second.
Fortunately for her and her fellow thespians, Broadway and West End veteran
Brent Barrett offered some degree of gravitas to the proceedings in the title role. Ryan Silverman also added to the production with his tender portrayal of Raoul.
While the edited tuner excised at least nine songs (by my count) from the original production, it certainly sped things along and reduced the number of times I had to look at my watch. However, the result is that Christine becomes something of an enigma in how she inexplicably vacillates between the Phantom and Raoul. It's as if we're missing a reel from a film that's been cut down to accommodate a distracted television audience.
Do I doubt for one minute that most
Phantom Of The Opera fans won't eat this all up? Of course not. Many probably won't even know the difference. In fact, they'll likely love all the special effects. But all the makings of a spectacle does not a spectacular make.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Becoming SOL (September 10, 2007)
Where's Oscar The Cat When We REALLY Need Him? (July 20, 2007)
London: The Show Must Go On (June 29, 2007)
Phantom Sequel: So Much For Writing On Otto-Pilot? (June 17, 2007)
Broadway's Longest Running Hits (March 17, 2007)
The Phantom Of Manhattan? (March 12, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Broadway's Gamble on Vegas No Sure Bet (June 6, 2006)
Wicked Becomes Broadway's 8th Overall Cumulative Grosser Among Current Hits (June 2, 2006)
Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Las Vegas, London, Musical, Phantom The Las Vegas Spectacular, The Phantom Of The Opera, The SOB Review
The Beatles Love (The SOB Review) - Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV**** (out of ****)Last night, on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, I found myself seeking out some inner peace. In the excellent, mind-blowing
The Beatles Love, I found that all you need is love.
Finding myself overcome with a sensory overload I haven't experienced since visiting Nepal eleven years ago, this wild ride transports to another time and place with the most frenetic pacing I've seen since the first 20 minutes or so of
Baz Luhrmann's "
Moulin Rouge!" extravaganza. But just like that exhilarating silver screen opening, this exquisite showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles ultimately settles down, finally enabling you to catch your breath, even if for a moment.
Classic tunes from The Beatles are brought to life in a most magical way, incorporating the themes and emotions behind each one, whether it's encapsulating the melancholy of "Eleanor Rigby" or the psychadelic sparkle of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds." Since I'm a Beatlesmaniac, I was entranced throughout the entire production, but renditions of "Rock And Roll Run," "Help" and "Revolution" certainly epitomize who these four lads from Liverpool were and what they came to represent.
By far the best
Cirque du Soleil production I have yet to witness -- and I've now seen four of their five Vegas shows with the fifth coming tonight --
The Beatles Love even manages to blow my previous favorite
O out of the water. Nobody does beautiful spectacle
anywhere quite the way Cirque du Soleil does (Disney, why
aren't you paying attention??).
Credit
Guy Laliberté and Dominic Champagne for creating this truly magical mystery tour, along with Jean Rabasse (set design), Yves Aucoin (lighting design), Philippe Guilottet (costumer design), Jonathan Deans (sound design, including speakers within each seat) and Francis Laporte (a projection design that incorporated John, Paul, George and Ringo). It would serve Broadway choreographers to take a look or two at Dave St. Pierre's stunning work.
While "Viva Las Vegas" may have been Elvis' ode to Sin City, it's the Fab Four (and the creative team behind
The Beatles Love) who are breathing exciting new life into Vegas. As the show closed with "All You Need Is Love," I found myself wishing for just a little more love. Perhaps I've finally found my reason for returning to Las Vegas.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:Becoming SOL (September 10, 2007)
Critics: True Spectacle for the Senses and Beatles' Fans (July 1, 2006)
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil Opens in Vegas Tonight (June 30, 2006)
Labels: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Musical, Special Theatrical Event, Spectacle, The Beatles, The Beatles Love, The SOB Review
Becoming SOLI've often said, "If I never go back to Las Vegas, it's too soon."
However, for me, it's best to never say never, especially since I do public relations in the travel industry where my fellow Americans have made this city the top domestic destination... by
choice.
Alas, Monday is my day of reckoning when I'll once again be traveling to Vegas for work, as opposed to play. I don't gamble, so I don't really have to worry much about my luck. That is, unless I get punched in the head like I did the last time I was there in a completely unprovoked attack directly outside one of the
Strip's top hotels.
Since most of my trip will be spent working, the fanciful idea of being a high roller won't be entertained. However, I do plan on
being entertained by taking in three of Vegas' top shows:
The Beatles Love,
Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, and
Mystère. Soon thereafter, you can expect to get a full rundown of each show.
And lest I forget, expect to see two additional reviews in this space over the next week: the Off-Broadway world premiere of
100 Saints You Should Know and Disney's
The Little Mermaid during its second-to-last tryout performance in Denver.
This is Steve On Las Vegas, er, Broadway (SOB).
Labels: 100 Saints You Should Know, Broadway, Las Vegas, Love, Musical, Mystere, Off-Broadway, Phantom The Las Vegas Spectacular, Play, The Beatles, The Little Mermaid
Young Frankenstein's Gross Out FactorOne of those weekly rituals for Broadway aficionados like me comes every Monday afternoon when each show's box office totals are reported like sports scores.
There's never been any obligation on the part of a production to do so, yet since the 1930s, the heralded tradition has served as a veritable smorgasbord of information ranging from weekly grosses to the number of tickets actually sold to average ticket prices.
Apparently, those manic Mondays may be nearing extinction if the producers of
Young Frankenstein prove to be trendsetters.
According to Campbell Robertson of The New York Times, that rite is in jeopardy because the new would-be monster hit won't be forthcoming on its box office totals.
Certainly, they have every right to do so, but could it be that they're afraid that the totals will demonstrate a less than enthusiastic reception to the top tier $450 premium seating?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Seattle Times: Young Frankenstein's Shtick Gets Old (August 24, 2007)
Riedel's Deep Abby Normal?(August 17, 2007)
Young Frankenstein (The SOB Preview) (August 13, 2007)
Will These Eyes Meet? Hoping For Better Than 75% (August 10, 2007)
Is Mel Worth It? (August 4, 2007)
Thanks, Mel! (July 6, 2007)
What Motivates You To See A Broadway Show? (July 5, 2007)
That's Franken$$$$$TEIN! (June 29, 2007)
Cloris To Mel: Put Up Your Dukes! (June 13, 2007)
Pirate Queen Set To Abdicate Hilton Throne (June 6, 2007)
Billion Dollar Broadway Baby? Almost. (May 30, 2007)
Mel Brooks: "It Looks Like The Hilton Theatre" (May 25, 2007)
End Of Plank For Pirate Queen? (May 18, 2007)
It's Official: Mullally Cast In Young Frankenstein (March 9, 2007)The Hits From Coast To Coast (March 8, 2007)
Whither Goeth Chenoweth? (February 27, 2007)
Producers Out, Young Frankenstein In (February 22, 2007)
That's FrankenSTEEN: Just In Time For Halloween (January 24, 2007)
M-G-M: Movies-Going-Musical (January 3, 2007)
Young Frankenstein Workshop To Feature Monster Casting (October 11, 2006)
Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Musical, Ticket Prices, Young Frankenstein
