First Night Of Magical Redgrave
It's been nearly four years since one of acting's greatest was last seen treading Broadway's boards. But tonight, preview audiences will finally have their first opportunity to see
Vanessa Redgrave perform as
Joan Didion in the stage incarnation of the author's incredibly personal memoir
The Year Of Magical Thinking.
As for the source material of this new play, it's interesting to note that Didion once harbored a desire to perform on the stage herself.
Her fascinating story on that short-lived quest -- and her disbelief that anyone would want to turn her poignant book on loss into a play -- is included in this past Sunday's
The New York Times.
With
David Hare at the helm, this all adds up to a must-see event for me.
The Year Of Magical Thinking officially opens at the Booth Theatre on March 29. The limited engagement is set to conclude on June 30.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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Labels: Broadway, David Hare, Joan Didion, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Play, Previews, SOB's Best of 2002-03, The Year Of Magical Thinking, Vanessa Redgrave
The Last 5 Years Announced for LondonOne of my absolute favorite shows of the last five years was, in fact,
The Last 5 Years. The exquisite two-handed tuner, expertly told backwards and forwards over the course of a five year romantic relationship, will have its British premiere at London's Menier Chocolate Factory on July 25. The same theatre company also spawned the successful, lauded production of
Sunday In The Park With George that recently transferred to the West End. Indeed
Sunday's acclaimed set designer David Farley will handle the same responsibilities for
The Last 5 Years.
Jason Robert Brown's beautifully written
The Last 5 Years was
my second favorite theatrical experience during the 2002-03 season. The musical was originally staged in Chicago in 2001 with Norbert Leo Butz. He moved with the show to Off-Broadway's Minetta Lane Theatre where his womanizing literary-minded Jamie was paired with Sherie René Scott's heartwrenching portrayal of fledgling actress Cathy. Butz and Scott, of course, went on to create the hysterically funny Broadway roles of Freddy Benson and Christine Colgate in
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Matthew White will helm the London production of
The Last 5 Years. The production will star Damian Humbley (formerly of
The Woman In White)
and Laura Pulver (who played Frenchie in the West End production of
Grease) as the couple falling in and out of love. I just hope that this team will light the necessary sparks to make
The Last 5 Years as moving of an experience for British audiences as it was for Americans lucky to have seen this little gem.
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:Great Scott...She's Back! Sherie René Scott Returns to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (June 21, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 24, 2006)
Labels: First Word On New Show, Jason Robert Brown, London, Musical, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott, SOB's Best of 2002-03, Sunday In The Park With George, The Last Five Years
Flashback: Best of 2002-03As I count down my SOB Best of 2005-06, here’s a flashback to my personal best list for the 2002-03 theatrical season, as well as my honorable mentions and what I believe was the absolute worst show I saw that season.
My SOB Best of 2002-03 includes:
#1 –
La Bohème (Broadway Theatre, New York, NY) – Credit Baz Luhrmann with the spellbinding genius for making one of the most enduring of operas into an accessible and excellent theatrical event. Not since Dorothy landed in Oz have I witnessed as glorious a transformation from black and white to full blown color as I did during this amazing production. In this case, it occurred when love was in full bloom. I only hope that Luhrmann won’t stay away from Broadway too much longer.
#2 –
The Last Five Years (Plays & Players Theatre, Philadelphia, PA) – While I didn’t have a chance to see the original or Off-Broadway versions of this captivating two-handed musical, that literally and effortlessly tells the story of lost love backwards and forwards, I was mesmerized by this remarkable Philadelphia production with Nicole Van Giesen and Wayne Wilcox as Cathy and Jamie, respectively. I can honestly say that this was indeed the very best small show I saw over the last five years.
#3 –
Dreamgirls (Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA) – Reprising her career-making role as Effie, Jennifer Holliday returned to her theatrical roots one last time and brought the house down with one of the most satisfying, yet gut-wrenching performances of her signature song, “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” There was not one dry eye in Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox Theatre. And the rest of the production was every bit as excellent.
#4 –
Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Plymouth Theatre, New York, NY) – One of the most deservedly acclaimed productions of its year, this Robert Falls-helmed revival of Eugene O’Neill’s seminal, semi-autobiographical classic more than captured his family’s deep descent into hell. Its stellar cast included Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Dennehy at their finest, along with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Sean Leonard.
#5 –
Nine (Eugene O’Neill Theatre, New York, NY) – While the sensually seductive Jane Krakowski earned a Tony for this wonderful revival, it was Chita Rivera who literally stopped the show with a breathtaking performance that sealed her legendary status forever. Never before have I seen a standing ovation immediately after a production number, but Miss Rivera more than earned it scoring a "12." On top of everything else, Antonio Banderas was brilliant in this tale of a playboy entering middle age.
Honorable Mentions:Hairspray (5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA) with Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winoker in the
pre-Broadway engagement.
Purple Heart (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL) with Laurie Metcalf and Christopher Evan Welch.
The Breath of Life (Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, UK) with Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.
All My Sons (Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, MN) with a virtuoso performance by Peter Michael Goetz.
Worst of 2001-02:Stones In His Pockets (Ordway Theatre, St. Paul, MN) – This touring production clearly lost something in its translation from the British stage and didn’t help that Americans, including the overacting Bronson Pinchot, had assumed the Irish roles.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Vanessa Redgrave to Make Broadway Return as Joan Didion (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Atlanta, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Chita Rivera, Dreamgirls, Jennifer Holliday, La Boheme, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Nine, Play, Revival, SOB's Best of 2002-03, The Last Five Years
