Daly received accolades when she performed in this new Stephen Wadsworth-helmed revival first staged at Washington's Kennedy Center earlier this year. Since only a casting notice has been issued for Broadway, there is no further word at this time as to which, if any, of Daly's DC co-stars may make the transfer.
While Playbill has stated that the production will arrive on Broadway in late May -- too late for 2011 Tony nomination consideration -- it has only surmised that the play will be housed at Manhattan Theatre Club's (MTC) Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. There has been no confirmation by MTC.
The Kennedy Center described their 2010 production as follows:
Tony winner for Best Play, Master Class stars Emmy and Tony Award–winning actress Tyne Daly as Maria Callas. The play is a portrait of the opera diva told through her recollections of the glories, triumphs, and tragedies of her own life and career. Her voice is gone, her lover is long departed, and her sanity could possibly be next. All she has is a lonely itinerary of master classes and luggage packed full of the memories that are her only travel companion. Her students are the hapless targets of her sharp tongue, while she remains the picture of innocent aristocracy. Master Class shows that while the actress may have left the stage, she will never give up her audience.
As part of its promotion of the revival, the Kennedy Center offered the following video presentation with McNally:
Under Leonard Foglia's direction, Master Class first played Broadway in a lengthy 598 performance run, opening at the John Golden Theatre November 5, 1995, and closing June 29, 1997. Zoe Caldwell earned Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her turn as the opera diva. Audra McDonald won a Tony for her portrayal as Sharon, while Karen Kay Cody earned a Theatre World Award as Sophie -- her only Broadway credit. Other cast members included David Loud, Jay Hunter Morris and Michael Friel.
The $64,000 question is whether a revival presented as part of a subscription series (meaning it would have a limited run) and that opens after this season's Tony nomination cutoff will even be remembered a year later for the 2012 Tonys. If Daly provides a Master Class in acting, it just might have a shot.
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After first premiering to great acclaim at Off-Broadway's MCC Theater in 2003, Neil LaBute's Fat Pigis being fattened up just a little bit more for its 2011 Broadway debut.
The playwright himself prepared to carve it up via his directorial debut on the Great White Way. Comedian Dane Cook and stage and movie actor Josh Hamilton are slated to star, although neither theatre nor dates have been confirmed.
LaBute's plays are famous for their controversial and blunt-force subject matter, as well as their high density of swear words. Fat Pig tells the story of Helen, an obese woman who gets into a romantic relationship with Tom, a slender thirtysomething man. Causing trouble is Tom's obnoxious friend Carter, who antagonizes Helen about her weight. Cook will play Carter while actor Josh Hamilton will take on Tom. The actress playing Helen will be announced at a later date.
While I haven't yet seen a production of Fat Pig, I was a huge fan of LaBute's devastating play The Shape Of Things and I truly admired reasons to be pretty. So count me among the intrigued, including on whether this casting can turn the production into a cash cow.
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Early reports yesterday emanating from the usually reliable Deadline.com simply got it wrong. As part of its announcement that Sutherland would be making his Great White Way debut in the play, it said Schreiber would be part of the revival.
Within a relatively short period of time, The New York Times' Patrick Healy singlehandedly debunked that by noting:
The revival was also rumored to be reuniting Mr. Mosher with Liev Schreiber, his View From The Bridge star. Mr. Mosher said in an interview that he talked about the play briefly with Mr. Schreiber last spring, but they never discussed him joining the cast.
Healy broke the news that Jason Patric -- son of Championship Season playwright Jason Miller (who knew?) and friend of Sutherland -- would be starring in the revival, along with Chris Noth and comedian Jim Gaffigan.
The original production of That Championship Season was quite a winner itself starting with a cast that included Richard Dysart, Charles Durning, Paul Sorvino, Walter McGinn and Michael McGuire under A.J. Antoon's direction. After first opening at Broadway's Booth Theatre on September 14, 1972, the production would earn five Tony nominations. In addition to winning the 1973 Tony Award for Best Play along with the Pulitzer Prize, Antoon and Sorvino were honored with Tonys.
Will the 2011 staging, which is expected at a Shubert Theatre sometime in March, prove to be a champion as well? Or will it be viewed as too dated, as Michael Riedel suggests near the end of his column today in discussing why Schreiber passed on the project? Stay tuned.
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Another New Musical In The Picture For Broadway Season
Yesterday came news from Roundabout Theatre Company that yet another new musical would open cold on Broadway without the benefit of any tryout somewhere else. This time, it's one with Tony-winning actress Donna Murphy called The People In The Pictureabout a Holocaust survivor.
Directed by Leonard Foglia, the tuner is the work of Iris Rainer Dart ("Beaches"), who has written both the book and lyrics. Music from Mike Stoller and Artie Butler will also be used, although it's not immediately clear if their familiar tunes are simply being incorporated into the musical, matched with Rainer Dart's lyrics or if they've written something new altogether.
Once the darling of the Yiddish Theatre in pre-war Poland, now a grandmother in New York City, Bubbie (Murphy) has had quite a life. But what will it all mean if she can't pass on her stories to the next generation? Though her granddaughter is enchanted by her tales, her daughter Red will do anything to keep from looking back. A fiercely funny and deeply moving new musical that spans three generations, The People In The Picture celebrates the importance of learning from our past, and the power of laughter.
Given Rainer Dart's most prominent writing credit, I have little doubt that this could very well be the weepiest entry into this Broadway season. But say what you will, it'll be very nice to have Murphy back on the boards again.
The People In The Picture is slated to begin previews at the American Airlines Theatre on April 1, 2011. The limited run will open on the cusp of Tony eligibility (April 28) and conclude performances on June 19.
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I love my mother. With all my heart. And I make no bones about it.
So you, dear reader, should know that when I first started Steve On Broadway and quickly figured out that the acronym spelled out SOB, well, I decided to latch onto it and append my blog name with it before anyone else had a chance to lob that name at me.
I also knew it would only be a matter of time before my mother found my site. And trust me, she did. And when she did, her first response was, "What's with this SOB thing, anyway?"
Suddenly, I found myself reassuring her that it was just a little play on Steve On Broadway and that she should most definitely not take it personally. It had nothing to do with her.
But I also know that my dear mother is one of those many potential theatregoers who finds vulgar language an assault on her ears (and thus, she avoids shows that she knows contain it gratuitously). And since she raised me very well and even visits this site on a fairly regular basis, if only to keep tabs on me ("Hi Mom! Love you!!"), I have chosen over the last four and a half years to keep this site safe for all ages.
The play had been slated to have its world premiere at The Public Theater in New York. In fact, their website still lists the production as coming in "Spring 2011," along with this description:
A new high-octane, verbal cage match about love, fidelity, and misplaced haberdashery from Stephen Adly Guirgis (Little Flower Of East Orange; The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot). Jackie and Veronica have been in love since the 8th grade. But now, Jackie is on parole and living clean and sober under the guidance of his sponsor, Ralph D, while still living and loving with his volatile soul mate Veronica who is fiercely loving, but far from sober. Still, their love is pure. And true. Nothing can come between them- except a hat. Guirgis, as always, provides an eclectic and lively cast of characters seeking to "put away their childish things," and their collective quest- and missteps-result in his most open-hearted, laugh-out-loud and poignant plays to date.
If the biggest news weren't the title that The New York Times certainly won't print (can you imagine all the fun they'll have at the Tonys repeating the title over and over ad nauseum just to see who can slip it by the censors?), the casting certainly is. It will mark the Broadway debut for comedian Chris Rock. Casting for the play also includes Bobby Cannavale (Jackie), Elizabeth Rodriguez (Veronica), Annabella Sciorra (Victoria) and Yul Vazquez (Julio).
Previews for the play begin at the Schoenfeld on March 22 (yes, mom, I know it's my sister's birthday), and the show opens April 11, 2011.
Word to my mother ... want to go with me?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
*Because as near as I can tell, it's supposed to have asterisks included.
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But the gasps may have been further induced by something beyond just that simple announcement. Countless tweets in the twitterverse were incredulous about Hoffman's casting, saying he is too young to play Willy Loman, the titular salesman.
Nonesense, I immediately retorted. Hoffman is an actor who is wise beyond his years, and to be honest, has an appearance that can easily belie his 43 years. And just as fast as I could say that, my friend with the encyclopedic mind -- the ever resourceful Kevin Daly of Theatre Aficionado At Large -- quickly pointed out that the legendary Lee J. Cobb was a mere 37 years when he created the iconic role in the first Broadway production in 1949.
While Cobb didn't even receive a Tony nod for his Willy, that premiere production would sweep Tonys in each of the six categories for which it was nominated. First opening at Broadway's Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949, Death Of A Salesman would win Tonys for Best Play, Best Author (Arthur Miller), Best Director (Elia Kazan), Best Featured Actor (Arthur Kennedy), Best Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner) and Best Producers (Kermit Bloomgarden and Walter Fried). Perhaps even more prestigious was that the production -- which closed November 18, 1950 after 742 performances -- was honored with the 1949 Pulitzer Prize.
Little wonder this is among Miller's most revered works. And little wonder that so many other great actors hold out no greater hope than to sink their enterprising teeth into Willy Loman.
Yet surprisingly, the first Broadway revival didn't come for another 25 years when George C. Scott took on the role at age 47. With Scott also directing, Death Of A Salesman opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on June 26, 1975. Although the cast included James Farentino as Biff and Harvey Keitel as Happy, the production would earn exactly one Tony nomination: for Scott's acting. The production closed after 71 performances.
The second revival came about just nine years later, opening at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 29, 1984. A then 46 year old Dustin Hoffman portrayed Willy alongside John Malkovich as Biff and Stephen Lang as Happy. The revival would earn the Tony for Best Reproduction. While it closed on July 1, 1984, after only 97 performances, the production would enjoy a return engagement at the Broadhurst for another 88 performances (September 14-November 18, 1984).
Perhaps the reason why so many think that Willy Loman is a man closing in on the twilight of his years is because of the last exceptional actor to make the role his own, Brian Dennehy. When the last Broadway revival of Death Of A Salesman was mounted by Robert Falls in 1999, Dennehy was already 60. But that didn't stop the theatre world from showering his performance with praise and accolades. Dennehy would win both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his portrayal.
That Death Of A Salesman first opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on February 22, 1999. Packing a punch at the box office, the revival would enjoy 274 performances before closing on November 7, 1999. Its cast included Kevin Anderson as Biff, Ted Koch as Happy, Elizabeth Franz as Linda, Howard Witt as Charlie, and also Kate Buddeke (The Woman). All totaled, the revival earned six Tony nominations and scored wins for Best Revival, Falls, Franz and Dennehy.
Since that landmark production has become the gold standard by which most contemporary audiences judge Miller's play, it stands to reason that many can't conceive of Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman. Also, considering that Death Of A Salesman will herald Hoffman's first time back on Broadway's boards since earning a Tony nod for his effective portrayal as Brian Dennehy's son, James Tyrone, Jr. in 2003's Long Day's Journey Into Night, and it's no wonder the theatre world was gasping.
Of course, since that appearance, Hoffman has gone on to win an Academy Award for his breathtaking work as Truman Capote. I have little doubt he'll do just fine with Willy Loman.
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The singing siblings already possess Broadway musical credits. Donny Osmond made his Rialto debut in the failed 1982 revival of Little Johnny Jones before taking on the role of Gaston in Beauty And The Beast in 2006. Marie Osmond served as one of the replacements for Donna Murphy in the last revival of The King And I in the late 90s.
In the holiday tradition of the “Osmond Family Christmas” television specials, Donny and Marie invite you and your family to join them to celebrate the joy of the season in true Osmond fashion, in person, as the pair share a Broadway stage for the first time. With their trademark show-stopping Christmas production numbers, Donny & Marie - A Broadway Christmas features your favorite hits mixed with the irresistible chemistry that made them international stars.
2008 marked the 50th anniversary for the Osmonds as a performing family.
The 12 performance run of Donny & Marie: A Broadway Christmas is scheduled to begin on December 9 before dashing through the snow on December 19. Tickets go on sale this morning at 10 a.m. EDT. UPDATE: The show has now been extended through December 30, 2010.
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Hard to believe it's already been over eight years since either Tony-winning actor Jeffrey Wright or Tony-winning playwright/composer John Guare have been involved in a Broadway show.
Lincoln Center describes the production as comedy that's "by turns astonishing, raucous and panoramic":
Will Guare and Wolfe succeed with the Wright stuff? We'll find out after the play opens on November 18, 2010. The limited engagement is set to conclude on January 9, 2011.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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A Free Man Of Color is set in the boisterous New Orleans culture that existed just prior to the historic Louisiana Purchase. Before law and order took hold. Before class, racial and political lines were drawn. When New Orleans was still a parade of beautiful women and good-looking men, flowing wine and pleasure for the taking.
At the center of this Dionysian world is Jacques Cornet (Jeffrey Wright), who commands the men, seduces the women, preens like a peacock and cuts a wide swath through the city and the province. But, it is 1801 and the map of New Orleans is about to be redrawn. The Louisiana Purchase will bring American rule to New Orleans, challenging the chaotic, colorful world of Jacques Cornet and all that he represents.
In arguably the most unusual fare being offered during Broadway's 2010-11 Theatrical Season, The Beatles tribute band Rain is hoping to reign supreme at Rialto's Neil Simon Theatre box office.
Originally formed in the mid-70s by Mark Lewis as "Reign," this tribute band's members have now been together more than three times longer than the real deal. According to the show's Web site, all of them have performed in the touring production of that earlier Broadway show devoted to the Fab Four: Beatlemania.
The official site describes this concert show as follows:
Together longer than The Beatles themselves, Rain has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary group, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting. From the early hits to later classics that The Beatles never got the chance to play live – including the most complex and challenging songs—this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, peace and a little help from your friends!
Personally, I'm old enough to vividly recall when The Beatles were still together, often performing on television's "Ed Sullivan Show." With a catalog of hit after noteworthy hit, they remain my all-time favorite rock group, so it's probably no wonder that I loved every moment of the officially sanctioned The Beatles Love in Las Vegas.
Will Rain precipitate good reviews while reining in the enthusiasm of The Beatles' steadfast fans? We'll find out later this month when the limited run begins previews on October 19 and opens October 26. The show is currently scheduled at the Neil Simon through January 2, 2011. Update: The show announced on October 5 that it would extend one week to January 9, 2011.
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As if it weren't bad enough that Love Never Dies director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell already jumped ship for what they certainly must hope is smoother sailing with their other more promising project -- you guessed it -- Catch Me If You Can -- the irony of the Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman/Terrence McNally musical capturing Love Never Dies' place at the Simon Theatre must add insult to injury for Sir ALW. One can only imagine the intrigue that's taken place behind the scenes. (UPDATE: Producers for Love Never Diesannounced on October 1, 2010, that the show would not be mounted on Broadway during the 2010-11 Theatrical Season.)
For composers Shaiman and Witttman, this will mark a homecoming of sorts as their only other full-fledged Broadway musical -- the Tony Award-winning Hairspray -- occupied the Neil Simon for six and a half enormously successful years. If Catch Me If You Can catches on with critics and audiences, it'll become the first regular show to have succeeded since their earlier work closed at the beginning of last year.
While casting has yet to be announced, such acclaimed Broadway draws as Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit, Tom Wopat and Kerry Butler starred in the out-of-town tryout in Seattle last summer. I know I'm not alone in hoping each of these talented actors can be caught yet again to reprise their roles on the Main Stem.
Previews for Catch Me If You Can are scheduled to begin March 7, 2010, and open April 10.
As for Andrew Lloyd Webber? Well, perhaps he'll think twice about never saying never when naming a musical.
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Yesterday came news that the stylishly inventive Australian auteur has his eyes set on bringing that cult film to the stage via a new musical. Through "Strictly Ballroom," Luhrmann may have singlehandedly reinvigorated a flagging dance genre, well over a decade before the likes of "Dancing With The Stars" and Broadway's Burn The Floor.
Luhrmann is certainly no novice to the Great White Way, having produced and directed the magnificent La Bohème, which earned both him and the show Tony nods back in 2003. For me, having been a fan of his visionary work on the silver screen, his reimagined Puccini opera was the single best show I had seen that entire season. And I'm still been raving about the beautiful, if unsung, design elements offered by Luhrmann's wife, Catherine Martin to this day. I once wrote rather wistfully:
Credit Baz Luhrmann with the spellbinding genius for making one of the most enduring of operas into an accessible and excellent theatrical event. Not since Dorothy landed in Oz have I witnessed as glorious a transformation from black and white to full blown color as I did during this amazing production. In this case, it occurred when love was in full bloom. I only hope that Luhrmann won’t stay away from Broadway too much longer.
According to The New York Times' Patrick Healy:
Mr. Luhrman said that while the plot, central characters, and some of the music from the movie would be transposed to the musical, he was approaching the design, atmospherics, and some elements of the score and lyrics with “an open mind and excited imagination.”
Since the creative workshops set for Sydney are still a few months away, audiences won't see Strictly Ballroom - The Musical anytime soon. And as shows like Priscilla Queen Of The Desert have demontrated, it can take years for a show to wind its way from Australia to Broadway.
But strictly between you and me, with Luhrmann at the helm, I have little doubt that it will be worth the wait.
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Theatre's Biggest News Of The Day Comes From Other Desert Cities
Perhaps the biggest theatrical news from yesterday didn't come from Broadway. But it was pretty darn close. And it was for a play that was originally planned for a Broadway berth.
Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Linda Lavin (and) Elizabeth Marvel will be featured in the cast of its upcoming production of Other Desert Cities, a new play by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Joe Mantello, beginning performances Thursday, December 16 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 W. 65 Street.). Opening night is Thursday, January 13 at 6:45pm.
In Other Desert Cities, Brooke Wyeth (to be played by Elizabeth Marvel), a once promising novelist, returns home after a six year absence to celebrate Christmas in Palm Springs with her parents (Stockard Channing and Stacy Keach), former members of the Reagan inner-circle, her brother, and her aunt (Linda Lavin). When Brooke announces that she is about to publish a memoir focusing on an explosive chapter in the family’s history, the holiday reunion is thrown into turmoil and the Wyeths are both bound together and torn apart as they struggle to come to terms with their past.
Sounds pretty intriguing to me.
Expect this to be a much sought after ticket, especially given its opening date set amidst so many Broadway and Off-Broadway show closures about the same time.
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No doubt banking that the best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear, Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures is returning to the Great White Way with the musical version of one of my recent Holiday film favorites: Elf (2003).
Elf - The Musicalis set to play Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre beginning on November 2, 2010. The tuner will open on November 14, just in time for the Holiday season that begins in earnest over Thanksgiving.
Currently scheduled through January 2, 2011, the limited engagement will get a boost this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. when Arcelus officially opens the Hirshfeld box office with prize giveaways including chances for young audience members to win walk-on roles.
On the official Elf - The Musical website, the stage adaptation is described as follows:
Will audiences be willing to pass through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and perhaps even walk through the Lincoln Tunnel just to see this stage adaptation? As Broadway's only real Holiday show this season, the production just might provide the elfin magic Warner Brothers is hoping for.
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The official site for the show indicates that this limited engagement will run 11 weeks through January 8, 2011. The site describes the show as follows:
Comically channeling the demise of every great world empire, Colin Quinn (SNL) takes the audience through an uproarious history of the world in 75 minutes. From his personification of Caesar as the original Italian mobster to his depiction of the pizza-ordering styles of imperialists and colonialists, Quinn is at his satirical best, taking on the attitudes, appetites and habits that toppled the world’s most powerful nations. Directed by Jerry Seinfeld, Long Story Short proves that throughout human history, the joke has always been on us.
A formal announcement hit right about the time I initially posted this story. This is a transfer of Quinn's recent run from the Bleecker Street Theatre that ended September 4. It marks Jerry Seinfeld's first Broadway credit as a director.
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For Lombardi On Broadway, Winning Is The Only Thing
You may think that Broadway and football go together about as well as chocolate and tuna fish.
So how do you inspire football fans to seek out a Great White Way production? Very craftily, as it turns out.
In her insightful Theatre Development Fund (TDF) story, Linda Buchwald examines the dilemma facing the marketers for Eric Simonson's Lombardi, which is hoping to score a winning touchdown on Broadway this fall. The show is using advertising on sites like the NFL's, along with social networking via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter as cheerleaders capable of bringing football fans into a new, albeit significantly smaller "arena" -- Broadway's intimate Circle in the Square Theatre.
Sport produces great human drama and there is no greater sports icon to bring to theatrical life than Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi, unquestionably one of the most inspirational and quotable personalities of all time. Dan Lauria ("The Wonder Years") and two-time Emmy Award winner Judith Light head the cast of Lombardi, a new American play by Academy Award winner and Steppenwolf Theatre Company member Eric Simonson. Though football’s Super Bowl trophy is named for him, few know the real story of Lombardi the man -- his inspirations, his passions and ability to drive people to achieve what they never thought possible.
To any naysayers, I'd just remind you that as the New York Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchezdemonstrated at this year's Tony Awards, the respective fan bases of Broadway and football need not be exclusive. We'll see next month whether Lombardi can score with critics and audiences alike. But as a proud cheesehead myself, I'm certainly game to be cheering on Lombardi.
Previews for this open-ended run begin September 23, 2010, with opening night slated for October 21.
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Dearest Wheedle describes the choice role as "an aging, drunken and sexually voracious movie star. The character is one of Williams' great stage monsters."
Later yesterday, The New York Times' Patrick Healy (sorry, no new nicknames I know of for this reliable reporter as of yet) confirmed that the production would move forward in the fall of 2011, adding that it would be under the watchful eye of estimable director David Cromer.
This production will mark Kidman's first Broadway appearance since her notorious debut in The Blue Room(1998-99). If Yank!comes to fruition during Broadway's 2011-12 Theatrical Season, then Cromer will have two major works on the Great White Way next year. As Cromer proved to Chicago audiences earlier this year, he has a gift for pinpointing and illuminating Williams' emotional core.
The first Broadway production of Sweet Bird Of Youth in 1959 was directed by Elia Kazan and starred a 34 year old Geraldine Page opposite the similarly aged Paul Newman as Chance. That luminary cast also included Sidney Blackmer as Boss Finley and such future stars as Bruce Dern, Diana Hyland and Rip Torn. Kazan, Page and Torn would also receive Tony nominations (Torn received a Theatre World Award for his portrayal of Tom Junior). The mounting would enjoy a 375 performance run at the Martin Beck Theatre (now the Al Hirschfeld), opening on March 10, 1959, and lasting through January 30, 1960. Page would go on to earn an Oscar nomination for the 1962 film version.
The first and only Broadway revival of the work came nearly 35 years ago for a very brief 48 performance run at the Harkness Theatre (which was razed in 1977). Edwin Sherin's direction tilted the show with a lopsided disparity in its leads' ages, pitting the 61 year old great Irene Worth opposite a relatively youthful 32 year old Christopher Walken. While the show was short-lived, Worth would earn her second of three Tony Awards.
With such a plum acting role capable of attracting acclaim and laurels, could Kidman see a Tony in her future? Stay tuned around June 2012.
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As noted late last night, it didn't take long after West Side Story's closing notice to be posted for producers of the international hit musical Priscilla Queen Of The Desertto announce that the glittery show would occupy the newly vacant space at Broadway's Palace Theatre come February.
Back in December 2006, I first caught and enjoyed this ultra-campy disco jukebox musical version of the film with music not too long after it enjoyed its world premiere in Sydney, Australia.
The show eventually moved on to London (where it is still performing) and is now slated to come to Great White Way by way of Toronto, where it begins previews October 12. The production will star Will Swenson (Hair) as Tick, Nick Adams (A Chorus Line) as Felicia, alongside the extraordinary Tony Sheldon, who originated the role of Bernadette in Sydney.
But like many other shows, the road to Broadway -- to say nothing of the rocky roads within Australia -- provided a very bumpy ride that wasn't all sequins and tiaras. In July 2007, I detailed the dramatic twists and turns as they were recounted to me from someone very close to the original production in Sydney.
Like I said just over three years ago, "At least when the day comes when Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical is about to open on Broadway, you'll have a greater appreciation for how it got so far."
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert begins preview performances at Broadway's Palace Theatre on February 28, 2011, and opens March 20.
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The story follows two modern-day Mormons in Africa, with scenes from the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saints movement, peppered throughout.
New York Post columnist Michael Riedel last week labeled the show as:
Hilarious, audacious -- and guaranteed to offend just about everybody ... I know of several insiders who are still sore from laughing so hard.
With no sacred cows among this team, you can no doubt expect an idiotically irreverent, completely crude and overtly politically incorrect musical.
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I've read it so many times that I was almost beginning to believe it was true: that revivals of David Mamet works have long since become perennial events on Broadway.
Well, it isn't necessarily so.
Sure there was that Tony Award-winning Best Play Revival of Glengarry Glen Ross in 2005. But it wasn't really until the very recent 2008 Broadway revival of Speed-The-Plow that the Mamet machine really swung into gear. And summarily got stuck. Just weeks later, the blink or you'd miss it revival of American Buffalo largely opened to pans. In 2009, a revival of Oleanna opened to more receptive acclaim.
Now comes only the fifth Mamet revival of the last decade.
Frequent Mamet collaborator Neil Pepe is set to direct A Life in the Theatre with Patrick Stewart and T. R. Knight star as Robert and John, respectively -- two stage actors in a power struggle. Stewart is no stranger to the play, having performed as Robert on the West End opposite Joshua Jackson in 2005.
Although it has seen life in London and Off-Broadway, A Life In The Theatre has never before been mounted on Broadway. Until now. The official Web site describes the 33 year old play as follows:
A Life In The Theatre will be making its Broadway premiere. The play made its world premiere at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago in February of 1977 with Mike Nussbaum and Joe Mantegna and was directed by Gregory Mosher. The play opened off-Broadway on October 20, 1977 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and ran for 288 performances. That production was directed by Gerald Gutierrez and starred Peter Evans and Ellis Rabb.
Describing life in the footlights from an actor’s point of view, A Life In The Theatre focuses on the relationship between two thespians: Robert, an older, experienced performer; and John, a relative newcomer. Though Robert’s guidance is welcomed by John at first, as the play progresses Robert falters as an actor and mentor, and John emerges as a mature actor. Mamet was inspired to write A Life In The Theatre by what he had observed backstage as well as by his own experiences in his early career as an actor.
Stewart, of course, is one of the foremost actors on either side of the Atlantic, and his participation alone would be enough to entice me to see A Life In The Theatre. But having witnessed Knight's impressive acting range on stage as both an amazing Amadeus Mozart in Amadeus and as Tim in Noises Off! -- both before he ever became known to television audiences as Dr. George O'Malley -- I can honestly say that I'm every bit as anxious to see him perform as I am his co-star.
Previews begin at Broadway's Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on September 21, with opening night set for October 12, 2010. The limited run will conclude on January 2, 2011.
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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!
