All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Broadway’s Tough Summer: Only 3 Shows Played at 100% Last Week, “Strange Loop” Wasn’t One of Them, “Mockingbird” Still MIA by Roger Friedman

Broadway is having a tough, tough summer. Shows are closing left and right, or announcing their finales are coming. The mask mandate

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:18PM
Monday, July 18, 2022

Broadway Surprise: Billy Crystal’s “Mr Saturday Night” Will Close at End of Summer by Roger Friedman

This has been a rough season on Broadway. Now, among the many shows closing is Billy Crystal’s wonderful “Mr. Saturday Night.” The

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:33AM
Sunday, July 17, 2022

Broadway: “Paradise Square” Closes After Cast Fights for Salaries, Producer Barred from Doing Another Show by Roger Friedman

The videos below are from actor Jamal Christopher Douglas. He’s in the cast of “Paradise Square,” which closes Sunday in a cloud

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:12AM
Saturday, July 16, 2022

Broadway: “Funny Girl” Trouble Continues, Beanie Feldstein Out for Weekend with Tonsillitis by Roger Friedman

September cannot come fast enough for the producers of “Funny Girl” on Broadway. Star Beanie Feldstein, who’s missed dozens of shows for

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:54AM
Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Broadway: “Paradise Square” Will Close Abruptly on Sunday, Producers Sued by Actor’s Equity by Roger Friedman

“Paradise Square” : I told you weeks ago this musical would shut down. Now comes the announcement that Sunday will be its

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:37PM
Monday, July 11, 2022

Broadway: I TOLD YOU: Lea Michele Will Play Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl,” Tovah Feldshuh Is Her Mother by Roger Friedman

I told you: Lea Michele will play Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on Broadway. Tovah Feldshuh will play her mother. This is

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:12PM

Broadway: Beanie Feldstein Leaving “Funny Girl” Eight Weeks Early, Lea Michele Likely Successor (Exclusive) by Roger Friedman

Beanie Feldstein says she’s leaving “Funny Girl” on Juy 31st. She missed the Saturday matinee and has skipped a lot of other

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:03AM
Saturday, July 9, 2022

Broadway: Beanie Feldstein Out Again for “Funny Girl” Matinee Today, New Stand By In by Roger Friedman

Ephie Aardema is getting her big break today at 2pm. She’s in for Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:33PM
Thursday, July 7, 2022

Broadway: “Almost Famous” Musical Is Almost Here from “MJ” Team This October by Roger Friedman

Penny Lane is coming to Broadway. Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” the musical, has a theater, a start date, and an opening night.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:42PM
Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Broadway: “Company” Gets Mid-Show Standing Ovations, “American Buffalo” A Gem by Roger Friedman

I caught up again with two Broadway shows this weekend. “Company,” which won Best Musical Revival, is set to close at the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:48AM
Thursday, June 30, 2022

“Jeopardy!” Host Competition Narrows as Mayim Bialik Having Trouble Keeping Ratings Up by Roger Friedman

“Jeopardy!” is having in house competition right now. Who will be regular host? Ken Jennings or Mayim Bialik? Don;t get me wrong.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:07PM
Monday, June 27, 2022

Broadway: “Music Man” Star Sutton Foster Tests Postive Again for COVID, Out of Show by Roger Friedman

No masks and no vax test proof is cutting down the people on Broadway stages. Sutton Foster is out of “The Music

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:48AM
Friday, June 24, 2022

Broadway: “The Minutes” Turned Into Seconds Last Night With Main Cast Out from COVID by Roger Friedman

Last night theater patrons got a surprise at the Roundabout Theater on 54th St. Six of the main 11 actors at “The

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:54PM
Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Broadway Recession: Daniel Craig’s “Macbeth” Had a Tough Week, “Paradise” Lost, “Loop” Not So Strange by Roger Friedman

Last week was tough on Broadway, even for big stars. “Macbeth” starring Daniel Craig only filled 83% of the Longacre Theater in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12PM
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Broadway: Tony Awards Can’t Stop Acclaimed “Company” from Closing at End of July by Roger Friedman

The acclaimed revival of “Company” won a Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, and Tonys for its two featured actors, Patti Lupone

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:48PM
Thursday, June 16, 2022

Broadway Exclusive: “Funny Girl” Insiders Are Saying Lea Michele Will Finally Be Fanny Brice by Roger Friedman

EXCLUSIVE: We know that Beanie Feldstein will exit her role as Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” in September. Jane Lynch, who plays

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:48PM

Broadway: No Tony Awards Love Sends Beanie Feldstein Packing from “Funny Girl,” Jane Lynch Too by Roger Friedman

Beanie Feldstein is outta here. The star of Broadway’s “Funny Girl” is exiting the show in September. That will be six months

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:42AM
Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Ex-Monk $259 Million Powerball Lottery Winner Makes Martha Clarke’s Stunning “God’s Fool” Come Alive at Famed La Mama Theater by Roger Friedman

Martha Clarke‘s stunning theater piece, “God’s Fool,” opens at the famed La Mama theater in the East Village this week. But the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:33PM
Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Tony Awards Ratings Zoom Up 47% from 2021 Show, Win the Night, Trounce Time 100 Special by Roger Friedman

The 2022 Tony Awards on CBS were a ratings hit. Total viewers were 4.2 million, up significantly — 47 % — from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06PM
Monday, June 13, 2022

Hugh Jackman Tests Poz for COVID, Again: He’s Out of The Music Man Through June 21 by Roger Friedman

For the second time in this difficult Broadway season, Hugh Jackman has tested positive for COVID. He’s out of “The Music Man”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:48PM

2022 Tony Awards: A Great Night for Jennifer Hudson, and for Anyone Named Michael Jackson by Roger Friedman

It was a great night at the Tonys for Jennifer Hudson and anyone named Michael Jackson. JHud. became an EGOT last night,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:33AM
Sunday, June 12, 2022

Tony Awards Tonight: Hugh Jackman vs. Billy Crystal vs. Michael Jackson Is the Big Race by Roger Friedman

Think the Tony Awards are boring? Not tonight. When the show kicks off on CBS at 8pm, Paramount Plus at 7, it’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18PM
Friday, June 10, 2022

Broadway: Legendary Performer Lena Horne Will Be First Black Woman With Theater Named for Her by Roger Friedman

This is big news. The great Lena Horne, legendary movie and stage star and singer of “Stormy Weather,” is getting a Broadway

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:19AM
Thursday, June 9, 2022

Tony Awards Plan Star Studded List of Presenters, Performers: Will Michael Jackson Be the King of Broadway? by Roger Friedman

Sunday’s Tony Awards (CBS, 8pm) are going to be full of stars. Presenters and performers are all A list. Top of the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:12PM
Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Broadway: “Evan Hansen,” “Tina Turner” Musicals to Close This Summer, Early Fall: More to Come by Roger Friedman

Broadway is really subject to the adage Only the Strong Survive. The pandemic break hit all the shows hard, and now the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:36AM
Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Sunny Day! “Sesame Street” Musical Coming to off Broadway This Fall for Limited Run by Roger Friedman

Next year’s Obie Award for Best Actor may go to… Elmo! “Sesame Street: The Musical” is set for a limited run off

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:37PM

Broadway: Bad News as Beanie Feldstein Out of “Funny Girl” Again, This Time with COVID by Roger Friedman

Bad news for fans of Beanie Feldstein. The usually effervescent star of “Funny Girl” will be out the rest of this week.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:18AM
Thursday, June 2, 2022

Hear the First Song from “Almost Famous” the Musical Coming to Broadway This Fall by Roger Friedman

Cameron Crowe’s great movie, “Almost Famous,” is coming to Broadway as a musical this fall. They’ve released a song called “Everybody’s Coming

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:33PM
Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Broadway: With Scott Rudin Gone, “The Music Man” Will Have Normal Actors Fund Performance by Roger Friedman

Yes, I know the Actors Fund is now called the Entertainment Community Fund. Blech. Anyway, when it was called the Actors Fund,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:07PM
Saturday, May 28, 2022

Broadway: “Funny Girl” Star Beanie Feldstein Keeps Missing Shows, Giving Understudy Julie Benko a Surprise Showcase by Roger Friedman

It pains me to say this. But there’s some trouble at “Funny Girl.” I’m a big fan of Beanie Feldstein, who plays

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:33PM
Thursday, May 26, 2022

Broadway News: Sondheim’s Hot Summer Continues with “Into the Woods” All Star Revival Coming Next Month by Roger Friedman

Stephen Sondheim is smiling in heaven. “Company,” as I told you yesterday, is booming right now with Patti Lupone, Katrina Lenk and

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:48PM

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