Archive Import - Comment

In attendance yesterday was Broadway's own Kevin McCollum... or otherwise known as David in his David and Goliath effort to break the Clear Channel/SFX hold on the road venues. Kevin has been putting together an alliance of theatres outside of the SFX realm over the past few years and it is starting to be a formidable group against the established presenting group. It is rumored that the first project to test the viability of the new business plan will be the re-launch of The Full Monty tour. This is interesting on many fronts because the Monty tour was saved by a cash infusion from Clear Channel and it was also rumored that when the Monty tour was remounted it would be non-Equity. Many people will wait to see how it lands.

Archive Import - Comment

Speaking of original ideas, I attended a reading yesterday of The People VS. Mona, an original idea by Patricia Miller, Jim Wann (Pump Boys) and Ernest Chambers. Not a Broadway show, but possibly an off-Broadway with a long life in regionals. This seven person musical, very similar in style to Wann's Pump Boys, incorporates a band into the cast (at least in this reading). Set in Tippo, a small town in southeast Georgia, this story takes us through the murder trial of Mona Mae Katt, who was accused of killing her husband with her guitar. Amy Danis and Mark Johannes (Mars Theatricals) produced. In attendance were other producers, bookers and presenters, so look for this soon.

Downtown coalition seeking to boost biz

Theaters, restaurants still hurting from Sept. 11

D.C. auds, funds in jeopardy after attacks

Mail delivery almost halted at area theaters

'Carnivale' a no-go at Radio City

Decision 'strictly economic,' spokeswoman sez; show set for 2002

New moves chartered for N.Y.

Legit players talk strategy at Columbia U. conference 11/6/01 3:27pm
The title struck an upbeat note, but the tenor of the talk was sober at Columbia's U.'s two-day confab Oct. 29-30 on the state of Gotham legit.

33rd Annual Joseph Jefferson Awards Announced

The Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee presented 29 Jeff Awards last night at a gala at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, Illinois. This year marked the 33rd anniversary of the Annu...[Read More]

Redgrave & Richardson Star in Lady Windermere's Fan

Vanessa Redgrave and daughter Joely Richardson are set to star in a West End production of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere's Fan. The comedy, directed by Sir Peter Hall, will begin previews at Ha...[Read More]

'NOISES' OFF TO A FAB START by MICHAEL RIEDEL

TALK about a sleeper hit. Propelled by rave reviews (3 1/2 stars from The Post, a gigantic color picture in last Friday's Times), the revival of "Noises Off" took in $300,000 at the box off…

Broadway Grosses: Comedy Hits a Home Run

With the World Series heating up, it wasn’t a great week for theater. The Broadway box office was down over $1 million from the previous week. However, there were bright spots and one was Noises Of...[Read More]

Broadway Grosses: October 29 - November 4

Write What You Know? Why, No $157,964

'The Fat Lady' Has a Few More Songs

Edward Padula, 85; Staged `Bye Bye Birdie' on Broadway

Poets' Group Ousts Chief, Igniting Ire of Members by DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

The board of the Academy of American Poets has ousted its popular executive director, William Wadsworth, setting off an uproar among some of the country's most prominent poets.
You don't want to piss off a poet. They are more crazy then a winter wind over a New England shore. What is this world coming to that poets are fighting?

Seeking City Money, Lincoln Center Submits Its Renovation Plans by RALPH BLUMENTHAL

After months of argument, Lincoln Center's powerful performing arts organizations agreed this week to send City Hall a redevelopment plan of nearly $1.2 billion.

NPR's Story Project Proves Truth Is Stranger by DINITIA SMITH

"I Thought My Father Was God and Other True Tales From NPR's National Story Project," edited by Paul Auster, collects stories submitted by listeners of National Public Radio.
Broadway writers take note: not everything has to be an adaptation. You can use original ideas...

How I Spent My Autumn Vacation by Peter Filichia

Archive Import - Comment

I am really kind of annoyed at the "Broadway related" websites. I was going to let it pass, but I just can't. Today is a very important day in Broadway's future. The Mayor of New York has untold influence over what happens in our industry and related industries (film, television, et al). If anyone believes that this is not true, look at the film and television industry disaster under Mayor Dinkins. We (NYC) are still paying for it as many productions were lost to Toronto and North Carolina. For the Broadway related websites not to cover how the candidates felt about issues related to Broadway is just negligent. I encourage everyone to get out and vote today. If you would like more information about the candidates, here is a link to their official websites: (in no particular order or preference)

STAR OF THE WEEK CLUB By MEGAN TURNER

OVER the next nine weeks, eight celebrities will rotate through the role of the "Time Warp"-ing Narrator in "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
Oh look! The New York Post has started to run press releases in their editorial pages!

Nederlander Gives Janis a Piece of His Heart: Off-Broadway Show Stays Open

Graduate to Play Baltimore, Toronto and Boston Before Broadway

The Witches of Eastwick May Have U.S. Tour

The Women Keep Claws Out Until Dec. 30 on Broadway

Postponed Broadway Assassins to Workshop in November

Emmy Likes Barbra, 'Wit,' 'Dralion' and 'Blast!' in Annual TV Awards

Ephron's Imaginary Friends w/ Hamlisch-Carnelia Music Has Reading in NYC

PHOTO CALL: Ashley Tells Wonder's Burke and Tudyk Where to Go

PHOTO CALL: They're Wonders of MTC: Sedaris, Chamberlin and Parker

PHOTO CALL: Lindsay-Abaire Brings Wonder of the World to Off-Broadway

PHOTO CALL: Wonders of the Stage: Parker and Broderick

NYC's Lark Looks at Indian Plays in the Diaspora Nov. 6-11

Memorial for Ragtime Actor Tommy Hollis to be Held Nov. 9 in NYC

Maureen McGovern Warbles Rodgers for Reprise!'s Benefit Nov. 12

Drama Dept. Puts on a Talent Show (Four, Actually) For the Fall

PHOTO CALL: Jennings Grant and Driscoll Fall in Love in Summer of '42

PHOTO CALL: From Urinetown to '42: Hunter Foster Writes and Performs

Musical, War Brides, Gets Second NYC Reading Nov. 6

Broadway.com Introduces 1-800-BROADWAY

Broadway.com is proud to announce an easy new way for theater fans to get tickets to all of New York's hottest shows: 1-800-BROADWAY (1-800-276-2392).
No, you cannot call 1-800-BROADWAY and get Jed Bernstein. You have to call 1-888-BROADWAY to get him... I wonder how much crossover The League and Broadway.com will get in their similar phone numbers?

Janis Rising, Musical Stays Open Through January

Despite announcing a November 4 closing date, it looks like Love, Janis will stay open at The Village The...[Read More]

From Chicago to Nashville: Marcia Lewis Moves On

After nearly 1,600 performances and five on-and-off years as Mama Morton in the Broadway revival of Chicago, Tony nominee Ma...[Read More]

Drama Book Shop Makes a Move December 3

The Drama Book Shop, long known as the location for materials on the performing arts, is moving. November 30 will be the store’s last day on the second floor of 723 Seventh Avenue; its grand re-openin...[Read More]

Some Like It Hot Tour to Bow in Houston in June

The 50-city tour of the musical comedy Some Like It Hot will bow on June 4 at Houston’s Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. As we reported on [Read More]

Theater Faves Perform at Helping Hand Benefit

Theater faves will perform at Town Hall’s Broadway’s Helping Hand Concert on Monday, November 19. The star-studded event will benefit families of those killed in the September 11 traged…

Turner, Biggs & Silverstone Set for Graduate Opening

Kathleen Turner, Jason Biggs and Alicia Silverstone are all confirmed to star in the Broadway production of The Graduate. The play will have three out-of-town tryouts before beginning performan...[Read More]

Michael Douglas to Star in Film Version of Mt. Morgan

Michael Douglas is set to star in a film version of Arthur Miller’s The Ride Down Mount Morgan. A spokesperson for Douglas’ Further Films confirmed to Broadway.com that Jesse Wigutow (Ugly N...[Read More]

The Woman Behind 'The Women'

Clare Boothe Luce, author of the revival, clawed her way into the elite

Comics, Muslim and Jewish, Sharing a Toronto Stage

THEATER REVIEW | 'THE SQUARE'

Asian-American Vignettes Spread Across 120 Years by BRUCE WEBER

The Square," a well-executed anthology of short new works at the Joseph Papp Public Theater through Nov. 18, brings an impressive concentration of theater talent to a single subject, the Asian-American experience, and a single place, a fictional public square in the Chinatown of some imagined American city.

'Graduate' picks up road dates pre-B'way bow

Previews of all-star legiter begin Feb. 15 in Gotham

B'way strikes out amid baseball, time change

'Mamma,' 'Jeeves,' previews provide a few bright spots
Broadway producers must wish they still had those labor concessions in play. Last week, no fewer than 16 shows registered grosses that fell under tallies recorded the week of Sept. 24-30, the first session of those now-legendary 25% pay cuts.
Although we did see a boost at the box office with the rally of New Yorkers returning to the theatre in support of Broadway, it is the out of town business that is still dire, as I mentioned weeks ago. New Yorkers alone cannot support one show, muchless a whole industry. Advances are at dangerous lows which can still sink shows. We are far from being out of the woods yet.

Mark Green

Mike Bloomberg