All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Broadway League Says It Will Return to Reporting Weekly Box Office Per Show Starting Next Week by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back. And soon we’ll know what the heck is going on. Starting next week, the Broadway League will return to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:33PM
Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Broadway: Great News as Tony Awards Returning to Radio City, Live Across the US on June 12th by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are back to normal! Returning to Radio City June 12th on CBS. What great news! The 75th anniversary show

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:18PM
Monday, March 7, 2022

Broadway Rock Bottom Hail Mary Pass: Pamela Anderson Joining Limping Musical “Chicago” by Roger Friedman

Broadway needs to fill seats, but this is ridiculous. The long running musical, “Chicago,” has always relied on stunt casting for its

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:36PM

“Mockingbird” National Tour Will Feature Original Oscar Nominated 1962 Film “Scout” Mary Badham in Cast by Roger Friedman

Mary Badham was 10 years old when she played Scout Finch in the 1962 movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Now, some 60

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:24AM
Friday, March 4, 2022

First a Movie, Now a Musical: “Tammy Faye” with Music by Elton John Headed to London and then…Broadway? by Roger Friedman

Jessica Chastain is up for an Oscar as Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” She may even win! Now

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:18PM
Thursday, March 3, 2022

Three Time Tony Award Winner Tony Walton Dies at 87, Famed Costume and Set Designer Of “Mary Poppins” by Roger Friedman

Tony Walton, 87, was one of the great costume, set, and production designers of our lifetimes. He was married famously to Julie

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM

The Fat Lady Sings: Met Opera Star Anna Netrebko Ousted from All Shows After Not Denouncing Putin by Roger Friedman

Metropolitan Opera star Anna Netrebko is out of the opera “Turandot” this spring and “Don Carlo” next season after not denouncing Vladimir

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:03PM
Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Broadway: James Earl Jones Becomes Only Living Performer to Have Theater Named For Him by Roger Friedman

Luke Skywalker, I am your theater! The great actor James Earl Jones is getting an amazing honor. The Shubert Organization is renaming 

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:42PM
Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Sir Elton John Makes A Magnificent Pandemic Comeback at MSG as Farewell Tour Resumes by Roger Friedman

Elton John said he wanted to wrap up his touring life so he could spend time with his kids. After 50 years,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:03PM

Ye of Little Faith: Kanye Has Disastrous Non-Release Listening Party in Miami for Unreleased Album by Roger Friedman

Well, 2-22-22 has come and gone. And there is no “Donda 2.” No one is surprised. Kanye West, aka Ye, had a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:54PM
Saturday, February 19, 2022

Broadway Blues: With 19 Shows Down to $18 Mil Week, “Mrs. Doubtfire” Musical Delays Reopening Til April 14th by Roger Friedman

“Mrs. Doubtfire” isn’t coming back to Broadway so fast. The musical version of the Robin Williams movie opened on December 5th but

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:36PM
Wednesday, February 16, 2022

EXCLUSIVE If You Love “Schmigadoon” You’ll Really Be Excited About the Sequel, “Schmicago” by Roger Friedman

The pleasures of “Schmigadoon” are known not only to the viewers of Apple Plus TV but also to the American Film Institute.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:18PM
Friday, February 11, 2022

Review: Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster Light Up Broadway with Boffo “Music Man,” Star Studded Premiere by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back! “The Music Man” revival that opened tonight at the Winter Garden is a crowd pleaser, a bright, lively blockbuster

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:18AM
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks “Gazpacho Police”: Woman on Verge of Nervous Breakdown by Roger Friedman

Yes, the idiotic congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She calls out Nancy Pelosi’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:48PM
Tuesday, February 8, 2022

“Funny Girl” is Returning to Broadway with a Twist: Florence Ziegfeld is a Black Man This Time by Roger Friedman

“Funny Girl” is coming back to Broadway for the first time since the original production closed in 1967. But this time around,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:07AM
Monday, February 7, 2022

UPDATES: “Plaza Suite” Tickets on Sale, Brandi Carlile to Play Elton John Event, UK Film Coming with Full Frontal by Roger Friedman

There’s a lot going on this morning. “Plaza Suite” tickets are on sale. Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker star in the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:54PM
Friday, February 4, 2022

“American Idol” Star Fantasia Chosen to Lead “The Color Purple” Movie Musical with Taraji P. Henson by Roger Friedman

In Hollywood terms, Fantasia should be over 50 years old by now. But she is only still just 37! One the great

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:36AM
Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Broadway: Michael Jackson’s Kids, Prince and Paris, Came to Opening Night of “MJ The Musical” by Roger Friedman

Broadway is not the same these days. You can’t go backstage after a premiere, and there are no parties. It’s all COVID

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:03PM

Broadway: “MJ” Michael Jackson Musical Opens to 3 Standing Ovations, Happy Audiences, and Cranky Critics by Roger Friedman

The Michael Jackson musical, “MJ,” opened on Broadway last night to standing ovations and cheering during the show, an extremely enthusiastic, and

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:48AM
Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Stephen Sondheim’s All-Star Off Broadway “Assassins” Assassinated by COVID, Show Closes Early by Roger Friedman

That’s it for the off Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins.” The musical about famous assassins has been killed early thanks to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06AM
Monday, January 24, 2022

Exclusive: Adele Was Using Non-Union Musicians in Las Vegas Gig, Opposite of Pro-Union Lady Gaga by Roger Friedman

The difference between Adele and Lady Gaga, at least in Las Vegas. Gaga has been using union musicians since she started performing

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18AM

Harry Potter and the Cursed Play: Actor Playing Adult Title Character Fired for Sexual Misbehavior by Roger Friedman

It’s not just COVID causing trouble on Broadway. Over at “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” there are other issues of substance.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18AM
Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Adele’s First Las Vegas Weekend: (Pricey) Tickets are Still Available, Fans Might Get Upgrades by Roger Friedman

Adele hits Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas this weekend and there will be plenty of publicity. But her first two shows still

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12PM

Broadway: “Mockingbird” Pauses til June, Star Greg Kinnear Got COVID, Only Performed in 2 Shows by Roger Friedman

“To Kill a Mockingbird” concluded its run on Broadway Sunday. But not with the star who was supposed to be there. Greg

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12PM
Monday, January 17, 2022

Broadway Fans: Watch the PBS Special Tuesday Night “Reopening” Featuring Adrienne Warren, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Aaron Tveit, More by Roger Friedman

Tomorrow night– Tuesday January 18th PBS 9pm– the best revelation in Frank Di Lella’s “Reopening: The Broadway Revival” comes around 18 minutes

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:48PM
Saturday, January 15, 2022

Review: Cecily Strong Won’t Be on “SNL” Tonight But You Can Catch Her Triumph Off Broadway All Month by Roger Friedman

Unless she’s a superwoman, you won’t be seeing Cecily Strong on “Saturday Night Live” tonight. From now through February 6th she’s performing

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM
Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Billy Crystal Can’t Host the Oscars, He’s Opening “Mr. Saturday Night” on Broadway with Oscar Nominated Co-Star by Roger Friedman

Scratch Billy Crystal from the list of potential Oscar hosts. He’s got other things to do. Crystal is opening the musical based

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:54PM

Broadway: “To Kill a Mockingbird” Hibernating, Will Return in Smaller Nest, “Girl of the North Country” Shutting Down by Roger Friedman

Broadway is suffering. The theaters are half full. Last week’s total gross was $18 million. It’s supposed to be $32 million. At

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:54PM
Friday, January 7, 2022

First Look: “MJ,” The Michael Jackson Musical, Poised to Be a Major Hit if the Pandemic Doesn’t Do It In by Roger Friedman

I took myself over to the Neil Simon Theater last night to see “MJ,” The Michael Jackson musical. It opens February 1st

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:03PM
Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater Will Close “Flying Over Sunset” Three Weeks Early by Roger Friedman

Lincoln Center Theater — an enigmatic deal to begin with — is closing its main play three weeks early. Now “Flying Over

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:03AM

RIP Famed Actress Joan Copeland, 99, Sister of Playwright Arthur Miller, Won Drama Desk Award, Star of Stage and Soaps by Roger Friedman

Joan Copeland was one of my favorite people I ran into over the years. The famed actress sister of legendary playwright Arthur

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:03AM

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