Broadway: What Shows Are Closing?Good thing I didn't make a bet to eat my
Next Fall Playbill if it didn't post closing notices.
A couple days ago,
I had predicted that due to its lackluster box office performance in the already tiny
Helen Hayes Theatre coupled with no Tony wins that it would likely shutter soon. But
its producers say, for now anyway, that it's their goal to remain open through summer.
UPDATE (June 23, 2010) - Next Fall has posted its closing notice for July 4.So what shows
are closing?
So far, none as a direct result of Sunday night's Tony Awards.
In fact, this year's Best Play
Red announced just yesterday that its limited run would close
as scheduled on June 27, which is really too bad because it offers those fortunate enough to see it two of the year's most magnificent stage performances (
Alfred Molina and
Eddie Redmayne). That is, unless you count those being offered over at the
Cort Theatre for this year's Best Revival of a Play
Fences with the two other stellar performances (
Denzel Washington and particularly
Viola Davis).
Fences currently remains on schedule to close its limited engagement on July 11.
But here is the full list of Broadway shows currently scheduled to close:
June 27, 2010:
Hair - Al Hirschfeld Theatre
(
SOB Review: *** out of ****)
On June 9,
it was announced that the 2009 Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Music otherwise known as "The American Tribal Love Rock Musical" would shutter on June 27, 2010, after 29 previews and 519 regular performances (over and above those
Hair extensions in Central Park during the summer of 2008).
Most of this revival of
Hair's original cast may be seen in
London through September 4. Plus, a
tour commences this October at the
Shubert Performing Arts Center in New Haven, Connecticut.
Red - John Golden Theatre
(
SOB Review: **** out of ****)
An import from London's
Donmar Warehouse, this year's Tony Award-winning Best Play has only been scheduled for a very limited run. That engagement will conclude as scheduled on June 27, 2010.
Red will have played 22 previews and 101 regular performances.
Look for
John Logan's work to be mounted by regional theatres throughout the United States over the next couple years, albeit with different direction and casts.
Sondheim On Sondheim - Studio 54
(
SOB Review: **1/2 out of ****)
This limited engagement initially was set to finish this past Sunday but was extended by two weeks. When it closes on June 27, 2010, this revue will have played 37 previews and 76 regular performances.
As for a life beyond? Unless there's a tour, which seems highly unlikely, it's hard to imagine regional mountings given how a major portion of the show incorporates
Stephen Sondheim's own words via video. Plus, there are already several other Sondheim songbook revues out there.
July 11, 2010:
Everyday Rapture - American Airlines Theatre
(
SOB Review: *** out of ****)
The last-minute, surprise hit run that managed to garner Tony nominations has always been a limited run and is scheduled to close on July 11, 2010. When it shutters,
Everyday Rapture will have played 11 previews and 85 regular performances.
Although
Sherie Rene Scott is portraying a semi-fictionalized version of herself, there's no reason why enterprising regional theatre companies couldn't pick up this show
a la Hunter Bell and
Jeff Bowen's semi-autobiographical
[title of show]. Yet Scott herself
seems to be keeping the door open to returning to her character for a tour, although "it wouldn't be for another year."
Fences - Cort Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
Director
Kenny Leon's camp at this year's Tony-winning Best Revival of a Play has been so silent over the past few days that you can't help but wonder if they're secretly working toward extending their limited run past July 11, 2010, which is nearly sold out. Or are they waiting to announce something else like a new cast and/or a tour?
If the show closes as scheduled, it will have enjoyed 13 previews and a mere 80 regular performances. But why do I have this hunch....
August 15, 2010:
Lend Me A Tenor - Music Box Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
The single most hilarious Broadway show I saw all year was initially an open-ended run. But on May 21, a
closing notice was posted for August 15, 2010, which marks the end-date for its ensemble's contracts. Tony-nominated for Best Revival of a Play,
Lend Me A Tenor will have played 25 previews and 153 regular performances.
There's no word on any plans for this production beyond Broadway, but
Ken Ludwig's farce is already regularly mounted by regional and community theatres.
August 21, 2010:
Race - Ethel Barrymore Theatre
(
SOB Review: *1/2 out of ****)
Yesterday,
Eddie Izzard,
Dennis Haysbert and
Afton C. Williamson join the cast of this
David Mamet play as replacements for
James Spader,
David Alan Grier and
Kerry Washington, respectively (
Richard Thomas remains). Currently, the show is scheduled to close August 21, 2010, after 23 previews and 297 regular performances.
Although the show has already recouped its initial investment, don't be surprised to see it close earlier if the box office doesn't experience a bounce from its new cast.
August 22, 2010:
South Pacific - Vivian Beaumont Theatre
(
SOB Review: ***1/2 out of ****)
On February 19,
it was announced that this 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Revival of a Musical would close on August 22, 2010. But when it does, it will have played 37 previews and 1,000 regular performances. The show will go out with a bang as original cast member
Kelli O'Hara returns August 10 and again appears opposite Tony-winner
Paulo Szot (rumors that
Matthew Morrison may also return remain just that -- rumors).
Earlier this year, I caught the
South Pacific national tour and I can tell you that it is nearly as good in every way as the Broadway mounting; that tour will last through 2011. Additionally, when the closing notice was posted, it was
also announced that there are plans to bring the production to London and Australia.
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.Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Closings, Everyday Rapture, Fences, Hair, Lend Me A Tenor, Next Fall, Race, Red, Sondheim On Sonheim, South Pacific
How Hair Transformed London TheatreApart from live theatre, two of my other passions in life are traveling and history.
For me, London is one of those spectacularly thrilling destinations to visit on a routine basis because it's both steeped in history and has exceptional theatre. Every now and then, those passions dovetail nicely like they did last week when I took in a performance of the current
Hair revival.
While I don't think I'll ever quite get used to having to spend the equivalent of $5 simply for a stage programme (there are no complimentary Playbills to be found), better productions at least ensure that they're chock full of informative nuggets. Such is the case of the
Hair programme, which describes in great detail how the earliest transfer of this show nearly 32 years ago may not have occurred at all.
The programme describes how the show first opened in London on September 27, 1968, exactly one day after the formal abolition of theatre censorship in the United Kingdom by an Act of Parliament known as the
Theatres Act of 1968.
Prior to that, since 1737, the government mandated that scripts must be licensed for performance by the
Lord Chamberlain's Office, which could censor virtually anything it felt was against common decency, including -- initially -- political satire. The office exercised that power forcefully, prohibiting any play "for the preservation of good manners, decorum or of the public peace."
With such strict censorship maintaining a tight grip on British norms right up through 1968,
Hair could never have opened the way it did at the
Shaftesbury Theatre on that September night without that Act of Parliament. Indeed, the musical's opening -- with stars
Tim Curry,
Elaine Paige and
Paul Nicholas -- was delayed until the laws changed.
Hair forever altered the course for theatrical expression in the United Kingdom. Not only was it the first rock musical to ever freely discuss drugs and "Sodomy" on stage, but it was also the first with full frontal nudity and a mixed race cast. The show enjoyed 1,998 performances, and it only closed when the ceiling of the Shaftesbury Theatre collapsed.
And now you know the rest of the story on why
Hair remains a milestone in London theatrical history.
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.Labels: Freedom of Expression, Hair, History, Law, London, Musical, Travels, West End
Hair (The SOB Revisit) – Gielgud Theatre, London, United Kingdom
***1/2 (out of ****)
Fresh off a
long overnight flight to London, hardly sleeping a wink, I did something risky I had never dared to do before.
Instead of going straight from the airport to my hotel to freshen up (or nap), I opted to zip directly into the West End and purchase a ticket for the Thursday matinee performance of
Hair. All fears of dozing off quickly parted. With most of the original Broadway cast intact,
Hair reinvigorated me like a desperately needed shampoo, leaving me tingling from my head right down to my toes.
Performing in the much more intimate
Gielgud Theatre, the cast shines with more luster than ever. Aside from
Will Swenson’s added riffing on the kinds of Berger he is near the top of the show -- fueled in part by a late comer in the audience -- I noticed very few differences from what I had seen on Broadway just a year ago.
However, seeing the show again has made me appreciate the incredible talents of
Andrew Kober in his various guises throughout. This actor blew me away and left me wondering how I had neglected mentioning him in my review of the Broadway show.
As the Messianic yet conflicted Claude,
Gavin Creel is as strong and astonishing as ever. I’m not sure if it was my jetlag, but his performance sent chills down my spine even more this time around.
After working together for well over a year as part of a true tribe, this cast is firing on all cylinders, making
Hair even more powerful than I remembered it one year ago.
Hair proved to be just the buzz I needed.
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.Labels: Andrew Kober, Gavin Creel, Hair, London, Musical, Revival, The SOB Revisit, Transfer, Will Swenson
SOB's West End DebutEarlier today, shortly after I landed at London's Heathrow Airport, I made my way almost directly to the West End's
Gielgud Theatre so I could see the Broadway transfer of
Hair, which just opened.
Jetlag aside (I had virtually no sleep on the flight over), this was truly a
Hair-raising experience, partly because most of the original Broadway cast transferred. But what truly made my experience complete was the chance to join the cast on stage for the rousing finale of "Let The Sun Shine In." Nothing like making my West End debut.
It gave me the needed jolt of adrenaline to make it through most of the rest of the day without even so much as one cup of coffee. As for my caffeine fix, I finally got it with Andrew of
The West End Whingers immediately prior to taking in
Love Never Dies tonight. Was
that ever wise.
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.Labels: Broadway, Hair, London, Love Never Dies, Musical, Transfer, West End
SOB's Theatrical Firsts Of The Noughties: My Broadway DebutOver the course of the last decade, I’ve been truly fortunate to enjoy a number of enlightening firsts in my personal theatergoing that have only served to increase my deep and abiding love for the art form known as live theatre. What follows is one of my ten favorite experiences of the last ten years.As
I’ve noted here previously, I’ve never had any designs on becoming an actor.
But that didn't stop me from earning my bragging rights earlier this year as I "appeared" being on a Broadway stage during a show in progress, and it was not as part of an onstage audience as shows like
Spring Awakening or
Xanadu employed.
It all began by catching more than a good buzz when my Love Of My Life (LOML) and I took our second row seats for
Diane Paulus' inspired revival of
Hair -- unequivocally Broadway's best musical revival last season.
If you’ve seen this show, you’ll know that the musical threatens to end on a very sobering note. However, at the curtain call, the cast joins together for a reprise of “Let The Sun Shine,” which concludes in an audience empowering moment when everyone in the house is invited onstage to join in the singing and dancing.
My participation in the show had begun even before the curtain call when Tony nominee
Gavin Creel bounded from the stage during the show’s eponymous tune. He perched himself on the armrest of the seat immediately in front of me, took his belt off and looped it around my neck, shimmying it back and forth, much to my amazement.
So when the audience began pouring onto the stage of the
Al Hirschfeld Theatre, how could we refuse the opportunity? My LOML and I leapt onto the stage, sang and danced as best we could. Like so many others, we were so swept up in the moment, we even snuck in a little smooch.
No, you won’t find us listed in any of the show’s credits, but we relished our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make our Broadway debut.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new 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. I paid my own way for all performances above.Labels: Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway, Debut, Diane Paulus, Gavin Creel, Hair, Stage
The Play That Changed My LifeOver the past week, the theatre blogosphere has been buzzing as members of the
Independent Theatre Bloggers Association (to which I belong)
have been sharing fascinating stories from an array of theatre world luminaries on the plays that forever changed their lives.
Today, I'm proud to add to the ongoing discussion in sharing stories from two of this year's Tony-nominated actors,
Gregory Jbara (who went on to win a Tony) and
Gavin Creel. I've had the good fortune to meet both of these extraordinary actors, so it's a thrill for me to provide their anecdotes exclusively on Steve On Broadway (SOB). Additionally, I'll also tell you a little bit about the inspiration behind these stories and an associated contest, along with the play that indeed changed my life.
First, about that inspiration. Proving yet again that it is so much more to the international theatrical community than simply "the Tony Award organization,"
The American Theatre Wing is celebrating the December 1 launch of its new book,
The Play That Changed My Life. In it, 19 of the foremost American playwrights talk about the works that first captured their imaginations and inspired them in their careers and thus transformed their lives.
So what were the impetuses that propelled Jbara and Creel to Broadway's boards? Here are their stories.
Gregory JbaraAs one of Broadway's most beloved contemporary actors, Gregory Jbara has seven Main Stem shows among his stage and screen credits, including Serious Money, Born Yesterday, Damn Yankees, Victor/Victoria, Chicago and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Jbara can still be seen in his first Tony-winning role as Dad in Billy Elliot - The Musical. This Michigan native first came to my attention as Mr. Bernstein in Victor/Victoria, and he's even graciously provided yours truly with a backstage tour of his current show.
When asked to name the play that changed his life, Jbara said: I don’t know that there was any one specific play that I had that experience.
I’d have to say it was being an altar boy in church. It was High Mass, which is, you know, a lot of theatre. In third grade, that was my experience in front of people that I really think gave me the bug for speaking in front of large groups.
Crazy, crazy as it is, I have to attribute the Catholic Church for me being an actor. It was either that or a nun. So I’m glad it was being an actor.
Gavin CreelAs one of today's fastest-rising stars, Gavin Creel not only has three Broadway shows among his credits, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage aux Folles and the current revival of Hair, but he's already been nominated for two Tony Awards. I've had the pleasure of seeing this Ohio native in all three Rialto productions, as well as in the Chicago incarnation of the Stephen Sondheim musical known as Bounce. I had the pleasure of catching up with Creel at this year's Drama League Awards and was surprised a couple days later at a performance of Hair when this gifted actor tried something new out on me in my second row seat.When asked to name the play that changed his life, Creel said:Mine was The Most Happy Fella.
I saw a musical production of it at the University of Michigan that the university put on there and I thought I was watching a movie on stage. I thought it was the most beautiful thing, the music was stunning, the performances were incredible.
Totally The Most Happy Fella.
Edited by
Ben Hodges, The American Theatre Wing's new book features an introduction from
Paula Vogel.
The Play That Changed My Life features distinguished contributors, who have a combined total of some 40 Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes and Obies. They include
Edward Albee,
David Auburn,
Jon Robin Baitz,
Nilo Cruz,
Christopher Durang,
Charles Fuller,
A.R. Gurney,
Beth Henley,
David Henry Hwang,
Tina Howe,
David Ives,
Donald Margulies,
Lynn Nottage,
Suzan-Lori Parks,
Sarah Ruhl,
John Patrick Shanley,
Diana Son,
Regina Taylor and
Doug Wright.
In further celebrating the launch of the original book, The American Theatre Wing has also kicked-off an online essay contest. Here is your official invitation to participate:
[W]hether you work in theatre, hope to make your life in the theatre or just enjoy being in the audience, surely you’ve had that same experience: a single play (or musical) that you saw at some point in your life that had a profound effect on you, be it a childhood production of Cinderella in a school auditorium featuring an older sibling, a parent’s appearance at the local community theatre, a Broadway spectacle like Les Misérables or The Phantom of the Opera, a journey to a small out-of-the-way theatre that told its story with a minimum of technical tools.
Frankly, it could be any production, and that’s what ATW wants to hear about: what show had the greatest impact upon you, when you saw it in the course of your life, and most importantly why it meant so much to you. Entries (limited to 350 words) will be judged based on their creativity, their clarity and perhaps most importantly, for how they convey your passion for the theatre.
So tell ATW about the play that changed your life – those few hours in the theatre, at any age, in any theatre, that had the greatest impact on your life and your perception of theatre — and have the opportunity to share your story with the thousands of visitors to americantheatrewing.org while getting the chance to win an autographed copy of The Play That Changed My Life and other theatrical books from Applause Publishing. Enter by clicking here.
The contest entry period runs through Sunday, November 29. The final expert panel judging the contest includes ATW Board of Directors Chairman and President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Ted Chapin; Applause Books’ Editorial Director Carol Flannery; award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang; and former Time Magazine arts editor and Broadway & Me blogger (as well as dear SOB friend) Janice Simpson. Additional prizes will be given based on voting by the general public, which will continue through December 11.
As for the play that changed my life? Regular readers will recall that earlier this year,
I waxed nostalgic regarding the thirty years that have passed since I first took in a Broadway show, albeit on the London stage. That show was the British mounting of
Annie.
In that post, I mused:
[M]y view of the world and all its possibilities was forever and inalterably changed.
Little did I know upon entering London's Victoria Palace Theatre (current home to Billy Elliot - The Musical) how swept away I could become by just one show. From my front row center mezzanine seat, I witnessed nothing short of pure magic.
I was absolutely riveted by the legendary Stratford Johns as Daddy Warbucks and the glorious Sheila Hancock as Miss Hannigan -- she simply blew me away with a sublime performance I can still vividly recall even today.
I marveled at Charnin's ingenious direction, Peter Gennaro's breathtaking choreography and Theoni V. Aldredge's dazzling costume design. But it was David Mitchell's sliding set designs that completely floored me as they transported Annie's array of characters across the stage without them even having to take a step.
To say it transported me as well would be a major understatement. I was wowed. Big time. [T]he exhilaration I felt in seeing Annie was a life-changer of a different order.
With a strange new tingling sensation down my spine, I was replete with goosebumps from head to toe. This live performance would forever change my expectations of entertainment. I now saw just how brilliant stagecraft could be. Entertainment became art. And I was forever hooked on live theatre.
For those of you who may quibble that a musical doesn't count as a play, you may be interested in knowing that later in 1979 when I was a freshman in college -- with memories of
Annie still dancing in my head -- I decided to take in a Broadway tour during its Milwaukee swing at the
Pabst Theatre.
That play was
The Belle of Amherst starring none other than the legendary, 5-time Tony winner
Julie Harris, who also was honored with a Tony for this show.
Seeing Harris was like striking theatrical gold. Directed by
Charles Nelson Reilly, Harris completely mesmerized in this solo performance with her brilliant portrayals of poet Emily Dickinson and her contemporaries, including Charles Wadsworth. I had no idea that an actor could take on so many diverse roles and make each and every one of them seem so believable and immensely credible.
In learning how potent the power of the spoken word could be when delivered so passionately by Harris that one evening 30 years ago, I was spellbound. Thus,
The Belle Of Amherst truly was the play that changed my life.
What play changed yours?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Annie, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Charles Nelson Reilly, Gavin Creel, Gregory Jbara, Hair, Julie Harris, Milwaukee, Musical, Play, The Belle Of Amherst
And The Tony Goes To...Moments ago, the
American Theatre Wing and
Broadway League's 63rd Annual
Tony Awards hosted by
Neil Patrick Harris became history!
Billy Elliot - The Musical was the evening's biggest winner, including for Best Musical, but
God Of Carnage had a great night among new dramatic works, winning Best Play. And my personal favorite show of the year
The Norman Conquests earned Best Revival of a Play ... in prime time! And
Hair won Best Revival of a Musical as it should have.
Here are all the nominees and winners:
Best Play
Dividing The Estate - Horton Foote, Author
God Of Carnage - Yasmine Reza, Author **Winner**reasons to be pretty - Neil LaBute, Author
33 Variations - Moises Kaufman, Author
Best MusicalBilly Elliot - The Musical **Winner**next to normal
Rock Of Ages
Shrek The Musical
Best Book of a MusicalBilly Elliot - The Musical - Lee Hall **Winner**next to normal - Brian Yorkey
Shrek The Musical - David Lindsay-Abaire
[title of show] - Hunter Bell
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Billy Elliot - The Musical - Music: Elton John, Lyrics: Lee Hall
next to normal - Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey ** Winner**9 To 5 -The Musical - Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton
Shrek The Musical - Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
Best Revival of a Play
Joe Turner's Come And Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests **Winner**Waiting For Godot
Best Revival of a MusicalGuys And DollsHair **Winner**Pal JoeyWest Side StoryBest Special Theatrical Event Liza's At The Palace **Winner**Slava's Snowshow
Soul Of Shaolin
You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jeff Daniels - God Of Carnage
Raúl Esparza - Speed-The-Plow
James Gandolfini - God Of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush -
Exit The King **Winner**Thomas Sadoski - reasons to be pretty
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a PlayHope Davis - God Of Carnage
Jane Fonda - 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden - God Of Carnage **Winner**Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalDavid Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winners**Gavin Creel - Hair
Brian d'Arcy James - Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis - Rock Of Ages
J. Robert Spencer - next to normal
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Stockard Channing - Pal Joey
Sutton Foster - Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney - 9 To 5 - The Musical
Alice Ripley - next to normal **Winner**Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
John Glover - Waiting For Godot
Zach Grenier - 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan - The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter - The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson - Joe Turner's Come And Gone **Winner**Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Hallie Foote - Dividing The Estate
Jessica Hynes - The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland - reasons to be pretty
Angela Lansbury - Blithe Spirit **Winner**Amanda Root - The Norman Conquests
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalDavid Bologna - Billy Elliot - The Musical
Gregory Jbara - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Marc Kudisch - 9 To 5 - The Musical
Christopher Sieber - Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson - Hair
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a MusicalJennifer Damiano - next to normal
Haydn Gwynne - Billy Elliot - The Musical
Karen Olivo - West Side Story **Winner**Martha Plimpton- Pal Joey
Carole Shelley - Billy Elliot - The Musical
Best Scenic Design of a MusicalRobert Brill - Guys And Dolls
Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Scott Pask - Pal Joey
Mark Wendland - next to normal
Best Scenic Design of a PlayDale Ferguson - Exit The King
Rob Howell - The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane - 33 Variations **Winner**Michael Yeargan - Joe Turner's Come And Gone
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dale Ferguson - Exit The King
Jane Greenwood - Waiting For Godot
Martin Pakledinaz - Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward - Mary Stuart **Winner**Best Costume Design of a MusicalGregory Gale - Rock Of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand - Billy Elliot - The Musical
Tim Hatley - Shrek The Musical **Winner**Michael McDonald - Hair
Best Lighting Design of a Play
David Hersey - Equus
David Lander - 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt - Joe Turner's Come And Gone **Winner**Hugh Vanstone - Mary Stuart
Best Lighting Design of a MusicalKevin Adams - Hair
Kevin Adams - next to normal
Howell Binkley - West Side Story
Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Best Sound Design of a PlayPaul Arditti - Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke - Equus **Winner**Russell Goldsmith - Exit The King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg - Joe Turner's Come And Gone
Best Sound Design of a MusicalAcme Sound Partners - Hair
Paul Arditti - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Peter Hylenski - Rock Of Ages
Brian Ronan - next to normal
Best Direction of a PlayPhyllida Lloyd - Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher - Joe Turner's Come And Gone
Matthew Warchus - God Of Carnage **Winner**Matthew Warchus - The Norman Conquests
Best Direction of a MusicalStephen Daldry - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Michael Greif - next to normal
Kristin Hanggi - Rock Of Ages
Diane Paulus - Hair
Best Choreography
Karole Armitage - Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler - 9 To 5 - The Musical
Peter Darling - Billy Elliot - The Musical **Winner**Randy Skinner - Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Best OrchestrationsLarry Blank- Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Martin Koch - Billy Elliot - The Musical **TIE Winner**Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt - next to normal **TIE Winner**Danny Troob and John Clancy - Shrek The Musical
So, dear readers, are you happy with the results? I'll provide my own perspective on the winners and the overlooked tomorrow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, God Of Carnage, Hair, The Norman Conquests, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best Musical RevivalsOver the past year, I've managed to see over 70 performances of a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events." Ten of those were revivals of musicals, including three of my favorite tuners of all time (
each of which, sad to say, disappointed me to varying degrees).
While four of the revivals I saw were produced on Broadway, three of the best were found elsewhere. Thankfully, it's been reported that the one musical revival at the top of my "5 Best" list is
likely to be Broadway bound.
Drumroll, please:
5 - Pal Joey (Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, New York)
Richard Rodgers and
Lorenz Hart's enduring classic "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" from
Pal Joey lived again thanks to
Joe Mantello's sparkling revival.
This was certainly not your grandfather's
Pal Joey, as
John O'Hara's book was substantially updated by
Richard Greenberg. Nevertheless, the underlying story of the ne'er-do-well ladies' song-and-dance man Joey Evans, who blithely bounces between women, remained true to the original.
Stockard Channing imbued her Vera with a natural grace, style and seductiveness. But the real revelation was the bewitching
Martha Plimpton in her absolutely stunning portrayal of Gladys Bumps. Is there nothing this amazing Tony-nominated actress can't do?
In this entertaining
Pal Joey, bewitched won out over both bothered and bewildered.
4 - The Pajama Game (Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts, Bloomington Civic Theatre, Bloomington, Minnesota)
"Seven and a half cents," as the song from
Richard Adler and
Jerry Ross' 1954 musical
The Pajama Game duly notes, "doesn't buy a hell of a lot."
But just try telling that to the nearly flawless cast of 27 and 17-piece orchestra members from Minnesota's Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts' production of
The Pajama Game. Their indomitable spirit joined forces with
John Command's nearly pitch-perfect direction to make this roundly enjoyable revival practically as good as a Broadway show, yet at a fraction of a Rialto budget. It never ceases to astound me when I take in a small regional production that bundles boundless energy and determination to make for an entertaining evening at the theatre, worthy of what "the professionals" of the Great White Way do.
It's true that good things can come in small packages. And for the relatively small package price of just $25 per top ticket, this
Pajama Game was most definitely a good thing worth trying on for size.
3 - Caroline, Or Change (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Finally! Change we can believe in.
An intensely profound, mystical musical,
Tony Kushner and
Jeanine Tesori's
Caroline, Or Change -- as directed and choreographed by Marcela Lorca at Minnesota's Guthrie -- transfixes, even as it transports. Kushner ingeniously uses the coins Caroline Thibodeaux continually finds while washing the pants of young Noah Gellman as a transcendent metaphor for all the sweeping change surrounding her, including the emerging civil rights movement, the swelling Vietnam War and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Greta Oglesby's brave turn as Caroline alone is worth the price of admission. As Oglesby transforms, she breaks your heart.
2 - Hair (Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York, New York)
Want a good buzz? Then go see
Diane Paulus' inspired third coming of
Hair -- unequivocally Broadway's best musical revival this season. Paulus finds the sun and lets it shine in with her exceptional cast radiating the alternately playful and poignant score from
Gerome Ragni,
James Rado and
Galt MacDermot.
If the second act isn't exactly the first's equal, Paulus more than makes up for it with a heartwrenching conclusion that sneaks up on you with a powerful wallop. It left me teary-eyed.
Credit Tony nominee
Gavin Creel with his charisma and exquisite voice for winning the day. With the boundless energy of the cast, you just might find yourself treading the boards of the Hirschfeld yourself.
1 - A Little Night Music (Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom)
Isn't
this rich?! Who would have thought that a show staged in a style so deceptively simple could be so sublime, not to mention utterly romantic. Rich, indeed.
Now, if you're not a romantic at heart, you need not bother. But for the rest of us, there's the pure heaven found in
Trevor Nunn's gorgeous revival of
A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Only a heart of stone could not be moved by
Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and
Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Thanks to Nunn's deft and gentle touch, this
tale of requited love in turn-of-the-20th-Century Sweden feels timeless, transcending all expectations. It is sure to make you feel a twinge in your heart and leave a tear in your eye. The bewitching allure of this excellent revival has already transferred to the West End, but how about to Broadway? Well, maybe later this year.
So what were the best musical revivals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Little Night Music, Best Revivals of Musicals, Broadway, Caroline Or Change, Hair, London, Minnesota, Musicals, Pal Joey, SOB's Best of 2008-09, The Pajama Game
Hair (The SOB Review) - Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York, New York*** (out of ****)Want a good buzz?
Then go see
Diane Paulus' inspired third coming of
Hair -- unequivocally Broadway's best musical revival this season.
Granted, given some of the disappointments among tuners this year, that may not be saying much, especially when compared with last season's choices. After all, for a supposed counterculture American Tribal Love Rock Musical -- originally perceived as brimming with rebellious mojo --
Gerome Ragni and
James Rado's plot remains wafer thin. And 40 years after it originally appeared,
Hair feels more like a latter-day vaudeville meets sixties-style burlesque romp.
Even though I was just over six years old when the tuner
first appeared on Broadway, at the risk of sounding like an old curmudgeon, I never saw what the fuss was about when I had previously seen
Hair. Fortunately, Paulus lets the sun shine in with her exceptional cast radiating the alternately playful and poignant score Ragni and Rado co-wrote for
Galt MacDermot's marvelous melodies. If the second act isn't exactly the first's equal, Paulus more than makes up for it with a heartwrenching conclusion that sneaks up you with a powerful wallop. It left me teary-eyed.
Credit Tony nominee
Gavin Creel for that. Having missed the opportunity to play the Christ-like lead in the aborted Main Stem revival of Godspell earlier this season, Creel more than redeems himself by taking on a strikingly similar role in which his charisma and exquisite voice win the day. As the sacrificed Claude, Creel seems to save our souls while shattering our hearts. That kind of redemption rightly deserves Tony recognition.
Similarly,
Will Swenson's brash and brassy Berger beguiles with a starmaking performance that is as bold as it is breathtaking.
Andrew Kober,
Saycon Sengbloh,
Bryce Ryness and
Caissie Levy all add exuberent energy to the tribal beat with noteworthy performances.
Despite my personal enjoyment, which was not simply limited to leaping on stage after the audience was invited to tread the boards during the reprise of "Let The Sun Shine In," I have one cautionary note: this show may appear better the closer you are to the stage. Unlike me, my various friends who saw this revival from the mezzanine -- including two at the very same performance I saw -- left substantially less impressed.
Perhaps it just helps to be entangled in the thick of this head of
Hair.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Gavin Creel, Hair, Musical, The SOB Review, Will Swenson
"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
Time Picks Billy Elliot As Year's BestCalling it a "show that that really earns its cheers and tears," even though "the cast and production don't quite measure up to the brilliant London original,"
Time magazine's theatre writer Richard Zoglin names
Billy Elliot - The Musical as the year's number one musical or play. (Meanwhile, the Associated Press'
Michael Kuchwara also included
Billy Elliot on his top ten list.)
Below are Zoglin's other picks and my running commentary:
2.
Hair -- I missed the Central Park version, but hope to catch it come February at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld.
4.
The Visit -- Hurrah!
I loved this production last Memorial Day while at the DC area's Signature Theatre. When will it finally receive a well-deserved New York City run?
5.
Black Watch -- This ranks as my biggest disappointment of the year, not because I didn't like it, but because I was unable to see it. Shame on me.
8.
Blasted -- Blasted! I missed this one, too! But it's still playing at the SoHo Rep.
10.
Farragut North -- Hey, I tried to get tickets, but the show sold out on me!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: All My Sons, Best Of Lists, Billy Elliot The Musical, Black Watch, Blasted, Farragut North, Hair, Reasons To Be Pretty, South Pacific, The Little Mermaid, The Visit, Time
As Public Hair Recedes From Central Park, It Will Grow Anew On BroadwayIf you're like me and simply won't have the opportunity to take in the
Public Theater's free
Shakespeare in the Park production of
Hair, you'll be happy to know that you'll have a second chance to see it in 2009. But this time, it will cost you.
Just three days before its final September 14 performance at
Central Park's
Delacorte Theatre, it's been
announced that the revival of the "American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" will shift to Broadway early next year. No word yet on casting, but I'm sure it's hoped that
Jonathan Groff will once again reprise the role of Berger.
CORRECTION: Groff (briefly) had the role of Claude. Thanks to readers for pointing that out.Originally produced Off-Broadway, the show by
Gerome Ragni,
James Rado and
Galt MacDermot rocked the Great White Way quite literally when
it was transferred to Rialto's
Biltmore Theatre in April 1968. With a cast that featured
Diane Keaton,
Melba Moore and the late
Paul Jabara, the original production only received two 1969 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical (it would lose to
1776). But the production would enjoy 1,750 performances until it shuttered on July 1, 1972.
The only
Broadway revival opened a mere five years later at the same theatre, but only lasted 43 performances.
I've only seen one production of
Hair, and it seemed stuck in a time warp. While the show was downright shocking to 1968 mores, I confess that by the time I saw it, there was no urgency left to any of its messages (of course, I venture that I may have seen it differently against today's backdrop of the Iraq War).
Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing why this particular incarnation enjoyed extension after extension. Let the sunshine in, indeed.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Public Theatre's ticket information for remaining Central Park performances. Labels: First Word On New Show, Hair, Jonathan Groff, Musical, Public Theater, Revival, Shakespeare In The Park, Transfer
