Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles (The SOB Review)

***1/2 (out of ****)

Move over Jersey Boys. There's a new kid on your block and it's called Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles.

Just as the British invasion led by The Beatles basically ended the reign of the Four Seasons at the top of the pop charts back in early 1964 -- and we all know who won that battle -- the invasion of West 52nd Street by the vastly superior Rain deserves to do the same on Broadway. Too bad it's just a limited run.

Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles is performing just two blocks away from the storied Ed Sullivan Theater, from which the four lads from Liverpool launched their opening salvo in a campaign for American airwave supremacy. But ironically, Rain is also directly across the street from Jersey Boys, which, let's be totally honest, has always been much more about the music than its hackneyed storyline.

Unlike that Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2006, Rain makes no pretense of having a book, and that's in part what makes this so much more satisfying. Instead, it delivers an incredibly solid, straight-forward and absolutely enthralling concert with some of the Fab Four's greatest hits almost exactly, note-for-note, the way they were originally performed. Yet, the score is packaged as a fascinating history lesson neatly encapsulating the turbulent sixties.

Close your eyes, and you'll likely think you're listening to a recording. But open them up, and you'll see performers who bear more than a passing resemblance to the real deal, particularly Joey Curatolo as Paul McCartney and Steve Landes as John Lennon. Possessing practically all of McCartney's mannerisms, looks and even voice, Curatolo nails the most prolific Beatle perfectly. Landes blew my mind in eerily channeling Lennon. (And it isn't lost on me that Rain takes a rest on December 8, the 40th anniversary of Lennon's murder, which occurred not too far north of the Neil Simon Theatre.)

If Rain is not a complete re-creation of The Beatles, it's because try as he admirably might, Joe Bithorn only gets George Harrison about half the time (which may be partially explained by obvious issues he was having with his ear-piece during the performance I attended).

If you're a regular reader of Steve On Broadway, you'll know that I count myself among the fans of the Four Seasons, but you'll also know that I'm one of millions who think The Beatles are the greatest band of all time. After being spellbound by the officially-sanctioned The Beatles Love in Las Vegas, I profess I was extremely skeptical that any other tribute show could ever compare. But like the rest of The Beatles fans there the night I attended Rain, I was up on my feet cheering this live music feast, wishing only that it could last a little longer.

While it may be among the unlikeliest of Broadway shows, Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles easily offers one of the most enjoyably entertaining evenings you're likely to experience here, there or everywhere.

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, Concert, Four Seasons, Jersey Boys, Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles, The Beatles, The Beatles Love

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, October 27, 2010 3 comments

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending June 6, 2010

Broadway Box Office Tweets - Week Ending June 6, 2010

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that each Monday, I offer my quick analysis of each preceding week's box office on Broadway.

For your viewing pleasure, here are my tweets in chronological order for the week ending June 6, 2010:

4:46 pm June 6 - WICKED, LION KING, PROMISES PROMISES, FENCES, BILLY ELLIOT each earned $1 million+ last week at Broadway box office

4:47 pm June 6 - JERSEY BOYS has fallen below $1 million gross for first time in years grossing just $963,853 playing to 88.6% capacity

4:48 pm June 6 - ADDAMS FAMILY was also among shows grossing more than $1 million last week, too: $1,278,089 with 94.4% capacity

4:49 pm June 6 - Sold-out WICKED continues reign as Broadway box office's highest grossing show: $1,570,925 with av tix priced $108.55

4:50 pm June 6 - FENCES trifecta: week's top grossing play $1,024,317, highest average ticket price: $116.72, highest capacity: 101.7%

4:51 pm June 6 - NEXT FALL week's lowest grossing show ($116,150) & average ticket price ($47.12). Played to just 52.3% capacity.

4:52 pm June 6 - Week's lowest capacity was at HAIR, attracting 46.5%. Grosses $351,992 with average ticket price of $67.01

4:54 pm June 6 - In a down box office week overall, BEHANDING IN SPOKANE increased capacity by 3.6% to 72.9%. Grosses $483,113

4:56 pm June 6 - Biggest decline in capacity was AMERICAN IDIOT, losing 21.9% audience to 52.8%. Grosses down sharply to $612,380

5:00 pm June 6 - Last week, only FENCES and WICKED sold out completely. LION KING came close at 98.8% capacity

5:02 pm June 6 - AMERICAN IDIOT, FELA!, MEMPHIS, MILLION $ QUARTET (all Tony Best Musical nominees) lost 10% or more of their audiences


Feel free to comment and let me know if you're surprised by any of these results.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.

Labels: American Idiot, Box Office, Broadway, Broadway Box Office, Capacity, Fences, Grosses, Jersey Boys, Next Fall, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, June 07, 2010 0 comments

Million Dollar Quartet (The SOB Review)

Million Dollar Quartet (The SOB Review) - Nederlander Theatre, New York, New York

** (out of ****)

It must have seemed like million dollar idea at the time.

Take a page out of the Jersey Boys playbook, corral a famed group of singers from the 50s and build a jukebox musical around them. Oh, and be sure to remove any crude language, too.

If Million Dollar Quartet strikes you as Jersey Boys-lite, you're not alone. Resembling something like one of those family-friendly fare for which Branson is famous, this likeable if milquetoast tuner aims to please.

While Jersey Boys provided the Four Seasons' milestones through the years, Million Dollar Quartet centers on a single December evening when some major forces in music history came together. Back in the earliest days of rock and roll, visionary recording impresario Sam Phillips (a terrific Hunter Foster), owner of Memphis' famed Sun Records, had an unusual knack for spotting extraordinary talent.

By 1956, he had attracted legendary artists like Carl Perkins (Rob Lyons), Johnny Cash (Lance Guest), Jerry Lee Lewis (Levi Kreis) and Elvis Presley (Eddie Clendening) to his label. This stellar quartet enjoyed a jam session on December 4 of that year that's now been forever immortalized by Floyd Mutrux, who originally conceived and directed this musical.

Million Dollar Quartet offers several admirable individual performances, particularly that of the excellent Levi Kreis. Picture Harry Connick, Jr. doing Jerry Lee Lewis without coming across as stilted and you've got an appropriate image. A master of the keyboard as well as a gifted actor and singer, Kreis is one great ball of fire unto himself. He displays so much spunk and charm that they could have built the entire show around him.

As Johnny Cash, Guest expertly walks the line, not only sounding like the Man in Black, but lending an air of his humble demeanor as well. But Lyons' powerhouse Perkins next to Clendening's demure Presley will have you scratching your head how the former's superstar status ever eluded him. Clendening's Presley so pales in comparison with the other three that he blends into the recording studio's soundproofing.

There's nothing terribly insightful about the evening that's offered by Mutrux and Colin Escott's book. After all, the music's the thing here. So if it's a pleasant diversion you're after, Million Dollar Quartet just might fit the bill.

But in terms of a solid-gold Broadway show, I felt a little shortchanged.

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, Carl Perkins, Eddie Clendening, Elvis Presley, Hunter Foster, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jersey Boys, Johnny Cash, Lance Guest, Levi Kreiss, Million Dollar Quartet, Musical, Rob Lyons, The SOB Review

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, May 28, 2010 3 comments

2009 Laurence Olivier Award Nominations Announced

2009 Laurence Olivier Award Nominations Announced

Terry Johnson's well-reviewed and well-received West End revival of La Cage Aux Folles has received 7 nods as the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award nominations were announced. This marks the second year in a row that a show with a Harvey Fierstein association earned the most nominations (Hairspray broke records last year with 11 nominations in all).

Gone is last year's one-time-only category of "Best Newcomer in a Play." Taking its place is a category I only wish the Tony Administration Committee would seriously consider: "Best Company Performance" to recognize ensembles that are running on all cylinders. Returning after a hiatus is the category of "Best Entertainment."

Other noteworthy news is that only two new tuners were nominated in the "Best New Musical" category: Jersey Boys and Zorro. Each show earned five nominations.

American export August: Osage County earned three nods, including for "Best New Play," Deanna Dunagan and its Chicago-centric ensemble.

Two actors I'm particularly pleased to see receive very well-deserved recognition are Elena Roger for her breathtaking performance in Piaf and Adam Godley for his brilliant turn in Rain Man. Both made their otherwise mediocre shows worth seeing. Given all the accolades for La Cage Aux Folles, I only wish I had taken the West End Whingers' unequivocal advice and seen that production last November.

Nominees include:

Best Actress
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Lindsay Duncan, That Face
Margaret Tyzack, The Chalk Garden
Penelope Wilton, The Chalk Garden

Best Actor
David Bradley, No Man's Land
Michael Gambon, No Man's Land
Adam Godley, Rain Man
Derek Jacobi, Twelfth Night

Best Performance In A Supporting Role
Oliver Ford Davies, Hamlet
Kevin R McNally, Ivanov
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Patrick Stewart, Hamlet

Best Company Performance
August: Osage County, directed by Anna D. Shapiro
Black Watch, directed by John Tiffany
The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd
The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus
Sunset Boulevard, directed by Craig Revel Horwood

Best New Play
August: Osage County by Tracy Letts
Black Watch by Gregory Burke
The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall
That Face by Polly Stenham

Best New Comedy
Fat Pig by Neil LaBute
The Female of the Species by Joanna Murray-Smith
God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton

Best Revival
The Chalk Garden, directed by Michael Grandage
The Histories, directed by Michael Boyd
The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus

Best Entertainment
Noel Coward's Brief Encounter
La Clique
Maria Friedman: Re-Arranged

Best New Musical
Jersey Boys, book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe
Zorro, book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, music by The Gipsy Kings, original story by Stephen Clark & Helen Edmundson, music co-composed and adapted by John Cameron

Best Musical Revival
La Cage Aux Folles, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Harvey Fierstein
Piaf by Pam Gems
Sunset Boulevard, book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton
West Side Story, based on a conception by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, entire original production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins

Best Actress In A Musical
Sofia Escobar, West Side Story
Kathryn Evans, Sunset Boulevard
Ruthie Henshall, Marguerite
Elena Roger, Piaf
Emma Williams, Zorro

Best Actor In A Musical
Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles
Denis Lawson, La Cage Aux Folles
Ryan Molloy, Jersey Boys
Matt Rawle, Zorro

Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Alexander Hanson, Marguerite
Katherine Kingsley, Piaf
Lesli Margherita, Zorro
Jason Pennycooke, La Cage Aux Folles
Dave Willetts, Sunset Boulevard

Best Director
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles
Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys
Emma Rice, Brief Encounter
John Tiffany, Black Watch

Best Theatre Choreographer
Rafael Amargo, Zorro
Steven Hoggett, Black Watch
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles
Kate Prince, Into the Hoods
Sergio Trujillo, Jersey Boys

Best Lighting Design
Paule Constable, The Chalk Garden
Paule Constable, Ivanov
Neil Austin, No Man's Land
Neil Austin, Piaf

Best Set Design
Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County
Neil Murray (projections by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll), Brief Encounter
Tom Piper, The Histories
Soutra Gilmour, The Lover And The Collection
Paul Brown, Marguerite

Best Costume Design
Tom Piper and Emma Williams, The Histories
Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles
Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests
Christopher Oram, Twelfth Night

Best Sound Design
Gareth Fry, Black Watch
Simon Baker, Brief Encounter
Steven Canyon Kennedy, Jersey Boys
Christopher Shutt, Max Ringham & Ben Ringham, Piaf

Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre
The ensemble cast of Oxford Street (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court) T
he Royal Court Theatre's production of The Pride (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs)
Clive Rowe for his performance in Mother Goose (Hackney Empire)
Jo Newbery for the design of Scarborough (Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court)

Best New Opera Production
The Royal Opera's Don Carlo
The Royal Opera's The Minotaur
English National Opera's I Pagliacci
English National Opera's Partenope

Outstanding Achievement In Opera
Patricia Bardon for her performances in The Royal Opera's The Rake's Progress and in English National Opera's Partenope and Riders To The Sea
Feruccio Furlanetto for his performance in the Royal Opera's Don Carlo
Ed Gardner for conducting English National Opera's Boris Godunov, Cavalliera Rusticana, Der Rosenkavalier, I Pagliacci, Riders To The Sea and Punch And Judy
Christine Rice for her performances in the Royal Opera's The Minotaur and English National Opera's Partenope

Best New Dance Production
Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal's Café Muller/The Rite Of Spring
The Royal Ballet of Flanders' Impressing The Czar
The Royal Ballet's Infra
DV8's To Be Straight With You

Outstanding Achievement In Dance
The company of the Royal Ballet of Flanders for their performances in Impressing The Czar
The company of the The Royal Ballet for their performances in Infra
Savion Glover, Marshall Davis, Jr. and Maurice Chestnut for their performances in Bare Soundz

Established in 1976, the Laurence Olivier Awards are widely regarded as London theatre's most prestigious awards in London theatre. It was in 1984 that Lord Laurence Olivier agreed to have his name associated with the honor.

The bronzed Laurence Olivier Awards, designed by sculptor Harry Franchetti to represent Olivier in his role as Henry V, will be presented at a ceremony held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday, March 8, 2009.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: August Osage County, Jersey Boys, La Cage Aux Folles, Laurence Olivier, London, Olivier Award Nominations, Piaf, Rain Man, Zorro

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, February 03, 2009 6 comments

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (The SOB Review)

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (The SOB Review) - Mystic Showroom, Mystic Lake Casino, Prior Lake, MN

*** (out of ****)

What could be better than the stage musical fascimile of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons now known the world over as Jersey Boys?

Why, the real deal, naturally.

Over 190 seasons may have come and gone -- literally and almost figuratively -- since Frankie Valli and his first musical partners Tommy DeVito, the late Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio first appropriated the name of a bowling alley (that turned them down after a failed audition) and went on to legendary fame as they scored 40 top 40 hits, sold over 100 million records and became fodder for one of Broadway's most successful shows of the past five years.

Quite incredibly and almost impossibly, the man born 74 years ago in Newark, NJ as Francis Castelluccio still hangs on to what he's got with that amazingly high falsetto. I went in expecting to hear him sing an octave or even two below what he's known for. Even if his vocal instrument isn't quite as powerful as it once was or if he moves a tad slower than he used to, he still solidly nails every high note.

(But note to Mystic Lake's on-site camera team: the split second delay in beaming the live images up to your giant screens ill-served your talent and audience as it almost appeared as though Valli was lip-syncing.)

While the composition of The Four Seasons is a quintet, including Valli and four young men who likely were born long after the group scored its last number one hit "December, 1963" back in early 1975, they built from a slow start to exciting finish with plenty of flash and unwavering pizzazz. Blending nearly flawless vocals with exhilarating spot-on choreography, it was easy to turn back the clock, if only in my mind, and imagine this was how the original foursome dazzled their earliest fans. I can't help but wonder whether the producers of Jersey Boys are considering tapping their talent.

But in the end, it's Frankie Valli the crowd is there to see, and if he no longer has the energy of a man half his age, he most certainly has the voice of one. Once he gets revved up, he gladly and quite proudly delivers. With plenty of affectionate banter with the audience, including gladhanding with the entire front row, no less, Valli remains a master showman with no signs of slowing down.

If there's one disappointment, it's the time devoted to his current album, "Romancing the 60s." While Valli and his band offer spirited new covers of old classics like "Spanish Harlem," "My Girl/Groovin,'" and "Call Me," among others, the real reason why the audience is there is to hear the singer steer them through the valley of familiar Four Seasons terrain.

Fortunately, this icon doesn't seem to tire of the chart-topping catalog that placed him and his Four Seasons forever on the cultural landscape. He practically does them all, from the group's first hit "Sherry" all the way to his last solo number one "Grease."

One moment that truly sent shivers down my spine was listening to this living legend sing his signature tune "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." To call it magical would be an understatement, but it underscores just how much better it is to see the real McCoy in person any day over a rough fascimile.

Oh, what a night, indeed.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Concert, Frankie Valli, Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, Jersey Boys, Minneapolis/St. Paul, The SOB Review

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, May 20, 2008 0 comments

Did London Critics Find Jersey Boys Too Good To Be True?

Did London Critics Find Jersey Boys Too Good To Be True?

Last evening, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2006 enjoyed its first night -- or as we Yanks would say, "opening night" -- at London's Prince Edward Theatre.

Lest any Brits think this is some pastoral show about farm boys growing up in the Bailiwick of Jersey, Jersey Boys instead tells the story of New Jersey's fifties pop sensations, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Reviews ranged from praise to borderline pans.

Complimenting that "Jersey Boys is a blue-collar, meat-and-potatoes, straight-up-no-chaser kind of show," Charles Spencer of The Telegraph offers the most unqualified praise: "It has a quality you rarely find in musicals -- gritty honesty -- as well as the best collection of pop hits since Mamma Mia!... [T]he story is fascinatingly told through the eyes of each of the original band members, so that the audience gets a range of viewpoints. Jersey Boys superbly captures the thrills and tensions of four testosterone-charged young men discovering fame and fortune after years of dogged failure."

Despite his admission that "Compendium shows...aren’t my favourite tipple," The Times' Benedict Nightingale applauds with four out of five stars: "It has the character, the narrative interest and the sense of place -- as the backcloth indicates, the industrial badlands west of the Hudson River -- to rise way above its genre.... Indeed, there were times last night when I felt the performers were making even The Beatles sound somewhat lacking in musical texture. Since when did John, Paul or George have the soaring falsetto that Ryan Molloy’s Valli effortlessly produces?... Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, have a fine eye for what’s unusual and extreme."

Noting how he "thoroughly enjoyed it, despite some clunkingly awful lines," The Daily Mail 's Quentin Letts is primarily positive: "There are two remarkable things about Jersey Boys, the Frankie Valli bio-musical which had a splashy opening last night. The first is the fluting voice of Ryan Molloy who plays 1960s pop canary Valli and sings like a man possessed. The second is the fact that a show with quite so many cliches and such a humdrum plot still manages to elicit a tear or two."

Concluding that "This may be an American import too many," Evening Standard's Nicholas de Jongh offers three out of five stars: "Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman...have injected regular slugs of trenchant truth-telling into their musical biography.... Des McAnuff's slickly animated production takes far too long to reach the glory days, having spent excessive time with Carter's DeVito, the tough-talking, self-admiring founder who recruits Frankie and song-writer, Stephen Ashfield's oddly insipid Bob Gaudio. The show does, however, at last fly high with some of those hit anthems, dynamically staged. (As Valli) Molloy exercises an arresting, powerhouse of a voice, that ascends from tenor to falsetto in emotional bounds..."

Criticizing Jersey Boys as "a case of 'Oh What A Faintly Frustrating Night,'" Paul Taylor of The Independent offers a mixed review that ends on the downbeat: "The book by Woody Allen collaborator, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice has a terse, savvy wit.... And in strong, soaring voice, Ryan Molloy skilfully intensifies the emotional power as the diminutive Frankie.... [T]he idea of Jersey and many of the cultural references fail to stir the requisite strength of emotion in a British audience. So here, much of the short-winded drama feels like an exercise in vicarious nostalgia -- a trip down somebody else's memory lane."

As of this writing, no review is currently posted on The Guardian's Web site.

So it's a mixed bag for Jersey Boys in London. Will ticket sales increase as a result? Well, coming too soon on the heels of that other, more-acclaimed American export, that may be too good to be true.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
Oh What A Night: Jersey Boys In London (March 18, 2008)
Go East, Young Musical, Go East (July 26, 2007)
West End Boys? (March 26, 2007)
BOYS' BIG NIGHT OUT: And The Tony Goes To... Complete List of Winners (June 12, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Jersey Boys, Jukebox Musical, London, Musical, Ryan Molloy, Transfer

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, March 19, 2008 5 comments

Oh What A Night: Jersey Boys In London

Oh What A Night: Jersey Boys In London

Nearly 45 years after the storied British Invasion of The Beatles, which knocked Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from their pop chart pedestal, a reverse American invasion begins this evening in London as the Tony-winning Jersey Boys enjoys its first night at the West End's Prince Edward Theatre.

When I saw this jukebox musical shortly after it opened on Broadway in 2005 (and prior to my ever writing SOB), I was left pretty dry. I thought, "Is that it?!" Don't get me wrong, I loved the music, but thought the show was mediocre at best.

While I could blame it on the fact that John Lloyd Young (as Valli) was already skipping Friday night performances long before his Tony nod, I actually thought his understudy Michael Longoria was the best thing about the show (Longoria officially replaced Young in the coveted role last November). In my eyes, Young certainly didn't acquit himself when upon receiving the 2006 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, he didn't even bother to mention Valli.

Another Tony issue that didn't help in how I still perceive the show is that it won Best Musical. My view is that your show shouldn't be eligible for the big prize if it can't even be nominated for "Best Original Score."

Most importantly, I found the story to be less than satisfying. And while I'm no prude, the show was unusually crass and unexpectedly vulgar for its 50s motif.

So how will British critics respond? More importantly, will the West End Whingers be applauding? I hope to have answers to at least the first question in my critics' capsule tomorrow.

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Longoria To Formally Assume Lead In Jersey Boys (November 10, 2007)
Longoria Back To The Peak As Valli (October 20, 2006)
The Curse Of The Understudy (October 2, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young, Jukebox Musical, London, Michael Longoria, Musical, Opening Night, The Beatles, Transfer

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, March 18, 2008 12 comments

Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office

Passing Strange Jersey Boys And Rock 'N' Roll: Downbeat Box Office

Last week was pretty good for Broadway box office business. With Valentine's Day, Presidents Day weekend and decent temperatures, all but three shows enjoyed a bump up in business week over week.

The week's top show both in terms of gross and capacity was Wicked, which has now been on the Great White Way for nearly four and a half years. The tuner took in $1,363,888 and had a capacity of 98.2%.

Second place for both important categories was The Lion King -- now in the 11th year of its box office reign; the musical earned $1,168,780 and played to a capacity of 98.1%.

The only three shows over the past week to see declines in capacity all have rock and roll themes.

First, with a decline of just 1.3% week over week was Broadway's former #1 in capacity -- Jersey Boys, the musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons -- which still earned a very respectable $1,136,337 with capacity of 96.6%.

Second, with a decline of 4.3% was Rock 'N' Roll. The show just never quite clicked on this side of the Atlantic. Tom Stoppard's play attracted a capacity of just 49.7% and earned $284,190.

Finally, Passing Strange, the stage musical based on the formative years of real-life musician Stew, saw a capacity decrease of 7.1% to 32.1% while taking in a mere $101,496. But expect this show to see a significant spike in business once reviews come in after the show opens in a week.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Jersey Boys, Passing Strange, Rock 'n' Roll, The Lion King, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, February 19, 2008 2 comments

Hatshepsut City Limits

Hatshepsut City Limits

Michael Riedel reports in this morning's New York Post that Tina Turner may soon receive her Four Seasons treatment.

No, I'm not talking about the gorgeous 68 years young überdiva relaxing in the renowned hotel chain's spa closest to her Swiss home.

No, I'm talking about a possible jukebox musical (a la Jersey Boys) replay of her 1993 life-inspired Oscar-winning film "What's Love Got To Do With It" that chronicles her early rise to fame, her tempestuous relationship with the very recently deceased Ike Turner, and her victorious 80s comeback without and in spite of him. The show is tentatively titled Simply The Best, after her 1989 hit song, "The Best."

Oh, and there's apparently an additional layer of storyline that a stage incarnation might include.

Tina believes she's the reincarnation of ancient Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who tried to prevent her nephew and stepson Thutmose III -- considered the "Napoleon of Ancient Egypt" -- from claiming the throne upon her death, although he did anyway. According to Riedel, that would be Ike. In the London reading held last year, Riedel reports that Hatshepsut helps prevent Tina from becoming the most tragic kind of domestic abuse statistic.

As a huge Tina Turner fan -- I've seen her perform more than once in concert, including one stellar performance around 2000 in which she was hoisted out over the audience and directly above me in my 10th row center seat -- I think her amazing life story could make for a very compelling stage show.

With the added ancient Egyptian elements, it will be interesting to say the least how this musical develops.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: First Word On New Show, Four Seasons, Jersey Boys, Jukebox Musical, London, Michael Riedel, Musical, Simply The Best, Tina Turner

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, December 19, 2007 4 comments

Longoria To Formally Assume Lead In Jersey Boys

Longoria To Formally Assume Lead In Jersey Boys

There is a God. When John Lloyd Young leaves the incredibly popular Jersey Boys this, the immensely talented Michael Longoria -- who regularly plays Joey (as in Pesci) "and others" -- will succeed him as Frankie Valli.

According to a bulletin I received from Longoria via MySpace:

I know many of you have been patiently awaiting the news as to what the deal is regarding my future with Jersey Boys. So here is the official news. I will take over the role of Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys starting November 27th, 2007. Thanks for all the love you guys and gals have sent my way on my comments page for the last year... I hope those of you who didn't get a chance to catch my Valli during the matinees this past year will come see me at night now!

As I've previously mentioned in one of my semi-regular "Curse of the Understudy" columns, I found myself disappointed one Friday night when I took in a performance of Jersey Boys -- before it even won the Tony for Best Musical, -- because John Lloyd Young was out. Little did I know that I'd be wowed by his truly amazing understudy, Longoria, in the role of Frankie Valli. I subsequently purchased the original cast CD, and I can tell you that Longoria's voice is actually much better suited to Valli's full range than Young's. Quite the crowd-pleaser, Longoria was definitely the best thing about the show.

Earlier this past June, while Longoria was filling in once again for Young, Frankie Valli himself saw the young actor portray him. In his MySpace blog, Longoria wrote:

Well, it finally happened. The real Frankie Valli came to see me play him in Jersey Boys on Broadway this past week. I've dreamt of this moment for almost 2 years, but it didn't turn out quite as I had imagined. The audience was so alive! Maybe cause they saw Frankie in the theatre, or maybe cause everyone in the show was so fierce that show. He brought two of his sons who were given the option of seeing the film "Oceans 13" or Jersey Boys...They chose JrzyByz. Frankie inroduced me by saying, "this is the guy who played dad today...". Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined I'd be spending time with this musical legend, portraying his life. I was in awe, thanking God that I didn't know he was there and had a great show. We chatted a little, I thanked him for coming and was moved when he told me he thought I was "f------ sensational". What a guy!

Congratulations to a real trouper. While I never did have a chance to see John Lloyd Young perform (except on television), I can tell you that Longoria will be worth the price of admission.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Honorable Mentions: SOB's Singular Sensations Of '06 (December 30, 2006)
Longoria Back To The Peak As Valli (October 20, 2006)
The Curse Of The Understudy (October 2, 2006)
Jersey Boys' Valli Understudy Gets Spotlight (June 15, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Casting Changes, Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young, Michael Longoria, Musical, Understudy

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Saturday, November 10, 2007 0 comments

Go East, Young Musical, Go East

Go East, Young Musical, Go East

Despite the incredibly shrinking dollar -- and in spite of the premature closing of the big American hit musical The Drowsy Chaperone, which reached its 500th performance milestone on Broadway, yet is closing in London after a mere two months -- nothing spells theatrical success quite like having your show play to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, as Variety's Gordon Cox examines.

On the heels of the extraordinary success of the new film version of the Broadway stage musical that was based on John Waters' original 1988 flick, Hairspray will finally open in the London this October 11 at the Shaftesbury Theatre with U.K. stage fave Michael Ball as Edna Turnblad. The Great White Way incarnation that premiered five years ago, won the 2003 Tony for Best Musical.

After that, expect the 2006 Tony-winning Best Musical Jersey Boys to confound those anticipating a show about young boys and their cows on the pastoral isle of The Bailiwick of Jersey when it replaces Mary Poppins at London's Prince Edward Theatre on February 28.

This year's Tony-winning Best Musical Spring Awakening will most certainly be mounted on the West End, but details have yet to be announced. And although Grey Gardens may be vacating Rialto's Walter Kerr Theatre this Sunday, it's expected to find its new West End digs sometime during the current theatre season.

While the plummeting U.S. dollar may make mounting each of these shows more expensive, at least ticket prices remain somewhat reasonable in London. For example, you can expect to pay £61.50 (or approximately $123 US) for Jersey Boys' top ticket vs. $351.50 on Broadway. Thankfully, the whole concept of "premium seating" has not caught on, although -- quite inexplicably -- you'll still have to pony up to $8 for their version of a Playbill.

If you're a theatre lover, but have never had the opportunity to see a show on the West End, I would highly recommend it. Just don't go with the expectation that every musical or play ends in a standing ovation -- the British tend to reserve those for truly remarkable and stunning performances. Here! Here!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for Hairspray UK tickets.
Click here for Jersey Boys UK tickets.

Labels: Broadway, Grey Gardens, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, London, Mary Poppins, Spring Awakening, The Drowsy Chaperone, Ticket Prices, Transfer

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, July 26, 2007 0 comments

No Longer A Whack Job: Musicals Get Respect

No Longer A Whack Job: Musicals Get Respect

Taking note of how even characters from television's gritty powerhouse "The Sopranos" are no longer afraid of being caught dead seeing Broadway musicals -- although one was killed off (by stroke) after seeing Jersey Boys, Variety's David Rooney makes it official in his story, "Mainstream Embracing Musicals": the artform is back in vogue.

Why the re-emgergence? Rooney notes that Spring Awakening director Michael Mayer "credits the flamboyant, realism-flouting aesthetic of Baz Luhrmann films like 'Strictly Ballroom,' 'Romeo + Juliet' and 'Moulin Rouge' for helping to open the minds of a new generation to the language of musicals. 'There was a kitschiness to them that I think a lot of young people responded to,' he suggests."

It's certainly no coincidence that after "Moulin Rouge" made its way into theatres in early summer 2001, Hollywood once again realized the commercial potential of the musical artform and began looking in earnest at properties that had long been gathering dust, such as "Dreamgirls" and the Academy Award winning "Chicago." And the best part is that audiences have responded.

That audience response has resulted in, according to Rooney, musicals "once again becoming part of the pop-culture consciousness, exerting an influence on advertising, chart-topping songs and, of course, movies."

As Mayer so eloquently states, "There's a new chic to the concept of the musical that wasn't there before."

I'll drink to that!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
Musicals Versus Plays: You Decide (January 5, 2007)

Labels: Baz Luhrmann, Broadway, Jersey Boys, Musical, Spring Awakening, The Sopranos, Variety

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Saturday, June 02, 2007 3 comments

In The Company Of Underperforming Shows

Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Company, Jersey Boys, Journey's End, Musical, Play, Prelude To A Kiss, Revival, Talk Radio, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, March 27, 2007 1 comments

West End Boys?

Labels: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Broadway, Cameron Mackintosh, First Word On New Show, Jersey Boys, Jukebox Musical, London, Musical, Transfer

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, March 26, 2007 0 comments

Toxic: Jersey Boys Will Be Boys

Labels: Broadway, California, Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys, Jukebox Musical, Marshall Brickman, Musical, San Francisco, Touring Production

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, March 02, 2007 1 comments

Longoria Back To The Peak As Valli

Longoria Back To The Peak As Valli

Regular readers will know that I found the best part of my Jersey Boys experience last spring to be Michael Longoria, who regularly plays Joey (as in Pesci) "and others."

Only I didn't see Longoria as most theatregoers see him -- on the Friday evening I took in the show, Tony-winner John Lloyd Young was out and Longoria was in as Frankie Valli. Longoria was absolutely breathtaking and genuine in his portrayal of the iconic Four Season. It was hard to believe I was seeing an understudy!

Why am I sharing this now? Well, if you hold tickets to the Saturday matinee thinking you're going to see Young in his Tony-winning role, I have a news flash for you directly from Longoria himself. I just received a bulletin board message from this gifted actor-singer saying:

I play Frankie Valli this Sat Mat! Hope you can make it. Student Rush and Standing Room are sold the day of. Also Cancellation Line!!! Hope to see some of you there.

Disappointing as it may initially seem to those hoping to see the original star, trust me when I say that Longoria alone is worth the price of admission for this sold-out performance. He will have you believing he is Frankie Valli.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
The Curse Of The Understudy (October 2, 2006)
Jersey Boys' Valli Understudy Gets Spotlight (June 15, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young, Michael Longoria, Musical, Understudy

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, October 20, 2006 0 comments

The Curse Of The Understudy

The Curse Of The Understudy

Have you ever purchased a ticket for a show, long in advance of the performance, only to be disappointed with the words, “In the role regularly played by [insert name here], tonight’s performance of [insert character’s name here] will be played by [insert name of understudy/standby/swing here]”? Has that frustration only been compounded knowing it was the star or one of the stars whom you specifically paid to see in the first place?

If your answers to either or both those questions were yes, I invite you to share with me the name of the show and the performers who skipped the performance. I also invite you to share what your reaction was to that news and whether you thought the understudy/standby/swing adequately measured up to your expectations of the show….that is, aside from your initial disappointment.

Why do I ask? Well, my reasons are twofold.

One is that it used to be the mark of a consummate professional if the thought of missing a performance was anathema to the actor's fundamental make-up. There is plenty of lore about very ill stars who heeded the call that “The show must go on.” Ethel Merman certainly comes to mind as one trouper who'd never miss a performance -- in fact, the great Elaine Stritch worked a vignette into her eponymous one woman show (Elaine Stritch: At Liberty) about her role as Merman’s standby during the run of Call Me Madam back in 1950. So confident was she that Merman would never let anything keep her away from performing that Stritch confidently took on a concurrent role in another show at the same time all the way up in Connecticut.

My second reason is that I finally took in a performance of The Drowsy Chaperone this past weekend only to learn that Sutton Foster was temporarily out. I inquired why she was out and learned that she had just married actor Christian Borle (Monty Python's Spamalot) a week or so earlier. While I’m certainly thrilled for Foster, I wasn’t thrilled by the fact that this was not the only time I had paid to see this Tony-winning actress perform only to be disappointed when I arrived at the theatre.

Shortly after she won her 2002 Tony for Thoroughly Modern Millie, I made tracks to the very same Marquis Theatre to see her perform. I even bought a ticket for a sure-to-be-there Friday night performance. But when I arrived, she was out and her understudy was in. While I enjoyed the show, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would have enjoyed it more with Foster.

Fast forward to March 2005 when I went to see Little Women. My desire to see the show was completely founded on the hope I’d be able to see Sutton Foster finally perform (OK, I also wanted to see the incomparable Maureen McGovern). But when I arrived, I learned once again that Foster was a no-show (in her defense, I later learned that she was ill). Regardless of the reason for her absence, I was underwhelmed by the show. However, when Foster was subsequently nominated for her second Tony, I couldn’t help but feel cheated in missing this rising star once more.

So it was with a bit of trepidation that I entered the Marquis Theatre on Sunday afternoon. I knew that Sutton Foster was portraying Jane Roberts/ Janet Van De Graaff and had earned a third Tony nomination for the role. So when I saw those dreaded words on the board, “In this performance, the role of Janet Van De Graaff will be portrayed by…” my heart sank. I had even joked in advance about the possibility of her being out. At the Marquis, I was told that she and Borle tied the knot and were now vacationing for two weeks in Hawaii.

The additional irony is that Foster's character in The Drowsy Chaperone is contemplating leaving the stage to marry her beau, Robert Martin. I couldn't help but wonder if that irony wasn't lost on Foster.

Now, I don’t necessarily hold Foster responsible -- I mean she did get married, after all. Yet when you’re paying good money to see a thrice Tony-nominated star only to find her away from each of the shows for which she was nominated and for which you’ve paid specifically to see her, I think you can be forgiven for starting to wonder what the deal is with her or the show or the ticketing companies.

Personally, I track sites like Playbill and Broadway.com on a daily basis, not only for the latest theatrical news, but also to ensure I’m not disappointed when I step foot into the theatre and learn that a star is out. It would have informed my decision when I purchased my ticket on June 15 if her absence had been announced or if Ticketmaster had listed key dates when Foster would be absent from the production (of course, that’s assuming that the impending Foster/Borle nuptials were already set). I certainly would have planned appropriately.

Fortunately, I have found myself disappointed only a few other times: John Lloyd Young was out of Jersey Boys one Friday night in advance of the Tony Awards. I thought his understudy Michael Longoria was excellent. But not seeing the much ballyhooed star of the show certainly dampened my appreciation for what was ultimately named Best Musical.

Another huge disappointment was when Nathan Lane began his serial absences from The Producers in early 2002, reportedly due to strained vocal chords. Of course, I had purchased my tickets for that show way back in May 2001 and anxiously awaited my turn in seeing the dynamic duo of Lane and Matthew Broderick. They were the reasons why I wanted to see the acclaimed show (as good as Brad Oscar was, it wasn't the same). Fortunately, in early 2004, I finally got to see the real deal Lane/Broderick team as they celebrated their triumphant return to the show.

Did Sutton Foster’s absence make me enjoy The Drowsy Chaperone any less? Well, yes, strictly from the point of view that I’ve yet to be able to see her perform. I keep hearing how great she is, but I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone with my own first-hand knowledge. Thankfully, she has an exceptional understudy in Andrea Chamberlain, who is very ably filling her shoes (my personal review will be posted soon). But will it give me pause the next time Foster’s in a show when I decided whether or not to see it? You bet.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets, and hopefully you’ll have better luck in seeing Foster!
Related Stories:
Jersey Boys' Valli Understudy Gets Spotlight (June 15, 2006)
Is It Just Me, Or... (June 14, 2006)
The Tonys: If I Could Vote...for Best Musical (May 31, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Curse of the Understudy, Elaine Stritch, Ethel Merman, Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young, Nathan Lane, Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Producers, Understudy

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, October 02, 2006 5 comments

Rent: 5,492,160 Minutes And Counting

Rent: 5,492,160 Minutes And Counting

It's been nearly ten and a half years since Rent -- Jonathan Larson's East Village take on La Bohème -- opened on Broadway. But is its time running out?

If you look at this past week's box office totals, Rent is in a class by itself among all musicals, and given the category I'm talking about, that isn't good. It is the only Broadway tuner to have an average ticket price of under $50. At $49.43, that makes the egalitarian show eminently accessible for most audiences. But with overall box office now selling only 58.6% capacity -- down 6.8% from last week -- can this groundbreaking show remain open?

The only musical playing to less capacity is The Producers, which saw a week-over-week drop of 4.1% to 50.4%. However, the average ticket price for Mel Brooks' most successful venture ever on the Great White Way still comes in at $68.65. Rent and The Producers are the only two musicals playing to capacities of under 60%.

Of course, both of those productions are doing boffo box office compared with the week's weakest link, Jay Johnson: The Two And Only, which in its first full week of previews attracted a capacity of only 24.4% with an average ticket price of just $47.80. That certainly doesn't bode well for its opening later this week unless it gets positive notices from the critics.

And for the week's box office champs? In terms of capacity, Usher's apparently working his magic by ushering Chicago back to the top (up 3.8% to 101.2% capacity). Jersey Boys drops to number two (down .1% to 100.7%) with Wicked right behind (down .5% to 99.7%). In terms of average ticket prices, Jersey Boys is still tops with $118.67, followed by Wicked at $95.24 and then Chicago at $89.36. However, in terms of overall weekly gross, Wicked remains king with a total take of $1,367,250; Jersey Boys took in $1,167,994; The Color Purple was third with $938,537 (Chicago only ranked eighth with $781,545 in receipts).

Will dwindling numbers for Rent and The Producers spur closing notices anytime soon? Stay tuned.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:

Broadway Box Office Rebounds (September 19, 2006)

Broadway's Biggest Box Office (September 13, 2006)

Fall At Broadway's Box Office (September 12, 2006)

Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Chicago The Musical, Jay Johnson: The Two And Only, Jersey Boys, Musical, Rent, The Producers, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, September 25, 2006 0 comments

Broadway Box Office Rebounds

Broadway Box Office Rebounds

As predicted, Broadway bounced back somewhat this past week from the steep decline it experienced the week before. Most shows enjoyed at least a bit of a rebound week-over-week.

Leading the pack in terms of week-over-week capacity increases was The Wedding Singer with a 17% larger audience than the week before at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. That increase brings the tuner's weekly capacity to 69.5%, ahead of such venerable hits as The Phantom Of The Opera (69.3%), Hairspray (68.9%), Rent (65.4%) and The Producers (which remains in the box office basement with 54.5%).

The other top gainers week-over-week were Hairspray (increase of 16%), Beauty And The Beast (increase of 12.3%), Rent (increase of 11.4%), The Drowsy Chaperone (increase of 11.1%) and The Producers (increase of 10.7%). Only two shows experienced drops in their box office: The Color Purple (down 1.7% to 84.1%) and Wicked (down a scant .1% to 99.7%). The latter still leads all shows in terms of gross ticket sales at $1,389,174 for the week followed by Jersey Boys at $1,161,546. Still number one in terms of capacity is Jersey Boys (100.8%), followed by Wicked. Talk about a one-two punch.

Not counting shows currently in previews, the productions with the lowest average ticket prices include: Rent ($50.48), Beauty And The Beast ($50.58), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ($61.41), Hairspray ($63.47), The Wedding Singer ($65.16), The Phantom Of The Opera ($66.67), Avenue Q ($68.44), Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me (69.05) and The Producers ($69.52).

Still no word on which musical will be the next to depart from the Broadway stage. But my bet remains on an early exit for The Producers, although barring additional stunt casting, Rent's days could be numbered.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
Broadway's Biggest Box Office (September 13, 2006)
Fall At Broadway's Box Office (September 12, 2006)

Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Rent, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Producers, The Wedding Singer, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, September 19, 2006 0 comments

Broadway's Biggest Box Office

Boys: Broadway's Biggest Box Office

Yesterday, I discussed the precipitous drop at Broadway's box office for a large cross section of major hit shows, but I neglected to note the relatively few success stories.

The biggest boffo show to buck last week's downward trend was the Tony Award winning Best Musical Jersey Boys, which continues to sell beyond capacity at 100.7%. With a standing-room-only crowd in the 1222-seat August Wilson Theatre, Jersey Boys actually posted a .2% gain over the previous week (the only other show to enjoy an increase in audience was the now departed Kiki & Herb: Alive On Broadway -- up 6.6% to a closing capacity of 55.9% in the relatively small 586-seat Helen Hayes Theatre). What's more, Jersey Boys boasts the only average ticket price over $100 at $119.15.

Wicked, of course, continues to pack them in at the cavernous George Gershwin Theatre. Despite the fact that its capacity was off by .2% last week, it was still playing to a capacity of 99.8%. That translated into the week's highest gross at $1,376,769 compared to Jersey Boys' impressive second place finish at $1,173,290. But look below those numbers and consider that Wicked has about 600 more seats to fill each night and has a considerably lower average ticket price ($95.34).

Thus, the past week's true box office champ in a technical knock-out has to be Jersey Boys, which shows no sign of waning.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for Jersey Boys tickets.
Click here for Wicked tickets.
Related Stories:
Fall At Broadway's Box Office (September 12, 2006)

Labels: Box Office, Broadway, Jersey Boys, Kiki And Herb, Kiki And Herb: Alive On Broadway, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, September 13, 2006 0 comments