Spider-Man Musical Spins Web EarlyTalk about advance buzz with a capital bee, the upcoming Broadway musical version of
Spider-Man, Turn Off The Dark is already firmly in the "on" position as it's selling advance group tickets, even though it won't open for nearly one year.
Spider-Man, Turn Off The Dark is set to begin previews at Rialto's barn-like
Hilton Theatre on January 16, 2010, with opening night scheduled for February 18, 2010. Personally, I don't know of too many people who can plan quite that far in advance, especially for large groups, so I guess you have to give them credit for their moxie, especially in this economy.
But I guess since the musical will be directed by
Julie Taymor, who made us marvel as she brought a
little cartoon lion roaring to life on the Great White Way over a decade ago, you're allowed to think fancifully. Perhaps
Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark's real secret weapon is the not so secret pairing of
U2's
Bono and
The Edge in providing their first Broadway score. Taymor and
Glen Berger are writing the book.
Playbill notes that the show:
...spins a new take on the mythic tale of a young man propelled from a modest rowhouse in Queens to the sky-scraping spire of the Chrysler Building, the bustling offices of the Daily Bugle, through the dizzying canyons of Manhattan, to new vistas never before seen. The musical follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down -- literally -- when he's bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek -- suddenly endowed with astonishing powers -- soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical strength but also his strength of character. Spider-Man's battles will hurtle the audience through an origin story both recognizable and unexpected -- yielding new characters as well as familiar faces -- until a final surprising confrontation casts a startling new light on this hero's journey.
Can Taymor spin her magic once again? Will Bono and The Edge's score make Peter Parker soar? And who will portray that bullied science-geek? For these and other questions, stay tuned. Count me among the intrigued.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Bono, Broadway, Comic Book, First Word On New Show, Glen Berger, Julie Taymor, Musical, Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark, The Edge, U2
The American Plan (The SOB Review) - The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, New York*** (out of ****)Leave it to playwright
Richard Greenberg to find each subtle shading within the term
The American Plan.
For travelers, the "American Plan" has long constituted the type of meal package you were offered with your hotel stay -- breakfast, lunch and dinner would be included. However, among workers in the roaring twenties, it came to describe employers' policies of not negotiating with unions.
On the surface of
David Grindley's somewhat lumbering revival of
The American Plan, the Catskills getaway for Eva Adler (
Mercedes Ruehl) and her flighty daughter Lili (
Lily Rabe) would seem to suggest the former meaning. Yet, there's something inherently non-negotiable in this
American Plan. When the dashing Nick Lockridge (
Kieran Campion) comes across the lake and steals young Lili's heart, Eva's suspicions ultimately leave little room for negotiation in her attempts to protect her daughter from emotional heartbreak.
The real heartbreak is that Lili yearns for nothing more than to escape the clutches of her overprotective mother, a Jewish survivor of Nazi Germany. Greenberg reveals plenty of surprises -- including a particular blend of oppression, self-suppression and self-preservation not atypical for its early sixties timeframe -- which only adds further emotional depth and complexity to his story.
Despite
Jonathan Fensom's endlessly revolving stage design, which at times threatens to spin Grindley's direction into tedium, the sparkling performances are enough to make this a very sound and worthy
Plan.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: David Grindley, Kieran Campion, Lily Rabe, Mercedes Ruehl, Play, Revival, Richard Greenberg, The American Plan, The SOB Review
Computer CrashDear Readers:
Because my computer has completely crashed (yes, I'm on a loaner at the moment), I'm slightly out of commission. Hoping to return with news and reviews shortly -- hopefully as soon as tomorrow.
Thanks for your patience!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Special Messages
Speed-The-Plow (The SOB Review) - Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, New York***1/2 (out of ****)When
David Mamet's good, he's just about as stimulating and entertaining as any playwright can be. He's the real deal.
In
Neil Pepe's astounding and absorbing revival of Mamet's gutbusting
Speed-The-Plow, which sadly ended its limited run yesterday at Broadway's
Ethel Barrymore Theatre, this is almost as good as it gets. Almost.
Long overshadowed and obscured by all those
crazy stories of
Jeremy Piven's alleged mercury poisoning,
Speed-The-Plow seemed a little rough around the edges when I took it in on Saturday, in part because
William H. Macy -- the
second actor in as many months to take over Piven's juicy role as Bobby Gould -- didn't yet seem to have fully inhabited the character. Macy was good, but he couldn't outfox the monumentally stunning
Raúl Esparza as Charlie Fox as they sparred over Hollywood scripts and Tinseltown's ability -- or lack thereof -- in making cinematic art.
Once again, Esparza is an amazing revelation. While I keep hope alive that this immensely gifted actor will someday return to musicals -- he's now two-for-two in the drama department and is a smashing success. There's simply no denying his unqualified acting capabilities regardless of whether a tuner or a straight play. The man is a genius, consistently delivering an excellent performance and then some.
Rounding out the trio as the deceptive Karen is
Elisabeth Moss in a wickedly funny Broadway debut. Let's hope we see more of her around the Great White Way.
If only I had seen the show earlier in its run, I could have provided some pithy comment about
speeding to see this great work. Instead, I'll encourage you to cheer on Esparza for what is sure to be a well-deserved Tony nod.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: David Mamet, Play, Revival, Speed-The-Plow
Did Critics This This Story Deserving Of Long Broadway Life?
Last night,
Neil Bartram and
Brian Hill's
The Story Of My Life opened at Broadway's
Booth Theatre. Directed by
Richard Maltby, Jr., the tuner stars
Will Chase and
Malcolm Gets.
With one exception I could find, most critics' reviews panned. (Links will be provided later.)
As the exception, the Associated Press' Michael Kuchwara calls this "a heartfelt little musical that has the courage of its sweet-tempered, low-key convictions.... In a Broadway world of big musicals determined to sell themselves, this gentle new show celebrates softly but with an emotional pull that slowly wins you over."
Calling the show "utterly conventional," Ben Brantley of
The New York Times is largely dismissive: "In addition to jettisoning the usual excesses of tourist-trapping extravaganzas, they have tossed away such niceties as originality, credibility, tension and excitement. I don’t think it’s spoiling anything to tell you that Mr. Gets’s character is dead when the show begins. So, for all practical purposes, is
The Story of My Life.... The problem is that when a show sticks as closely as this one does to the bare bones of a sentimental formula, it needs to adorn those old bones with fresh flesh.
The Story of My Life doesn’t try to disguise its clichés."
Deeming the tuner "generic," David Rooney of
Variety is also critical: "This flavorless new musical is not exactly terrible, but it's not terribly interesting, either, which makes you wonder why its producers thought it belonged on Broadway. Whatever the reason, it's unlikely to be staying long.... Even in its most touching moments, this dull, drippy show never makes you care much.Matching the story and characters, the songs don't leave any lasting impression. They are pretty, melodic, interchangeable and more than a little derivative."
Sniping that the musical "will probably require (a eulogy) soon for itself," Frank Scheck of
New York Post awards just one and a half stars: "Director Richard Maltby Jr. fails to leaven the overall tedium. The actors are similarly adrift. While Gets at least provides some intensity to his turn as the neurotic Alvin, Chase fails to bring any life to his blandly repressed character, signaling emotions mainly by putting on or removing his jacket."
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News also slams with his two out of five star review: "Gets and Chase are likable actors stuck playing stick figures.... Besides being formulaic -- whenever Tom gets stuck while writing the eulogy, it's time for another crumpled piece of paper and a flashback -- the creators frustratingly dangle plot points."
Blasting the show as "banal, improbable and unrelentingly derivative. And boring? Please,"
Newsday's Linda Winer whines: "After all the flashbacks, guilt trips and ancient sexual hang-ups, we never do believe that Alvin, with his curiosity and creativity, would have been so stunted. The snow angels, however, are very pretty."
With poor reviews like these, can closing notices be far behind?
UPDATE (2.21.09, 6:50 p.m. EST): Alas, The Story Of My Life will in fact close on Sunday, February 22. This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brian Hill, Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Malcolm Gets, Musical, Neil Bartram, Richard Maltby Jr., The Story Of My Life, Will Chase
The Story Of My Life (The SOB Review) – Booth Theatre, New York, New York
** (out of ****)
Little did I know upon my arrival at Broadway’s
Booth Theatre that my all-time favorite film, “
It’s A Wonderful Life,” would have a starring role alongside
Will Chase and
Malcolm Gets in this sentimental and spare musical.
A musical so spare, I might point out, that the non-existent second act is the one you're supposed to discuss on your way home, according to its creators
Neil Bartram (score) and
Brian Hill (book).
But there it is, as
The Story Of My Life’s score and book unrepentantly and continually raise the specter of George Bailey and Clarence throughout. At times, the parallels are brilliant. Yet at others, it's so haunting that it becomes borderline creepy. In
The Story Of My Life, two lifelong friends influence each other’s ultimate path. It’s their seemingly inconsequential, shared experiences that reverberate through their lives with all the
effect of a butterfly on the weather.
One, Alvin Kelby (Gets), stays behind in their small hometown to help run the Writer’s Block bookshop owned by his ailing father, while the other, Thomas Weaver (Chase), is not only inspired to write, but goes on to great success, that is until he suffers from -- you guessed it -- his own writer’s block.
While the
Frank Capra classic receives prominent mention, it’s another movie, “
Groundhog Day,” that I couldn’t help but think of each time the musical’s moment of truth appeared to be at hand. Over and over during the course of this 90 minute show,
The Story Of My Life’s assured actors repeat one defining moment of their friendship. While each successive pass gets them further and further, they never truly break through to the truth Weaver seeks, but they certainly manage to arrive at a somewhat satisfying conclusion from Kelby’s perspective.
The Story Of My Life is one of those quaint little feel good musicals that would surely feel more at home on an Off-Broadway stage. While far from a big Broadway blockbuster, it's sweetness is hard to resist.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brian Hill, Broadway, Frank Capra, Groundhog Day, It's A Wonderful Life, Malcolm Gets, Musical, Neil Bartram, Richard Maltby Jr., The SOB Review, The Story Of My Life, Will Chase
New Story Given Life On BroadwayThis evening,
The Story Of My Life -- a new two-hander musical with
Will Chase and
Malcolm Gets as lifelong friends -- will open at Broadway’s
Booth Theatre.
Directed by
Richard Maltby, Jr.,
The Story Of My Life features a score by
Neil Bartram and book from
Brian Hill, a couple of real-life friends who first met during a shared gig in a Toronto production of
Forever Plaid. It was in that same Canadian city where this new tuner got its start before moving on to Connecticut’s
Goodspeed Opera House on its journey to the Great White Way.
Will critics think this is a story deserving of a long Great White Way life?
Find out tomorrow as I not only share my critics’ capsule, but I’ll also provide my own SOB Review.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brian Hill, Broadway, Malcolm Gets, Musical, Neil Bartram, Opening Night, Richard Maltby Jr., The Story Of My Life, Will Chase
Far From Normal For BroadwayYesterday, it was announced that
Next To Normal -- a musical from
Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey -- will turn things upside down on the Great White Way when it lands this April 15 at the
Longacre Theatre.
According to
The New York Times, the production will take the unprecedented step of purposely reducing the number of seats to provide a more intimate atmosphere. The capacity will be reduced from 1100 to just 820. Producer
David Stone says:
We want an 800-seat theater but none were available, and this is a very emotional play and I’m a big believer in creating the theater space you need.
Given this economy, you have to give the guy credit.
While
Michael Greif (
Rent and
Grey Gardens) will once again direct the tuner, as he did
Off-Broadway and at the DC area's
Arena Stage, there's no word on casting other than a reference in the
Times piece describing the musical:
The musical, budgeted at $4 million, centers on a woman with bipolar
disorder (played by the Tony nominee Alice Ripley) and the impact of her illness
and her treatment on her family.
Presumably, this will go on without
Brian d'Arcy James, who's already appearing on Broadway in
Shrek The Musical. Stay tuned for more details.
UPDATED (2.25.09, 9:10 a.m. EST): According to Playbill.com, the entire cast from Arena Stage -- Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson -- will return to their roles at the Booth Theatre instead of the Longacre.This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alice Ripley, Brian Yorkey, Broadway, David Stone, First Word On New Show, Michael Grief, Musical, Next To Normal, Tom Kitt, Transfer
A Little More Night MusicHurrah!
As regular readers will recall, I fell head over heels in love with the
Menier Chocolate Factory revival of
Stephen Sondheim and
Hugh Wheeler's
A Little Night Music.
Now comes word from
Playbill.com that this deservedly sold-out production will transfer next month to London's West End with most of its Menier cast intact. Directed once again by
Trevor Nunn, this scrumptious
A Little Night Music will play the Garrick Theatre with
Hannah Waddingham,
Maureen Lipman and
Gabriel Vick.
Again, perhaps given the current state of the economy, it's too much to ask, but I'm still hoping this wonderful news portends well for a Broadway transfer to follow.
In the meantime, if you have the means, get thee to London to see this exquisite little show. It begins March 28 with opening -- or first -- night scheduled for April 7.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Little Night Music, Gabriel Vick, Hannah Waddingham, Hugh Wheeler, London, Maureen Lipman, Menier Chocolate Factory, Musical, Stephen Sondheim, Transfer, Trevor Nunn
Desire Under The Elms (The SOB Review) - The Albert Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
** (out of ****)
In
Robert Falls' gloriously hamstrung revival of
Eugene O'Neill's
Desire Under The Elms, the would-be emperor of the Cabot family has no clothes. Literally and figuratively. And his name is
Pablo Schreiber.
Falls certainly ignites
Elms with scintillating to titillating sizzle. Kindling the initial sparks are the opening wafts of bacon frying on a stove as hogs are being gutted via
Walt Spangler's inspired scenic design. Those sparks rage into a full flame when Schreiber's Eben Cabot falls under the spell of the rousing
Carla Gugino as Abbie Putnam, the new bride of Eben's father Ephraim (the reliably talented
Brian Dennehy). It certainly ranks as the most sensuous depiction of O'Neill I've ever witnessed.
Yet all that burning lust can't obscure the fact that Schreiber is virtually unintelligible with an accent that couldn't be found with a GPS. He may be a great, buff actor, but he mumbled his way through my performance and strained my ears, if not some credulity.
Confounding matters is that Eben's brothers Peter (
Boris McGiver) and Simeon (
Daniel Stewart Sherman) appear to come directly from central casting for "
Deliverance" -- every time they stepped on stage, I half expected to hear "
Dueling Banjos" played. Never mind that O'Neill set
Desire Under The Elms in New England.
While Falls'
Desire may be beautiful to look at, as the latter-day Greek tragedy O'Neill intended, it whimpers away more quietly than the baby snuffing we never actually see played out.
If this is going to Broadway, be forewarned, as erotic as no clothes may be, the emperor still has no clothes.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino, Chicago, Desire Under The Elms, Eugene O'Neill, Goodman Theatre, Pablo Schreiber, Play, Revival, Robert Falls, The SOB Review
Happy Washington's BirthdayBy George, if you're a theatre junkie, you know that most New York theatres, particularly those on Broadway, are dark each Monday.
Not only does it enable shows' casts and crews the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest, but it leaves Big Apple visitors scrambling for other touristy things to do.
So what better time to celebrate the annual national observance of George
Washington's Birthday (otherwise referred to, incorrectly, as Presidents Day) than by visiting the New York City site where the
first United States President was inaugurated for his first term? If only.
Down close to the far end of Broadway on Wall Street is the
Federal Hall National Memorial, which quite ironically, not to mention confoundedly, is closed because of today's national holiday.
But since the original
Federal Hall -- along with its historic second floor balcony where Washington first recited the
oath of office -- was razed in 1812, it may not really matter much that the present building isn't open to visitors on this holiday, which comes six full days in advance of Washington's actual birthday. Originally built in 1842 as a Customs House, the current memorial features
John Quincy Adams Ward's statue of George Washington on its outside steps.
Still, I can't help but wonder why the National Park Service wouldn't keep the memorial open on the day specifically designed to honor Washington. Unless, of course, all the craziness of late
directly across the street and in the
town named to honor him has sucked up every last available
dollar bearing a flipped version of his likeness necessary for keeping the place open today.
Happy Washington's Birthday, indeed!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: George Washington, New York City, Presidents Day, Washington's Birthday
Across The Pond, Critics Across The Board On Spring AwakeningA funny thing happened on the way to London for Broadway's recently departed
Spring Awakening. As presented at the smallish
Lyric Hammersmith pearl of a theatre that's a distant dream from the West End, the London mounting includes a cast of age appropriate teens, along with two requisite adults filling all the parental and teacher roles.
Last week, the tuner enjoyed its opening night, or first night as they call it across the pond. Critics ranged from effusive praise to jaundiced criticism.
Answering "Yes," when asking if the "canny production route" by "London's powerful cast" works,
Variety's
David Benedict offers mostly thumbs up: "Having a cast so close in age to the characters yields enormous dividends. This is an urgent show about the dangers of naivete. Instead of watching more experienced actors shed years of cynicism -- and occasionally add a little too much angst -- this cast glows with innocence. The one downside is that not all of them are experienced enough to take roles created elsewhere and make them fully their own. That's most noticeable in the dance. When they're going full tilt at
Bill T. Jones bass-line-hugging choreography, the actors are energized with all the requisite rage and zest. But there are moments when Jones' highly articulate gesturing feels performed rather than embodied."
Calling it a "postmodern collision of styles that works brilliantly,"
Michael Coveney of
The Independent praises in his five star review: "Of course, if you didn't like
Hair or
Rent, then you won't want to be told that this is the best American protest rock-musical since either of them. But you may respond to the freshness, attack and sheer lyrical beauty of
Spring Awakening which knocks out a great roster of indie rock songs against the essential narrative poignancy of
Frank Wedekind's 1891
German Expressionist play about adolescent sexual fever and friendship.... It's so simple, yet so strong and assured in the staging. There's more innocence and less mania than there was on Broadway, which suits the beautiful downbeat songs as well as the explosive items."
Concluding that "It's a blast to see this show whatever age you happen to be. But to see it as a teenager must be very heaven,"
Charles Spencer of
The Telegraph awards five out of five stars: "Here it is at last, the answer to one's prayers - a new musical, bursting with ambition and achievement, that doesn't owe its existence to a back-catalogue of pop hits or an old movie....
Michael Mayer directs a superbly compelling production, set in a 19th century gymnasium illuminated by 21st century multi-coloured neon. The choreography of Bill T. Jones conjures the writhing frustration of adolescence and the whole show seems to ache with love and throb with lust."
Deadpanning that "The show gives tongue to adolescent pain, paranoia, self-pity and sexual confusion. It gives a bit less tongue to Wedekind,"
Benedict Nightingale of
The Times airs a note of resignation in his three out of five star critique: "As in the original, the show attacks uncomprehending, unbending, grimly puritan adults: which leaves it looking a bit dated in a Britain where the young tend to be knowing, untamed and powerful. Yet the show's big trick, which is to dress the kids as 1891 German teenagers but give them modern pop-rock songs, gives Michael Mayer's fine, spare production its memorable moments.... (
Steven) Sater's lyrics get swamped by (
Duncan) Sheik's music, but that does not matter since they are not remarkable and some of the music, notably a trio involving Melchior and his friends' ghosts, is tuneful and touching."
Lamenting that this
Spring Awakening "charms and beguiles but also smooths over the rough edges of Wedekind's abrasive, expressionist masterpiece,"
Michael Billington of
The Guardian also limits his stars to three out of five: "At times it covers it in a thick layer of sentimentality, as in the quasi-religious anthem that underscores the hayloft love-making of Melchior and Wendla or the soggily climactic paean to 'a purple summer.' But what the music does more often is neuter the despair and frustration of Wedekind's play by providing an emotional safety valve.... The show is very well staged by Michael Mayer and beautifully performed by its predominantly young British cast.... And
Christine Jones's school-gym set is sensationally well lit by
Kevin Adams. There is much in the show to enjoy and it doesn't shrink from the original's scenes of teenage masochism and communal ejaculation. But, through the soft blandishments of its score, it turns a harsh and savage play into a piece of feelgood theatre."
Sniping that "I was let down and left there,"
Nicholas de Jhong of the
Evening Standard pans with just two stars: "Duncan Sheik’s American indie and pop rock music, most of it pleasant but quite unmemorable, exudes a sophistication and assurance that runs counter to the mood of these uptight, ignorant teenagers, with their prim Victorian costumes and grotesque styles.... Such songs as 'Totally F***,' 'The Bitch of Living' and 'Touch Me,' which climaxes with a youth enthusiastically masturbating to a fantasy of Desdemona, veer towards the ridiculous. They all betray today’s rebellious, outspoken manners. It is equally unfortunate that Michael Mayer’s production, adorned with blue neon lights and an ugly brickwalled set, leans towards caricature.... Steven Sater’s unlovely lyrics, on the rare occcasions when the singers can be heard above the eloquent seven-strong band, aided by Mayer’s caricature-prone production, succeed in making absurd rather than sad the sexual growing pains of the show’s key figures.... These brilliantly promising young actors deserve better."
Oh yes, and then there are my beloved
West End Whingers, whose review is in a league unto itself: "If one were a cynic, one might say that this show took a very cynical approach towards grooming its young audience. This is a world in which one adult in 16 (approximately) has any redeeming features at all; the rest are simply cartoon bullies.... Well, of course, there was no end of moping about and what these children most needed was a good slap. In fact in a couple of scenes the generic adults (two actors play all the adult roles between them)
did slap them and Andrew fought hard to suppress a cheer.... Worst of all was an awful lot of quasi rock-posturing by the cast who (like a lot of rock stars) are not great singers, the sound design was muddy and the lyrics (Steven Sater) often (and mercifully) unintelligible."
Nicholas de Jongh and the West End Whingers notwithstanding, it's highly anticipated that this show will receive a West End transfer once it completes its Lyric Hammersmith run on March 14.
UPDATE (2.19.09, 11:25 p.m. EST): Playbill.com has confirmed that Spring Awakening will indeed transfer to the West End. It will begin playing the Novello on March 21 with opening night set for March 26.This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Bill T. Jones, Critics' Capsule, Duncan Sheik, Frank Wedekind, London, Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening, Steven Sater
Off On A Tangent Via Lincoln's Bicenten-nialPerhaps, the United States President most closely associated with the arts may be
John F. Kennedy, after whom the District of Columbia's distinguished center for the performing arts is named (although some might argue it's
Ronald Reagan, by virtue of his years in entertainment prior to entering politics).
But the American President most closely associated with live theatre -- and quite unintentionally at that -- is unquestionably the man who met his death by virtue of attending a play called
Our American Cousin.
America's 16th President
Abraham Lincoln was born 200 years ago today in
Hodgenville, Kentucky. It was his fatal foray to Washington's
Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, in which the Great Emancipator -- the leader who had just vanquished the South in the Civil War -- was felled by the bullet of actor
John Wilkes Booth, who approached the President's box from behind.
While Lincoln never saw Booth that fateful evening, just a year and a half earlier, the President had, in fact, seen Booth perform in a play from the very same box at Ford's Theatre. Booth was appearing in
The Marble Heart on the night of November 9, 1863. According to Katherine Helm's book "Mary, Wife of Lincoln":
When the Lincolns saw John Wilkes Booth in The Marble Heart at Ford's Theatre on November 9, 1863, they were accompanied by several people. Among these people was Mary B. Clay, a daughter of Cassius Clay, U.S. minister to Russia. Mary Clay reminisced about the evening as follows:
"In the theater President and Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Sallie Clay and I, Mr. Nicolay and Mr. Hay, occupied the same box which the year after saw Mr. Lincoln slain by Booth. I do not recall the play, but Wilkes Booth played the part of villain.
"The box was right on the stage, with a railing around it. Mr. Lincoln sat next to the rail, I next to Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Sallie Clay and the other gentlemen farther around.
"Twice Booth in uttering disagreeable threats in the play came very near and put his finger close to Mr. Lincoln's face; when he came a third time I was impressed by it, and said, 'Mr. Lincoln, he looks as if he meant that for you.' 'Well,' he said, 'he does look pretty sharp at me, doesn't he?' At the same theater, the next April, Wilkes Booth shot our dear President. Mr. Lincoln looked to me the personification of honesty, and when animated was much better looking than his pictures represent him."
Mary Clay, in her reminiscence, was off by a year when she said the president was shot "the next April."
Lincoln's assassin -- who has forever been immortalized himself thanks to
Stephen Sondheim and
John Weidman's
Assassins, as well as in five other Broadway shows -- was actually one of three well-known acting brothers that also included
Edwin Booth, for whom Broadway's
Booth Theatre is named, and
Junius Booth. John Wilkes Booth's actions clearly took its toll on his brothers' careers, even if for a short time only, according to
Britannica:
The splendour of this period in (Edwin Booth's) career was dashed for many months when in 1865 his brother, John Wilkes Booth, assassinated President Lincoln. The
three Booth brothers, Junius Brutus (1821-1883), Edwin and John Wilkes 1839-1865), had played together in Julius Caesar in the autumn of the previous year--the performance being memorable both for its own excellence, and for the tragic situation into which two of the principal performers were subsequently hurled by the crime of the third. Edwin Booth did not reappear on the stage until the 3rd of January 1866, when he played Hamlet at the Winter Garden theatre, the audience showing by unstinted applause their conviction that the glory of the one brother would never be imperilled by the infamy of the other.
Not to be confused with the current home to
Mamma Mia!, the
Winter Garden Theatre listed above was the second incarnation of a theatre that had originally been destroyed by fire in 1854 before being rebuilt. It was the same venue where the three Booth brothers had shared the stage for
Julius Caeser. For Lincoln history buffs, the story comes full circle because the Winter Garden was leased briefly in 1854 to
Laura Keene, the very star of the play
Our American Cousin the President went to see the night he was assassinated.
And in another twist, the last time Broadway audiences saw a performance of
Our American Cousin -- which forever will be synonymous with Abraham Lincoln and Ford's Theatre -- was during
its 1915-16 run at of all places, the Booth Theatre.
Back in DC, after a lengthy renovation and just in time for today's Bicentennial, Ford's Theatre is finally open once again to the public. I for one am greatly looking forward to returning to this historic shrine to both Abraham Lincoln and live theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Abraham Lincoln, Bicentennial, Broadway, Edwin Booth, Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth, Laura Keene, Our American Cousin, Washington DC
Did LA Critics Think Minsky's Worth Raiding For Musical?No doubt wistfully hoping for a Main Stem three-peat of sorts, Los Angeles'
Center Theatre Group -- which hosted the launch of two would-be Rialto musicals that would go on to be Tony nominated for Best Musical:
Bob Martin's
The Drowsy Chaperone and
John Kander and
Fred Ebb's
Curtains -- is currently producing the long-gestating, Broadway-aimed
Minsky's.
With score by the venerable
Charles Strouse and
Susan Birkenhead, this new tuner is being touted as a good old-fashioned musical comedy. It also marks another collaboration for Bob Martin and
Casey Nicholaw -- just as the former wrote
The Drowsy Chaperone's clever book with the latter directing and choreographing, they possess the same credits for
Minsky's.
If collaboration is the word, it may come as no surprise that their Tony-winning Best Featured Actress
Beth Leavel is also cast in this production. Leavel is joined by a truly terrific-sounding cast, including
Christopher Fitzgerald -- who is finally receiving his due as leading man in the eponymous role --
Kevin Cahoon,
John Cariani and
Rachel Dratch, along with two actors who made
Hairspray's Edna Turnblad their own as major Great White Way replacements:
Paul Vogt and
George Wendt.
So far, so good, right?
Minsky's opened Sunday night and the reviews were, well, a bit skimpy on the praise. But as
Michael Riedel points out, there's apparently enough, er, material there to keep moving forward -- albeit with some major tailoring -- to make it Broadway ready.
Leaving "
Minsky’s not with the tingly sensation of having seen something exciting and maybe a little sinful, but with the feeling that you’ve attended a comforting church service,"
The New York Times'
Charles Isherwood practically damns with the faintest traces of praise: "
Minsky’s is a musical comedy that too often seems to be looking back to familiar formulas, dusting off and sprucing up clichés from the showbiz trunk for another repurposing....
Minsky’s seems content to do the old steps in the old style, on the assumption that sentimental escapism presented with gusto and polish can turn the trick one more time.... They call it burlesque, and the sequins are used a little more sparingly, but it feels a lot like plain-vanilla Broadway.... The short and slightly portly Mr. Fitzgerald makes an appealingly offbeat leading man in the tough-talking but soft-hearted vein.... Ms. Dratch and Mr. Cariani as the matched misfits almost steal the show with a sour-grapes duet, 'I Want a Life.'... On the whole the score is bubbly and pleasant, with an accent on brassy energy."
Calling the show a "nostalgic and not terribly authentic backstage musical
," Los Angeles Times critic
Charles McNulty also offers a mixed review: "[T]hough far from terrible, isn’t quite the electric crowd-pleaser they’re intending. Intermittently delightful, the musical is just as intermittently bumbling, coming alive mostly in the colorful burlesque sequences and taking a sharp nose-dive when attempts are made to contain the parade of skimpily clad dancing girls and shamelessly hoary gags into a traditional book musical.... There are plenty of nifty one-liners and deliriously silly shenanigans, but the book, which has been transplanted from the mid-’20s (in which the film was set) to the Depression-clobbered summer of 1930, has that lumpy look of a dish that’s been fiddled with by too many cooks. Even its dire economic relevance feels belabored.... But the tone of the show could have benefited from a few more grains of documentary truth and a whole lot less musical-comedy fraudulence.... Fitzgerald, who possesses a great trumpet of a voice, excels when a gaggle of leggy showgirls is circling him to the rhythmic bleats of the live orchestra. Leading man he’s not, but he more than compensates with an offbeat charisma.... Leavel ... can be counted on for oomph.... An eccentric constellation of supporting players distracts from the musical’s more threadbare patches."
Despite declaring, "Irresistible throughout is the tuner's cavalcade of song and dance,"
Variety's Bob Verini also gives the show a mixed critique: "The potential of a tuner titled
Minsky's ... is partly realized in its Ahmanson Theater premiere thanks to a strong Charles Strouse/Susan Birkenhead score and state-of-the-art musical staging by helmer-choreographer Casey Nicholaw. On the debit side are a thin, uninvolving storyline and curiously antiseptic take on the raffish art form the tuner purports to celebrate.... Irresistible throughout is the tuner's cavalcade of song and dance.... Aside from Leavel, tuner is light on top bananas and comics generally, though Paul Vogt, John Cariani and Rachel Dratch are amusingly off-kilter zanies. Fitzgerald juggles Billy's machinations with
Mike Todd's brash vitality until he's turned cute and doughy by the love plot, which practically evaporates even as he and (
Katharine) Leonard speak the lines."
Concluding that "the outlines of a well-shaped musical shine through
," The Orange County Record's
Paul Hodgins nevertheless lays bear what he sees as the show's shortfalls: "There are moments of great fun, inspiration and even brilliance in this show.... Indeed, on the level of simple entertainment it succeeds just fine. But in its present form, Martin's contributions to Hunter's original book result in touches of whimsy (mostly welcome) that don't always gibe with other parts of the tale.... The songs are one of
Minsky's strong points.... They smartly capture the sass and verbal adroitness of the time and place.... Nicholaw captures the libertine spirit of classic burlesque with a few elaborately choreographed breast-baring (but not nipple-revealing) moments. Nicholaw shows us that Golden Age burlesque was primarily spectacle and as much a comic as an erotic diversion. I suspect
Minsky's creators know there's plenty of work to be done.... The talented Beth Leavel is given too little to do as Billy's worldly sidekick, Maisie. Fitzgerald's performance is somewhat monochromatic."
I'll be keeping a close eye on this show as it continues making its long journey to Broadway. But right now, the Los Angeles production perhaps seems as far away from its end goal as possible.
UPDATE (2.13.09, 1:45 p.m. EST): According to Playbill, Minsky's will bow on the Great White Way sometime during the 2009-10 Theatrical Season.This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Beth Leavel, Bob Martin, Casey Nicholaw, Charles Strouse, Christopher Fitzgerald, Critics' Capsule, John Cariani, Kevin Cahoon, Los Angeles, Minsky's, Rachel Dratch, Susan Birkenhead, Tryout
Who Is Stage Right?
Who Is Stage Right?Is the theatre world really
that fascist in suppressing all thought out of lockstep with its supposed group thinking that conservative theatre bloggers must go completely underground? Are the reprisals against such individuals that severe that individuals can no longer exercise their freedom of speech?
That appears to be the case according to a "veteran of the Broadway theatre industry" now writing anonymously since early January as
Stage Right, one of a host of unabashedly conservative bloggers whose writings are aggregated on "
Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Hollywood" Web site.
But don't let that fear of retribution fool you. This Stage Right is one heck of a flamethrower, taking on everyone and everything from
Frank Rich to
Wicked from his hidden bunker somewhere out there. In fact, Stage Right sees his segment of the entertainment industry
as follows:
If the entertainment industry leans left, then the theatre world is left of left. And if theatre is left of left, then the theatre actor’s UNION is so far left they consider Dennis Kucinich the reasonable alternative to Ralph Nader.
Personally, the friendships I value most are those that challenge me, as well as my points of view, whether on politics, theatre or, well, you name the topic. It keeps me on my toes and requires me to actually think, thus avoiding intellectual laziness. Talk about a novel concept. I can only hope it makes me a better person.
Similarly, as regular readers know, if there's one American liberty I value above all others, it's our freedom of speech. I may not always agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend your right to say it.
But before I defend your right to say it, I usually like to know who you are.
POSTSCRIPT (5.10.09, 9:30 a.m. EST): It should be noted that according to his description:Stage Right posts at Big Hollywood in anonymity not for professional reasons, but out of deference to his spouse who still maintains deep friendships with many members of the theatrical industry.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Freedom Of Speech, Stage Right
Grammy HeightsLast evening, 2008's Tony Award-winning Best Musical,
In the Heights earned another top entertain-ment honor -- its second of the big four. Its
original cast recording won a
Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.
Kurt Deutsch,
Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin,
Lin-Manuel Miranda (also composer of the score), Joel Moss and
Bill Sherman were honored as producers of the recording.
In The Heights beat out
Gypsy,
South Pacific,
The Little Mermaid and
Young Frankenstein. As much as I preferred
Gypsy and
South Pacific on stage, I have to admit that
In The Heights really does sound much better on CD.
Congratulations to Lin-Manuel Miranda for another huge win. Although given the thousands of Grammy categories, I'm sure even he can appreciate how dubious these awards truly are.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Grammy Awards, Gypsy, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, South Pacific, The Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein
RIP James Whitmore (1921-2009)Tony Award-winning acting great
James Whitmore has died at the age of 87.
Long before
Will Ferrell began impersonating U.S. Presidents, Whitmore took on two of America's best loved chief executives:
Teddy Roosevelt in
Bully (Broadway and film, 1977) and
Harry S. Truman in "
Give 'Em Hell Harry" (film, 1975), earning one of his two Academy Award nominations for the latter.
With a penchant for portraying historical characters, Whitmore also performed in the title roles in
Will Rogers' USA (Broadway, 1974) and "
The Adventures of Mark Twain" (
animated film, 1986).
But it was his 1947-48 Rialto role in
Command Decision as Tech Sergeant Harold Evans that Whitmore earned his one and only Tony Award as Best Newcomer.
Although I regret never having had the opportunity to see this distinguished actor live on stage, I was a fan ever since his early 70s television stint as Dr. Vincent Campanelli in the comedy "
Temperatures Rising." But it was his turn as cowboy-friendly farmer Andrew Carnes in the 1955 film version of
Oklahoma! for which I'll remember him best.
Rest in peace, James Whitmore.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Bully, Command Decision, Give 'Em Hell Harry, Harry S. Truman, In Memoriam, James Whitmore, Oklahoma, Teddy Roosevelt, Will Rogers USA
Shrek The Musical (The SOB Review) - Broadway Theatre, New York, NY
*** (out of ****)After just
now reading
Michael Riedel's grim assessment for
Shrek The Musical's box office, it dawned on me that I've been remiss in providing my own assessment for the show itself.
You know what? It's not that bad. In fact, it's actually pretty funny and quite often borderline brilliant. The show deserves a larger audience.
Aside from the wonderfully versatile
Daniel Breaker, whose take on the Donkey is nothing short of inspired lunacy, I realize I may just be about the only person on the planet who hadn't seen any of the wildly successful "
Shrek" films first. For some reason, I always resisted seeing the animated features, so I was surprised by how often I found myself laughing early and often at this fairy tale satire, aided by
Jason Moore's frequently ingenious direction and
Tim Hatley's magical flourishes.
In fact,
David Lindsay-Abaire's book offers a far superior and roundly satisfying first act. Not only does it completely engage with its sly skewering of
Disney and Broadway fare alike, but it becomes a ginormous gutbuster when
Christopher Sieber's hilarious Lord Farquaad lampoons both
Dreamgirls and Wicked in less than six deliciously delirious seconds. It's moments like those that
Jeanine Tesori and Lindsay-Abaire's score occasionally soars.
Shrek's top-drawer cast is led by the enormously talented
Brian d'Arcy James in the title role. I've often said that this is one criminally underused actor. He imbues his
Shrek with healthy doses of humor and heart. He's also fortunate to be supported by the aforementioned Breaker and Sieber, along with the absolutely fartastic
Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona, who manages to fly her freak flag quite well.
If you're looking for an escape from all of today's headlines that only an ogre could relish -- and let's face it, who isn't?! -- as well as a musical where you can see all your money up on the stage,
Shrek The Musical is just the ticket.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brian d'Arcy James, Broadway, Christopher Sieber, Daniel Breaker, David Lindsay-Abaire, Film, Jason Moore, Jeanine Tesori, Musical, Shrek The Musical, Sutton Foster, The SOB Review
Did Critics Welcome Ferrell's Final Night?Last evening,
Will Ferrell made his Broadway debut in his limited run show
You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush, which opened at the
Cort Theatre.
Directed by
Adam McKay, Ferrell's show spoofs the eponymous
43rd President. The comedy features
Michael Delaney,
Pia Glenn,
Adam Mucci and
Patrick Ferrell.
Most critics' reviews rolled out the welcome mat for Ferrell with one notable exception.
Praising the show as "a cathartic, almost cleansing farewell,"
David Rooney of
Variety claims that the show never descends into mean-spirited diatribe: "Ferrell delivers what's basically an extended '
SNL' political sketch grafted out of the easiest target in comedy.... [I]t's the kind of incisive 'SNL' sketch we haven't seen much of lately -- a fast-paced, well-sustained near-90 minutes that's consistently funny and invigoratingly rude.... [I]t's in the more fanciful satirical detours that Ferrell soars highest."
Proclaiming "mission accomplished,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News awards four out of five stars: "Getting to see this comic whiz in the flesh is a big treat, and the fact that Ferrell has been able to squeeze so many fresh yuks from the beleaguered Bush legacy speaks to his always off-kilter, sometimes raunchy, imagination.... If some sequences run out of steam, another laugh is looming just around the bend."
Calling Ferrell "terrific -- sly and subtle, even brave,"
Newsday's
Linda Winer offers a critical welcome: "(The show) has arrived right on time for both silly fun and smart summing-up of an epoch the country just voted overwhelmingly to change. Foolish comedy is deftly mixed with tough political satire in what is not, strictly speaking, a solo."
Surprised that "the ex-president turns out to be a hell of a lot of fun to hang with,"
Frank Scheck for
New York Post awards three out of four stars: "Granted, the generally lowbrow humor of
You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush is hardly cutting-edge political satire. Basically a (nearly) solo extended sketch, it's theatrical comfort food for Broadway audiences who want to see one of their favorite comic actors live."
Noting that "Sometimes it’s really funny, and sometimes it sort of sags. I laughed, I yawned,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley offers a mixed assessment comparing it to Ferrell's more middling movies: "[T]he actor provides a critic-proof demonstration of the art that has endeared him to millions of fans around the world: the art of acting stupid, shrewdly, for fun and profit. Some might say that this is a talent shared by the man Mr. Ferrell impersonates. But the George W. Bush of
You’re Welcome America ... is just stupid, without the shrewdness.... Mr. Ferrell’s Bush is less exact imitation than loopy extrapolation. And the show feels freshest when he goes off on surreal tangents that transport his blundering hero into the ether of pure absurdism."
Concluding that "Ferrell's mission ought to have been aborted,"
USA Today's
Elysa Gardner pans the show with one and a half stars out of four: "It's tough to say who should be more offended by
You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush: the 43rd president's most ardent admirers or his most rigorous critics.... No one familiar with Ferrell's work would expect in-depth political satire. He tries instead to provoke through tastelessness and goofy outrageousness, practices that certainly have long and distinguished traditions in comedy. But Ferrell's shots both overreach and fail to sting."
Perhaps to Brantley's point, this very limited run show is critic-proof from the get-go, so it appears that most of them just sat back, relaxed and let 'er roll. I'll be taking in a performance over the next couple of weeks and will let you know if I shared their general enthusiasm.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Adam McKay, Broadway, Comedy, Critics' Capsule, George W. Bush, Revue, Will Ferrell, You're Welcome America. One Final Night With George W Bush
You're Welcome: One Final Opening NightMining the recently departed
U.S. President and his seeming propensity for malapropisms for laughs one final time, film actor and former "
Saturday Night Live" alum
Will Ferrell (or John
W. Ferrell) is opening on Broadway this evening in his limited run show
You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
According to the official site, dubbed "
Will Ferrell on Broadway":
It's time for a change in America, but not without a few parting words from the 43rd President of the United States. Don’t miss your chance to discover the man behind the myth, the truth behind the lies, and the logic behind the illogical in the outrageous limited Broadway event.
Staged at Rialto's
Cort Theatre,
You're Welcome America is written by Ferrell, who stars as his most famous impersonation. Helmed by
Adam McKay and choreographed by
Matt Williams, the comedy features
Michael Delaney as Dr. Scott Blumeth,
Pia Glenn as Former Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice,
Adam Mucci as a Pilot, and the lead actor's own sibling
Patrick Ferrell as a Secret Service Operative. Perhaps most intriguing credit of all is the one for
Flying by Foy, which is supplying flying effects.
Ferrell is one of the few SNL actors to receive an Emmy nomination for his work on the late night comedy shows. Certainly, his extraordinary gift for mimicking the mighty no doubt contributed to that distinction.
The big question about tonight's show is whether critics will give 43 a go one more time, or will they wish Ferrell had simply given it a rest. Find out tomorrow as I provide my critics' capsule.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Adam McKay, Broadway, Comedy, George W. Bush, Opening Night, Revue, Saturday Night Live, Will Ferrell, You're Welcome America. One Final Night With George W Bush
A Taxing QuestionTo tax or not to tax? That is the question.
To make up for some significant budgetary shortfalls, New York State Governor
David Paterson is apparently exploring every conceivable avenue for bolstering the state's budget, and that includes looking to the thoroughfare known as Broadway. The
governor has proposed a 4% sales tax on all theatre tickets, regardless of whether they're sold on the Great White Way or in those upstate locales crucial to his reelection bid.
If enacted, another 4% tax would automatically be levied by New York City, along with an additional .375% MTA tax.
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (
IATSE) President
Matthew Loeb has said that, if enacted, the taxes would result in the closing of shows on Broadway and beyond. New York's
Daily News quotes him:
A show doesn't downsize ... It's dead. That means the lights go off, the workers go home, no more tickets get sold -- or taxed -- and unemployment claims get filed.
Meaning, theoretically, the
loss of more tax dollars from individuals, who would no longer be paying into the system via income taxes, as well as a drain on unemployment funds.
In the same story,
Jujamcyn Theaters President
Rocco Landesman cites the enormous boost to the New York economy Broadway provides beyond the Theatre District, equating $2 billion in theatre spending to $3 billion in added spending for the city's hotels, restaurants, shopping, tourist attractions and so on:
The message is "Don't kill the golden goose." (Unlike sports organizations), we don't get a (state) subsidy. We pay our own way.... People do not come into New York to see the Yankees and Mets. They come to see theatre."
Taking a look at a full-price ticket for a Wednesday matinee performance of the new The Story Of My Life, the top ticket (as opposed to "premium seating") is currently priced at a lofty $110.00. Add another $7.00 for a "service fee" and another $2.50 for a "handling charge per order" and we're already up to $119.50 (somewhere in there, the price already includes a $1.50 "facility fee").
If that ticket is to be mailed, it will cost an additional $1.50 (even though the cost of a first-class stamp remains a relative bargain at $.42). So the total is up to $121.00.
Toss another $9.21 on top of that for the proposed taxes, and the cost would come in at just over $130.00. UGH!
If what's good for the goose is truly good for the gander, then perhaps it's time Rocco & Friends took a long hard look at that very same goose that laid the golden egg. Maybe they could see it in their power to do one of two things:
(A) Reduce ticket prices -- Let's face it, the top ticket prices on Broadway have become completely out of whack, making live theatre a very expensive, if not completely unaffordable, pasttime. After all, many Americans are seeing no wage increases or, in fact, actual wage reductions in 2009 ... that is, if they are actually still working. Plus, when the cost of countless other consumer items are decreasing due to laws of supply and demand, Broadway is already behind the times.
and/or
(B) Rethink extraneous ticket charges -- Stop nickel and diming theatre patrons with service and handling charges and facilities charges. In the case of the aforementioned ticket, those charges total a whopping ten percent of the end price patrons must fork over.
Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't want to pay any more for a ticket than I have to, and I certainly do not seek to be taxed any more than I already am. But unless our theatre leaders put their money where their mouths are, their squawking could very well fall on deaf ears in Albany.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, David Paterson, Rocco Landesman, Ticket Fees, Ticket Prices, Ticket Taxes
Spring Awakening (The SOB Revisit) - Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
***1/2 (out of ****)While I'm not quite sure
what's going on over on the other side of the pond, I can tell you that the current North American tour of
Spring Awakening, stylishly directed yet again by
Michael Mayer, has not lost anything from its original Broadway translation.
Yes, the kids are alright. It's just the adults who are truly suspect.
In my first revisit to the Best Musical of 2007
since seeing the show earlier that same year, I was struck this time by the severe oppression of the so-called
parentocracy. Yes, I realize it was there all along. But upon my second viewing, it became clear that there's a full-blown revolution fomenting beneath the surface as the pearls of distant dreams are manhandled into an anachronistic reality.
Electrifying as ever, and charged with every conceivable teenage angst possible including suicide, premarital sex, incest, homosexuality and abortion liberally sprinkled throughout (never mind the self abuse and dash of S&M), this musical is far from the frothy fare of tuners of years gone by that parents may actually prefer their children see. Yet, after squirming in my seat, somewhat embarrassed for the elderly couple sitting next to me, I was surprised when one of them said he thought it was good. Perhaps I was simply feeling some of that shame that
Spring Awakening is so annoyingly hell-bent on defiantly putting to the test.
As mentioned at the outset, for a touring production, this matches its earlier Broadway incarnation. In fact, with the excellent performances by
Kyle Riabko (Melchior) and
Blake Bashoff (Moritz), who come directly from the Great White Way for the tour, this
Spring Awakening is every bit as powerful and provocative as the original.
Now if I could only shake the old fogey feeling it gave me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Blake Bashoff, Kyle Riabko, Musical, Spring Awakening, The SOB Revisit, Touring Production
2009 Laurence Olivier Award Nominations AnnouncedTerry Johnson's well-reviewed and well-received West End revival of
La Cage Aux Folles has received 7 nods as the 2009
Laurence Olivier Award nominations were announced. This marks the second year in a row that a show with a
Harvey Fierstein association earned the most nominations (
Hairspray broke records last year with 11 nominations in all).
Gone is last year's one-time-only category of "Best Newcomer in a Play." Taking its place is a category I only wish the Tony Administration Committee would seriously consider: "Best Company Performance" to recognize ensembles that are running on all cylinders. Returning after a hiatus is the category of "Best Entertainment."
Other noteworthy news is that only two
new tuners were nominated in the "Best New Musical" category:
Jersey Boys and
Zorro. Each show earned five nominations.
American export
August: Osage County earned three nods, including for "Best New Play,"
Deanna Dunagan and its Chicago-centric ensemble.
Two actors I'm particularly pleased to see receive very well-deserved recognition are
Elena Roger for her breathtaking performance in
Piaf and
Adam Godley for his brilliant turn in
Rain Man. Both made their otherwise
mediocre shows worth seeing. Given all the accolades for
La Cage Aux Folles, I only wish I had taken the
West End Whingers' unequivocal advice and seen that production last November.
Nominees include:
Best ActressDeanna Dunagan,
August: Osage CountyLindsay Duncan,
That FaceMargaret Tyzack,
The Chalk GardenPenelope Wilton,
The Chalk GardenBest ActorDavid Bradley,
No Man's Land Michael Gambon,
No Man's LandAdam Godley,
Rain Man Derek Jacobi,
Twelfth NightBest Performance In A Supporting RoleOliver Ford Davies,
HamletKevin R McNally,
Ivanov Paul Ritter,
The Norman ConquestsPatrick Stewart,
Hamlet Best Company PerformanceAugust: Osage County, directed by Anna D. Shapiro
Black Watch, directed by John Tiffany
The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd
The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus
Sunset Boulevard, directed by Craig Revel Horwood
Best New PlayAugust: Osage County by Tracy Letts
Black Watch by Gregory Burke
The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall
That Face by Polly Stenham
Best New ComedyFat Pig by Neil LaBute
The Female of the Species by Joanna Murray-Smith
God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton
Best RevivalThe Chalk Garden, directed by Michael Grandage
The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd
The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus
Best EntertainmentNoel Coward's
Brief EncounterLa CliqueMaria Friedman: Re-ArrangedBest New MusicalJersey Boys, book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe
Zorro, book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, music by The Gipsy Kings, original story by Stephen Clark & Helen Edmundson, music co-composed and adapted by John Cameron
Best Musical RevivalLa Cage Aux Folles, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Harvey Fierstein
Piaf by Pam Gems
Sunset Boulevard, book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton
West Side Story, based on a conception by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, entire original production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Best Actress In A MusicalSofia Escobar,
West Side StoryKathryn Evans,
Sunset BoulevardRuthie Henshall,
MargueriteElena Roger,
Piaf Emma Williams,
ZorroBest Actor In A MusicalDouglas Hodge,
La Cage Aux FollesDenis Lawson,
La Cage Aux FollesRyan Molloy,
Jersey BoysMatt Rawle,
ZorroBest Performance In A Supporting Role In A MusicalAlexander Hanson,
MargueriteKatherine Kingsley,
PiafLesli Margherita,
ZorroJason Pennycooke,
La Cage Aux FollesDave Willetts,
Sunset BoulevardBest DirectorTerry Johnson,
La Cage Aux FollesDes McAnuff,
Jersey BoysEmma Rice,
Brief EncounterJohn Tiffany,
Black WatchBest Theatre ChoreographerRafael Amargo,
ZorroSteven Hoggett,
Black WatchLynne Page,
La Cage Aux FollesKate Prince,
Into the HoodsSergio Trujillo,
Jersey BoysBest Lighting DesignPaule Constable,
The Chalk GardenPaule Constable,
IvanovNeil Austin,
No Man's LandNeil Austin,
PiafBest Set DesignTodd Rosenthal,
August: Osage CountyNeil Murray (projections by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll),
Brief EncounterTom Piper,
The HistoriesSoutra Gilmour,
The Lover And The CollectionPaul Brown,
MargueriteBest Costume DesignTom Piper and Emma Williams,
The HistoriesMatthew Wright,
La Cage Aux FollesRob Howell,
The Norman ConquestsChristopher Oram,
Twelfth NightBest Sound DesignGareth Fry,
Black WatchSimon Baker,
Brief EncounterSteven Canyon Kennedy,
Jersey BoysChristopher Shutt, Max Ringham & Ben Ringham,
PiafOutstanding Achievement In An Affiliate TheatreThe ensemble cast of
Oxford Street (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court) T
he Royal Court Theatre's production of
The Pride (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs)
Clive Rowe for his performance in
Mother Goose (Hackney Empire)
Jo Newbery for the design of
Scarborough (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court)
Best New Opera ProductionThe Royal Opera's
Don CarloThe Royal Opera's
The MinotaurEnglish National Opera's
I PagliacciEnglish National Opera's
PartenopeOutstanding Achievement In OperaPatricia Bardon for her performances in The Royal Opera's
The Rake's Progress and in English National Opera's
Partenope and
Riders To The SeaFeruccio Furlanetto for his performance in the Royal Opera's
Don CarloEd Gardner for conducting English National Opera's
Boris Godunov,
Cavalliera Rusticana,
Der Rosenkavalier,
I Pagliacci,
Riders To The Sea and
Punch And JudyChristine Rice for her performances in the Royal Opera's
The Minotaur and English National Opera's
PartenopeBest New Dance ProductionPina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal's
Café Muller/The Rite Of SpringThe Royal Ballet of Flanders'
Impressing The CzarThe Royal Ballet's
InfraDV8's
To Be Straight With YouOutstanding Achievement In DanceThe company of the Royal Ballet of Flanders for their performances in
Impressing The CzarThe company of the The Royal Ballet for their performances in
InfraSavion Glover, Marshall Davis, Jr. and Maurice Chestnut for their performances in
Bare SoundzEstablished in 1976, the Laurence Olivier Awards are widely regarded as London theatre's most prestigious awards in London theatre. It was in 1984 that
Lord Laurence Olivier agreed to have his name associated with the honor.
The bronzed Laurence Olivier Awards, designed by sculptor Harry Franchetti to represent Olivier in his role as
Henry V, will be presented at a ceremony held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday, March 8, 2009.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Jersey Boys, La Cage Aux Folles, Laurence Olivier, London, Olivier Award Nominations, Piaf, Rain Man, Zorro
Paying A Film VisitWant to know what one of my greatest entertain-ment pleasures is aside from seeing live theatre?
It's seeing some of the stage's greatest talents on the silver screen. Every now and then, a film comes along that surprises with the number of decidedly un-Hollywood actors in them.
In 2007, for example, it was the
Steve Carell comedy/drama "
Dan In Real Life" that surprised with an exciting cross-section of today's top talents known primarily for their work treading the boards, including
Norbert Leo Butz,
Alison Pill and
Matthew Morrison, alongside several actors who have successfully straddled the seemingly widening gulf between stage and screen:
John Mahoney,
Dianne Wiest,
Amy Ryan and
Juliette Binoche. Not incidentally, the Rhode Island-based flick also features such names from live theatre as
Frank Wood and
Jessica Hecht.
Yesterday, in an effort to catch up on some of the most talked about flicks from 2008, I finally saw the tender little New York City-based gem called "
The Visitor," for which
Richard Jenkins has earned an Academy Award nomination. What an absolute delight to see cameos from the likes of
Marian Seldes as a bluntly honest piano teacher,
Michael Cumpsty as Jenkins' university colleague and
Richard Kind as an exuberant next door neighbor.
The moving film itself is an examination of an unexpected friendship that develops between a less-than-hardworking college professor and Muslim émigrés over a shared loved of music. Broadway itself also makes a surprising cameo as one of the characters expresses a desire to see
The Phantom Of The Opera -- placing that 21 year old tuner in the most touching light I've seen it in years.
I've often lamented the fact that more American films don't feature more of the great stars of the Great White Way. But thankfully, every now and again, the stage actors and actresses we've come to love have their chance to shine for the whole world to see. "The Visitor" certainly provides one of those rare opportunities.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alison Pill, Broadway, Dan In Real Life, Film, Hollywood, Marian Seldes, Matthew Morrison, Michael Cumpsty, Norbert Leo Butz, Richard Kind, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Visitor
