All stories by Michael on BroadwayStars

Sunday, August 21, 2022

Live Performance Is Back. But Audiences Have Been Slow to Return. by Michael Paulson and Javier C. Hernández

Attendance lagged in the comeback season, as the challenges posed by the coronavirus persisted. Presenters hope it was just a blip.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:33PM
Tuesday, August 9, 2022

How to maximize your entertainment dollars in the Seattle area by Grace Gorenflo, Jerald Pierce and Michael Rietmulder

As inflation makes money tight, here are affordable ways to enjoy the Seattle area's rich arts-and-culture scene, including free movies, concerts and more.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, July 28, 2022

Photos: 2022 Chicago Pride Parade by Salem Collo-Julin and Michael Jackson

In late June, the Chicago Pride Parade returned to its in-person glory after two years of delay and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thousands of people headed for the north side …

SOURCE: chicagoreader.com at 04:33PM
Sunday, June 12, 2022

Angela Lansbury Honored for Lifetime Achievement at the Tonys by Matt Stevens, Michael Paulson and Susan C. Beachy

Lansbury, 96, was not present to accept the award in person, but the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus sang “Mame” as a special tribute.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:33PM
Monday, June 6, 2022

Portraits of the 2022 Tony Nominees by Jingyu Lin, Michael Paulson, Jolie Ruben and Matt Stevens

As Broadway embarked on its road to recovery, these 45 theater artists helped pave the way.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:18AM
Friday, May 13, 2022

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ to Close on Broadway, a Month After Reopening by Nicole Herrington and Michael Paulson

The musical, which shuttered temporarily in January as the Omicron variant spread, has struggled with the slow return of tourists to the theater.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:24AM
Monday, May 9, 2022

Tony Nomination Snubs and Surprises: Daniel Craig, ‘Funny Girl’ and ‘Paradise Square’ by Michael Paulson and Scott Heller

Several stars, including Daniel Craig and Sarah Jessica Parker, were not nominated for their performances, while “Paradise Square” became one of the season’s most-nominated shows.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:06PM
Monday, March 7, 2022

What you need to know about mask and vaccine requirements to get into Seattle-area arts and music events this spring by Grace Gorenflo, Jerald Pierce, Moira Macdonald and Michael Rietmulder

As Washington and King County drop COVID-19 masking and vaccination requirements this month, what arts groups and venues are doing is varied.

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, December 30, 2021

13 Seattle-area arts-and-culture events to look forward to in 2022 by Brendan Kiley, Michael Rietmulder, Moira Macdonald and Janet I. Tu

Fingers crossed and fervent wishes sent for the end of the pandemic, here are some of the arts-and-culture events we're looking forward to in the new year, from a Billie Eilish concert to na…

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Thursday, September 16, 2021

How 5 Broadway Shows Restored Their Signature Effects by Michael Paulson and Justin J Wee

How five big returning shows, including “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Moulin Rouge!,” have retuned, restored and restarted their signature effects.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:06AM
Monday, September 13, 2021

Curtains Up! How Broadway Is Coming Back From Its Longest Shutdown. by Michael Paulson and Mark Sommerfeld

Determined to reopen, crews are dusting off spotlights, dancers are relearning steps, and everyone is testing, testing, testing as theater seeks to rebound from the devastating pandemic.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:18PM
Friday, August 6, 2021

The First Play Returning to Broadway Is Doing Things Differently by Dodai Stewart, Michael Paulson, Anna Martin, Tracy Mumford, Theo Balcomb, Phyllis Fletcher, Wendy Dorr and Corey Schreppel

The playwright Antoinette Nwandu is making her Broadway debut with “Pass Over” — and trying to change long-held precedents in the process.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:32PM
Saturday, July 17, 2021

As New York Reopens, It Looks for Culture to Lead the Way by Michael Paulson, Ben Sisario and Robin Pogrebin

Culture is part of the lifeblood of New York — a magnet for visitors and residents alike that will play a key role if the city is to remain vital. There are signs of hope everywhere, as va…

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 12:43PM

As New York Reopens, It Looks for Culture to Lead the Way by Michael Paulson, Ben Sisario and Robin Pogrebin

The arts scene, from Broadway and nightclubs to museums and concert halls, is coming back to life after the pandemic shutdown. Getting it right will be vital to the city’s comeback.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:32AM
Saturday, April 24, 2021

How Scott Rudin Wielded Power in Show Business by Michael Paulson and Cara Buckley

For decades, the producer has cultivated and castigated people at all levels of entertainment. Now his past is catching up with him.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:29AM
Thursday, March 25, 2021

Coming to Broadway: Vaccinations for New York’s Theater Workers by Julia Jacobs and Michael Paulson

Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the city would create a vaccination site for theater workers to try to help Broadway shows reopen by the fall.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:06PM
Tuesday, March 23, 2021

‘Why Are We Stuck?’ Stage Actors Challenge Their Union Over Safety by Michael Paulson and Katy Lemieux

A dust-up in Dallas and a 2,500-person petition signal that many performers believe their representatives are keeping them from getting work.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 04:32PM
Thursday, March 11, 2021

The Night New York's Theaters, Museums and Concert Halls Shut Down by Michael Paulson, Julia Jacobs and Jason Farago

Chocolate fountains, Debbie Harry and an artist’s swan song cut short. We gathered scenes from the New York City cultural landscape in the last moments before lockdown.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:42AM
Saturday, February 27, 2021

Broadway is Dark. London is Quiet. But in Australia, It’s Showtime. by Damien Cave and Michael Paulson

Temperature-taking robots, scanning codes for contact tracing, and generous refund policies are helping shows like “Frozen,” “Come From Away” and “Hamilton” get back onstage.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:24PM
Friday, January 29, 2021

A Broadway Theater Owner Rethinks Post-Pandemic Ticket Selling by Michael Paulson and Ben Sisario

Jujamcyn, which operates five of the 41 Broadway houses, said that when theater returns it will use SeatGeek instead of Ticketmaster.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:12PM
Thursday, January 21, 2021

Seattle restaurants and arts and culture institutions are hoping for a big boost in latest round of COVID-19 relief by Paul Roberts, Tan Vinh, Brendan Kiley and Michael Rietmulder

Tucked inside Congress’ latest round of small-business relief is some rare good news for restaurants, hotels and the performing arts — sectors that have been especially hard hit by COVID…

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Advocating and Agitating, Connecting and Inventing by Michael Paulson, Jesse Green, Scott Heller, Laura Collins-Hughes and Elisabeth Vincentelli

With their field rocked by unprecedented challenges in 2020, these people and groups — some notable, some new — stepped into the breach.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:12AM
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

AP sources: Biden picks Lloyd Austin as secretary of defense by Robert Burns, Michael Balsamo, Jonathan Lemire and Zeke Miller

President-elect Joe Biden will nominate retired four-star Army general Lloyd J. Austin to be secretary of defense, according to four people familiar with the decision. If confirmed by the Se…

SOURCE: StarTribune at 10:32PM
Friday, September 11, 2020

6 months after COVID restrictions began, how are music venues, arts groups and musicians doing? by Michael Rietmulder, Moira Macdonald, Brendan Kiley and Megan Burbank

How are local arts groups and musicians holding up and what do they have planned this fall, despite the restrictions? Here, they tell us in their own words, offering a snapshot of how some a…

SOURCE: www.seattletimes.com at 09:00AM
Friday, June 19, 2020

Sir Ian Holm obituary by Michael Billington and Ryan Gilbey

Acclaimed actor whose dazzling career included memorable roles in Alien, Chariots of Fire and The Lord of the Rings Ian Holm, who has died aged 88, was a brilliant actor in all media whose c…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:48AM
Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Four Black Artists on How Racism Corrodes the Theater World by Laura Collins-Hughes, Michael Paulson and Salamishah Tillet

A playwright, a director, an artistic director and an actor share their experiences — and prescriptions for change.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:24PM
Thursday, June 4, 2020

No Tony Awards Show? Make Your Own With These Great Moments. by Ben Brantley, Jesse Green, Michael Paulson, Alexis Soloski, Elisabeth Vincentelli, Laura Collins-Hughes, Scott Heller and Eric Grode

Miranda’s rap. Rylance’s poems. Jackman’s pelvis. And a brassy reunion for Bea Arthur and Angela Lansbury. Now set your clock for “Turkey Lurkey Time.”

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:18PM
Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Larry Kramer: a pioneering life in pictures by Compiled By Michael Williams and Jehan Jillani

The playwright, author and activist Larry Kramer has died aged 84 after a storied life. Kramer wrote the groundbreaking play The Normal Heart and worked tirelessly to assist those with HIV/A…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:42PM
Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Fall of Autumn: Live Performance Producers Are Giving Up on 2020 by Michael Paulson, Joshua Barone, Ben Sisario and Zachary Woolfe

Uncertainty about the coronavirus and the challenge of protecting audiences and artists is prompting many prominent presenters to wait till next year.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:32PM
Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Daily Call That 200 Arts Groups Hope Will Help Them Survive by Robin Pogrebin and Michael Paulson

In a sign of the pandemic’s toll, New York’s cultural institutions, large and small, feel compelled to share their woes and tactics in strategy sessions.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:54AM
Monday, April 20, 2020

Broadway Was Booming. Then Came the Pandemic. by Michael Paulson and David S. Allee

Broadway was booming. Then came the coronavirus.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:32PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic