All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Broadway: Bill Murray’s Visits Didn’t Help, “Groundhog Day” Will Close Anyway Next Month by Roger Friedman

It’s all over for “Groundhog Day.” I told you on Monday that Bill Murray’s two visits last week to the Broadway show Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12AM
Monday, August 14, 2017
Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Broadway: “The Great Comet” Killed by Political Correctness, Bad Producing and Really Bad Handling of Public Relations by Roger Friedman

“The Great Comet” aka “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” is closing on September 3rd, the victim of stupidity. It Categories: Featured Theater(Read more…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:54AM
Monday, August 7, 2017
Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Told Ya: Uma Thurman Coming to Broadway This Fall in Play by “House of Cards” Writer by Roger Friedman

Well, this was our scoop from April: today it was announced that Uma Thurman is coming to Broadway in the fall. She’ll Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:32PM
Monday, July 10, 2017

Broadway: With Bette Midler Out for a 2nd Week, “Hello, Dolly!” Does Worse Than Revivals of “Cats” and “Miss Saigon” by Roger Friedman

Goodbye, Dolly. Without Bette Midler in the title role, the musical “Hello, Dolly!” fell to unheard of lows last week. The show Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:54PM
Friday, July 7, 2017

Broadway: “Hello, Dolly!” Without Bette Midler Crashes at Box Office, Falls Below $1 Mil for Week by Roger Friedman

Well, now we know what Bette Midler’s contribution to “Hello, Dolly!” is financially. Last week, with Midler gone and the great Donna Categories: Featured Theater(Read m…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:49PM
Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Broadway: Bette Midler Goes on 2 Week Vacation and Tickets Are Suddenly Available Like Crazy by Roger Friedman

Goodbye, Dolly. Hello, Donna. Last night Donna Murphy stepped into the role of Dolly Levi in “Hello, Dolly!” and I’m sure she Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:24PM

Michael Moore Donates $10,000 to Public Theater After Sponsors Cancel Because of “Julius Caesar” Trump Scandal by Roger Friedman

Michael Moore has donated $10,000 to the New York Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park festival. Moore says it’s to make up Categories: Featured Movies Theater(Read more.…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:18AM
Thursday, June 22, 2017

A Broadway First: “1984,” Looking for Publicity, Bans Children Under 13 Years of Age by Roger Friedman

It’s a first, but it’s a bit of a canard. The new play, “1984,” will not allow children under the age of Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:42AM
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Monday, June 19, 2017

Goodbye, Dolly: Tony Winner Bette Midler Taking Her First Two Week Vacation by Roger Friedman

Bette Midler? She’s outta here. She promised Dolly would never go away again. But Dolly Levi, matchmaker, is taking a two week vacation

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:42AM
Monday, June 12, 2017

Tony Awards Ratings Take HUGE Tumble as Bette Midler Non-Performance Costs CBS and Show Plenty by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards ratings were very very bad. Of course last year was a high because of “Hamilton.” Total viewers were 8.73 Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:36PM

Star Wars Exclusive: Mark Hamill Says Carrie Fisher Was “Huge Part” of Chapter 9, He Has Large Role in “The Last Jedi” by Roger Friedman

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Mark Hamill last night at the Plaza Hotel after party for the Grammys. Categories: Featured Movies Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:36PM

Broadway: Bette Midler Snubs the Tony Awards But They Give her Best Actress Anyway by Roger Friedman

Bette Midler didnt perform on the Tony Awards but they gave her Best Actress in a Musical for Hello Dolly tonight. Ben Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:04AM
Thursday, June 8, 2017

Tony Awards Show Snubs, Plus Weird Twist: Christian Borle Will Perform from Closed Show– “Falsettos”– and Not Current One, “Charlie and the by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are upon us Sunday and we can’t wait. But there’s always drama. This drama is not about Bette Midler Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:18PM
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Broadway: Jason Alexander Will Star in New Play by “Moonstruck” Writer John Patrick Shanley by Roger Friedman

Jason Alexander is finally coming to Broadway in something new by someone great. The once and for all time George Costanza will Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:48PM

Tony Awards Are Sunday: Who Should Win, Plus Nominee Sally Field is Staying Put in New York by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are Sunday on CBS. Even if Bette Midler doesn’t perform (doesn’t look like she will) there will be plenty Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:12AM
Monday, June 5, 2017

Jimmy Buffet Musical “Escape to Margaritaville” Coming to Broadway Next March by Roger Friedman

Broadway news– we’re wasting away again in Margaritaville. Jimmy Buffet’s classic pop song is becoming a whole Broadway show. Expect a lot Categories: Featured Theater(R…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:05PM
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Friday, May 19, 2017

Roseanne Barr Goes to See TV Sister Laurie Metcalf on Broadway, Walks with a Cane by Roger Friedman

On Wednesday night the audience at “A Doll’s House Part 2” got a nice surprise: Roseanne Barr was in the house. Roseanne, Categories: Celebrity Featured Theater(Read mo…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:24AM
Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Unfrozen: Idina Menzel Will Return to (Off) Broadway Next Summer But Not in a Musical by Roger Friedman

Idina Menzel is coming back to Broadway– well, the Broadway area, but an off Broadway theater. But she won’t be singing. She’s Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:42PM
Friday, May 12, 2017

Broadway, TV: “Rent” the Groundbreaking Musical Coming to Fox As a Live Presentation by Roger Friedman

Of all things, “Rent” is coming to Fox TV as a live broadcast. The hit Jonathan Larson musical, with a cult following, Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM
Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Broadway: “Hello, Dolly!” — With Biggest Box Office Advance of All Time– Not Giving Charity Performance for Actors Fund by Roger Friedman

Every year, Broadway producers turn over their house one for a charity performance to raise money for the Actors’ Fund. This year Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:05PM
Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Broadway: Box Office Sharp Downturn as “Hello, Dolly!” Cools Off, “Glass Menagerie” Sets Closing by Roger Friedman

The Broadway box office was up, up, and away for a few weeks. But all of a sudden there’s been a big Categories: business Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:06PM
Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Broadway: “Hello, Dolly!” Breaks All Time Shubert Theater Records– Should It Get a Tony Award Or Is Money the Reward? by Roger Friedman

Big announcement this morning: “Hello, Dolly!” with Bette Midler has broken the all time sales record for all Shubert Theaters in history Categories: Featured Theater(Read mor…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:24PM
Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Broadway: Sally Field, Cate Blanchett, Danny DeVito Reverse Tony Awards Trend Against “Hollywood” Actors by Roger Friedman

This year’s Tony Awards nominees include three names usually associated with Hollywood: Sally Field, Cate Blanchett, and Danny DeVito. That’s a big Categories: Theater(Read mor…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:24PM

Tony Awards Nominations: Evan Hansen, Hello, Dolly! Score Big, Charlie, Anastasia, Amelie Wiped Out by Roger Friedman

keep refreshing. Unfortunately, the Live Stream from the Tony Awards did not work at all… The biggest snubs: Allison Janney and John Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:24PM
Monday, May 1, 2017

Stay Tuned: Michael Moore Announcing His Broadway Debut This Morning by Roger Friedman

Oscar winner documentary filmmaker and political agitator (in the best way) Michael Moore is making a big announcement this morning. He’s coming Categories: Featured Theater(Read mo…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:42AM
Sunday, April 30, 2017

Kevin Spacey Charging $2,500 for One Man Show of “Darrow” Plus Meet and Greet by Roger Friedman

You really have to be a fan of Kevin Spacey to appreciate his latest gimmick. He’s going to do a one man Categories: Featured Theater(Read more...)

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:48PM

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