Going HomeIn the wee hours of Monday morning, I arrived home from my two week tour of Australia. While now jetlagged, I had a fantastic trip, not only because of the sights I took in, but especially because of the friends and family I got to see (as well as new friends I had the pleasure of meeting: Rob and Harriet, Elizabeth, Jenta, Maylise, Daniela and, of course, Wayne).
Still, it was wonderful to return home. But the thought of home was never far away thanks to one particular reading selection I brought along on my journey:
Dame Julie Andrews' exceptional autobiography, "
Home."
Ten years ago this fall, I had an extraordinary opportunity to meet this extremely gracious and talented actress. In the fall of 1998, Julie Andrews was a keynote speaker at that year's World Travel Congress convening in Los Angeles.
As the public relations director for the trade association sponsoring the global event for over 4000 delegates, I was asked if I would mind escorting her throughout the afternoon she would be spending with us. That invitation was like asking a little child on his birthday if he'd mind opening up just one more gift.
I eagerly accepted the assignment, but was extremely tense when the moment came to greet her arrival at the convention center. I kept wondering whether I would be disappointed, whether Julie Andrews would somehow not be the same wonderfully humane and approachable individual I'd always envisioned she'd be. Plus, what if I made a buffoon of myself?!
Moments after meeting her, I was put completely at ease. Julie Andrews was the epitome of grace and kindness. She was everything I'd hoped she'd be and so much more. Easygoing, charming and absolutely nice, her demeanor helped make me comfortable so that I could in turn concentrate on doing my job: making her feel comfortable, and hopefully very welcome, in return.
The Academy Award-winning actress delivered a beautifully heartfelt and inspiring address on how traveling helped shape her life. Once her speech concluded, I showed Dame Andrews to our version of a green room, where she greeted our dignitaries and posed for pictures. Never showing any signs of tiring, this consummate professional graciously met with one after another of her gathered fans. I was personally touched when she had me join her for a series of shots taken from virtually every angle by the throng of photographers. And I'll never forget how affable she was, right up until the moment I escorted her to her waiting car.
I relay this story because if nothing else, my personal experience with Julie Andrews made me an even bigger fan. I found myself searching out the number of films of hers I had never seen. It also gave me greater appreciation for her work in old favorites, whether it was "
Mary Poppins" -- one of the first films I ever saw -- or "
The Sound of Music" or her more recent role in "
Victor Victoria." My experience also made me eager to take in her directorial debut -- a stage revival of The Boy Friend she was helming five years ago this month at the
Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York.
So when I learned that Dame Andrews had written the memoirs for her early years, I didn't even think twice about purchasing it. I couldn't wait to read it.
And now that I've read it, I can tell you that for anyone who loves live theatre, this is a must-read. With a flair for writing, Julie Andrews walks her audience through her earliest years, including insights into her often difficult childhood and family life, as well as English vaudeville, World War II, and her budding entertainment career both in London and on Broadway right up until she and her family leave for Hollywood to begin filming "Mary Poppins."
The detail the three-time Tony nominee provides on each of her first three Broadway roles -- Polly in
The Boy Friend (1954-55), Eliza Doolittle in
My Fair Lady (1956-58) and Guenevere in
Camelot (1960-62) -- is nothing short of a treasure trove of information on what it was like to star on the Great White Way during the Golden Age of the Broadway musical. With a sly sense of humor, she offers an abundance of amusing anecdotes that alone are worth the price of the book.
Inspiring through and through, Julie Andrews shares some of the motivation that helped transform her, including a crystalizing quote from one of her early mentors: "The amateur works until they get something right. The professional works until they can't go wrong."
Given the high level of integrity and fortitude Julie Andrews has shown throughout her lengthy and distinguished career, it's a given that she's a professional's professional through and through. But by sharing so much of her own personal anguish, longing and ultimately her sense of "home," the actress invites us into her life and the home she's created. In doing so, Julie Andrews distinguishes herself even more as an immensely gifted author.
I for one can't wait to read the next installment.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Book, Camelot, Home, Julie Andrews, Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, The Boy Friend
Go East, Young Musical, Go EastDespite 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
Tony Officially Shuts Out LoveMusik, Legally Blonde From the "Why Can't We All Just Get Along" file, this year's
Tony broadcast just can't seem to get a break with decent news coverage. Perhaps it could if players involved didn't air their dirty laundry quite so publicly.
The latest dust-up occurred a couple days ago when the Tony producers nixed a plan to feature song performances from
LoveMusik and
Legally Blonde -- you know, the two viable shows that had been in the running for the coveted also-ran nod in the category of Best Musical until
Mary Poppins claimed it.
According to
New York Post's Michael Riedel, CBS had been pushing the idea to include performances to liven up the show and initially received the green light from the American Theatre Wing's
Howard Sherman. But the broadcast's producers put the kibosh on that for fear that including non-nominated works would open the floodgates to other shows demanding their time on the broadcast.
Arguing for an expansion of tune offerings,
The Playgoer's Garrett Eisler succinctly notes: "Maybe they should...just dazzle us for two hours with great performances." While Tony broadcasts have traditionally been viewed by a narrow slice of Americans, you'd think that Broadway would use the telecast to its advantage by enabling its cherished viewers to see as wide a swath as possible.
On the related topic of the Tonys, you'll now find four new polls in which I ask you to name the featured actors and actresses from both plays and musicals you believe will win the Tony Award on June 10. After voting, feel free to comment on why.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Tony Box Office Bumps (May 21, 2007)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 15, 2007)
Labels: Blogs, Broadway, Legally Blonde, LoveMusik, Mary Poppins, Michael Riedel, Musical, The Playgoer, Tony Awards
Backlash Awakening?After the Tony nominations were announced on Tuesday, the prevailing conventional wisdom among most pundits seemed to be that
Spring Awakening had a solid lock on winning the honor for Best Musical.
Even
the pundit of all Broadway pundits,
Michael Reidel of the
New York Post,
dutifully painted a picture of backroom drama at the Tony nominating committee meeting that sought to ensure a win for
Spring Awakening by locking out
Legally Blonde:
Some of them, who were very much in the thrall of Spring Awakening, got wind of the Pinkies' plan (to get the road vote) and, it appears, blocked it by giving the fourth slot for Best Musical to Mary Poppins instead of Legally Blonde. The path to Tony Award glory is now clear for Spring Awakening.
"Not so fast," cry a number of vital voices like Rob Kendt (
Broadway.com and
The Wicked Stage) and
Peter Filichia of TheaterMania. There's even a backhanded compliment thrown its way by
Chris Caggiano at Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals who quite accurately points out that
Grey Gardens could have tied
Spring Awakening's impressive 11 nominations had it not been for its lack of choreography.
I also vividly recall when another one of my favorite theatre bloggers
Rocco at What's Good/What Blows In New York Theatre bluntly stated in January:
I was shocked...to find myself among the ranks with those who kinda hated Spring Awakening. I thought for sure, I was going to love this show. It seemed right up my alley, as a fan of the original play, and an advocate of new musicals on Broadway. But those factors are the main reasons why I was put-off by almost every aspect of this production. For starters, the cast is constantly giving off this attitude that what they're doing up there is so cool and so edgy.
Although
I kinda liked this electrifying show -- and could certainly put aside how anachronistic and smugly self-aware I found it -- much of
Steven Sater’s book was surprisingly predictable. As "shocking" as the material was clearly intended to be, I found myself easily figuring out where this was all headed. Although it came close, I never thought this show reached the heights of excellence that
Grey Gardens or even
Curtains mastered.
Although I realize my little SOB Poll may not provide the most accurate barometer of what's to come (even though your votes proved to be largely correct in predicting the outcome of the Tony nominations), I find it interesting that in the current poll where I ask which show will win the Tony for Best Musical, that the numbers for
Spring Awakening have been dropping fairly precipitously over the past three days, mostly to the benefit of
Grey Gardens. Yes, there's still about a 20% gap between the two shows, but it's much closer than it was even 24 hour ago.
All this leads me to ask: could it be that
Spring Awakening is already peaking? Just as a summer breeze begins to blow away the last vestiges of spring, could it be that Tony voters might be considering a show that can reputably blow away
Spring Awakening as its Best Musical? We'll know for sure in another 24 days.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Grey Gardens tickets.Click here for Spring Awakening tickets.Related Stories:Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 15, 2007)
New York Posts Picks For Tony Nods (May 11, 2007)
Which Shows Will Be Tony-Nominated For Best Play? (May 8, 2007)
Which Shows Will Be Tony-Nominated For Best Musical? (May 3, 2007)
Theatre For A New Age (April 8, 2007)
Spring Awakening (The SOB Review) (March 3, 2007)
Is It Just Me, Or...(Part II) (February 21, 2007)
Musicals Versus Plays: You Decide (January 5, 2007)
Spring Awakening Rouses Box Office; Cast To Appear At Big Apple Store (December 12, 2006)
Waking Up To Critical Acclaim (December 11, 2006)
Spring Awakening Blossoms On Broadway Tonight (December 10, 2006)
Curtains To Rise At Al Hirschfeld Theatre In March (November 3, 2006)
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
How Sheik: Spring Awakenings To Receive Broadway Transfer (July 20, 2006)
Tony Award Nominations Announced (May 16, 2006)
Labels: Blogs, Grey Gardens, Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Michael Riedel, Musical, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations
Poppins Fresh
Considering the
ginormous success of its
The Lion King touring franchise in which two companies are crisscrossing North America, Disney seems to be making the logical choice in selecting
Mary Poppins as its next show to go coast to coast. With the number of Baby Boomer grandparents and Gen X parents who've been brought up on the film, there's a ready made audience who'd love the chance to take their kids and grandchildren to a bona fide family show.
The Andrew Gans story also mentions that
Disney Theatrical Productions has its sights set on the fall of next year and that "Los Angeles and Chicago have been discussed." When further announcements have been made, I'll let you know.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Mary Poppins Broadway tickets. Click here for Mary Poppins London tickets. Related Stories:
Broadway Grosses: It's Mary Poppins And Wicked (January 8, 2007)
SOB Poll: Most Readers Hope To Step In Time With Mary Poppins (November 27, 2006)
Did Critics Find Mary Poppins Practically Perfect? (November 17, 2006)
Mary Poppins' Flight On Broadway Begins Tonight (November 16, 2006)
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
Survey Says.... (October 23, 2006)
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway Debut (October 17, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Disney, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Touring Production
Mary Poppins (The SOB Revisit) – New Amsterdam Theatre, New York, NY
***1/2 (out of ****)
While I still roundly enjoyed the musical, and while my fellow audience members cheered with that rapt degree of enthusiasm rarely heard, something must have happened en route during Mary Poppins’ flight over to America.
Don’t get me wrong, the book remains more faithful to
P.L. Travers’ source material than the
film version. The musical numbers are all still rousing.
Matthew Bourne’s choreography continues to mesmerize, particularly on numbers like “Step In Time.”
Bob Crowley’s set design is as magically jawdropping as I remembered it being. And
Gavin Lee as Bert is better and fresher than ever.
But some of the emotional core of the show that completely captivated me seemed elusive. I certainly can’t blame it on the exquisite
Rebecca Luker, who provided even more nuance to the role of Mrs. Banks than I saw across the pond, or even
Ashley Brown, who -- despite the fact that when she first appeared during my performance, her arms were literally shaking as she was holding the Banks children’s patched-up “want ad” -- delivers a solid and practically terrific
Mary Poppins.
The heart that seems to beat a little more faintly now is that of George Banks. In London, I saw a tender, bravura performance by
David Haig, for whom you could, as
Bill Clinton might say, feel his pain. Yet, through
Daniel H. Jenkins' rather rote Broadway portrayal, the pain was dulled substantially while more emphasis seemed to be placed on personal business ethics.
Perhaps the producers and director
Richard Eyre thought they needed just a few too many spoonfuls of sugar to make the medicine go down for American audiences. Sure, the sentimental side of me still managed to well up with tears via George’s “therapy session” with Bert. But I felt slightly cheated when the emotional depth to which I was prepared to go -- thanks to my London journey -- proved shallower.
I also felt cheated that some of the more ingenious elements of the projection design were missing, particularly in the bank setting. In London, one can see animated bankers toiling over their desks, while on Broadway, the images were all static.
Ultimately, I still enjoyed my revisit to Mary Poppins. Despite being aimed at audiences of all ages, this lovely, if not grandiose, musical continues to tell a surprisingly more complex adult story about losing one’s way and finding it again. While I enjoyed the London version more, I would still recommend seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway -- unless, of course, you’re completely incapable of letting that inner child in you ever surface.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: Broadway, Disney, London, Mary Poppins, Musical, The SOB Revisit
Broadway Grosses: It's Mary Poppins And Wicked
It's been quite a while since I last really checked in on which shows are leading the pack among top-grossing, top-capacity Broadway hits. But this week, first place among capacity performers is
Mary Poppins, coming in at 100.8% of capacity; while it's the tuner's second week in a row with those impressive figures, it marks the first week that it has outright led the pack in that prestigious category.
However,
Mary's $1,240,899 weekly gross at the box office wasn't enough to overtake longtime champ
Wicked, which still reigns supreme with $1,404,787 for the week. And considering that
Wicked's average ticket price is still at a lofty $97.07 compared to
Mary's $85.90, it looks like it's in no danger of losing the top spot any time soon.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Mary Poppins, Musical, Wicked
SOB Poll: Most Readers Hope To Step In Time With Mary PoppinsIt's been less than two weeks since
Mary Poppins landed on Broadway. While critics were wildly all over the board in their reviews, it appears that most readers of Steve On Broadway could care less what they've said as more than three-quarters of you (79.2%) plan to see the new stage musical adaptation.
Given the response from some critics and bloggers, I was surprised that only 14.4% of you said you weren't planning to see the show. Of that figure, 11.5% of you indicated you had already seen
Mary Poppins either in previews or in London; the remaining 2.9% of you said that it didn't interest you. Another 11.4% of you said that you might see the tuner, but "it's not at the top of my list."
Admittedly, I have a soft spot in my heart for the magic of
Mary Poppins. In fact, I'm one of those 17.1% who said I planned on seeing the show even though I've already seen it (in my case, I first saw the great nanny in London). Other bloggers whose opinions I respect are certainly weighing-in with their
Mary Poppins experiences, ranging from
Stephen Mosher who clearly loved the show to
Chris Caggiano who makes no bones about hating it.
Of course,
Tarzan -- Disney's other new Broadway offering for the year -- still manages to sell nearly four out of five seats despite the
near-universal pans it received after its May debut. Could it be that Disney productions are simply critic
and blogger-proof?
P.S. There's still time to vote in my Thanksgiving poll along the right-hand column that asks, "For which U.S. show opening during 2006 are you personally most thankful?"
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Did Critics Find Mary Poppins Practically Perfect? (November 17, 2006)
Mary Poppins' Flight On Broadway Begins Tonight (November 16, 2006)
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
Survey Says.... (October 23, 2006)
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway Debut (October 17, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Film, London, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll
Did Critics Find Mary Poppins Practically Perfect?Last evening, the eagerly-anticipated Disney-
Cameron Mackintosh stage production of
Mary Poppins opened on Broadway, and critics were all over the board ranging from pure delight to clear disdain.
Offering up a rare four stars,
New York Post's
Clive Barnes raves: "
Mary Poppins was fine as a Disney movie and is even better as this Broadway musical, imported sound and whole from London's West End. Let's play cute and call it...supercalifragilisticexpialidocious....
Mary Poppins looks and sounds complete -- a perfectly engineered piece of musical theater."
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News provides his own laurels: "It is a roof-raising, toe-tapping, high-flying extravaganza....
Ashley Brown is a joy to watch as the enigmatic nanny who helps the Banks family...realize how much they need each other. Brown had me from hello -- well, from, 'Jane, don't stare, and close your mouth, Michael. We are not a codfish.' She plays Mary as stern and steely, but always has a bewitching twinkle in her eye. She sings, acts and dances gorgeously.
Gavin Lee...is just as captivating....Whether you're 7 or 70,
Mary Poppins is a jolly holiday -- and you'll be glad you took it."
Taking note of the storyline's "dramatic heft,"
Richard Zoglin of
Time heaps on the praise: "
Mary Poppins is not just a big, eye-pleasing production; it's Disney's most endearing, human-scaled and emotionally satisfying musical yet....The show strikes a nice balance between stage dazzle...and dramatic heft with a script (by '
Gosford Park' screenwriter
Julian Fellowes) that goes beyond the movie, adding material from other
Travers stories....This Mary becomes a show less about children than about the loss of childhood -- and about how adults learn to be parents. Which is just what a big show needs: a big subject."
Calling
Mary Poppins "fun," "tasty" and "expertly grafted," the Associated Press'
Michael Kuchwara is equally dazzled: "[L]arge, and we do mean LARGE, production numbers...comprise the adventures instigated by
Mary Poppins, portrayed with charm and crisp vocal power by a lovely Ashley Brown....That this human and humane story shines through all the dazzling theatrical effects demonstrates the potency of its emotional impact."
Despite calling the show a bit "overstuffed,"
Variety's
David Rooney is mostly positive, saying that
Mary Poppins "is also bursting with dazzling stagecraft, stunning design, old-fashioned storytelling virtues and genuine charm....Principals and ensemble are solid all around, with (
Daniel) Jenkins providing emotional ballast as George, whose sensitization is the story's central journey. But without detracting from the engaging Brown, the show's guiding spirit is Gavin Lee's Bert, the original London cast's sole carryover."
Calling the production both "lavish and loving,"
Christopher Rawson at the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is effusive: "[H]ere the Disney empire on which the sun never sets is on its best creative behavior. This is the good Disney....Mackintosh and company have taken care to populate this set with actual people, in the persons of the troubled Banks family, without whose substance the magical nanny and chimney sweep would be pyrotechnics empty of feeling....Ashley Brown is a skillful, starchy Mary with a lovely voice....Gavin Lee's Bert has an angular charm right in the
Ray Bolger-
Dick Van Dyke tradition."
Calling the show "darker and blander" than the movie,
Newsday's
Linda Winer is more critical: "
Mary Poppins...is a quaint, muddled, beautiful-looking musical with plenty of spectacle but even more emotional distance....Though not as charming as Julie Andrews, Ashley Brown makes a brisk and substantial Mary Poppins....The name to remember, however, is Gavin Lee....As Bert, the genial chimney sweep, he manages a jaunty tap dance that takes him up the walls and upside-down on the ceiling. As repository of such lines as 'Chim Chim Cher-ee,' Lee treats such original songs, by
Richard M. Sherman and
Robert B. Sherman, as classics."
Calling the show "handsome, homily-packed and rather tedious,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley predictably pans the show: "When I saw it in London two years ago,
Mary Poppins was a show divided between its shadowy id and its can-do super-ego, which set the prescriptions of self-help books to music. In New York it is made clear that the heart of this show is not in the starry skies to which Mary ascends in the finale -- or even among the rooftops where Mary’s B.F.F., Bert (Gavin Lee), works as a chimney sweep -- but somewhere closer to the kitchen sink."
Lest anyone reading this has a knee-jerk reaction to all things Disney and automatically dismisses this
Mary Poppins, writer
Jim Hill offers a fascinating, in-depth behind the scenes examination of how this miraculous show finally made its way to the stage; his story is definitely required reading.
As I've
previously noted, I loved the London production and thought it was
the best show I saw during the 2004-05 Theatrical Season. I already have my tickets for the Broadway incarnation in January, and I'm truly excited by the prospect of revisiting this show to see whether it stacks up against what I saw across the pond. Naturally, you can expect my own review shortly thereafter.
But in the meantime, I invite you to cast your vote in the latest Steve On Broadway poll on the right-hand side to tell me whether you'll see
Mary Poppins.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Mary Poppins' Flight On Broadway Begins Tonight (November 16, 2006)
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
Survey Says.... (October 23, 2006)
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway Debut (October 17, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Mary Poppins, Musical
Mary Poppins' Flight On Broadway Begins TonightNearly two years ago,
Cameron Mackintosh and Disney joined forces on London's West End in recreating a
Mary Poppins that was much more in line with author
P.L. Travers' original artistic vision than its
silver screen incarnation. The resulting stage sensation received eight Olivier Award nominations, including for Best New Musical , and captured two awards for Best Actress in a Musical (
Laura Michelle Kelly) and Best Choreography (
Matthew Bourne).
Now, after a month of previews at Broadway's
New Amsterdam Theatre, the
U.S. production makes its official bow this evening. Included in the staging is
Gavin Lee, who originated the role of chimney sweep Bert in London; Lee was nominated for an Olivier, in part because of his captivating upside-down dancing "on" (under?) the theatre's proscenium. Alongside him will be
Ashley Brown in the title role.
It was nearly impossible to find a ticket to
Mary Poppins after it opened in London, but the stateside version has only been showing to an average capacity of around 90%. Will all that change once the reviews come out tomorrow? Or will critics pooh-pooh one of the most beloved of British imports landing on the Great White White?
My prediction is that Ben Brantley of
The New York Times will repeat his decidedly
negative review of the London show, which he called, "bizarrely ambivalent." However, I'm confident that critics will not be calling this "Mary Floppins" as suggested by
Michael Riedel of the
New York Post.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB Readers (October 27, 2006)
Survey Says.... (October 23, 2006)
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway Debut (October 17, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Mary Poppins, Musical, Opening Night
Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens Tops Among SOB ReadersFor nearly two weeks, I've invited you and other Steve On Broadway (SOB) readers to tell me which new Broadway musical you're most enthusiastic about seeing. A plurality of you (44%) indicated that
Mary Poppins was your first choice, while another 26% said
Grey Gardens.
Over the course of this past week, the former has been in the news -- and not necessarily the kind that Disney et al would prefer. Seems the intricate set design malfunctioned on Wednesday, ultimately causing the cancellation of the evening's performance. Nonetheless, the show appears to be capturing the imagination of so many eager to finally see the world's favorite nanny land on Broadway. (
Mary Poppins was the ninth overall top-grossing show for the week ending October 22.) Expect the tuner to get a further boost when the Disney-owned
ABC television network features it on this evening's "
20/20" broadcast.
Grey Gardens continues to receive great advance buzz and excellent word-of-mouth. It will also be featured on an ABC broadcast, albeit on the daytime talkfest known as "
The View."
Christine Ebersole is scheduled to be interviewed and perform "Another Winter in a Summer Town" this Monday, October 30. Check your local listings.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on the poll comes from the groundswell of popularity for
Spring Awakening. Just over one in ten of you (12%) say that you're most excited by
Duncan Sheik's first foray onto the Great White Way. Maybe I really shouldn't be surprised since -- like
Grey Gardens -- it enjoyed an earlier celebrated Off-Broadway incarnation.
Personally, the three top shows in the poll coincide with those
I most want to see (although I'll also be taking in the Chicago tryout of
The Pirate Queen in the days ahead), so I'm delighted to know that my choices mirror yours. Of course, regardless of which one you chose, I invite you to let me know what it is about the show that makes you so enthusiastic by leaving your comments below.
Thanks again for participating in the first-ever Steve On Broadway (SOB) poll -- I invite you to continue to vote in the other polls on the right-hand side of the site, as well as in all new polls each week.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Mary Poppins tickets.Click here for Grey Gardens tickets.Click here for Spring Awakening tickets.Related Stories:Which Current Broadway Musical Would You Pull The Plug On? (October 22, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Revival Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 19, 2006)
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Grey Gardens, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening
Mary Poppins Lands Top Five Capacity Spot With Broadway DebutIn what is sure to become one of the Great White Way's hottest shows this season, Disney and
Cameron Mackintosh's
Mary Poppins enjoyed its first bow at the
New Amsterdam Theatre last Saturday. And if the initial performances are any indication, this production will further solidify Disney's place on Broadway.
With just two performances under its, er, umbrella, the musical -- based more on the
P.L. Travers stories than the
1964 motion picture of the same name -- attracted a capacity of 96.6%, enough to place it into the top five. Those two performances brought in $307,184 at the box office -- more than the entire weekly take for
The Times They Are A-Changin' (which also began previews with seven performances, taking in $305,043),
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ($304,756),
Heartbreak House ($215,619),
Losing Louie ($154,624) or
Jay Johnson: The Two And Only (with an anemic $50,841).
Average ticket prices for
Mary Poppins came in at $88.76, enough to put it into fifth place on a second chart for the week. As buzz builds, I suspect that the tuner will only climb to higher heights on each successive chart.
Which upcoming musical would
you most like to see?
Vote in the all-new Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll on the right hand column of this site today!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing? (October 16, 2006)
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound? (September 20, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Film, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll
Which New Broadway Musical Are You Most Enthusiastic About Seeing?As noted yesterday, readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) will find a new poll feature on the right-hand column that enables you to provide a snapshot opinion on all things theatre with the click of your mouse.
Please note that the poll's mechanism only enables you to vote once meaning that if you try voting for a second time, only your last vote will count officially.
My first question is pretty simple: "Which new Broadway musical are you most enthusiastic about seeing?" Your choices include
Grey Gardens,
High Fidelity,
Legally Blonde,
Mary Poppins,
The Pirate Queen and
The Times They Are A-Changin'. I'm only listing new shows that have been confirmed to open during the current 2006-07 Theatrical Season.
I also invite your comments to each story posted on Steve On Broadway (SOB). In fact, please feel free to tell me why you're voting the way you are for a show. As always, whether you think my opinion mirrors yours or is just plain wrong, I promise to post each comment that seeks to engage in a thoughtful discussion on theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Take The Steve On Broadway (SOB) Poll (October 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Grey Gardens, High Fidelity, Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Musical, SOB Poll, Spring Awakening, The Pirate Queen
Which British Hits Will Be Broadway-Bound?In this morning's
New York Post, theatre critic
Clive Barnes sizes up some of the current prospects for British imports to the Broadway stage. In addition to dutifully noting the eagerly anticipated
Mary Poppins due later this year, along with
Billy Elliot The Musical that will arrive by 2008, Barnes gives props to the ubiquitous
Michael Grandage-helmed productions. Those include two musicals (
Evita and
Guys And Dolls) and one play (
Frost/Nixon). All three have received their share of critical acclaim and box office success across the pond.
Barnes' personal favorite pick for a Broadway transfer is the highly praised revival of
Sunday In The Park With George that graced the London stage earlier this summer, although he doesn't hold as much hope for its arrival on the Great White Way as the aforementioned shows. He also is clearly optimistic about a the chances of
Tom Stoppard's
Rock 'n' Roll drama coming to American shores.
But the show that he thinks has the greatest potential for a Broadway bow is none other than the
Queen-inspired stinker
We Will Rock You -- a
bad jukebox musical that continues to play to UK audiences despite terrible reviews. It should be noted that it has already been produced in the United States at the
Paris Las Vegas, but like so many other theatrical productions hitting Sin City, the show closed much earlier than originally anticipated. Who would have thought Vegas audiences would have shown that much good taste?!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Billy Elliot Set for 2008 Broadway Bow? (September 6, 2006)
Critics Find Frost/Nixon to Be Unimpeachable (August 23, 2006)
Which Broadway Musical Will Depart Next? (August 21, 2006)
Evita to New York: I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You (June 28, 2006)
Sunday in the Park With George Revival Opens in London's West End (May 22, 2006)
Guys and Dolls Imported to Broadway from London? (May 15, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Evita, Frost/Nixon, Guys And Dolls, London, Mary Poppins, Rock 'n' Roll, Sunday In The Park With George, Transfer, We Will Rock You
Gavin Creel's World Turned Upside-Down by Mary PoppinsStarting tonight, Ohio native
Gavin Creel takes to the rooftops of London as cockney Bert in the unbelievably excellent Olivier Award-winning production of
Mary Poppins. Creel is making his West End debut, and right about the moment I am writing this, I'm imagining him dancing upside-down, thanks to
Matthew Bourne's breathtaking choreography.
I've truly enjoyed watching the rise of this budding star. Not only did I see Creel's Tony-nominated work in the thoroughly enjoyable
Thoroughly Modern Millie back in 2002, but I was also among the relatively few who had a chance to see him in the world premiere of the short-lived
Stephen Sondheim/
John Weidman musical
Bounce opposite
Richard Kind and
Howard McGillin at Chicago's
Goodman Theatre in August of 2003.
As regular readers may recall,
Mary Poppins ranks as my absolute
favorite show of the 2004-05 Theatrical Season, but
La Cage Aux Folles -- the second regular Broadway show to feature Creel and winner of the 2005 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical --
was on my honorable mention list for the same year. I'm pleased to see Creel take on this exciting role. To learn more about Creel's first-hand experience, you may want to
visit his official blog.
Perhaps once
Gavin Lee -- who originated the role of Bert in London -- concludes his upcoming run in the stateside version of
Mary Poppins, the
American Gavin might make a triumphant and welcome return to the Great White Way as the world's favorite chimney sweep.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Bounce, Film, Gavin Creel, La Cage Aux Folles, London, Mary Poppins, Musical, Stephen Sondheim, Thoroughly Modern Millie
Casting Call (Week Ending June 7, 2006)
As we near the Sunday finish-line for the 2005-06 Theatrical Season with the 60th Annual Tony Awards, many in the theatrical world no doubt have their sights set on next year’s plethora of award opportunities as more productions have announced casting. While I’ve already described the stellar leading roles for the upcoming revival of
Les Misérables, several other exciting casting decisions have been announced both on and Off-Broadway, as well as far away from the Great White Way.
Some
previous casting decisions that are now opening include celebrated actress Tovah Feldshuh, who begins her reign tonight as the irrepressible Dolly Levi in New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse production of the Jerry Herman musical
Helly Dolly! Feldshuh, of course, delivered a breathtaking, bravura performance as Golda Meir in
Golda’s Balcony back in the 2003-04 Broadway season. In Los Angeles, Laurence Fishburne opens this Sunday in Alfred Uhry’s new play
Without Walls at the Mark Taper Forum. And of course, the very busy Jill Clayburgh began her run last night in Keith Bunin’s
The Busy World is Hushed at Playwrights Horizon in New York.
Speaking of Playwrights Horizons, Sigourney Weaver has now been announced for the lead role in its world premiere production of A.R. Gurney’s
Crazy Mary….Keith Carradine reportedly will take the place of Jonathan Pryce’s Lawrence Jameson while Brian d'Arcy James will takeover Norbert Leo Butz's Freddy Benson this July in the deliciously decadent Broadway production of
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Imperial Theatre; Richard Kind will assume the role of Andre from Gregory Jbara….Brothers Adam and Matthew Arkin will team up with Jan Maxwell and Michele Pawk in the Jerry Zaks-helmed comedy
Losing Louie at Broadway’s Biltmore Theatre in September….Kathy Bates, Jane Fonda, Marcia Gay Harden, and Marian Seldes are among those participating in a June 12 benefit performance of
Necessary Targets by Eve Ensler for Until the Violence Stops: NYC, New York at Studio 54....the brilliant Rebecca Luker will assume the role of Mrs. Banks in the Broadway mounting of
Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam Theatre….and finally, a Nathan Lane-less Matthew Broderick will team up again with playwright Kenneth Lonergan in the supposedly Broadway-bound
The Starry Messenger come January at San Diego’s venerable Old Globe.
I’ll keep you posted on other exciting casting news in the weeks ahead.
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Click here for Hello Dolly! tickets.
Click here for Without Walls tickets.
Click here for The Busy World Is Hushed tickets.Click here for Necessary Targets tickets.
Related Stories:
Casting Call (Week Ending May 21, 2006) (May 21, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Crazy Mary, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Golda's Balcony, Hello Dolly, Les Miserables, Losing Louie, Mary Poppins, Off-Broadway
Disney Moves from Continent to ContinentDespite the almost universal critical drubbing of Disney's
Tarzan, the musical is still raking it in at the box office with over 94% of last week's seats being sold. Apparently, the reviews also are not detering Disney from taking the show across the Atlantic, though rather than a West End bow, the Phil Collins tuner will instead be mounted first in the Netherlands during 2007 and then in Germany.
The musical that may get the next shot in London for Disney could be a stage adaptation of
The Little Mermaid.
Playbill is reporting that six UK-based performers will take part in a one week lab there during mid-June for the Alan Menken musical with book by David Ives.
And finally, flying from the rooftops of London to New York is the long-anticipated arrival this fall of the Disney collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh,
Mary Poppins. Having already seen this excellent adaptation in London in 2004, I can tell you it's practically perfect in every way, but dramatically different than the movie version. And since I've already purchased my tickets, I can tell you that there are a variety of presales currently available including to Visa Signature Card holders, Disney Visa Cardholders and those who have signed up for Disney e-mails. I found my best bet was in obtaining premium seats for January, 2007 by using Disney's special code MPMM. It landed me in the third row. This is sure to be the most celebrated show of the 2006-07 season so best get your tickets now!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Mary Poppins (Broadway) tickets.Click here for Mary Poppins (London) tickets.Related Stories:Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Most Critics Find Tarzan Less Than D’Vine (May 11, 2006)
Tarzan Swings Into Broadway Tonight (May 10, 2006)
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on Broadway (May 8, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, London, Mary Poppins, Musical, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid
Rejoice! Gavin Lee to Cross Atlantic for Mary Poppins on BroadwayMuch has been written of late about performers who've originated roles on Broadway making the move to London -- Idina Menzel in
Wicked, Ann Harada in
Avenue Q, Tim Curry and Christopher Siebert in
Monty Python's Spamalot -- but I've just learned that when the curtain goes up on the Broadway version of
Mary Poppins, the West End version's Bert will be coming to New York. Gavin Lee, who dazzled London audiences with his amazing, upside-down fancy footwork -- with more than a little assist from the breathtaking master choreographer Matthew Bourne -- was so wonderful that he merited an Olivier Award nomination. I was truly mesmerized by his performance. But then again, the entire production made me feel like a little kid again when I saw the show two Decembers ago.
Cast in the eponymous lead role will be relative unknown Ashley Brown. Yet she's becoming quite the Disney veteran already in her own right. After touring throughout the United States with the Disney songbook
On The Record, she moved to Broadway where she's currently playing Belle in Disney's
Beauty And The Beast. To be honest, I saw the ho-hum
On The Record and don't recall Brown. But her stock within the Disney theatrical organization must be incredibly high if they're willing to thrust her into prominence via this role of a lifetime.
After all, this has just got to be the most eagerly awaited event in the 2006-07 Broadway season. Personally, I can't wait to see it again.
Click here for ticket information (pre-sale begins May 21).Related Stories:Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Disney Moves from Continent to Continent (May 22, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, London, Mary Poppins, Musical, Transfer
