Archive Import - Comment

With respect to the Dodger story, I received the following email:

Re: The Dodgers or any other producer negotiating more favorable terms than the League
Most, if not all, the contracts contain a Most Favored Nations (MFN) clause. If a union gives the Dodgers, or any other producer, more favorable terms than are in the League contract, then the union must also give the same terms to the League.
For this reason, the unions are not likely to give the Dodgers better terms. Disney ran into this problem when they negotiated their contract.

This Stuff Is Intense!: Gottfried Joins Rocky Horror Narrators Nov. 13-18

Jones and Schmidt's Musical Tent Show, Roadside, Gets NYC Premiere Nov. 13-Dec. 23

On Stage, a Day in the Life of an Idiosyncratic Physicist by Dennis Overbye

Richard Feynman, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology, was the scientist as he might have been imagined by Jack Kerouac.

Today's birthdays include Whoopi Goldberg, Garry Marshall, Joe Mantegna, Tracy Scoggins, Jimmy Kimmel, Steve Zahn, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edwin Booth.

New Musical Heading East Heads East to NYC, Nov. 19-20

Standard-Times: Bringing Lizzie to the Musical Stage

Musical Lizzie Borden is a Bloody Hit at CT's Norma Terris, to Nov. 25

Linda Eder Returns to Bway for Holiday-Week Concert, Dec. 26-30 at Gershwin

Flower Drum Song Eyes Broadway

Former Dreamgirl Sheryl Lee Ralph Is Muzzy in Millie

Dodger Theatricals Withdraws from League of American Theaters and Producers

Off-Broadway's Melting Pot Revives Tintypes Nov. 13-Dec. 30

For the Grownups: Grinchy Globe Gives Adults SantaLand Diaries Dec. 14-31

Dates Set for Boy George Musical in London

Dates are set for the world premiere run of the Boy George musical, Taboo. The production will begin performances at London’s The Venue on January 11 in preparation for a January 29 openi…

Eddie Izzard Takes On Joe Egg in the West End

Comedian Eddie Izzard is set to take over the lead in Peter Nichols' A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg when the play transfers to the West End’s Comedy Theatre in December. The show is currently ru...[Read More]

CSC Holds Benefit for Ladder Company #3

Bill Irwin, John Turturro, Roger Rees, Kathleen Chalfant, Gloria Deluxe and Humble-Foster are scheduled to appear in Classic Stage Company’s benefit for Ladder Company #3. The performance will take pl...[Read More]

Group celebrating Strasberg's 100th

Homage to complement 'Godfather' screening

B'way bounces back

B.O. jumps after lackluster previous week
Broadway rebounded nicely from the previous week's B.O. debacle, the direct result of an unusual triple whammy: Halloween, the World Series and the end of daylight savings time. The overall tally last week rose $1,470,503 -- up 13.68% from the week of Oct. 29-Nov. 4 -- for a grand total of $12,213,243.

Matinees With Nathan? by Michael Portantiere

As of this writing, and barring an announcement to the contrary, Nathan Lane is scheduled to return to an eight-performance-a-week schedule in The Producers as of Tuesday, November 20.

Archive Import - Comment

Now that Variety is talking about the Dodgers defection from The League, it is time to talk about the "what if". What is going to happen if the Dodgers negotiate a more favorable contract with the unions than The League? Will that mean that other producers will leave The League? Having a central point of negotiation is not only good for the producers, but good for the other unions involved also. If there are different production contracts depending upon the producing entity, it makes for a deconstruction of standards and the loss of economies of scale. And what happens in the event that Dodgers partner with other producers who are League members (as so often happens)? What about when Dodgers bring shows on the road to a venue that is a member of The League, what takes prescidence? (I know it happens now, but Disney and SFX sat back at negotiations and their contract is in essence the same as The League's contract.) It seems with Dodger's statement that "The League doesn't represent their (Dodgers) own business interests at this time," that they would like to go it on their own and negotiate. Or perhaps Dodgers will do the same as Disney and SFX and just sit back from the table and save their membership fee. If that is the case, then The League has a problem and needs to prove their value-add to Broadway producers.

Archive Import - Comment

Enough with the things falling from the sky - we're having a tough enough time of it out here.

Letters: Mamma! and Max by Ken Mandelbaum

Today's birthdays include Kim Hunter, Wallace Shawn, Megan Mullally, and Grace Kelly.

45 Seconds From Broadway review by Adam Feldman

Simon Serves Borscht Warm — and Funny by Howard Kissel

The simplest way to regard Neil Simon's endearingly funny "45 Seconds From Broadway" is as a work of archeology.

Not a Very Tasty Neil by Clive Barnes

There have been plenty of perfectly good plays about nothing in particular. Unhappily Neil Simon's "45 Seconds From Broadway," which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre last night, is not…

Theater Review | '45 Seconds From Broadway': Broken Lives and Healing at the Coffee Shop by Ben Brantley

Every tough wisecrack in Neil Simon's sincere but paper-thin valentine to New York has a heart as soft as melting butter.

Did 45 Seconds Hit the Spot for Critics?

Dodger Theatricals Quits League of Producers

What will this mean for Broadway? Stay tuned...

Dodgers close curtain on league affiliation

Trade org's handling of post-Sept. 11 labor concessions most likely the cause

Interview with Neil Berg by Pati Buehler

Neil is very talented person in many areas. He has a good grasp of the pop musical and should be considered one of the writers who will shape Broadway's future.

Follow Spot

As she moves back to NYC for good, Polly Bergen steps into The Vagina Monologues.

Charles Nelson's Casts and Forecasts

Patti LuPone prepares to step into Alma Schindler’s Austrian shoes, while TACT dares to air a Priestley play other than An Inspector Calls.

Forster and Shakespeare Get Musicalized at NYC's Century Center Nov. 12 and Dec. 3

Carmel Quinn Offers That and a Cup of Tea at Irish Rep Nov. 14-Dec. 9

Albright and Tandy Got a Right to Sing Good Time Blues, Opening Nov. 12 in NYC

Felix Pire Wins AZ Theatre's Latino Playwriting Award; 2002 Entries Due Dec. 28

Ives, Artistwork Start Off NYC's Portugal Productions w/ Wordz, Nov. 28-Dec. 2

Bruckner's Criminals to Steal into NYC Performance Space, Nov. 29-Dec. 15

New Musical Heading East Heads East to NYC, Nov. 19-20

Hollywood Discusses Role in War Effort by RICK LYMAN

Open a New Window—And Then Try Closing It by Peter Filichia