In what appears to be a growing -- and in my opinion, welcome -- trend among London shows, the West End revival of La Bête is offering a promotional trailer (see below).
While La Bête (or "The Beast") is set to play its final performance at the West End's Comedy Theatre this coming Saturday, the entire production will cross the pond in time for Broadway previews to begin September 23. The transfer will open at the Music Box Theatre on October 14, 2010.
As the official ticket vendor for the production, Telecharge touts La Bête as follows:
Every Broadway season, there is one ticket that you simply have to get. This season, that ticket is La Bête. Coming direct from a sold-out run in London, La Bête is already being hailed as an absolute must-see, with a once-in-a-lifetime cast giving performances to die for. Don’t miss this comic tour de force that boldly sinks its teeth into the debate over high art versus popular entertainment, and asks the age-old question, "For a play to sell out, does it have to be 'a sell-out?'"
Can Warchus' magic strike twice in turning a less than successful play into a true must-see? With Rylance once again serving as Warchus' ace-in-the-hole, all bets suggests he can.
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Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending August 29, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I ordinarily offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway. Forgive me for being tardy in posting these until today.
3:45 pm August 30 - August doldrums? Broadway box office dipped by 6.86% last week (over $1 million) to $16,139,305
3:47 pm August 30 - Broadway capacity down 3.65% last week to 78.53%, selling 183,587 out of 233,784 seats possible
3:48 pm August 30 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was just $84.97, down from $85.70 the week before
3:49 pm August 30 - WICKED, THE LION KING, JERSEY BOYS & BILLY ELLIOT were only Broadway shows to gross over $1 million last week
3:50 pm August 30 - WICKED was only Broadway show last week to completely sell-out. Capacity at 100%
3:51 pm August 30 - Sold-out WICKED was Broadway's top grossing show last week again taking in $1,664,108. Average ticket price: $114.99
3:52 pm August 30 - THE LION KING was 2nd on Broadway last week, grossing $1,546,227 on 96.6% capacity. Highest av tix priced $119.28
3:53 pm August 30 - In down week, WICKED capacity held steady, while LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, JERSEY BOYS, PROMISES PROMISES increased capacity
3:54 pm August 30 - NEXT TO NORMAL had bottom 2 out of 3. Lowest gross $285,421/lowest average ticket price $59.12. Capacity still at 78.2%
3:55 pm August 30 - Last week's lowest capacity on Broadway: MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at 55.5%. Grosses $437,005 w/average tix priced $81.06
3:56 pm August 30 - "Must-see" A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC enjoys largest capacity increase: 5.9% to94.6%. Grosses $596,663. Av tix priced $84.69
3:58 pm August 30 - ADDAMS FAMILY has week's steepest capacity decline: 14.9% to 70.8%. Grosses $764,231. Must be vacation time?
4:00 pm August 30 - AMERICAN IDIOT loses substantial capacity, dropping 7.6% to 56.5%. Grosses $610,478 w/ average ticket price $79.03
4:01 pm August 30 - No spark from now ailing Jordin Sparks as IN THE HEIGHTS loses 8.2% capacity to 70.5%. Grosses $555,905 Sunday refunds?
4:02 pm August 30 - That explains perfectly why ADDAMS FAMILY box office dipped so much last week: RT @HESherman Apparently Nathan was out of ADDAMS last week.
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
On Thursday, August 26, the very first non-replicated production of Stephen Schwartz's global phenom Wicked premiered at Finland's Helsingin Kaupungin Teatteri (Helsinki City Theatre). After nearly seven years of sold-out or nearly sold-out performances on Broadway, Wicked remains the number one grossing show on the Great White Way.
"Non-replicated" means that this Wicked is not bound by the original Broadway staging and is being conceived with entirely fresh creative designs under Hans Berndtsson's direction.
But fear not, die-hard Wicked fans, because although Schwartz's score and Winnie Holzman's book have been translated into the Finnish language, they are the two elements that remain essentially intact.
For production stills, along with an approximate English translation, as well as initial audience reaction in Helsinki, please go here.
This production allow audiences to see an actress portraying Dorothy for the very first time. But of course, the real stars of Wicked are Maria Ylipää as Elphaba opposite Anna-Maija Tuokko as Glinda. Other cast members include Ursula Salo (Madame Morrible), Tuukka Leppänen (Fiyero), Eero Saarinen (the Wizard), Antti Lang (Boq), Vuokko Hovatta (Nessarose) and Heikki Sankari (Doctor Dillamond).
Currently, this production of Wicked is selling tickets through December 31, 2010. I'll be in the audience this coming Saturday with a full report to come shortly after.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
On Thursday, I wrote about some of the extraordinary replacements I've had the pleasure of seeing on Broadway, including those who have superseded the original cast members.
But I concluded my post by discussing August: Osage County and the superlative performances offered by both Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed. I noted how no other actresses I've personally had the pleasure of seeing in the roles the Dunagan and Reed created could surpass the originals.
It's at that point that I'd like to pick up.
Back in the summer of 2009, immediately after I first wrote how Australia's Sydney Theatre Company (STC) would import August: Osage Countyfor audiences Down Under, I heard from more than one Aussie friend about their deep-seeded resentment toward the STC. They were angry that the STC would dare to overlook the 2009 mounting offered by the Melbourne Theatre Company (the first production of Tracy Letts' excellent play to be mounted in Australia) or at least produce its own version using Australian actors and crew.
To those friends, I countered, "Regardless of where the production originated, wouldn't you prefer -- or at least be curious to see -- the actors for whom the playwright originally envisioned the roles performing the work?" I can certainly appreciate the legitimate desire to keep Australian actors working, but it is a rare opportunity to see most of the original cast perform, isn't it? Isn't there something innately magical about experiencing a production as originally intended, replete with nuances that subsequent productions inherently fail to replicate? If I had the opportunity to go back in time to see any Broadway show with its original cast, I'd relish the chance.
So, dear readers, if you had your chance to go back in time to see the first production of any theatrical work with its original cast, what would it be?
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Earlier today, formalized plans for Ghost The Musical were announced. The show will receive an out-of-town tryout in Manchester, England, before heading to London's West End in 2011.
Before you start groaning about yet another film getting the stage musical treatment, consider the first-rate talent involved.
Even better, is that Matthew Warchus is slated to direct the musical. Sure, he also helmed the ill-fated Lord Of The Rings Musical, which ranks among the biggest stage flops of the last decade. Yet over the last few years, virtually everyothershow he's overseen has been an unqualified critical hit.
The official Web site for Ghost The Musical is already up and running. The site describes the show as follows:
Ghost is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.
One element from the silver screen incarnation that will remain in the musical is the use of the Righteous Brothers' classic tune, "Unchained Melody," which certainly provided one of the most enduring and arguably iconic sequences in cinematic history.
So, dear readers, do you think Ghost materialize into a must-see smash ultimately hitting Broadway, or will it vanish into thin air quickly? If I had to bet today, I'd bet on the former.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Two nights ago, I had a fabulously ridiculous dream.
In it, I was seeing a Broadway show alongside The New York Times' critics Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood, two men I've never met in person, but have certainly observed. It was a bizarre dream to be sure, especially since much like the rest of last season, I found myself disagreeing with Isherwood's assessment of the show, but agreeing with Brantley's (fortunately in this phantasm, the Gray Lady's senior critic was responsible for writing the review).
Imagine my delight upon waking to find myself agreeing with Isherwood regarding his excellent assessment of replacement casts.
In particular, I could not agree with him more that A Little Night Musicconstitutes the "must-see" production this summer. It's been positively transformed, largely on the heartstopping performance of Bernadette Peters. So transformative was her rendition of "Send In The Clowns" that you could hear a pin drop as she delivered it.
Having also seen Peters and her replacement Reba McEntire in the most recent Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, I have to admit to concurring with his assessment that McEntire's performance eclipsed that of the tried-and-true Broadway Baby she replaced. I enjoyed Bernadette Peters in the title role, but the scrappy McEntire was born to play Annie Oakley. It is rather ironic that until I saw Peters as Desiree Armfeldt, Reba McEntire was my favorite Broadway replacement I ever had the thrill of seeing.
Additional props to Isherwood not only for discussing how truly disappointing the successors to Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were in The Producers, but also for mentioning the fine replacements Jonathan Pryce and Estelle Parsons made for John Lithgow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Deanna Dunagan (August: Osage County), respectively. While I thought Pryce's sophisticated delivery of the con artist Lawrence was an improvement over Lithgow, I'm convinced after beholding Dunagan perform as Violet Weston yet again last week that no one can ever quite match her bravura Tony Award-winning performance.
That goes double, by the way, for Dunagan's co-star Rondi Reed as Mattie Fae Aiken. I've witnessed two other actresses attempt making that delicious role their own. Try as they might, neither could erase my fond memory of the quintessential Mattie Fae. Coincidentally, Reed has also succeeded in winning my heart as the absolute best of the dozen or more Madame Morribles I've ever seen in Wicked.
So, dear readers, who are your favorite replacements? Or if your fabulously ridiculous dreams could come true, whom would you want to see as replacements in a current Broadway show?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending August 22, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I ordinarily offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway. Forgive me for being tardy in posting these until today.
8:20 pm August 23 - Broadway box office slipped 3.49% last week to $18,148,278, down from $18,781,652
8:21 pm August 23 - Broadway capacity fell 1.02% last week to 81.51% or 204,265 tickets sold out of 249,535 possible seats
8:22 pm August 23 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was $85.70 down slightly from $85.89 week before
8:23 pm August 23 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, MARY POPPINS, BILLY ELLIOT, JERSEY BOYS each gross $1 million + last week
8:24 pm August 23 - PROMISES PROMISES falls out of million dollar club last week grossing $966,150 on 78% capacity. Av tix priced $88.63
8:25 pm August 23 - With LION KING nipping at it heels, sold-out WICKED top grossing show again with $1,688,034. Av tix priced $116.64
3:55 pm August 23 - LION KING had Broadway's top capacity last week with 100.1% & week's highest av tix price $121.61, grossing $1,632,627
8:27 pm August 23 - Just closed RACE was last week's lowest grossing show $274,787 and week's lowest capacity 49%. Av tix priced $66.23
8:28 pm August 23 - NEXT TO NORMAL had week's lowest average ticket price on Broadway of $60.81. Grossed $298,132 on 79.4% capacity
8:29 pm August 23 - Soon-to-close COME FLY AWAY had Broadway's top capacity increase last week of 9.7% to 70.2% grossing $635,399
8:30 pm August 23 - PROMISES PROMISES had Broadway's biggest capacity drop last week of 10.3% to 88.3%
8:31 pm August 23 - Just closed SOUTH PACIFIC went out on a Bali Ha'i with 100% capacity, grossing $626,513 with av tix priced $86.01
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
One month from today, the Tony-nominated play Time Stands Still begins performances for its second time this year on Broadway, this time at the Cort Theatre.
As regular readers will recall, I was among those who offered thumbs up to Donald Margulies' superb and gut-wrenching new play during its acclaimed run at the not-for-profit Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Since MTC's season still had one more play left in its Broadway season for subscribers, Time Stands Still came and went much too quickly.
But the play's indelible mark left by its excellent cast was so profound that one of those rarest of rare announcements would be made about an already closed Broadway show. On May 12, it was announced that the entire production would get a second lease on life through a return engagement at the mid-sized commercial Cort Theatre. (For those curious, the return engagement is not Tony eligible.)
Time Stands Still follows Sarah and James, a photojournalist and a foreign correspondent trying to find happiness in a world that seems to have gone crazy. Theirs is a partnership based on telling the toughest stories and together, making a difference. But when their own story takes a sudden turn, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life...and everything changes -- in a flash.
Don't miss this rare second chance to see one of the most exceptional American plays in years!
Indeed, if you missed your opportunity to see this show earlier this year, now's a second chance that doesn't occur very often. I highly recommend seeing Time Stands Still. Its first act will leave you speechless.
Time Stands Still resumes performances at the Cort on September 23 with a second opening night slated for October 7. The limited engagement is currently scheduled through January 23, 2011.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) – Main Stage, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
**** (out of ****)
Jet lag be damned.
Despite being on Aussie soil for only a week, the excellent troupe from Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre is firing on each and every one their finely calibrated cylinders. That includes extraordinarynewones they’ve picked up along their lengthy journey from their Windy City home base to Sydney via Broadway and London.
While I’ve long since run out of superlatives to adequately describe Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, a magnificent modern American masterpiece if there ever was one, I’ve never seen it in better shape than I did Tuesday evening here in Sydney. With no trace of irony or hint of hyberbole whatsoever, Tuesday's opening night constituted the single best night I've ever spent in a theatre.
After having begun going their own ways immediately after the explosively comedic drama earned the Tony Award for Best Play in 2008, the cast reunited less than one month ago and only resumed live performances last week. But you’d never know it.
Just like close friends who are able to pick up where they last left off, these exceptional actors -- including the mindblowing Deanna Dunagan as the drug-addled matriarch Violet Weston, the raucously funny Rondi Reed as her sister Mattie Fae Aiken, the formidible Amy Morton as Violet's take-charge daughter Barbara Fordham), along with Mariann Mayberry (Karen Weston), Sally Murphy (Ivy Weston), Jeff Perry (Bill Fordham), Kimberly Guerrero (Johnna Monevata) and Troy West (Deon Gilbeau) -- succeed in building on the dysfunctional family they created over three years ago. In finding further depths in their relationships with one another, each is giving the performance of their lives.
The result is a breathtaking blast into the stratosphere. Buckle up, because it just may be best -- and bumpiest -- theatrical ride of your life. And a spine-tingling one at that.
For me, this unforgettable experience was well worth the trip to Sydney. August: Osage County is an unmissable milestone in American theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
It's A Profession: Cherry Jones To Make Broadway Return
Those rose-colored "glasses" being worn in the poster for the upcoming Broadway revival of Mrs. Warren's Profession not only work in terms of how the title character's daughter initially views her mother, but also how I'm at least momentarily viewing Roundabout Theatre Company.
Not only are they bringing my personal favoriteshow I saw anywhere last year to Broadway, but they're also responsible for enticing Cherry Jones back to the Great White Way.
As the titular character in Mrs. Warren's Profession, Jones finally makes her overdue return to Broadway in Doug Hughes' revival of the George Bernard Shaw work. The play centers on the lengths one mother goes toward keep her daughter comfortable, including one well-kept secret. Roundabout describes the play as follows:
Tony Award winner Cherry Jones returns to Broadway in George Bernard Shaw’s scorching tour de force! Mrs. Warren’s Profession tells the story of Kitty Warren, a mother who makes a terrible sacrifice for her daughter Vivie’s independence. The clash of these two strong-willed but culturally constrained women is the spark that ignites the ironic wit of one of Shaw's greatest plays.
Hughes' revival marks the sixth time Mrs. Warren's Profession has been mounted on Broadway.
Written in 1893, it wasn't until 1905 that the play was first produced on the Great White Way. Due to its highly controversial subject matter (at the time), it was essentially shut down after just one performance when the cast and crew were arrested by the police. The play was revived in 1907 for 25 performances, then again briefly in 1918 and once more for another 25 performances in 1922. Actress Mary Shaw starred as Kitty Warren for each of those four earliest incarnations.
Then, the play lay dormant, at least on the Great White Way, for over fifty more years before it was revived at Lincoln Center in 1976. Gerald Freedman directed a stellar cast, including Ruth Gordon as Kitty, Lynn Redgrave as Vivie, Edward Herrmann as Frank, Philip Bosco as George and Milo O'Shea as the Reverend. While the revival would only play 55 regular performances, it earned Tony nominations for both Herrmann and Redgrave (Herrmann would win for Best Featured Actor).
My only previous experience with this work was back in 2003 at the Guthrie in Minneapolis. Fortunately, I was well-armed with their excellent study guide, which I strongly recommend reading only after you see the performance. It certainly increased my understanding of and overall enjoyment for what was once a truly groundbreaking work.
Previews for Mrs. Warren's Profession begin at the American Airlines Theatre on September 3, with opening night slated for one month later on October 3. The brief run is slated to conclude on November 28, 2010.
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A nominee for the 2009 Best Play Olivier Award, The Pitmen Painters is being promoted by MTC as follows:
Direct from a sold-out engagement at London’s National Theatre, this funny and fascinating new play by Tony Award winner Lee Hall comes to Broadway with its entire original London cast intact.
The Pitmen Painters is based on the triumphant true story of a group of British miners who discover a new way to express themselves and unexpectedly become art-world sensations! An arresting and hilarious salute to the power of individual expression and the collective spirit, The Pitmen Painters takes you on an unforgettable journey from the depths of the mine to the heights of fame.
If you think you've already recently seen a Broadway show about miners colliding with the world of art, that's because you have. Indeed, The Pitmen Painters playwright Lee Hall also penned the blockbuster Billy Elliot - The Musical and its silver screen predecessor.
While you may be tempted to think Hall is merely writing what he knows, his own father was a housepainter and decorator in England's Newcastle upon Tyne. Hall's most recent work is based on "The Pitmen Painters: Ashington Group, 1934-1984 by art critic William Feaver.
Previews begin September 14, with an opening night slated for September 30. Since this play is part of MTC's subscription series, the limited run is only scheduled through December 13, 2010.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
This evening, Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning August: Osage Countymay be opening for its second time in Australia, but this time it's doing so for the first time with most of its originalSteppenwolf (and Broadway) cast and crew from Chicago.
Recreating their stunning Tony Award-winning turns Down Under are Deanna Dunagan as Violet Weston and Rondi Reed as her sister Mattie Fae Aiken, along with their original Steppenwolf castmates Amy Morton (Tony nominated for her brilliant portrayal of Barbara Fordham), Mariann Mayberry (Karen Weston), Sally Murphy (Ivy Weston), Jeff Perry (Bill Fordham), Kimberly Guerrero (Johnna Monevata) and Troy West (Deon Gilbeau).
Other casting includes Molly Ranson (Jean Fordham) who was a Broadway replacement in the role of Jean Fordham, and three members of the London cast: Chelcie Ross (Beverly Weston), Paul Vincent O'Connor (Charlie Aiken) and Gary Cole (Steve Heidebrecht). The only truly new cast member is Gary Wilmes, who portrays Little Charles.
Once again, Tony Award-winning director Anna D. Shapiro helms this inherently American tale, and as she so eloquently told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, "Our company can do fraught standing on its head."
If you live anywhere near Sydney, make every effort to get tickets to see August: Osage County. Why? Because unlike any other import from the United States, this represents contemporary American drama at its absolute best. You can't afford to miss it.
In fact, I simply couldn't resist coming back to Sydney myself. Indeed, this evening, I'll once again lose myself in Letts' epic work one last time .... at least with original castmembers.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
8:20 pm August 16 - WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY, MARY POPPINS, BILLY ELLIOT PROMISES PROMISES, JERSEY BOYS each gross $1 million+ each
8:21 pm August 16 - #1, Sold-out WICKED grosses $1,733,834 on Broadway last week. Average ticket price: $119.81
8:22 pm August 16 - #2 Sold-out LION KING has Broadway's top average ticket price: $122.44.Grosses $1,643,356
8:23 pm August 16 - Broadway's highest capacities were enjoyed by WICKED and THE LION KING last week at 100% each
8:24 pm August 16 - Broadway's lowest grossing/lowest capacity show: RACE grossing $230,318 on 42.3% capacity. Average ticket price: $64.33
8:25 pm August 16 - NEXT TO NORMAL had week's lowest average ticket price on Broadway: $58.99. Grosses $278,266 on 76.4% capacity
3:55 pm August 16 - SOUTH PACIFIC enjoyed week's largest capacity increase of 10.4% to 96.8% for final weeks with Kelli O'Hara & Pauo Szot
8:27 pm August 16 - MAMMA MIA had most capacity decline last week of 5% to 86.5% Still grossing $923,650
8:28 pm August 16 - Broadway shows grossing under $500,000 include: RACE, NEXT TO NORMAL, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, LEND ME A TENOR, FELA!
8:29 pm August 16 - Overall Broadway gross was down just 1.8% to $19,217,416 week over week.
8:30 pm August 16 - Broadway capacity was down just .63% to 82.3% filling 214,889 of 258,568 available seats
8:31 pm August 16 - The average ticket price on Broadway last week was $85.89
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway's Brief Encounter To Only Last Few Months
Beginning September 10, Broadway audiences will have a short window of opportunity to see the theatrical production I deemed as my personal favorite for all of last year.
That's when the breathtaking British import of Noël Coward's Brief Encounter from Kneehigh Theatre starts its limited run at Studio 54. Seemlessly blending film and music with live action as its conceit, director Emma Rice ingeniously builds on the precepts from the Oscar-nominated 1945 motion picture penned by Coward.
The story centers on two married strangers who enjoy a chance meeting in a train station only to find themselves swept away in a mad love affair. Silver screen images are shown on the stage, but it's magnificently brought to life with a captivating fusion with live theatre.
Roundabout Theatre Company in association with David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Cineworld presents the breakout hit Kneehigh Theatre's production of Noël Coward's Brief Encounter, adapted and directed by Emma Rice.
Brief Encounter updates a classic tale of longing with fresh power and passion. Brief Encounter is an imaginative new work that combines elements of the beloved film and the Noël Coward play on which it was based with song, dance and Technicolor displays of emotion.
Since Brief Encounter defies any tidy description, it simply doesn't seem fair to say much more because the melodrama has to be seen to be believed and fully appreciated.
But I will add one more thing. It took Brief Encounter's spellbinding trip back in time to catch a glimpse of the future in entertainment and the integral role projection designs like those offered here from Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll can have in stage productions.
As the first Broadway play or musical of the season to open (September 28), Brief Encounter is only scheduled for a limited run at Studio 54 now extended through January 2, 2011. This is a must-see.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
After taking television -- and even this year's Tony Awards -- by storm, with severalBroadwaystars suddenly becoming household names in the process, "Glee" just might be coming to the Great White Way.
According to New York's Daily News' Gatecrasher Frank DiGiacomo:
New York Gleeks -- and all you tourists -- will be happy to know Ryan Murphy is getting closer to bringing a theatrical version of "Glee" to Broadway.
At Tuesday night's premiere of "Eat Pray Love," which Murphy directed and co-wrote, he told us that a Broadway adaptation of his smash TV series is "definitely" happening. "I'm auditioning people now," Murphy said at the Ziegfeld Theatre, where the premiere took place. Alas, he declined to give us any leads on whom he might cast. (Lea Michele, anyone?) "I don't know just yet," he said. "You'll see."
While this may be the first time I've mentioned "Glee" in this space, make no mistake that I'm a die-hard fan of the television show. Just when the tuneful comedy looks like it's going to derail into a huge train wreck, Murphy has a way of effectively pulling it back from the brink. He succeeds in mining depths where you wouldn't expect to find any. It's hardly a one-note wonder.
Additionally, I've loved the fact that Murphy has also used countless Broadway actors to populate his series. And it's been pretty wonderful hearing showtunes from some of the Great White Way's greatest musicals being delivered to a whole new audience.
But could a Broadway version of "Glee" be too much of a good thing?
I have no doubt that Murphy is capable of constructing a solid show. He's already demonstrated he's an incredibly gifted writer. But the devices he's used to stage each production number within his TV show borrows exclusively from time-worn pop and Broadway catalogs. Would a "Glee" musical come fresh with its very own score?
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Yesterday, in one fell swoop, the Broadway musical Fela!not only announced it would close on January 2, 2011, but that on September 14, singing legend Patti LaBelle would assume the role of Funmilayo (Fela Kuti's mother), currently played by outgoing Tony nominee Lillias White.
Evidently, the scrappy, revolutionary tuner isn't going down without a fight. The show will have played 463 regular performances by the time it closes.
What is remarkable is that for a show all about "originality," it appears to be employing one of the stage's most tried and true devices of keeping a Broadway production chugging along: stunt casting. Now before you jump all over me, keep in mind that I have long championedFela! It was undeniably last season's most innovative, new musical, and in my opinion, the best musical of the past year.
To her credit, apart from threeseparateconcert series through the eighties and nineties, Patti LaBelle has performed in one Broadway musical. She appeared nearly 28 years ago in the short-lived Your Arms Too Short To Box With Godrevivalwith another soul legend Al Green. In addition to appearing in several films and television shows, she's also portrayed Mama Morton in Chicago out in Los Angeles.
Also to LaBelle's enormous credit, she has graciously said this about Fela!:
After seeing the show, I was struck by the choreography and work of Bill T. Jones, and the passion and joy that overflows from the stage. Fela's mother, Funmilayo, was a strong, truly inspiring woman, and I am so privileged to be able to pay tribute to her on the Broadway stage.
Indeed, she will be. But will LaBelle's new attitude be enough to keep ticket sales humming through the pipeline during the fall when so many other new shows are opening?
Let me say this, if you haven't already seen Fela!, do yourself a favor and go. You'll see why I've been saying "Yeah, yeah" since it opened last November 19.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Why don't more theatrical productions on both sides of the pond follow the lead of the Matthew Warchus-helmed upcoming London revival of Ira Levin's Deathtrap?
This first London revival of Deathtrap begins performances at the Noël Coward Theatre on August 21, with its first night (opening night) slated for September 7. With so much talent assembled for this production, along with tickets on sale through January 22, 2011, I'm mighty tempted to make the journey back to U.K. later this fall just to see this show.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Can't get enough of Broadway? Need your fix via your iPhone?
There's an app for that!
This past June, iBroadway was launched by Arts Meets Commerce, an Internet marketing/Web design/advertising/video company that counts many Broadway shows among its impressive roster of clients.
Now, I'm pleased to note that Arts Meets Commerce has added two more blogs to their iBroadway app, including Garrett Eisler's venerable The Playgoer and yours truly. I'm honored to be among the select few and feel I'm in excellent company.
What intrigued me about this iBroaday app is that in addition to providing content from some of my favorite bloggers, it's also a free compendium of all things Broadway, literally at your fingertips.
The iBroadway app features include:
• Details on performance venues, schedules and ticketing information, along with discounts for some of the hottest shows on Broadway;
• Exclusive video content, synopses, reviews and cast information;
• News, reviews and commentary from a host of the top writers in the theatre industry today;
• A simple way for users to share details about their favorite shows via Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.
If you're among those iBroadway subscribers who is finding me for the first time thanks to this app, welcome to Steve On Broadway (SOB)! I'm happy you've found me. Please note that you can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Whether you're a longtime reader or brand new, I invite you to join in the conversation on all things Broadway and live theatre. Now there's an app for that!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
The Princeton Seventh (The SOB Review) - Partizan Theater, Minnesota Fringe Festival, U of M Thrust Stage, Minneapolis, Minnesota
***1/2 out of ****
It's one thing to write what you know. But embellishing it? Well, that just might be a whole lot more fun.
In playwright/director James Vculek's brilliantly funny, metaphysical comedy The Princeton Seventh,writers of all stripes grasp that it's never easy putting pen to paper when writing that truly novel novel. It takes inspiration. And license.
Fortunately, Vculek is inspired. And his license kills.
Intelligently and incisively crafted with witty repartee among its four principals, The Princeton Seventh centers on a nearly empty hotel bar in Toledo where one undistinguished man (Ari Hoptman, right) chats up the only other patron, famous author Jack Cutler (Alex Cole, left), who's in town to salute literary giant Max Lonoff (Richard Ooms).
Still drafting his speech over drinks, Cutler is annoyed that the other man is continually plying him with one too many questions. But after being plied with a couple cocktails, Cutler becomes intrigued when he learns that the man he dismissively referred to as a mere "shoe salesman from Cleveland" turns out to know Lonoff quite well. Turns out this mousy man was one of six -- or was it seven? -- students famously mentored by Lonoff during his only year teaching at Princeton.
The pompous, yet suave Lonoff enters the bar with his trophy wife (Alayne Hopkins) and it soon becomes apparent just who the mystery man is. Or does it?
Although it's a scant 55 minutes in duration, there are more twists and turns in The Princeton Seventh than most plays twice as long. And just when you think you have this play figured out, a new act unfolds before your eyes as if from some parallel universe. Playing like the best of Charlie Kaufman'sworks, Vculek's surreal play turns things inside out, making you wish you could push the replay button and watch it unfold again to catch what you may have missed.
The magnificent Hoptman shines as the chameleon who simply can't be penned down. The terrific Cole is reliably cock-sure as the jerk novelist who thinks he's seen it all. As one of Minneapolis' acting treasures, Ooms delivers a solid one-two punch with dual portrayals of the great Lonoff, and the radiant Hopkins goes the distance alongside him with a knock-out Waverly and a Mindel from the opposite end of the spectrum.
Cleverly written and directed, The Princeton Seventh may very well be the most cerebral comedy you're likely to see at the Minnesota Fringe Festival (two performances remain). Entertaining, sharp and winning, Vculek's work deserves a larger audience far beyond the fringe.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
UPDATED (September 2, 2010) - Variety is reporting that Elling will be produced at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Previews to start on November 2 and open November 21.
Earlier today, New York Post theatre columnist Michael Riedel broke the news that Simon Bent's Elling, based on the Ingvar Ambjørnsen novel and Academy Award-nominated Norwegian film from 2001, may be Broadway-bound this fall.
Originally mounted at London's Bush Theatre in 2007, Elling will star acclaimed stage actor and "True Blood" star Denis O'Hare in the title role, according to Riedel. O'Hare has been a personal favorite of mine ever since his Tony-winning turn as Mason Marzac in Take Me Out (2003). His nominated performance as Charles J. Guiteau in Assassins (2004) was every bit as extraordinary.
Riedel says O'Hare will be joined by the wickedly funny Jennifer Coolidge, whose only previous Broadway credit was a brilliant, comic one -- the actress portrayed the chain-smoking, pregnant Edith in The Women (2001-02). Coolidge was so incredibly memorable in that role that the mere thought of her back on the boards has brought a welcome smile to my face.
According to Riedel, O'Hare and Coolidge will be joined in this buddy comedy by Brendan Fraser. While the film actor has never performed on Broadway before, he starred in the 2001 West End revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof as Brick and generated some very glowingreviews.
Broadway.com described the London incarnation of Elling as follows:
Mummy's boy Elling and his roommate, the uncouth, reluctant virgin Kjell Bjarne, are the Odd Couple of Oslo: a pair of confused souls taking their first steps in the outside world after years of an isolated and institutional life. Given a flat in the city by social services, their mission is to either re-assimilate themselves into society or be forcibly returned to the asylum. All they have to do is convince their social worker that they really are "normal" -- even if it does feel safer sleeping in a wardrobe.
The venerable West End Whingers called the show, "Utterly charming and very funny."
According to Riedel, Elling will be directed by Doug Hughes. Riedel says the show will begin performances this fall at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
Since there's been no confirmation for this show yet, nor have actual dates been announced, I'll simply add this play to my "definitely maybe" list. But O'Hare and Coolidge alone will definitely have me lining up for tickets.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Turn On The Dark: Spider-Man Ticket Sales Begin Again
It's official!
I've received confirmation that the long-delayed Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will begin Broadway previews on November 14. Opening night is scheduled for December 21.
Moments ago, I received an e-mail from Ticketmaster informing me that as a former ticketholder for performances that were scuttled earlier this year amidst the chaos in capitalizing this show, which some estimates have put at close to $50 million, I would be able to purchase tickets beginning at 12 noon today. (Yes, I actually was one of those who purchased tickets over a year ago! But I subsequently received a refund.)
U2's Bono (Paul David Hewson) and The Edge (David Howell Evans) are writing the score -- their first for a Broadway musical. Reeve Carney will star as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Jennifer Damiano will portray girlfriend Mary Jane Watson and Patrick Page will play Spider-Man's nemesis to the Green Goblin.
So, dear readers, now that we know the Julie Taymor-helmed Spider-Man is a go for November at the newly renamed Foxwoods Theatre (formerly Hilton Theatre) on Broadway, will you be attending?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending August 8, 2010
If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.
For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending August 8, 2010:
3:50 pm August 9 - Last week, Broadway grosses increased .86% week over week to $19,562,428
3:51 pm August 9 - But Broadway capacity declined slightly last week by a mere .2% to 82.93% with 217,085 out of 258,568 seats sold
3:52 pm August 9 - Broadway's average ticket price last week was $86.67 down a fraction from $86.92 the week before
3:52 pm August 9 - 7 Broadway shows grossed $1 million+ each-WICKED, LION KING, ADDAMS FAMILY,M POPPINS, PROMISESx2, B ELLIOT, JERSEY BOYS
3:53 pm August 9 - 5 Broadway shows grossed under $500K each: RACE, NEXT TO NORMAL, LEND ME A TENOR, MILLION $ QUARTET & FELA!
3:54 pm August 9 - Sold-out WICKED again #1 grossing Broadway show taking in 1,745,925 last week. Average ticket price: $120.64
3:55 pm August 9 - Sold-out THE LION KING has top average ticket price $121.93. Broadway's #2 grossing show $1,636,598 again last week
3:55 pm August 9 - WICKED and THE LION KING reign supreme by each attracting 100% capacity last week, most of all Broadway show.
3:56 pm August 9 - Broadway's other 90%+ capacity shows: B ELLIOT, JERSEY BOYS, M POPPINS, POTO, PROMISESx2, MAMMA MIA, LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
3:57 pm August 9 - Once again, RACE had week's lowest gross and capacity: $242,320 on 43.9% capacity. Average ticket price: $65.16
3:58 pm August 9 - NEXT TO NORMAL had Broadway's lowest average ticket price last week: $62.21. Grossed $307,709 on 80.1% capacity
3:59 pm August 9 - MEMPHIS had week's biggest capacity increase of 4.6% to 89.8%. Best Musical grossed $923,397 Is million $ week ahead?
4:00 pm August 9 - IN THE HEIGHTS and SOUTH PACIFIC tie for largest week over week capacity decrease of 5.9%. SOUTH PACIFIC closing soon.
Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Effective today, Live Nation has once again sold out with new naming rights for its beleaguered barn of a theatre that was initially opened by convicted producer Garth Drabinksy's Livent, Inc., on January 26, 1998, as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
Livent had acquired two theatres, the Lyric and the Apollo, gutting and banging them together with some of their original architectural elements remaining in the "new" 1829 seat theatre that's been created in their place.
In its brief 14 year history as a Broadway venue, the theatre has only housed eight shows, most of them flops and/or produced at a financial loss due to their over-the-top nature. With respect to the latter, an excellent case in point is the venue's original tenant Ragtime. Shortly after it opened in 1998, Livent declared bankruptcy, and SFX Theatrical Group swooped in to take ownership (SFX would ultimately become part of Clear Channel and then Live Nation).
The biggest hit that played the Ford Center for the Performing Arts was 42nd Street, which took home 2001 Tonys for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress for Christine Ebersole. The production lasted nearly four years and a total of 1524 performances.
Shortly after 42nd Street closed, Hilton Hotels was granted naming rights (Hilton's Times Square property is directly across the street from the theatre). Only four shows have played in the theatre during that time, and nothing has played there since Young Frankensteinclosed on January 4, 2009.
Of course, the next occupant was already supposed to be playing to record-breaking crowds. And while Spider-Man: Turn Off The Darkhas finally loaded-in with rehearsals about to get into high gear, presumably for a much-delayed fall 2010 opening, the theatre itself has been turned off in darkness for so long, it's probably no wonder that Live Nation was seeking yet another corporate sponsor's name to plaster on the building.
I'm no fan of such naming rights. It cheapens both the landscape and the landmarks themselves.
If I can take hope, it's from one landmark Broadway theatre that had a five year fling with one corporate sponsor. That affair blessedly didn't last. As of 2007, the original Winter Garden name stands alone. Miracles really can still happen on Broadway.
As for the newly minted Foxwoods Theatre, perhaps some of their luck will rub off on what is arguably Broadway's unluckiest venue. I'll bet they're counting on a full house.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
With no defense necessary, my verdict was easily reached. The Scottsboro Boys is sensational in virtually every way.
What makes this Susan Stroman-helmed tuner particularly noteworthy is its very production marks the final yet ultimately sanguine collaboration between one of the most durable duos in musical theatre history: John Kander and the late Fred Ebb, who passed away nearly six years ago. Through the culmination of The Scottsboro Boys, Kander and Ebb's prolific, unmistakable scores now stretch nearly 50 years.
Their magnificent musical is based on an actual cause célèbre surrounding the outrageous injustices endured by nine African-Americans, who were falsely accused of gang-raping two white women in a deeply prejudiced Alabama during the Great Depression. As guilty verdict after guilty verdict was thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court, the nine remained behind bars for years continuing to profess their innocence.
Proving once and for all that fact is far stranger and usually much more compelling than fiction, librettist David Thompson wisely hews his book quite close to what actually transpired, giving a plausible air of verisimilitude to the story. The liberties he does take serve to move the story along.
Additionally, Thompson -- along with Kander and Ebb's ingeniously sly score -- beats those lingering racist underpinnings left within our society at its own game by cleverly employing minstrel show devices to frame the story. In the hands of any less skilled director than Stroman, the effect could easily fall flat.
Stroman exceptionally executes this production frequently employing her creative choreography to brilliantly underscore the proceedings. Witness how she's creatively conceived "Electric Chair," using jolting humor to make a point. To say the least, it's one of many electrifying passages in the show's progression.
The thoroughly excellent cast prosecutes their roles with a spine-tingling sense of mischievous daring and danger. Without exception, they are in a word superb.
In an ironic about-face, the equally phenomenal Colman Domingo and Forrest McClendon each effectively put on a white face to portray a dizzying array of characters ranging from sheriff and deputy to lawyers and guards. As the lone white actor in the production, a fine David Anthony Brinkley presides as the Interlocutor, as well as judge and Alabama governor (Brinkley will be replaced on Broadway by John Collum, who originated those roles earlier this year at New York's Vineyard Theatre).
Each of the nine Scottsboro Boys is expertly prosecuted by Sean Bradford as Ozie Powell, Josh Breckenridge as Olen Montgomery, Derrick Cobey as Andy Wright, Jeremy Gumbs as Eugene Williams, Joshua Henry as Haywood Patterson, Rodney Hicks as Clarence Norris, Kendrick Jones as Willie Roberson, Julius Thomas III as Roy Wright, and Christian Dante White as Charles Weems. All have individual personality to spare -- and in the case of Bradford and White, quite literally, as they portray accusors Ruby and Victoria with aplomb.
When the nine first bound onto the stage in saltation through the rousing "Minstrel March" (which seamlessly segues into the devilishly deceptive "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!"), they're imbuing their characters with all the dashed hopes and dreams they describe shortly after in the gorgeous, Gospel-tinged "Commencing In Chattanooga." But from their crowded cell, when Thompson's libretto astutely gives way to the stark reality inherent in Alabama's rat-infested jails and prisons, each actor comes into his own.
Ultimately it's Joshua Henry's extraordinary turn as the illiterate, truth-telling Haywood Patterson that thrills. Henry astonishes in the minstrelsy "Nothin'" as he flawlessly maneuvers back and forth between a genuinely-delivered sulking, seething animosity toward being unjustly accused and a crafty caricature of the shameful blackface personna that's long since been discredited. His soaring, yet heartbreaking "You Can't Do Me" vanquishes over adversity, even if he's left to rot in jail.
Adroitly and satisfyingly concluding with a poignant depiction of a much more prominent historical event, nimbly offered by Sharon Washington as The Lady, the overall result is spellbinding.
I can testify that as gutwrenching, outrageous and absolutely beautiful as this musical is, The Scottsboro Boys is nothing short of an ironic triumph over evil. It will surely become a must-see on Broadway, and to that I'll confidently swear.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
Broadway Betting On La Bête
Steve On Broadway: There's An App For That!
