Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Xanadu: Trading "The Fall" For "All Over The World"

Xanadu: Trading "The Fall" For "All Over The World"

Despite the fact it's still playing to nearly two-thirds capacity crowds, Xanadu is now set to hang up its Broadway roller skates. Nominated for four Tony Awards earlier this year, Xanadu will skate across the Helen Hayes Theatre stage one last time on October 12 before finally closing.

I rather enjoyed this tuner, even though it was far from great. The best thing about it was that it never aspired to be anything more than what it is: a wickedly funny take on one of the worst films of all time. Xanadu's brilliant cast -- including Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa -- certainly conjured up a magic spell, making all the difference in ensuring its success as a campy cult classic.

By the time the show shutters, it will have enjoyed 528 regular performances. But if you're lamenting Xanadu's closing, fear not the end. The show is already performing overseas -- in Seoul, South Korea of all places. Not only will it play in other Southeast Asia venues, along with plans to mount the show from London to Australia, but a North American tour will roll into the San Diego area's La Jolla Playhouse this November.

They don't call it Xanadu for nothing.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Broadway, Closing Notices, Musical, Touring Production, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, September 17, 2008 1 comments

Strange: Passing In The Heights For Best Musical?

Strange: Passing In The Heights For Best Musical?

On Tuesday, I offered what some may have thought was a pretty outrageous Tony prediction: that Xanadu might actually be benefitting from that little viral campaign and would win the Tony for Best Musical.

Of course, no one from of a pool of twelve respected prognosticators polled by the Los Angeles Times was so bold as to name Xanadu as a potential Best Musical winner among their Tony predictions. For the record, I still stand by my prediction -- and Rocco at What's Good/What Blows in New York Theatre would clearly be a very happy blogger if my soothsaying were to hold up.

Well, no sooner had I sayeth that sooth than Gil at Broadway Abridged and I began conversing about whether a spike in votes from Xanadu's campaign might actually help push Passing Strange over the finish line.

Next thing I knew, good ol' Michael Riedel at New York Post was telling us all how close the race would be between In The Heights and Passing Strange:

...if you look closely at your Shubert Alley tea leaves, you can discern the makings of an upset or two.

After making Sarah over at Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment practically faint by feigning that he thought Patti LuPone could actually lose, Riedel boldly stated:

...now that I've got your attention . . . Passing Strange seems to be gaining quickly on the Best Musical front-runner, In the Heights. You hear the same thing from voters: "I think In the Heights will win, but I'm voting for Passing Strange.

The conventional wisdom was that In the Heights would triumph because (1) it's doing better at the box office and (2) being energetic and bland, it can tour the country more readily than its edgier, rougher rival.

But Passing Strange has a trump card that's been well-played: Stew, its charismatic creator and star.

He and his porkpie hat have been all over town this past month, charming pretty close to all of the 765 Tony voters. (Well, maybe not John Simon.)

Accompanying Stew on his rounds is his collaborator, Heidi Rodewald. She's very shy but has a winning personality.

Both are new to Broadway, which adds to their appeal. And it's been fun watching them befriend theater royalty such as Marian Seldes ("I adore Stew") and Edward Albee.

Well come on! With Marian Seldes in one's corner, how could it not be gaining traction among other prime voters?

UPDATE (10:35 a.m. EDT): In his column this morning, Riedel says that Passing Strange will win.

And traction is the word this morning, according to the informal polling conducted by The New York Times' Campbell Robertson, who offers that the race is indeed very close, but the last-minute surge is working:

...when it’s this close, you are wise to surrender all responsibility and bow to the math. And the poll numbers say: Passing Strange.

A well-earned tip of the hat must be paid to ModernFabulousity, who dared to go far out on a limb in predicting, on June 2 no less, that Passing Strange would win!

Not so fast, appears to be the retort from New York magazine's Vulture column. While they take heart in the sudden horserace, they ultimately conclude about the possibility of a Passing Strange upset:

We doubt it. It's one thing to give the Best Musical award to a show like Spring Awakening, which is rockish and fun but is still made by people who love musical theater and Broadway. It's another thing to give the award to a show that consciously rejects Broadway tradition -- to great effect, it must be said -- written by and starring a guy who's made it clear he doesn't really care for, well, Broadway. "If you asked all of us, you could probably count the number of Broadway shows we've seen on two hands," Stew says, describing himself as a guy "you have to drag to the theater."

Contrast this to In the Heights, whose Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks enthusiastically about his love of musicals, and whose show embraces those traditions even as it spices them up with a touch of reggaeton and hip-hop. Sure, this makes the show a little more "energetic and bland," as Riedel snipes, but it also makes it a much better crowd-pleaser than Passing Strange, even if Passing Strange is more innovative a show. Argue all you want about which musical is better, but if you were a Tony voter -- that is, in most cases, a devoted Broadway lover -- which one would you vote for?

Well, Vulture, since you have asked, this devoted Broadway lover would vote for Passing Strange.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Who Will Win (June 10, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III (June 6, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)

Labels: Broadway, Broadway Abridged, In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael Riedel, Passing Strange, Predictions, Stew, Tony Awards, Tony Nominations, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, June 13, 2008 10 comments

SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III

SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III

With just over one week to go before the American Theatre Wing’s 62nd annual Tony Awards ceremonies honor the best of Broadway's 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I'm in the midst of offering my own prognostications on whom I believe should win.

Yesterday, I provided my picks for the acting categories and before that my picks for best shows, as well as for musical book and score. Today, I tackle the creative direction categories.

As previously mentioned, this is the first year in which I've seen every nominated work and performance. So while I'm no theatre professional, I profess to having an opinion on every last category. Let me know if you agree on whom you believe should win (vs. those you think actually will).

Here are the nominees and my picks:

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Peter McKintosh - The 39 Steps
Scott Pask - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Todd Rosenthal - August: Osage County
Anthony Ward - Macbeth

Should Win: Scott Pask - Les Liaisons Dangereuses

As evidenced this season by his work on The Ritz, November and Cry-Baby, Scott Pask has been one majorly busy man. But none of his set designs were more elaborate than the mesmerizing and sumptuous Versaillesque milieu he recreated for Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Todd Rosenthal's three-story work for August: Osage County was pretty lofty in its own right, but Pask's set design effectively took me back to 18th Century France.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network - Sunday In The Park With George
Anna Louizos - In The Heights
Robin Wagner - The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Should Win: David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network - Sunday In The Park With George

In a field crowded with very worthy nominees (yes, including Young Frankenstein), one team stands brilliantly apart.

Initially, necessity became Sunday In The Park With George's mother of invention. In its earliest incarnation as the musical was strapped for cash, Tim Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network helped fill in the blanks of David Farley's effectively colorless set design with an enthralling, radiant projection design that is unequivocally the true star of the show. Together, they have made this tuner a gorgeous work of art worthy of a great master.


Best Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale - Cyrano de Bergerac
Rob Howell - Boeing-Boeing
Katrina Lindsay - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Peter McKintosh - The 39 Steps

Should Win: Rob Howell - Boeing-Boeing

Pulling double duty, Rob Howell's ingenious and vibrant red, blue and yellow set and costume designs literally help set the stage for the three flight attendants served up in this tour de farce.

Even though Howell's designs go hand-in-hand, he's only been awarded one nomination. For all of his first-class work, he gets my vote as the best.


Best Costume Design of a Musical
David Farley - Sunday In The Park With George
Martin Pakledinaz - Gypsy
Paul Tazewell - In The Heights
Catherine Zuber - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Should Win: Martin Pakledinaz - Gypsy

One of the key reasons why this Gypsy sparkles so brilliantly is because of Martin Pakledinaz's never-ending razzle-dazzling costume designs ranging from the frumpy to the fabulous.

Even though this is a revival, and we've seen variations on these designs before, Pakledinaz makes them all seem vividly fresh and real, whether it's the unholy trinity of Mazeppa, Electra and Tessie Tura or the metamorphosis of Louise into Gypsy Rose Lee. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.


Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams - The 39 Steps
Howard Harrison - Macbeth
Donald Holder - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Ann G. Wrightson - August: Osage County

Should Win: Ann G. Wrightson - August: Osage County

There's some serious competition here, but I have to narrow my choices down to Donald Holder and Ann G. Wrightson. My nod must go to the latter.

Whether it was the portentous flashes from the squad car or the flicker of the never-seen television set, Wrightson's subtle illuminations helped drive the drama and humor of August: Osage County even further.



Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington - Sunday In The Park With George
Howell Binkley - In The Heights
Donald Holder - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Natasha Katz - The Little Mermaid

Should Win: Donald Holder - Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

There's also some stiff competition in this lighting category. Here, my choices come down to Howell Binkley and Donald Holder, both of whom expertly captured the movement of the sun into nighttime.

But Holder's artistry in evoking each blissful moment of this gorgeous revival with perfectly drawn brilliance makes South Pacific absolutely radiant. Close call here, but Holder gets my nod.

Best Sound Design of a Play
Simon Baker - Boeing-Boeing
Adam Cork - Macbeth
Ian Dickson - Rock ‘N’ Roll
Mic Pool - The 39 Steps

Should Win: Mic Pool - The 39 Steps

Finally, acknowledgement for the vital work that goes into providing essential sound designs for Broadway shows. This is the first year awards will be bestowed in this category.

While something tells me that the Tony voters will go with the more bombastic (read: LOUD) nominee, whose work often drowned-out the already difficult-to-hear language of the Bard, it was Mic Pool's integral sound design that enabled The 39 Steps' audience to sense where this comedy was going in spite of its simple set design.

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners - In The Heights
Sebastian Frost - Sunday In The Park With George
Scott Lehrer - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Dan Moses Schreier - Gypsy

Should Win: Scott Lehrer - Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Two words: shower scene. Scott Leher somehow managed to mic Kelli O'Hara in such a way that she lathered up and effortlessly sang "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair" in a shower. Without getting electrocuted.

Oh, and the rest of his sound design was pretty fantastic, too.


Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr - Sunday In The Park With George
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman - In The Heights
Stew & Heidi Rodewald - Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick - A Catered Affair

Should Win: Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman - In The Heights

While you may have thought I'd be inclined to go with Stew and Heidi Rodewald yet again (given my love for Passing Strange) it's time to give due props to In The Heights.

Taking Lin-Manuel Miranda's exuberent score and turning it into an even hotter than salsa hip-hop funk, Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman not only succeed in turning up the heat, but they've single-handedly taken In The Heights to the heights I had hoped the rest of the show would be.


Best Choreography
Rob Ashford - Cry-Baby
Andy Blankenbuehler - In The Heights
Christopher Gattelli - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Dan Knechtges - Xanadu

Should Win: Dan Knechtges - Xanadu

Without a doubt, Rob Ashford's work was the best thing about Cry-Baby, and Andy Blankenbuehler certainly provided one of the year's most exhilarating displays of dance on stage in In The Heights, surely making him a Tony favorite. But try doing all that on wheels, and backwards while you're at it.

An essential part of Xanadu's brilliant magic is derived directly from Dan Knechtges' daring roller-boogie choreography. When you consider the miniscule stage of the Helen Hayes Theatre and the injuries notoriously inflicted on certain cast members negotiating their way across it in good old-fashioned roller skates, Knechtges' choreography was clearly fraught with danger. But the very essence of live theatre is danger. And it dazzled all the way.

Best Direction of a Play
Maria Aitken - The 39 Steps
Conor McPherson - The Seafarer
Anna D. Shapiro - August: Osage County
Matthew Warchus - Boeing-Boeing

Should Win: Anna D. Shapiro - August: Osage County

When you direct the year's best show, it stands to reason that you'll be the person to beat for Best Director.

But Shapiro more than earns this honor as she's taken a superb script and excellent ensemble and directed them into something unique that is both heartfelt and visceral. Its dramatic punch hits every bit as hard as the humor. Credit Shapiro with sharpening this play into a razor-edged, whip-smart American classic.

Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Buntrock - Sunday In The Park With George
Thomas Kail - In The Heights
Arthur Laurents - Gypsy
Bartlett Sher - Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Barlett Sher - South Pacific

Here's the category about which I'm most conflicted. Make no mistake, I adore just about everything that Arthur Laurents has done to make Gypsy the absolute Best Revival of a Musical this year. But as someone who's now taken his third crack at the work -- and he's been nominated for the 1975 revival -- perhaps it's time to recognize someone else.

That someone else, of course, is Bartlett Sher, whose loving interpretation of South Pacific is both surprisingly innovative yet entirely natural, making his revival majestic. For a show in which racial bigotry is the issue, he also almost imperceptibly underscores the racial divide by slyly segregating what lonely African American troops inhabit this island to the sidelines.

As conflicted as I feel, I am compelled to give it to Sher.

Whoopi Goldberg hosts the 2008 Tony Awards on Sunday, June 15. The CBS broadcast begins at 8 p.m. EDT.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
And The Tony Nominees Go To... (May 12, 2008)

Labels: August Osage County, Boeing-Boeing, Gypsy, In The Heights, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, South Pacific, Sunday In The Park With George, The 39 Steps, Tony Awards, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, June 06, 2008 4 comments

SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals

SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals

During the 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I've enjoyed the opportunity to see 13 new musicals. Perhaps "enjoyed" isn't quite the right word since that number proved a bit unlucky with three of these tuners turning up on my "Worst 5" list.

The past year was not a particularly great one for new musicals with the vast majority of them falling a bit flat with me. But fortunately, there were some notable exceptions, enough to register, resonate and score on my personal "5 Best" list for the past twelve months:


5 - Queens Boulevard (Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, New York, NY)

While a certain neighborhood in the upper reaches of Manhattan has helped launch this season's mainstream ethnic musical sensation, those who ventured to Queens Boulevard were treated to something quite otherworldly. Charles Mee's rendition of the melting pot known as Queens was a varitable feast for the senses with the most beguiling first twenty minutes I've ever seen in a stage show. Queens Boulevard centers on a bride (Michi Barall) and groom (Amir Arison) whose respective Japanese and Indian cultures come rhythmically together -- think Bollywood film with a Japanese accent. As a musical, Queens Boulevard operated more like a quirkier New Age "Moulin Rouge" with an eclectic fusion of tunes spanning the globe and some of the most mesmerizing choreography of the year.

Ironically enough, Mee has created a distinctly American fairy tale, and with multitude of cultures he's stuffed into his work, it really couldn't happen anywhere else but here.


4 - Xanadu (Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY)

You've just gotta love a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. And in the case of Xanadu, how could it? Rather than take a straight approach, literally and figuratively, this Xanadu revels and luxuriates in the extremely dubious nature of its source material about an Australian-accented mythical goddess who's brought to life by the clueless chalk-bearing mortal who drew her, while she flirts with her own mortality by falling in love with him. Indeed, this is the campiest, most outrageous fun I've had all year long. Douglas Carter Beane's super silly, yet surprisingly engaging book, which is simply too preposterous to describe, offers copious amounts of winking and nodding. As the muse Clio/Kyra, Kerry Butler proves a formidible force with a gorgeous voice coupled with plenty of comic timing. Cheyenne Jackson more than ably glides on his rollerskates with charm to spare. Together as Clio's conspiring sisters, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa conjure up laughing spells that soar so beyond the top I found myself doubled over in fits of glee.

Is Xanadu a great musical? Of course not, and fortunately, it doesn't aspire to be. But if you go into the show with an open mind, don't be surprised if you find this show working its way into your heart.

3 - The Glorious Ones (Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY)

Who said nice things come in small packages? Well, in the case of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's The Glorious Ones, you might instead say naughty things come in small packages. Though it may not exactly have risen to the exalted heights of all things glorious, the accomplished tunesmiths' latest work was certainly good -- if not-so-clean -- fun. With Graciela Daniele's deft touch and Ahrens and Flaherty's comedic and at times compelling score, The Glorious Ones was a debauched little diamond in the rough shining bright with a devilishly funny cast led by Marc Kudisch as the charismatic 16th Century leader of a fledgling band of actors in the commedia dell’arte (comic tradition).

Steeped in vulgarity and slapstick, this little frippery may not have been glorious. But it certainly was delightful fun.


2 - A Catered Affair (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)

Like a rare vintage wine that deserves to be sipped and savored, the seriously sublime A Catered Affair opens up across the tastebuds into a glorious bouquet. When all is said and done, this beautifully-acted, earnest chamber musical is intoxicating. Rich with integrity, Harvey Fierstein has vividly crafted a genuinely touching book that dares to wear its dry dignity on its sleeve, right alongside its huge beating heart. Fierstein's libretto has been wondrously blended with John Bucchino's stirring score. John Doyle's understated direction strikes the right balance between the many trials and inner demons the musical's principal characters face and the often hidden gentility each possesses, including Faith Prince in the performance of her career.

With a workmanlike realism, this slice of fifties Bronx offers a humungous and unpretentious heart. For anyone who has a palate worthy of the best reserve, A Catered Affair is a must-see.


1 - Passing Strange (Belasco Theatre, New York, NY)

The year's absolute best, most cosmic musical was also the most unusual and unexpected, and yet somehow real. Passing Strange succeeds in taking the Great White Way in an entirely new, infinitely intelligent direction. Its trajectory brilliantly takes a bohemian base and infuses gospel, rock, punk and soul music into a delicious, simmering hot, heterogeneous bouillabaisse, compliments of a musician named Stew. This exacting artist takes us on a wild trip in quasi-strolling minstrel style, expertly telling the story of his own formative adult years with such humor, passion and grace that I found myself tearing up many times over as chills shot down my spine.

Stew's storytelling alter ego, Youth, is played with awkward charm by Daniel Breaker, a sensationally expressive new stage star in an astonishing breakthrough role. Breaker has been duly honored (as I had predicted) with a well-deserved Tony nomination.

Often veering toward the existential when it's not reminding you of "The Wizard Of Oz," Stew's ethereal odyssey isn't as much about saying "there's no place like home" as it's reassuring you that you actually can go home again. I couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this smoke-hazed tale. Far from strange, I look forward to passing this way again.


What were the best new musicals you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)

Labels: A Catered Affair, Broadway, Musical, Off-Broadway, Passing Strange, Queens Boulevard, SOB's Best of 2007-08, The Glorious Ones, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, May 29, 2008 27 comments

This Goes Out To All The Lovers (Of Theatre)

This Goes Out To All The Lovers (Of Theatre)

Now that Valentine's Day has arrived, why not take that special someone to Broadway to see a show?

Here are my picks that will bring out the romantic in you:

Curtains - Sure it's a backstage murder mystery musical, but it's also filled with plenty of romance. And what's not to love about David Hyde Pierce's dance sequences?

Is He Dead? - The whole premise of this hysterically funny comedy is ostensibly built around amour with Norbert Leo Butz's as French painter Jean-François Millet.

Mamma Mia! - Guilty pleasure? Absolutely. But I dare you not to have fun (or be singing along during the curtain call concert).

Wicked - In the end, it's all about both the love of friends and lovers. Only a Tinman could not be moved.

Xanadu - The campiest way to wheel her (or him) in!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Curtains, Is He Dead?, Mamma Mia, Special Messages, Valentine's Day, Wicked, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, February 14, 2008 3 comments

Cheyenne "Chooses" Applebee's?!

Cheyenne "Chooses" Applebee's?!

One of my rituals in seeing a Broadway show is reading the Playbill I'm provided from cover to cover.

Aside from devouring the essential "Who's Who in the Cast" and "At This Theatre" highlights, I also enjoy the monthly theatre quiz, along with stories on current shows.

Yet one dubious monthly feature that I just don't get is the monthly "Celebrity Choice" section. It always includes the headshots of a couple Broadway babies and then showcases the restaurants they "choose." Mind you, the actors and actresses are never quoted in the veiled advertorials. However, you would think that the restaurant detailed below their photos would be one of their favorite places to eat, wouldn't you?

With that in mind, I was more than a little surprised by the entry showing up over the past month with Cheyenne Jackson of Xanadu. The heading actually said, "Cheyenne Jackson (Sonny in Xanadu at the Helen Hayes Theatre) chooses Applebee's."

I read that and thought, you've got to be kidding. A man of such style and grace that he would deliberately choose, yes choose -- if given a choice -- would prefer to eat at a restaurant like Applebee's?! Was his only other choice Chevy's?? I mean, I could see him choosing a restaurant like Xing (my personal favorite) or something else with a little zing, but Applebee's?!?! I just wonder what Cheyenne thought when he saw that edition of Playbill.

UPDATE (12:21 EDT, October 30): Thanks to Gil for spotting a great rant from Cheyenne himself on his blog where he discusses how he literally stopped the show because of some rude audience member whose cell phone wouldn't stop ringing. Jackson says: "So if by any chance that woman is reading this........I'm sorry, and would like to treat you to a nice dinner at Applebees, which apparently is my favorite restaurant, though I've never been there."

CORRECTION (12:52 EDT, October 30): Thanks to Esther for spotting my error above. Seems Jackson thought he was dealing with an errant cell phone abuser, when in fact he was told backstage: ".......Just wanted you to know that that wasn't a cell phone, it was feedback from a ladys' hearing aide." My apologies to Mr. Jackson for reporting his story incorrectly! I'd be willing to buy both the lady and Mr. Jackson dinner! Cheyenne, are you listening?

What's your favorite place to eat around Broadway's theatre district? That is, if you even have time to eat?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Applebee's, Broadway, Cheyenne Jackson, Restaurants, Theatre District, Xanadu, Xing

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, October 30, 2007 17 comments

Ever Had A Front Row Seat?

Ever Had A Front Row Seat?

Last week's discussion on where you prefer to sit when taking in live theatre got me to reminiscing about all the shows I've seen from a front row vantage point.

Among the Broadway shows: Spring Awakening (Lilli Cooper practically sang to me), Our Town (Paul Newman as the narrator towered directly over me for a significant portion of the show), The Boy From Oz, Rent, Xanadu (I could have reached out and touched Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson as they were perched on the edge of the stage) and Long Day's Journey Into Night (Robert Sean Leonard's off-stage gaze seemed to be staring straight through me) .

Topping them all was when I took in the excellent 2004 revival of Assassins. My front row center seat at Studio 54 literally placed me face to face with Neil Patrick Harris, who looked straight into my eyes as he sang part of one of the show's tunes. Talk about riveting.

While I'm sure there's more, those are the ones that sprang to mind. My positioning certainly made a difference in how I viewed each show literally and figuratively.

How about for you?

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
Where's Your Best Seat In The House? (September 26, 2007)
Xanadu (The SOB Review) (July 11, 2007)
Spring Awakening (The SOB Review) (March 3, 2007)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)

Labels: Assassins, Broadway, Front Row Seats, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Neil Patrick Harris, Our Town, Paul Newman, Rent, Robert Sean Leonard, Special Messages, Spring Awakening, The Boy From Oz, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, October 01, 2007 10 comments

Are Blogs Making The Time-Honored Preview Obsolete?

Are Blogs Making The Time-Honored Preview Obsolete?

Remember the "good old days" of theatre when bad news traveled at such a snail's pace that a stinker show could go through an out-of-town tryout and few in the Big Apple would pay any serious attention?

Time was when producers, directors, writers and the actors could work out all the kinks on the road, or at least during the all-important lead-up to the big Broadway opening night.

But no more.

Now, thanks to the blogsphere, the buzz (or its antithesis) begins almost as instantly as one audience member begins acting as scribe, letting friends and readers far and wide know exactly what he or she thought. Essentially, shows can run, but they can't hide, in part due to the global proportions of blogging.

For example, last week, I posted my SOB Preview of Young Frankenstein. It's the first time I've ever blogged about a show that had not yet opened -- including during its trial run in a city far, far away from the bright lights and glare of the Great White Way. Yet, simply because I could, I did. And my regular readers, along with those googling "Young Frankenstein Seattle Review," could easily find out my take on the unfinished product. Indeed, my statcounter has shown that this has been one of my top-viewed postings of late.

Already, according to a cursory search on Technorati, there are well over 100 individual reviews of the same show. This, despite the fact that it hasn't even opened yet in Seattle, let alone New York.

The net effect? It's further threatening the relevance of mainstream news media outlets all the more, as Seattle Times theatre critic Misha Berson all but acknowledges in her thought-provoking piece on why she's not able to weigh-in on the show. No matter that the Internet is already full of reviews -- both good and bad -- by amateurs like myself. It reduces venerable news sources to being also-rans.

I suspect that the other effect is far greater. Could it force productions to significantly pare back previews or scuttle them altogether? Ironically, in the aforementioned good old days, the typical number of previews prior to opening night was miniscule or non-existent.

Can you believe that the original production of Oklahoma! never had a single Broadway preview prior to its 1943 opening night? Contrast that with the most recent production -- which was imported from the British stage in 2002 -- that had 25 previews. That's up substantially from the 1979 production, which had a mere nine previews.

Consider that the original 1975 production of A Chorus Line, which transferred directly from the Public Theatre, had no previews. Yet the current production, known for being staged ostensibly the same as the first one, had 18 previews.

If you're thinking that a transfer mitigates the need for lengthy previews, think again. This year's Tony Award winning Best Musical Spring Awakening, which transferred from a highly successful run at the Atlantic Theatre (albeit with further refinements), still required 28 previews.

In fact, if you were to add up all the preview nights of all 21 shows currently running on Broadway, you'd have a grand total of 566 nights of previews, or just over 26 per show. That ranges from the inexplicably low 14 previews of Mamma Mia! to the outrageously long gestation period for Xanadu, which clocked in a whopping 49 previews thanks to injuries.

Even recent runs of acclaimed plays were close to the average in terms of previews. Frost/Nixon had 23 previews on Broadway, despite its critical success in the United Kingdom with the same two principals.

The History Boys, which had the exact same cast as its heralded National Theatre and West End runs, apparently still needed its 10 previews on the Great White Way.

Or did it?

In the age of the blogosphere, are previews now living past their shelf date? Since bad news travels faster than ever, almost with glee if the show's particularly awful (read: The Pirate Queen), would producers at the very least be wise to reconsider their liberal use of the preview?

You tell me! Vote in my latest SOB Poll and then weigh in with your point of view below.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: A Chorus Line, Blogs, Broadway, Frost/Nixon, Mamma Mia, Oklahoma, Previews, Spring Awakening, The History Boys, Tryout, Xanadu, Young Frankenstein

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, August 20, 2007 9 comments

Did Critics Offer Xana-Dos Or Don'ts?

Did Critics Offer Xana-Dos Or Don'ts?

Last evening, Xanadu rolled into its Broadway opening as the first musical of the 2007-08 Theatrical Season. For the most part, critics largely enjoyed the campy ride.

Citing how "at least Xanadu is in on the joke" of some of Broadway's more recent misfires, Charles Isherwood of The New York Times offers that "...there’s so much silly bliss to be had at the Helen Hayes Theater, where the new, improved Xanadu opened last night...[T]he creators and performers of Xanadu desecrate the theatah with such sharp good humor and magnetic high spirits that you won’t have much time to weep for the cultural blight that too much of Broadway has become. And in fact, there is enough first-rate stage talent rolling around in Xanadu to power a season of wholly new, old-school, non-jukebox musicals, if someone would get around to writing a few good ones."

Heralding it as a "guilt-free pleasure," Variety's David Rooney raves: "Douglas Carter Beane has taken the unpromising clay of Richard Danus and Marc Rubel's screenplay and molded it not only into an engagingly goofy spoof of the film itself but also a witty takedown of the Broadway creative climate. Sure, the book scenes occasionally stall, but what looked on paper to be one-note sketch fodder turns out to be an unexpectedly sustained and refreshingly unassuming crowd-pleaser....With a complicitous wink at the audience that's never overplayed, the creatives and cast at every turn cheekily point up the irony of charging Rialto prices for recycled trash."

Proclaiming that Xanadu "must appeal to the 40-year-old gay people in us all," Newsday's Linda Winer is also positive: "The 90-minute show, which kicked off the new season last night at the Helen Hayes Theatre, is a grand little piece of smart dumb fun. This is a takeoff that takes its craft seriously. The creators and cast of expertly good sports know precisely what they want to do, and they do it with breezy, self-referential humor and, of course, with roller skates....Kerry Butler brings a devilish edge to the romantic absurdities of Kira."

Prescribing the show as a "summertime cure for the blues," New York's Daily News critic Joe Dziemianowicz "Xanadu is 90 minutes of souped-up silliness and broad comedy....Kerry Butler...is simply out of this world as Kira. She has gorgeous pipes, great comic flair and puts on a fab faux Aussie accent that could make dingoes howl for more. The hunky Cheyenne Jackson...pinch-hits for the injured James Carpinello as the dim-but-dreamy Sonny -- and he's excellent....In this story of a muse, the moment is eye and ear candy that's delightfully inspired."

Zeroing in on the show's "surprisingly agreeable flair," Eric Grode of The New York Sun also seems game: "Mr. Beane's high-low collision relies heavily on bottom-feeding interpolations of slang along the lines of 'He my baby daddy' and 'Oh, snap!' He seems to grow more and more confident in the rightness of his approach, though, as the story becomes less and less comprehensible....Both in on the joke and completely in tune with Kira's burgeoning humanity, Ms. Butler pushes past the leg warmers and wooden dance moves to unveil a real character. Mr. Jackson, an eleventh-hour replacement, manages the near-impossible and turns the vapid Sonny into a charismatic, even adorable romantic foil."

Calling it an "absolutely ghastly show" over at the New York Post, stuffy old Clive Barnes is having none of it, as his one-star review attests: "The performers - all having to keep their tongues in their cheeks for so long it must give them earaches - do well, particularly the ultra-charming Jackson....Christopher Ashley’s staging is precisely what you would expect from a man who claims to have seen the original movie 148 times. But in the end, Xanadu reminded me of something, and it wasn’t Starlight Express or even disco. It was “Ishtar.”

Last week, Xanadu 's box office hovered just under 65% capacity and offered a steal of a ticket with average prices around $50. Mr. Barnes' comments notwithstanding, this could very well be the sleeper summer hit Broadway's been waiting for.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for ticket information.
Related Stories:
Xanadu (The SOB Review) (July 11, 2007)
No Khan Job: Xanadu Opens Tonight (July 10, 2007)
Broadway Can-Du? (December 18, 2007)
A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu (July 18, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Film, Jukebox Musical, Musical, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, July 11, 2007 6 comments

Xanadu (The SOB Review)

Xanadu (The SOB Review) - Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY

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

You've just gotta love a show that doesn't take itself too seriously.

And in the case of Xanadu, how could it? It's based on what is widely considered to be one of the all-time worst movies.

Rather than take a straight approach, literally and figuratively, this Xanadu revels and luxuriates in the extremely dubious nature of its source material about an Australian-accented mythical goddess who's brought to life by the clueless chalk-bearing mortal who drew her -- at Venice Beach -- and flirts with her own mortality by falling in love with him.

Indeed, this is the campiest, most outrageous fun I've had since going Down Under over the Holidays to see Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical. All of which leads me to wonder: "What is it about the Aussies and campfests, anyway?"

Fortunately, as Xanadu bears out, the score from the film was actually far better than it's credited for. Say what you will about the movie, but John Farrar (who wrote some of Olivia Newton-John's biggest hits) and Jeff Lynne (of Electric Light Orchestra fame) packed the original soundtrack with plenty of memorable tunes, including "I'm Alive," "Magic," "Dancin'" and "All Over The World." And credit director Christopher Ashley and music director Eric Stern with mining the tunesmiths' catalogues even further for other nuggets like "Evil Woman," "Strange Magic" and "Have You Never Been Mellow." All of them make this film-turned-stage musical into more of a jukebox variety than you'd expect.

That point is downright flaunted by Douglas Carter Beane's super silly, yet surprisingly engaging book, which is simply too preposterous to describe. Between all of the libretto's winking and nodding, coupled with the dizzying pace of the Ashley's direction, you'd be forgiven for closing your eyes and missing the whole thing. But thanks to the tuner's eyepopping cast, that's not even an option.

As the muse Clio turned Aussie rollerbabe Kyra, Kerry Butler proves a formidible force with a gorgeous voice coupled with plenty of comic timing. While James Carpinello was on track to portray sidewalk artist Sonny until a nasty fall sidelined him last month, Cheyenne Jackson more than ably stepped into his rollerskates with charm to spare. Stage and screen veteran Tony Roberts gamely takes on dual roles of Danny Maguire and Zeus, and somehow manages to channel his inner Keith Richards. Together as Clio's conspiring sisters, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa conjure up beguiling spells that are so over the top I found myself laughing harder than I have in a long, long time.

Then there's the brilliant magic, not only of Dan Knechtges' dazzling roller-boogie choreography (especially given the Helen Hayes' miniscule stage), but also of Zachary Borovay's marvelously captivating and enchanting projection designs, which practically breathe life into Sonny's chalk drawings.

Is Xanadu a great musical? Of course not, and fortunately, it doesn't aspire to be. But if you go into the show with an open mind, don't be surprised if you find this show working its way into your heart.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for ticket information.
Related Stories:
No Khan Job: Xanadu Opens Tonight (July 10, 2007)
Broadway Can-Du? (December 18, 2007)
A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu (July 18, 2006)

Labels: Broadway, Film, Jukebox Musical, Musical, The SOB Review, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10 comments

No Khan Job: Xanadu Opens Tonight

No Khan Job: Xanadu Opens Tonight

After perhaps more previews than any other Broadway show in recent memory (49) -- or ever, thanks in part to the an injury that befell original male lead James Carpinello, Xanadu finally rolls into opening night on the Great White Way.

Based on the infamous 1980 Olivia Newton-John vehicle and packed with hits by the Australian diva and Electric Light Orchestra, Xanadu camps things up considerably via a book by Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed).

Xanadu's cast includes Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson,
Tony Roberts, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa.

Will critics enjoy the ride? Find out tomorrow as I provide a critics' capsule, along with my own review.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for ticket information.

Labels: Broadway, Film, Musical, Opening Night, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, July 10, 2007 5 comments

Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See?

Which Upcoming Broadway Musicals Will You See?

Now that the 2007 Tony Awards are history, I'd like to cordially invite you to vote in my latest SOB Poll (found on the right-hand margin) for each of the the upcoming Broadway musicals -- already slated for the 2007-08 Theatrical Season -- that you plan to see.

Feel free to vote for as many of the ten selections of new musicals and revivals as you want. Your choices include:

• 13 - Jason Robert Brown's new musical about 13 thirteen year olds.
  
  A Catered Affair - Harvey Fierstein in the stage musical adaptation of Bette Davis' favorite flick.
  
  Grease - Reality show winners Max Crumm and Laura Osnes strut their stuff in the second Broadway revival.
  
  Guys And Dolls - Michael Grandage's revival of this all-time classic musical, direct from London's Donmar Warehouse.
  
  In The Heights - Hip current Off-Broadway hit that's about to pull a Spring Awakening-style transfer.
  
  Porgy And Bess - Trevor Nunn's overhauled revival of the Gershwins' classic opera is transferred from London.
  
  Sunday In The Park With George - Olivier Award-winning revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical based on George Seurat and his famous painting.
  
  The Little Mermaid - Disney's latest film-to-stage musical adapation.
  
  Xanadu - Campy stage adapation of what many consider to be the all-time worst film. It's opening has now been rescheduled for July 10.
  
  Young Frankenstein - Mel Brooks seeks two-for-two success with latest musical version of one of his most beloved films.

After voting, feel free to share why each of the shows you've selected pique your interest.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
Grandage Guys And Dolls Set For Great White Way (June 6, 2007)
Not Unlucky: 13 Headed To Broadway (May 25, 2007)
Off-Broadway Hit Seeks Greater White Way Heights (May 23, 2007)
Sunday In The Park With Daniel And Jenna (May 7, 2007)
Max And Laura Go Together (March 26, 2007)
Fierstein To Musicalize Bette Davis' Fave Flick (March 21, 2007)
Mermaid Casting Anything But Little (March 20, 2007)
It's Official: Mullally Cast In Young Frankenstein (March 9, 2007)
Broadway Can-Du? (December 18, 2006)
Trevor Nunn's West End Porgy and Bess Will Transfer to Broadway (July 25, 2006)

Labels: 13, A Catered Affair, Broadway, Grease, Guys And Dolls, In The Heights, Musical, Porgy And Bess, SOB Poll, Sunday In The Park With George, The Little Mermaid, Xanadu, Young Frankenstein

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, June 15, 2007 4 comments

The Hits From Coast To Coast

Labels: Betrayal, Broadway, Curtains, Daniel Radcliffe, Dreamgirls, Equus, Jennifer Holliday, Jennifer Hudson, Legally Blonde, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, The Glass Menagerie, The Pirate Queen, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, March 08, 2007 1 comments

Broadway Can-Du?

Broadway Can-Du?

When we last checked in on the new stage musical version of Xanadu, it was working toward an Off-Broadway berth. But now, Xanadu is officially Broadway bound and is expected to land at the Helen Hayes Theatre in May 2007.

Earlier this year, I reported on the August readings for the show, which on paper, sounded more promising than the film flop with Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. That flick was famously derided as Xana-don’t.

So with all that back history, what on earth could make producers Rob Ahrens and Dan Vickery think they could succeed on stage? Was it the pairing of Tony winner Jane Krakowski with up-and-coming Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (although official casting is yet to be announced)? Or was it a promising book by Douglas Carter Beane (who gave the Great White Way The Little Dog Laughed)? Whatever it was, it must have struck a very kitschy chord.

Say what you will, but Ahrens and Vickery are certainly demonstrating more than just a little chutzpah in bringing this guilty pleasure to the Broadway boards, and the end result may just inspire enough tongue wagging to make it a must-see hit a la Mamma Mia.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Related Stories:
A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu (July 18, 2006)

Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Film, First Word On New Show, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, December 18, 2006 0 comments

A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu

A Place Where Nobody Dared To Go...Until Now: They Call It Xanadu

Perhaps with the plethora of movies-turned-musicals, ranging from the possibility of a Batman tuner to the confirmed Legally Blonde (scheduled for Broadway's Palace Theatre early next year), it was only a matter of time until someone mined Olivia Newton-John's thin movie repertoire for inspiration. With apologies to Cole Porter, it seems that anything goes today. While many films have translated well to theatrical musicals (The Producers, Hairspray, Beauty And The Beast), many have been critically drubbed (Sweet Smell of Success, Tarzan, Lestat). Yet they keep on coming!

Now, the 1980 film fiasco "Xanadu" -- that famously received a one-sentence review: "In a word, Xana-don't" -- is about to get its second musical reading treatment on August 3. Surprisingly, the cast isn't too shabby. Jane Krakowski is set for the Newton-John role (Kira), Ben Vereen will take on the role established on celluloid by Gene Kelly (Danny), and Broadway babies like Cheyenne Jackson, Annie Golden and Mary Testa will also participate.

While the movie didn't fare very well, its soundtrack was a huge hit, marrying tunes by Electric Light Orchestra's Jeff Lynne with fare by John Ferrar, who wrote a large cross-section of Olivia Newton-John's hit catalogue. Those songs will be included in the score for the stage adaptation. Xanadu will be directed by Christopher Ashley and feature a book by Douglas Carter Beane (critically-acclaimed for his Off-Broadway sensation, The Little Dog Laughed, which will transfer to the Great White Way this fall).

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: Broadway, Film, Legally Blonde, Musical, The Little Dog Laughed, Workshop, Xanadu

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Tuesday, July 18, 2006 3 comments