All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Broadway Performer ID’d as Jan. 6th Oath Keeper, Arrested, Played Judas in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Called Him a “Hero” in Interview by Roger Friedman

The Washington Post reports that an actor who calls himself James T. Justis is really James Beeks, and he was part of

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:48PM
Thursday, November 18, 2021

Broadway: “Diana” Musical Opens to Scathing Reviews, Teeters on Closing Almost Immediately by Roger Friedman

At long last, “Diana: The Musical” has opened on Broadway like a meteor set to destroy the Earth. The reviews are scathing.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:24AM
Sunday, November 7, 2021

“Wicked” Thing: 8,400 People Have Signed a Petition to Keep James Corden Out of Movie of Broadway Hit by Roger Friedman

Those change.org peeps are at it again! Now 8,400 people have signed a petition to keep late night talk show host and

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:42PM
Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Broadway: Greg Kinnear Tapped to Replace Jeff Daniels in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Roger Friedman

Well. Jeff Daniels returned to “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Broadway for a short run, but his time up and producers have

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:12PM
Monday, November 1, 2021

Broadway: Bob Dylan Musical Still Headed for Tonys–in 2022, Michael Jackson Musical Hires a “Ringer” from Met Opera by Roger Friedman

I returned to the Belasco Theater on Saturday afternoon, my first show on Broadway since the start of the pandemic. It was

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12AM
Thursday, October 28, 2021

Michael Jackson Musical “MJ” Casts Young Michaels and Young Marlon, Previews Begin December 6th by Roger Friedman

“MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” is coming. Previews begin December 6th on Broadway. The show announced casting today: Walter Russell III from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:03PM
Monday, October 18, 2021

Saturday Night in NYC: Harry Styles Wows at MSG, plus The Temptations’ Otis Williams Celebrates Bday, Musical Reopening by Roger Friedman

Is New York back? I’d say so! Saturday night was busy. At Madison Square Garden, Harry Styles came back for a third

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:18PM
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum Will Still Open Season with Porn-ish “Slave Play” Despite Playwright’s Complaints by Roger Friedman

The pornographic and not very good “Slave Play” will still open the season for the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles next

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:18AM
Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Broadway’s First Ever Revival of “Funny Girl” Adds Jane Lynch, Ramin Karimloo to Beanie Feldstein’s Cast by Roger Friedman

This is going to be interesting. Emmy winner Jane Lynch can do anything, she’s a comic genius. Now we’ll find out if

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:54PM

Broadway: Will “Diana: The Musical” Actually Open? Reviews are Scathing, Sales are Minimal by Roger Friedman

A lot of really smart, good people are involved in “Diana: The Musical.” So I’m hesitant to say this: Will this show

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:54PM
Tuesday, October 5, 2021

THEATER: “Slave Play” Writer Jeremy O. Harris Wants Show Removed from LA Theater Over Gender Parity by Roger Friedman

Jeremy O. Harris, the most recent “it” playwright, has stirred up some trouble in Los Angeles. Harris has asked that a production

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:32PM

Not Just Our Imagination: John Legend Film Company Now a Producer of Temptations Broadway Show by Roger Friedman

If you watched the Tony Awards special a couple of weeks ago, you may have noticed John Legend did a whole segment

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:24PM
Monday, October 4, 2021

Broadway: Tony Goldwyn and Savion Glover Bringing Updated “Pal Joey” Adding Rodgers and Hart’s Other Hits to Score by Roger Friedman

Broadway is getting what can only be called a treat. Tony Goldwyn will direct and Savion Glover will direct a newish version

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06PM
Sunday, October 3, 2021

UPDATE Atrocious, Tuneless “Diana” Musical Rips off 70s Music, Someone Call Pete Townshend Now by Roger Friedman

“Diana: The Musical” is just atrocious. We are so lucky to not to have to see it in person on Broadway. Instead,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:32AM
Saturday, October 2, 2021

“Diana: The Musical” Opens on Netflix to Seven Out of Eight Negative Reviews, A Month Ahead of Broadway by Roger Friedman

Yesterday was October 1st. And believe it or not, “Diana: The Musical,” began playing on Netflix. The Broadway show was in previews

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:32PM
Thursday, September 30, 2021

Broadway’s Back But Struggling: Disney’s “Aladdin” Cancels Show After COVID Discovered Among Company by Roger Friedman

Disney’s “Aladdin” cancelled tonight’s show because COVID cases broke out among the company. It was their second night of resumed performances. Broadway

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18AM
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Broadway: “Girl from the North Country,” the Best Musical of All, is Returning with Mare Winningham, Jay O. Sanders, and Marc Kudisch by Roger Friedman

No disrespect to “Moulin Rouge,” but if “Girl from the North Country” had been included in that Tony Awards on Sunday, things

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:06PM

Out Damn Spot! Daniel Craig to Star in Broadway “Macbeth” with Ruth Negga Despite Oscar-Buzzed Movie by Roger Friedman

Holy moly. The day after the 2022 Oscars might go to Joel Coen’s “Macbeth,” Daniel Craig– aka James Bond– will open on

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:06PM
Monday, September 27, 2021

Ratings for Tony Awards Terrible But Who Cares, Global Citizen Concert a Real Bust by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards on CBS had pretty bad ratings, just 2.65 million people. And who cares? The two hour show from 9

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:24PM

Tony Awards Pt 2: “Moulin Rouge,” “The Inheritance” win Best Musical, Play, In Memoriam Segment Shines with Mitchell, O’Hara, and Lewis by Roger Friedman

Part 2 of the Tonys went on a little too long, but overall the show on CBS was a success. “The Inheritance”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12AM
Sunday, September 26, 2021

Tony Awards Part 1: Jennifer Holliday Steals the Show, Adrienne Warren Best Actress, Aaron Tveit Best Actor in a Musical by Roger Friedman

The first two hours of the abridged 2020 Tony Awards, shown in September 2021, were well produced, an intimate affair with a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:18PM

RIP Bobby Zarem, 84, NY’s Most Famous PR Guy, Promoted The Original “I Love New York” by Roger Friedman

I am heartbroken this morning at the news of Bobby Zarem’s passing. All his friends around the world are. He’s gone to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:03PM
Monday, September 20, 2021

Broadway: CBS Will Not Give Best Actors, Actresses Tony Awards on Air, Only on Streaming Special by Roger Friedman

The belated 2020 Tony Awards are coming this Sunday, but on CBS they will be an iffy deal. CBS is running a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:42PM
Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Broadway is Back! Four Musicals Re-open Tonight, and “Lackawanna Blues” Arrives by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back tonight! Four musicals are re-opening, and one new play is going to previews. Hallelujah! “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” “Wicked,”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18PM
Monday, September 13, 2021

Broadway: Tony Awards Get Hosts in Audra McDonald, Leslie Odom Jr, “Book of Mormon” Gets a Cast and Maybe Some Editing by Roger Friedman

The 2020 Tony Awards  have hosts. Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom, Jr. are picking up the batons for  the CBS-Paramount Plus special

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:06PM

Say It Three Times: “Beetlejuice” Is Coming Back to Broadway After “The Music Man” Chased it Away by Roger Friedman

Say it three times: “Beetlejuice” is coming back to Broadway. The hit musical exited Broadway in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:06PM
Monday, August 30, 2021

Watch Sensational Video: “This Is Broadway” Welcomes Audience Home with Hamilton, Wicked, Lion King, Rare Angela Lansbury Clip by Roger Friedman

Play this video, and make it loud and big on your screens. Oprah Winfrey narrates “This Is Broadway,” welcoming back audiences after

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:54PM
Monday, August 23, 2021

RIP Micki Grant, First African American Character on a Soap, Won Many Awards for Theater Work by Roger Friedman

Back in 1965, there had never been a full time character on an afternoon soap played by an African American woman. Then

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:32PM
Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Broadway Star Laura Osnes Comes Out as Crazy, Won’t Get Vaccinated “Because There Is So Much That Is Still Unknown” by Roger Friedman

Broadway star Laura Osnes came out as crazy on Instagram today. She and her husband won’t get vaccinated. They’re waiting for more

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:12PM
Friday, August 13, 2021

Comedian Jim Gaffigan’s Mostly Unsold Radio City Shows Blocking Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall by Roger Friedman

Well, this is weird. The special Tony Awards event set for September 26th won’t be in its usual home, Radio City Music

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:36AM
Thursday, August 12, 2021

Broadway: Beanie Feldstein Chosen for First Ever Revival of “Funny Girl” Since Streisand Launched it In 1964 by Roger Friedman

Barbra Streisand burst onto the scene in 1964 with “Funny Girl” and everything changed. Her career took off like a rocket. No

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12AM

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