Next Show To FallAs I had predicted last week,
critical darling Next Fall becomes the first post-
Tony Awards casualty in
posting its closing notice.
Next Fall walked away from the Tonys with no wins, yet the show was already stumbling and falling at the box office with weeks of
very low sales in what is Broadway's
tiniest house.
While my prediction came true, I don't relish it for one moment -- even for a show
I didn't much care for -- because it means that the play's hard-working actors and crew won't have jobs. But the blow here is particularly hard.
According to
The New York Times:
Next Fall cost about $2 million to mount, and one of its lead producers, Richard Willis, said that the show will close at a total loss to its producers and investors.
Among those producers were
Elton John and
David Furnish, whose names were often included above the title.
Maybe if the show weren't so cliché-ridden or preachy, ironically about how narrow-minded people of faith purportedly are, it could have attracted a much wider audience.
Next Fall will close on July 4 after 26 previews and 132 regular performances.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, David Furnish, Elton John, Next Fall, Play
Billy Elliot - The Musical (The SOB Revisit) - Imperial Theatre, New York, New York
***1/2 (out of ****)Third time was most definitely the charm for me in seeing
Billy Elliot - The Musical, this time (finally) on Broadway.
For the third time in four years and across three continents, I've seen how the miles on a show can either
infuse electricity or
take it away. In the case of
Stephen Daldry's soaring Broadway mounting, he's achieved a breathtaking kinetic wattage to behold.
Triple threat
Kiril Kulish, who portrayed Billy during my performance, offers the most electrifying take on the eponymous role I've now seen. He's not only born to boogie, but he also possesses a star quality I've rarely seen in someone so young. His talent is pure joy to witness
During my performance, I was disappointed to learn that the key role of Michael would be played by understudy
Keean Johnson. But once he expressed himself with his natural-born stage presence, I was left wondering why he doesn't perform the role on a regular basis. He is exceptional and has a great future ahead of him.
As pivotal as Billy and Michael are, the supporting cast is every bit as vital in ensuring the requisite electricity. In the role of his lifetime, the incredibly talented
Gregory Jbara is spot-on as Billy's father, whose eleventh hour epiphany is powerfully moving without being overly sentimental. The wonderful
Haydn Gwynne reprises the role I saw her brilliantly create in London. And the lovely
Carole Shelley offers one of the year's top scene-stealing performances as Billy's Grandma.
Thanks to Daldry's invigoratingly taut direction and
Peter Darling's inventive choreography, the cast abounds in endless energy. They infuse
Lee Hall and
Elton John's score -- which strikes a deeper and infinitely more poignant chord with each listen -- with all possibility that individuality really represents, particularly during these financially troubled times.
If you're going to see
Billy Elliot anywhere, make this the one.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, Elton John, Gregory Jbara, Haydn Gwynne, Keean Johnson, Kiril Kulish, Lee Hall, Musical, Peter Darling, Stephen Daldry, The SOB Review
"It's Like The Golden Globes For Theatre!"Last Friday, the
75th Annual Drama League Awards were presented to honor the best on Broadway and off.
Award winners included:
Distinguished Revival of a Play:
Blithe SpiritDistinguished Revival of a Musical:
HairDistinguished Production of a Play:
God Of CarnageDistinguished Production of a Musical:
Billy Elliot - The MusicalDistinguished Performance:
Geoffrey Rush -
Exit The KingUnique Contribution to the Theatre Award:
Angela LansburyDistinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre:
Sir Elton JohnThe Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing:
Arthur LaurentsAfter attending last year's Tony Awards -- certainly
Broadway's equivalent to the
Academy Awards -- I was thrilled to attend the Drama League Awards.
Shrek The Musical star
Christopher Sieber, one of the
71 nominees for distinguished performance, quipped to me, "It's like the
Golden Globes for theatre!"
And so it was with nearly all of the nominees assembled for a wine-filled luncheon on a three-tiered dais that reminded one nominee of a large "
Match Game" set (it looked more to me like a celebrity telethon minus the telephones).
The glory of the Drama League Awards is that while there are all those nominees ranging from the
famous Oscar-
winning stars to the actors who've just experienced their first major breaks Off-Broadway, they all have an equal opportunity to say a few words. And they do it with such a welcome flourish.
Despite the fact they were all vying for one award, the sense of community they shared as actors was palpable. It was truly incredible and one of the best celebrations of the theatrical art form I've ever enjoyed.
Founded in 1916, the Drama League bills itself as "America's best-kept secret for theatre lovers." Click
here for more information on how you, too, can become a Drama League member.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Angela Lansbury, Arthur Laurents, Awards, Billy Elliot The Musical, Blithe Spirit, Drama League, Elton John, Geoffrey Rush, God Of Carnage, Hair
Billy Elliot Dances Way Into Critics' HeartsLast evening,
Billy Elliot The Musical opened at Broadway's
Imperial Theatre.
Directed by the same man who directed the
2000 film,
Stephen Daldry, and with a book and lyrics written by the same man who wrote the original screenplay,
Lee Hall, this tuner's music is by
Sir Elton John.
David Alvarez,
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish are alternating as Billy, while
David Bologna and
Frank Dolce alternate as Michael. The musical also stars
Haydn Gwynne,
Gregory Jbara,
Carole Shelley and
Santino Fontana.
Most critics have showered the show with praise. It's been ages since I've seen this type of swooning over a new tuner.
Declaring that "Broadway's long, dark, dry spell of big, smart, smash musicals is officially over," now that the "seriously thrilling" and "deeply lovable"
Billy Elliot has opened,
Newsday's
Linda Winer heaps on the huzzahs all around: "The show is crawling -- not to mention tapping and leaping -- with dauntingly talented children, presented with a blissful lack of preciosity and lots of blazing intelligence and theatricality by director Stephen Daldry and choreographer
Peter Darling.... On the basis of Tuesday's Billy, David Alvarez, the massive demands of this star role have not been overstated. Alvarez is terrific - with a grave-kid undercurrent, lots of unforced charm, finely sculpted long muscles and the ability to unspool ballet wizardry without losing the remarkable elegance of his line. His singing is simple and direct, with a musicality more important than show-biz salesmanship. About those songs. Elton John has written an ambitious, varied, altogether satisfying grown-up score."
Concluding by thanking "
Maggie Thatcher, for giving us something to sing about,"
New York Post's
Barbara Hoffman awards four out of four stars: "proving itself the best gift from Britain since
'Harry Potter.'... But unlike so many shows that plod from screen to stage,
Billy Elliot: The Musical makes the leap from reheated adaptation to reimagined creation. For that we can thank not only director Stephen Daldry, writer Lee Hall and a wonderful cast -- but also Elton John, whose idea it was to make it a musical in the first place.... Whether it's ballet, modern or tap -- or, in one case, tap-dancing while jumping rope -- dance is the show's single best special effect."
Proclaiming that the tuner "really does have something for everyone, and that something is, gloriously, art," Bloomberg's
John Simon is laudatory: "The story unfolds with drama and humor, exciting and tender moments. Expertly staged by Stephen Daldry, it is dazzlingly choreographed by Peter Darling in some breathtaking dance sequences of various genres, from classical ballet to contemporary forms.... There are mostly rousing but occasionally jolly Elton John songs, with simple but apposite lyrics by Lee Hall.... And then, amazingly, there is Billy.... I caught David Alvarez, a riveting prodigy: actor, singer, fabulous ballet and tap dancer (note his double tours) and spectacular acrobat. He combines skills few adults could match, and sustains them throughout a long and demanding evening."
Praising
Billy Elliot as "that rare production -- one that brings all the elements together and creates a fresh emotional experience,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News is also similarly enthusiastic: "The show's creative forces -- Stephen Daldry, Lee Hall and Peter Darling -- who repeat duties as director, writer and choreographer, and who are joined by composer Elton John -- are to be commended for bringing
Billy to the theater with smarts, clarity (yes, Americans will 'get' the across-the-pond references, including the expletives), imagination and tender loving care.... Even more than the terrific 2000 movie, the musical amplifies Billy's place in his community.... David Alvarez, who was on at my performance, is a dazzling dancer, strong actor and capable singer. As his brassy ballet teacher in shocking pink (and purple) tights, Haydn Gwynne, who originated the role in London in 2005, is a sublime mix of bark, bite and big-heartedness."
Postulating that the "show both artfully anatomizes and brazenly exploits the most fundamental and enduring appeal of musicals themselves,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley is surprisingly smitten: "Mr. Daldry and company turn tripe into triumph by making us understand the depth of the appeal of its classic show-business fairy tale, not only to us but also to the people whose dreary daily existences touch on Billy’s.... The performances, for the most part, are broader than they were in London, with more mugging and heart-tugging stickiness. But the two most essential portrayals -- that of Ms. Gwynne and Mr. Alvarez -- were spot-on the night I saw the show....
Billy Elliot never doubts that it’s the sobriety that endures in life. Which makes those intoxicating, fleet-footed flashes of art, where leaden bodies fly and discord turns into harmony, all the more to be cherished."
Asking, "Who would have guessed that a musical in which conservative economic policies deal a death blow to the working class could be such an uplifting experience?"
Variety's
David Rooney offers praise: "American audiences would have no trouble connecting with the universal sentiment of this bittersweet dual celebration of community and individuality.... The basic plot skeleton of an underdog rescued from adversity by the purity of his artistic pursuit is a familiar one, but it's given integrity here by the rich, melancholy textures of Hall's cultural and political backdrop.... Elton John's songs are more often serviceable than memorable, and the ballads are treacle, but there's a nice, brass-heavy Brit sound to the orchestrations that adds to the show's strong sense of place. Regardless of their quality as showtunes, almost all the significant numbers are elevated by Daldry's propulsive staging into buoyant setpieces."
Citing the show's "unapologetically sentimental score" and "characters ... drawn in broad strokes ... but little nuance,"
USA Today's Elysa Gardner still offers up a three-star review: "Billy Elliot shines brightest when its younger cast members are center stage, particularly when they're on their toes. A few production numbers lean too heavily on cute shtick -- there are dancing dresses and an enormous Thatcher puppet that may scare the kids -- but Peter Darling's choreography makes the raw, restless exuberance of youth accessible to all. In one sequence, Billy imagines and shadows an older version of himself, and both leap across the stage as the rapturous strains of
Tchaikovsky's
Swan Lake swell around them. And for a few moments -- no matter where you're from -- it's impossible to not be transported by this kid's amazing grace."
So with Wall Street in continued meltdown, could
Billy Elliot - The Musical be exactly the right salve at the right time? We'll find out as our next stop is the box office.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, Critics' Capsule, David Alvarez, Elton John, Film, Gregory Jbara, Haydn Gwynne, Lee Hall, Musical, Peter Darling, Stephen Daldry
Billy Elliot Ready To Shine On Opening NightThis evening, after 40 preview performances, what is arguably the Broadway Season's most anticipated new tuner finally opens at the
Imperial Theatre. Based on the
2000 film, Billy Elliot The Musical lands on the Great White Way after packing them in across the pond in London for over three years, along with another year of success Down Under.
If the musical seems true to the original movie, it's because of the artistry behind it. Not only does Academy Award nominated director
Stephen Daldry recreate the electricity on stage, but the film's Oscar nominated screenwriter
Lee Hall has also written the tuner's book, as well as the lyrics that accompany the music written by
Sir Elton John.
Actress
Haydn Gwynne is the only transfer from the original West End production. She will recreate the role of Billy's dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson. Three young actors will alternate as the eponymous character:
David Alvarez this evening, and then
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish on successive nights. Likewise, the role of Billy's young friend Michael will alternate between
David Bologna and
Frank Dolce.
Other cast members include Broadway veterans
Gregory Jbara as Billy's Dad and
Carole Shelley as Grandma, along with
Santino Fontana as Billy's brother Tony.
Personally, I have not yet purchased my tickets for the Broadway incarnation having already seen both the original London production three years ago this month and the Australian production in Sydney just over three months ago. But you can bet that I'll be providing my critics' capsule of all the major reviews tomorrow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, David Alvarez, Elton John, Film, Gregory Jbara, Kiril Kulish, Lee Hall, Musical, Stephen Daldry, Trent Kowalik
Broadway Preview: Billy Elliot - The MusicalAfter first taking London's West End by storm just over three years ago, the
Lee Hall/
Elton John tuner
Billy Elliot - The Musical is set for its Great White Way debut.
(Interestingly enough, I was supposed to see the show three years ago tonight, but the
performance was canceled due to the 7/7 terrorist bombings that brought London to a standstill. It wasn't until that November when I was finally able to see the musical.)
Based on the highly successful worldwide smash
film from 2000, the stage incarnation begins previews at Broadway's
Imperial Theatre on October 1, with opening night set for November 13.
Stephen Daldry, who directed the movie also helms this musical. It should also be noted that Lee Hall, who is credited with writing the original screenplay, not only wrote the stage show's lyrics, but he also serves as its librettist.
While most casting is yet to be named as they
dig deep beneath the Imperial Theatre to properly house
Ian MacNeil's enormous corkscrew stage design, the three alternating Billys have been announced. They include
David Alvarez,
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish.
Longtime readers will recall that
Billy Elliot - The Musical ranked eighth on my list of the best shows I saw during the 2005-06 Theatrical Season. You may also recall that
I previously worried that the Broadway producers might find it necessary to dumb down this intrinsically British show for American audiences. Yet, by all accounts (including
Michael Riedel's), this will essentially be the same production I enjoyed in London in late 2005. Riedel noted:
There's been a lot of talk that Billy Elliot -- which is set in a mining town in the north of England and pulls no punches in its left-wing politics - would have to be watered down for Broadway. The working-class British accents would be too hard to understand; the brutal anti-Thatcher, anti-Reagan, anti-capitalism stance might offend Americans; the overall grittiness might be too intense for Broadway audiences doped out on feel-good stage cartoons.
I'm happy to report that John, Daldry and producer Eric Fellner said they decided not to mainstream the musical for Broadway.
The show New York is going to get is the one that's been playing to packed houses in London for the past three years.
Taboo it ain't. That, plus the exceptional score by Hall and John, should help ensure a giant leap in advance ticket sales.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Broadway Preview: Godspell (July 6, 2008)
Broadway Preview: All My Sons (July 5, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Man For All Seasons (July 3, 2008)
Broadway Preview: To Be Or Not To Be (July 2, 2008)
Broadway Preview: The Seagull (July 1, 2008)
Broadway Preview: Equus (June 30, 2008)
Broadway Preview: A Tale Of Two Cities (June 28, 2008)
Broadway Preview: for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (June 25, 2008)
Broadway Preview: [title of show] (June 24, 2008)
Broadway: What's Next (June 20, 2008)
Billy Elliot Set To Make Imperial Leap Across Pond (August 21, 2007)
Billy Elliot Leaps One Step Closer To Broadway Bow (October 20, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Billy Elliot Set for 2008 Broadway Bow? (September 6, 2006)
Remembrances of London’s 7/7 (July 7, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, David Alvarez, Elton John, Kiril Kulish, Lee Hall, Michael Riedel, Musical, Stephen Daldry, Trent Kowalik
Impending Stake For Lestat’s HeartDarkness is normally welcomed for vampires, but effective May 28, the lights on Broadway’s
Lestat will officially dim for the final time. The announcement comes only one day after the cast took to the Sony Studios to record their cast album. Based on the wildly successful Anne Rice novels,
Lestat was Sir Elton John’s third Broadway outing, but first collaboration there with his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin.
The musical, which only enjoyed 39 regular performances, did manage to snag a couple Tony Award nominations, but will likely be long forgotten by the time they’re handed out in June. Perhaps this third of three wildly
unsuccessful vampire musicals will place the final stake through the ill-fated genre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets. Related Stories:Critics Sink Their Fangs Into Lestat (April 26, 2006)
Lestat Opens On Broadway Tonight (April 25, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Elton John, Lestat, Musical
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theater, London, UK)"Electricity." That's not only how both the movie and stage
Billy Elliots describe their feeling when dancing -- it's also what enraptured audiences are experiencing when stepping inside the London's Victoria Palace Theatre to witness the best original musical of the 2005-06 season.
Billy Elliot The Musical shines.
Forget the drubbing that Sir Elton John's musical
Lestat took. Clearly, his work on
Billy Elliot The Musical came from the heart. The score, with lyrics by Lee Hall (who also wrote the original screenplay for the 2000 movie), climbs throughout the show until it simply soars. And then there's the awe-inspiring dancing that amazes, thanks to brilliant choreography by Peter Darling and the production's incomparable, young talent. Although I only saw one of the three rotating Billys (I saw the magnificent George Maguire), I was blown away by his natural grace. He and his teenage castmates made their moves look so easy.
For anyone who does not know the story -- helmed on film and again on stage by Stephen Daldry --
Billy Elliot is about a young boy growing up alienated from his widowed father, a striking miner. Set in 1984 against a turbulent northern England backdrop, Billy's father thinks his son is dutifully taking boxing classes, when in reality, Billy has followed his heart and passion studying dance. Showing enormous promise, Billy secretly practices for an audition at the Royal Ballet School only to be found out by his father.
Billy Elliot is rich with layered story-telling about the pivotal choices made in life, and is ultimately a celebration of individuality. Just as the score builds, so does the exquisite plot.
Fortunately, it looks as though American audiences will be able to experience
Billy Elliot stateside in the next couple years. But since so many British imports are dramatically altered, often for the worse, I heartily recommend making the journey to London's Victoria Palace to see this inspirational production. (And a side note, the Victoria Palace will forever be in my heart as the venue where I saw my very first Broadway musical,
Annie, way back in 1979.) For all these reasons,
Billy Elliot The Musical ranks eighth on my SOB Best of 2005-06 Theatre list.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (Royce Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA) (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre, London, UK) (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (Brooklyn Academy of Music – Harvey Theatre, New York, NY) (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (Steppenwolf Garage, Chicago, IL) (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (The Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN) (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL) (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL) (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL) (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, NY) (May 15, 2006)
The SOB Five "Worst" of 2005-06 (May 12, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Billy Elliot in Triplicate on First Birthday (May 9, 2006)
Critics Sink Their Fangs Into Lestat (April 26, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Elton John, London, Musical, SOB's Best of 2005-06
Billy Elliot in Triplicate on First BirthdayThursday marks the first birthday for
Billy Elliot - The Musical, the celebrated London production that's directed by Stephen Daldry, with book and lyrics by Lee Hall and music by Sir Elton John. To commemorate the anniversary, all three of the original young actors who portrayed the title character (alternating each night) -- Liam Mower, George Maguire and James Lomas -- will appear for the first time during same performance. Maguire was the exhilarating actor I had a chance to see last November, and he sang and danced
and danced and danced his way into the hearts of everyone that accompanied me. This breathtaking musical is more than worth the trip to London, and with the best music to come from Sir Elton in years, I heartily recommend picking up the original cast CD regardless of whether you can make the journey.
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre, London, UK) (May 18, 2006)
Critics Sink Their Fangs Into Lestat (April 26, 2006)
Labels: Anniversary, Billy Elliot The Musical, Elton John, London, Musical
Critics Sink Their Fangs Into LestatWith reports of scenes being changed right up through last weekend, perhaps it's not suprising that Broadway's
Lestat provided theatre critics with an easy target for their sharpened fangs. The third, yet perhaps most anticipated, of the vampire musicals to descend on the Great White Way in the last three or so years,
Lestat has received middling to poor reviews in the initial check of leading critics at such outlets as
The New York Times (Ben Brantley), New York's
Daily News (Howard Kissel),
New York Post (Clive Barnes) and
USA Today (Elysa Gardner).
Brantley suggested that
Lestat might make a great alternative to Ambien;
Kissel pummels everything as being "flat";
Barnes' headline ("Bloody Awful") sums up his half-star rating; and while
Gardner gave the show a mediocre two-and-a-half stars, she still likened the show to syrup.
Of course, with the legions of Anne Rice fans out there, it remains to be seen whether this show will have the last laugh and live forever, or suffer the fate of vampires with a stake driven through its heart. And personally, I'm waiting to see what Rice herself has to say, especially since she was not pleased with the casting of Tom Cruise in the movie adaptation.
Hopefully, the Broadway version of
Billy Elliot - The Musical -- which even the jaded Brantley seemed to enjoy -- will demonstrate just how appreciative the theatre community can be toward Sir Elton John's musical genius. I'll write more about how truly exhilarating this London production was in future postings.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Lestat tickets.
Click here for Billy Elliot - The Musical tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre, London, UK) (May 18, 2006)
Billy Elliot in Triplicate on First Birthday (May 9, 2006)
Lestat Opens On Broadway Tonight (April 25, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Elton John, Lestat
Lestat Opens on Broadway TonightIt's been 12 years since Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" opened in movie theatres. Tonight,
Lestat, the much-anticipated Sir Elton John-Bernie Taupin collaboration on the Broadway musical version opens at the Palace Theatre, which was home to Sir Elton's last New York production,
Aida. Despite being denied a 2000 Tony nomination for Best Musical,
Aida earned Elton John his first Tony for Best Original Score (he was previously nominated for his work on
The Lion King in 1998).
What should be noted on
Lestat is that the John-Taupin collaboration went into high gear after a less-than-celebrated world premiere in San Francisco at the close of 2005. The hit songwriting duo -- who had never previously worked together on a stage effort -- were forced back to the drawing board to rework Rice's novel. With three bona fide stage hits under Sir Elton's belt already (
Aida,
The Lion King and
Billy Elliot - The Musical, the amazing retelling of the 2000 British film that currently may only be seen at London's Victoria Palace Theatre), can his proven flair for musical staging be reaffirmed once again? We'll see what the critics say tomorrow morning!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Critics Sink Their Teeth Into Lestat (April 26, 2006)
Labels: Aida, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Elton John, Lestat, Musical, Opening Night, The Lion King
