All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Monday, June 11, 2012

Tony Awards Downside: Many Winners Are Leaving Or Have Left Their Shows by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards were great, and all the people who won are no doubt grateful. But many of them are leaving before the audience can see them. “Death of A Salesman” has already clo…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:17AM

Tony Awards Bring Out Movie Stars, Reward the Much Deserved by Roger Friedman

This year’s Tony Awards seemed to be as much about showcasing the future of Broadway as rewarding the people who long deserved some kudos. I’m thinking of Judith Light, who went …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:03AM
Sunday, June 10, 2012

Tony Awards Could Be Big Ratings Winner Tonight: No Network Competition by Roger Friedman

Tonight’s Tony Awards on CBS may turn out to be a big ratings winner. For once, the Tonys have clear sailing all night with very little real competition on the regular broadcast networ…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:47AM
Friday, June 8, 2012

Tony Awards Going Up Against “Mad Men” Finale, “True Blood” Return by Roger Friedman

Sunday night is going to be a fight for the remote control and the DVR in certain demographic households. At 8pm the Tony Awards will begin on CBS. At 9pm “True Blood” will retur…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:52PM
Wednesday, June 6, 2012

“Book of Mormon” Added to Tony Show Sunday, Even Though It’s From Last Year by Roger Friedman

“The Book of Mormon”–still the biggest hit on Broadway–is going to be featured on this year’s Tony Awards. (This Sunday, CBS.) A little weird since “Mormo…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:23AM

Christian Borle Leaving “Starcatcher,” Heading Back to “Smash” by Roger Friedman

It does seem like Christian Borle, star of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” is leaving the kooky musical soon after Sunday’s Tony Awards. A casting call has gone out for his ch…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:50AM

Debra Winger Making Broadway Debut in David Mamet Play by Roger Friedman

Debra Winger is going to make her Broadway debut this fall. She’s signed on to a David Mamet two hander (that’s two actors) called “The Anarchist.” Broadway legend Pa…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:58AM
Saturday, May 12, 2012

Trudie Styler, Daughter Act up A Storm in Off Broadway Workshop by Roger Friedman

You can catch one more performance tonight, Saturday, at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” as adapted by famed British director Max Stafford-Clark. It&#…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:43AM
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Tony Award Deadline Arrives, Broadway Season Ends With a Muddle of Shows by Roger Friedman

It’s over. The big race from March 1st — when the spring season begins– to April 26th, cut off date for eligibility for the Tony Awards. It ended tonight with a thud. I saw…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:32PM
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Spider Man Musical, Actually Making Money, Picks Up Outer Critics Nominations by Roger Friedman

“Spider Man: Turn off the Dark”–litigious, controversial, but you know what? It’s making money every week. And now it’s picked up some nominations from the Oute…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:43PM
Monday, April 9, 2012

Theater in Los Angeles? It Exists, After All by Roger Friedman

When you think of Los Angeles, you think of movies and television.  Theater, Opera, and spectacular performance art thrive in LA, and our Leah Sydney catches us up on what is being buzzed a…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:48AM
Sunday, March 18, 2012

Philip Seymour Hoffman Rocks Broadway’s New “Death of a Salesman” by Roger Friedman

The greatest American play? Quite possibly Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” set in 1949 and revived last night on Broadway in a production that is outstanding. Mike Nichols direc…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:50PM
Friday, March 9, 2012

From London: Nicole Kidman Headed Back to Theater by Roger Friedman

Baz Bamigboye reports exclusively in the Daily Mail that Nicole Kidman is heading back to the theater. Remember last year I told you that Nicole would appear on Broadway in “Sweet Bird…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:49PM
Saturday, March 3, 2012

“Spider Man” Creator Julie Taymor Sues Show Producers, Says They Conspired Against Her by Roger Friedman

Julie Taymor has finally filed a strong counterclaim in US District Court in New York against the producers of “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” explaining her side of the collapse of thei…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:43PM
Thursday, February 16, 2012

Spider Man Producers Cave In, Reach Settlement with Julie Taymor by Roger Friedman

The producers of “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” have finally caved in. They’ve settled with director-creator Julie Taymor on basic financial issues. They’ve agreed t…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:41PM
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Hugh Jackman, Broadway Houdini: I Told Readers Three Years Ago by Roger Friedman

Wow. Big announcement today that Hugh Jackman will play Harry Houdini on Broadway in 2013/2014. However: I broke that story THREE YEARS ago. Yes, here is the link. http://www.foxnews.com/sto…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:26PM
Friday, December 16, 2011

Extremely Good, Incredibly Intense: Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Gabby Sidibe, and 400 Security Guards by Roger Friedman

It was the penultimate movie premiere of the fall Oscar season– Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” Or is it “Extemely Close and Incredibly …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:51AM
Sunday, December 11, 2011

Broadway: Harry Connick Jr. Sings Reincarnation as Taxidermy by Roger Friedman

“On A Clear Day You Can See Forever” only a ran a few months when it first opened on Broadway in 1965. It’s never been revived, and for good reason. Now, some misguided peo…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:17PM
Friday, December 9, 2011

Claire Huxtable’s Kid is a Star in Broadway “Stick Fly” by Roger Friedman

I’m completely appalled by the glee the New York Post’s theater columnist takes in reporting how badly some shows are doing on Broadway. Enough with the negativity. There are so …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:25AM
Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Review: Indie Film “Once” Returns as Off Broadway Gem by Roger Friedman

“Once”–do you remember this fine indie film from 2006? It went on to win the Academy Award for Best Song (“Falling Slowly”). The movie won the Indie Spirit Awar…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:50AM
Sunday, November 27, 2011

“Spider Man” Producers Slime Taymor; Where is Bono? by Roger Friedman

So “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” is a year old, technically. It began previews a year ago yesterday. In Monday’s New York Times (and online Sunday night), producer Michae…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:00PM
Sunday, November 20, 2011

Who is Alan Rickman Playing? New Play Has Everyone Guessing by Roger Friedman

It was only a few minutes into “Seminar,” Theresa Rebeck’s new hit Broadway comedy, when I realized who Alan Rickman was playing: the famed book editor and writing teacher …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:49PM
Wednesday, November 9, 2011

“Spider Man” Lawsuit Could Mean No National Tour For Now by Roger Friedman

Julie Taymor’s lawsuit against the producers of “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” has some serious consequences not yet explored. It turns out her lawyers are asking for a pe…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:33PM

Hugh Dancy, Nina Arianda Whip “Venus in Fur” Into Shape by Roger Friedman

Another big Broadway bow: Hugh Dancy and Nina Arianda pretty much stole the week, and it’s only Tuesday. They opened the Manhattan Theater Club’s fall season with a wild renditio…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:38AM
Friday, November 4, 2011

Charles Edwards, The Future Stuttering King, Has a NY Triumph by Roger Friedman

Charles Edwards–you do not know who he is because you are not British. Last night he completed the second of two performances at NYU’s Skirball Center with better known actor Jos…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:49AM

“Funny Girl” Cancelled: Broadway, Soap Operas Affected by Bad Economy by Roger Friedman

The economy is bad, and maybe worse than we thought. On Thursday evening, the producers of the revival of “Funny Girl” on Broadway–set for this winter–announced they …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:02AM
Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Spider Man on Broadway Update: Taymor Still Unpaid, Director’s Credit Goes to McKinley by Roger Friedman

It’s almost a year since “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” started previews on Broadway. Flashback if you will to November 21st, no, 28th to that fateful, postponed performan…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:22AM
Monday, October 31, 2011

Hugh Jackman’s Solo Broadway Show Does $1.2 Mil in First Week by Roger Friedman

Movie star Hugh Jackman’s solo musical show took in $1.2 million in its first week on Broadway. It finished 5th for the week, behind big deal musicals “Wicked,” “The …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:13PM
Monday, October 24, 2011

New Shakespeare Film: The Really Bad News, and A Little Good News by Roger Friedman

Roland Emmerich’s “Anonymous” opens this week. It should be called “Preposterous.” The film makes a case that William Shakespeare didn’t write his plays. …

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:29PM
Friday, October 21, 2011

Woody Allen Play Opening Is A Hit with A List Audience by Roger Friedman

The trio of one act plays called “Relatively Speaking” is a hit–opening last night on Broadway with contributions from Woody Allen, Elaine May, and Ethan Coen. And it’…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:25AM
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Exclusive: Kirstie Alley Trying for Broadway Debut by Roger Friedman

Exclusive: Kirstie Alley–newly slimmed down, but still a dieting Scientologist–is planning a Broadway debut. I’m told that Kirstie has agreed to do a three month run in a n…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:35PM