All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

“Music Man” Star Hugh Jackman Says Scott Rudin Has Stepped Away But There’s Trouble in River City with a Capital T by Roger Friedman

“Music Man” star Hugh Jackman is not leaving the show, don’t worry. He’ll still be starring in the musical revival this winter

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:48PM

Hollywood Shake Ups as Golden Globes Racism Trouble Deepens, Producer Scott Rudin Loses Main Movie Partner by Roger Friedman

We’re waking up to a lot of changes in Hollywood. At the Golden Globes, where things couldn’t be worse, Diversity and Inclusion

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:42PM
Tuesday, April 20, 2021

After Impassioned Accusations, Producer Scott Rudin Says He’s “Stepping Back” From Film & TV Projects, Too by Roger Friedman

Over the weekend, the brother of a former Scott Rudin assistant accused the producer of adding to his brother’s suicide last October.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:18PM
Monday, April 19, 2021

Video: Severe Accusation of Abuse Against Producer Scott Rudin from Brother of Dead Former Assistant by Roger Friedman

David Graham-Caso, who works in city of Los Angeles government, has posted an alarming video accusing producer Scott Rudin of abusing his

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:48AM
Saturday, April 17, 2021

Broadway Producer Scott Rudin’s Act of Contrition Should Get a Tony: He’s Saving His Mega “Music Man” Production by Roger Friedman

Don’t be fooled by Broadway producer Scott Rudin’s sudden act of contrition this morning. He’s not stepping away from anything. He’s saving

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12PM
Wednesday, April 14, 2021

“Moulin Rouge” Star Karen Olivo Says Won’t Return to Broadway Show Because of Scott Rudin: “Unacceptable. That’s a monster” by Roger Friedman

OMG Standing ovation for Karen Olivo! The Tony winning actress (“West Side Story” 2009 she was incredible) says she will not return

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:18PM
Sunday, April 11, 2021

All Star Quarantunes Will Broadcast LIVE from Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theater Today at 5PM Eastern by Roger Friedman

Big news: Uber agent Richard Weitz and his daughter Demi are streaming an all star Quarantunes today at 5pm Eastern LIVE from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:12PM
Saturday, April 3, 2021

RIP Arthur Kopit, 83, Three Time Tony Award Nominee, Author of “Nine,” “Wings,” “Oh Dad, Poor Dad” by Roger Friedman

Arthur Kopit, the legendary dramatist, died yesterday morning at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife, Leslie Garis; his children

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12PM

Armie Hammer Eating His Heart Out After Exiting Broadway Play, “The Minutes,” by Tracy Letts by Roger Friedman

Armie Hammer is thinking of recording a version of the Rascals’ “Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore.” Seriously, potential cannibal Hammer,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:06AM
Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Broadway: “Diana,” the Musical That Won’t Go Away, Going First to Netflix then Opens Dec. 16th by Roger Friedman

Princess Diana always went her own way. Her musical is following suit. “Diana The Musical” almost opened a year ago. The pandemic

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:42PM

“Game of Thrones” Coming to Broadway a la “Harry Potter” with Flying Dragons, White Walkers and HBO by Roger Friedman

Now we know why HBO made a big deal of announcing a huge new pact with George R. R. Martin last week.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:42PM
Monday, March 8, 2021

Checkmate! Popular Award Winning Netflix Series “The Queen’s Gambit” Will Be a Broadway Musical by Roger Friedman

Not surprised: Broadway producers have made their move, and it’s checkmate. They’ve optioned “The Queen’s Gambit” to be a musical. Press release

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:32PM
Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Voting Begins in Earnest for Last Year’s Tony Awards, Which Will Be Handed Out Sometime in the Future by Roger Friedman

Yes, we are still talking about the 2020 Tony Awards. For the 2019-2020 season that ended abruptly a year ago. Yes, the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:18PM
Thursday, February 18, 2021

Liza Minnelli All Star 75th Birthday Tribute Special With Joel Grey, Chita Rivera to Stream March 12th by Roger Friedman

Liza Minnelli is turning 75, how do you like that? For her 75th Birthday,  Liz will get an all star virtual celebration

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:54PM
Saturday, February 13, 2021

Report: Broadway On Hold Until Summer or Fall, Six to Nine Months Says League President by Roger Friedman

Broadway will not be back before this summer or fall. That’s what Broadway League president Charlotte St Martin said in an interview

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:03PM
Monday, February 8, 2021

Rest in Peace, Joe Allen: There’d Be No Restaurant Row without His Eponymous Eatery, and Orso, Bar Centrale by Roger Friedman

Joe Allen was no Elaine Kaufman. He wasn’t sitting in his eatery on West 46th St. every night, entertaining and hosting the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM
Friday, January 29, 2021

Remember the Tony Awards? Now They’re Going to Vote in March for Nominations from Last October by Roger Friedman

This is turning into pretty good theater. The 2019-2020 Broadway season never really happened, remember? It stopped on March 13th because of

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:32PM

RIP The Amazing Cicely Tyson, Age 96, Award Winning Actress, Activist, Epitome of Ageless Grace and Elegance by Roger Friedman

“I have managed Miss Tyson’s career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing,” her manager, Larry Thompson,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:13AM
Friday, January 15, 2021

RIP Phil Smith, 89, Longtime Head of the Shubert Organization, a Broadway Star in His Own Right by Roger Friedman

Phil Smith, the long time head of the Shubert Organization, and a Broadway star in his own right, has died at age

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:18PM

Emma Thompson Will Play Mrs. Trunchbull in Movie “Matilda,” Even Though Men Have Always Played the Role on Stage by Roger Friedman

Harvey Fierstein, stand down. Emma Thompson has been cast as evil Mrs. Trunchbull, the deliciously malicious central antagonist in the movie version

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18PM
Thursday, January 7, 2021

Broadway: Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls” Musical Closes for Good, Will Not Return After Pandemic, Will Get Movie Treatment by Roger Friedman

This is interesting. Yesterday, Paramount announced a film version of “Spamalot” directed by Casey Nicholaw. Today their theatrical division pulled the plug

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:32PM
Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Monty Python Hit Broadway Musical “Spamalot” Will Be a Movie, But Will Original Cast (Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry) Return? by Roger Friedman

The hit Monty Python musical, “Spamalot,” played to sold out Broadway audiences for four years, from 2005 to 2009. It accrued 1,575

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:12PM
Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Copyrights End for 1925 Hits “The Great Gatsby,” “Mrs. Dalloway,” Songs by the Gershwins, Irving Berlin, Ma Rainey, “Sweet Georgia Brown” by Roger Friedman

1925– it was a very good year. It was the year F. Scott Fitzgerald published “The Great Gatsby,” Virgina Woolf issued “Mrs.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:42PM
Monday, January 4, 2021

David Bowie’s Much Lauded Off Broadway Hit, “Lazarus,” Will Be Streamed Live This Weekend in Honor of His Birthday on an Obscure App by Roger Friedman

I had to read this information a couple of times– I’ve translated it into English for you. (It was supposedly written in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:24PM
Thursday, December 31, 2020

Broadway: The Year Ends with Botched Tony Nominations But No Tony Awards: Did They Forget? by Roger Friedman

2020 is almost over. Hey wait– what happened to the Tony Awards? Well, the Tony season never really happened. Broadway closed back

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:54PM
Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Justin Bieber Prepares for Live Stream New Year’s Eve Show to Promote Failing 2021 Ticket Sales for Tour by Roger Friedman

Justin Bieber is preparing for a live streamed New Year’s Eve show tomorrow night, sponsored by T Mobile. The question is: Why?

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:24PM
Wednesday, December 23, 2020

RIP Rebecca Luker, 59, Broadway Star, 3 Time Tony Awards Nominee, Mom, Wife of Tony Winner Danny Burstein by Roger Friedman

Rebecca Luker was literally a light on Broadway. Beloved by all, with a gorgeous voice, she was nominated for three Tony Awards

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:36PM
Sunday, November 1, 2020

SNL: Watch Maya Rudolph’s Show Stopping Ode to New York “I’m Still Here” as the Statue of Liberty by Roger Friedman

John Mulaney restored “Saturday Night Live” to its past glory when he hosted the show last night for the second time in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:54PM
Friday, October 16, 2020

Tony Nominations So Weird Aaron Tveit Could Lose to No One, Only Best Score Nominations Went to Plays, Not Musicals by Roger Friedman

Really, it’s another world. The Tony nominations came from 16 eligible shows, a very slight field. The result is that Aaron Tveit

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18PM

Watch the 2020 Tony Awards Nominations Here at 12 Noon Including “Tina!” “Moulin Rouge” “Jagged Little Pill,” “The Sound Inside” by Roger Friedman

There are only 16 shows eligible for the 2020 Tony Awards. The nominees come from these shows, and it’s a mediocre list

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18PM
Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Social Distancing Killing Showbiz? Cirque du Soleil Co-Creator Opens First Ever Drive-Thru Dazzling Light Show Extravaganza Outside Montreal by Roger Friedman

Normand Latourelle was the co-creator of the Cirque du Soleil empire and took it to the top. He left to create Cavalia,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:42PM

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