All stories by Robert Simonson on BroadwayStars

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Meet the Director Who Put Four Shows on the New York Stage in a Single Season by Robert Simonson

Antigone, A View From the Bridge, Lazarus and The Crucible. At 57, Ivo van Hove Bursts Onto Broadway With the Year of a Lifetime.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, February 26, 2016

In Case You Missed It: February 20-26 by Robert Simonson

Falsettos is back on, Hughie opens and seven old Broadway theatres miss their bid for landmark status.

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:52PM
Thursday, February 25, 2016

Jeff Daniels Latest Broadway Turn Takes a Toll, But is Worth the Price. by Robert Simonson

The actor confides why he was willing to revisit Blackbird and the role that tested him nine years ago.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, February 23, 2016

\u201CI\u2019m Walking Into Territory I Don\u2019t Know\u201D\u2014Forest Whitaker on His Unexpected Broadway Debut by Robert Simonson

The Oscar winner thought he'd debut in an original work, but he chose Eugene O\u2019Neill\u2019s Hughie instead.

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:00AM
Friday, February 19, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Off-Broadway Shines, Sandy Duncan Doesn’t Make It to Neverland and More by Robert Simonson

It was a big week for Off-Broadway, with openings of New Group's Buried Child and the opening of Off-Broadway transfer The Humans. Plus, news from&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:08PM

Harper Lee, Author of Iconic Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Dies at 89 by Robert Simonson

Harper Lee, the Southern novelist who achieved lifelong fame with her first—and for many decades, only—book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," died Feb. 19 in Monroevill…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:17PM
Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Actor George Gaynes of Wonderful Town and Out of This World, Dies at 98 by Robert Simonson

George Gaynes, and opera and stage performer whose career bloomed late as a character actor, leading to success on the big and small screens, died Feb. 15 in North Bend, WA. He was 98.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:42AM
Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: Star Names Continue to Earn Big Dollars at the Window by Robert Simonson

Forest Whitaker garners audiences, Blackbird's totals continue to soar, but the greatest jump at the till belongs to the musical about a precocious young girl.

SOURCE: Playbill at 06:30PM
Monday, February 15, 2016

Warren Manzi, Author of Long-Running Record-Holder Perfect Crime, Dies at 60 by Robert Simonson

Warren Mazni, whose name was familiar to few theatregoers, though thousands upon thousands of them had seen his work, died Feb. 11 in Lawrence, MA. He was 60.

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:32PM
Friday, February 12, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Be Still Our “Frozen Hearts,” Disney Announces Its New Musical Premiere by Robert Simonson

This week, Disney announced the coming of its snow queen to Broadway, Harper Lee and Aaron Sorkin join forces for Mockingbird on Broadway, Prodigal Son pr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:00PM
Thursday, February 11, 2016

Herb Braha, Original Cast Member of Godspell, Dies at 69 by Robert Simonson

Herb Braha, who acted in the original production of Godspell and later founded a costume house that supplied stage and film productions in Los Angeles, died Feb. 6 of congestive heart failur…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:07PM
Monday, February 8, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: Star Power Still Counts at The Window as Blackbird Takes Off by Robert Simonson

Though many shows saw a dip in profits this past week, the season is still shaping up to be one for the books. Blackbird, the drama starring Jeff Daniels and Michelle Williams, mark…

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:30PM
Friday, February 5, 2016

In Case You Missed It: This Week Proves the Crossover Between Hollywood and Broadway Is Closer Than by Robert Simonson

Between the televised live musical event on Jan. 31 filmed in L.A., the postponement of The Crucible's first preview so its star could attend the Oscars, Robert De Niro's di…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:05PM
Thursday, February 4, 2016

Bob Elliott, Half of Famed Comedy Team, Dies at 92 by Robert Simonson

Bob Elliott, the surviving member of the long-lived comedy team of Bob and Ray, died Feb. 2 at his home in Cundy’s Harbor, ME. He was 92.

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:33AM
Monday, February 1, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: A Healthy Week for the Great White Way by Robert Simonson

With a regular slate of performances last week, uninterrupted by extreme weather, Broadway was back on its feet. King Charles III played its final shows, while Chi…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:00PM
Friday, January 29, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Cate Blanchett Is Coming to Broadway and Hamilton Will Hit the West Coast by Robert Simonson

Blizzard Jonas slammed Broadway, Cate Blanchett announces her impending Broadway debut, Andy Karl will lead a new musical in London and Hamilton announces its first tour.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:00PM
Thursday, January 28, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: Despite Blizzard Cancellations, Attendance Was High on the Great White by Robert Simonson

The blizzard that blanketed New York on Saturday, Jan. 23, had a major impact on traffic and business along Broadway. Every show along Broadway was down to six performances last wee…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:06PM
Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Memorial Planned for David Margulies, Stalwart Character Actor of Stage by Robert Simonson and Robert Viagas

Friends are planning to celebrate the life actor David Margulies, who died Jan. 11 at age 78. The celebration of the actor, who successfully moved back and forth from stage to TV to film wit…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:24AM
Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Abe Vigoda, Actor from “Godfather” and “Barney Miller,” dies at 94 by Robert Simonson

Abe Vigoda, the lovably curmudgeonly actor known for his hangdog turns in "The Godfather" and the sitcoms "Barney Miller" and "Fish," died Jan. 26 in his sleep …

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:54PM
Monday, January 25, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Bette Midler’s Return and BroadwayCon’s Debut! by Robert Simonson

The theatre world fell into a collective swoon Jan. 19 when it was announced that stage and screen star Bette Midler would return to the Broadway in a revival of the 1964 musical, Hello, Dol…

SOURCE: Playbill at 02:59PM
Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: Broadway Takes Its Typical Mid-Winter Dip by Robert Simonson

January is typically a fallow period along Broadway, and accordingly box-office numbers stayed in the lower reaches this week, with only a couple shows selling out and most doing middlin…

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:00PM
Friday, January 15, 2016

In Case You Missed It: Theatre Mourned the Loss of Too Many Great Talents by Robert Simonson

Every day, as Sondheim says,a little death. These past days, however, was particularly hard on the theatre community, with stalwart stage animals like Myra Carter and David Margulies making …

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:00PM
Thursday, January 14, 2016

Alan Rickman, Actor of Debonair Menace, Dies at 69 by Robert Simonson

Alan Rickman, the tall, urbane, classically trained British actor who, late in life, became internationally famous as the antagonist of Bruce Willis and Daniel Radcliffe in cinematic epics o…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:53AM
Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Brian Bedford, Peerless Classical Actor at Stratford and Broadway, Dies at 80 by Robert Simonson

Brian Bedford, the British-born performer who was one of the great stage actors of his generation, with a peculiar affinity for the classics, and a particular association with Canada&…

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:50PM

Billie Allen, Pioneering Black Stage Actress, Dies at 90 by Robert Simonson

Billie Allen, an African-American actress who was involved in original productions of such pivotal stage works as A Raisin in the Sun and Funnyhouse of a Negro, died Dec. 29 at her home …

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:16AM

Richard Libertini, Character Actor of Film and Stage, Dies at 82 by Robert Simonson

Richard Libertini, a tall, gangly character actor of unmistakable appearance who forged a career in film, television and theatre over several decades, died Jan. 7 at his home in Venice, CA. …

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:42AM
Tuesday, January 12, 2016

David Margulies, Stalwart Character Actor of Stage, Dies at 78 by Robert Simonson

David Margulies, an actor who successfully moved back and forth from stage to TV to film with memorable portraits of harried ethnic characters, died Jan. 11 at age 78, according to his agent…

SOURCE: Playbill at 01:44PM
Monday, January 11, 2016

Broadway Box-Office Analysis: Returning to Eight-Show Schedule, Everyone Takes A Dip by Robert Simonson

After a booming New Year's week, Broadway fell to Earth a bit during the first full week of January.

SOURCE: Playbill at 05:45PM

David Bowie, Rock Star Chameleon and Lazarus Composer, Dies at 69 by Robert Simonson

David Bowie, the pop music chameleon whose ever-shifting musical styles and stage personae kept him an object of fascination, innovation and inspiration in the music, film and fashion wo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:52AM
Friday, January 8, 2016

In Case You Missed It: It’s a good week for directors! by Robert Simonson

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory finds a top director to add to it's golden creative team for its Broadway bow, and Off-Broadway's Signature Theatre names a new artisti…

SOURCE: Playbill at 10:00PM
Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Elizabeth Swados, Experimental Musical Composer, Dies at 64 by Robert Simonson

Elizabeth Swados, whose experimental and socially searching pieces of musical theatre were a mainstay of 1970s and '80s theatre in New York, died Jan. 5 from complications following sur…

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:34AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards