Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Al Pacino — Fresh Off Oscar Scandal — Announces Memoir to Be Published this Fall by Roger Friedman

Now we know why Al Pacino was a presenter at the Oscars. The Oscar and Emmy winner is publishing a memoir this fall, on October 8th It’s called “Sonny Boy,” from Penguin. The book will…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:36AM
Monday, February 26, 2024

Exclusive: “A Star is Born” Musical Coming to Broadway with the Lady Gaga Hits by Roger Friedman

For a while there, Broadway was getting a musical called “A Star is Born.” A script was being worked on, and Bill Condon was going to direct. This was announced in 2017. Then in 2018 Bra…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:18AM
Friday, February 23, 2024

Song Sung Blue: Neil Diamond Broadway Musical Will Close in June After 18 Month Run by Roger Friedman

It’s time to say goodbye to “Beautiful Noise.” The Neil Diamond Broadway musical will shut down on June 30th after an 18 month run. It will have played 657 performances. The show has b…

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18PM
Sunday, January 21, 2024

Thanks for Nothing: Drew Barrymore Show Features Barry Manilow Musical 10 Days Before Closing, at Broadway Theater Named for Her Family by Roger Friedman

Barry Manilow’s musical, “Harmony,” opened on November 13th at the Barrymore Theater on Broadway. Previews began October 18th. Now the show is

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:12PM
Thursday, January 18, 2024

Apple TV Cancels “Schmigadoon” After 2 Praised Seasons, Show’s Creator Reveals Season 3 is Written by Roger Friedman

“Schmigadoon” has sung its last song, at least on Apple TV. Show creator Cinco Paul announced on Instagram that Apple has cancelled

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:02PM
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Broadway: Barry Manilow Original Musical “Harmony” to Close February 4th After 96 Performances by Roger Friedman

It’s virtually impossible to launch an original musical on Broadway without stars. The latest casualty is Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s “Harmony.”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:32AM
Thursday, January 11, 2024

“Oppenheimer” Most Thrilling Night of the Year with 55 Piece Orchestra Accompanying the Movie, Hosted by Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, Compos by Roger Friedman

What a night! If the people wanted to get Oscar votes for “Oppenheimer,” they really scored last night — and I am

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:42PM
Tuesday, January 9, 2024

John McCain is Getting a Pre-Broadway Musical Workshop This Week, with Characters Including Trump’s Brain and “Karen” by Roger Friedman

I wish I were going to be in town this Thursday. A new musical called “The Ghost of John McCain” will be

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:02PM
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Broadway Holiday Receipts Zoomed Up by $12 Million with Several House Records Broken, “Wicked,” “Lion King” Crack $4 Million by Roger Friedman

Broadway went bananas during Christmas week. Total tickets sold were at a stunning $45 million, up dramatically from $33 million before Christmas.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:42PM
Sunday, December 24, 2023

UPDATE: Pete Davidson “Could Have Been Exhausted” After 55 1 Man Shows in a Row, “Didn’t Want to Do This Much,” Quietly Changed Agents, Movi by Roger Friedman

EXCLUSIVE Here’s what I’m hearing about Pete Davidson suddenly canceling a dozen shows over Christmas and New Year’s. For one thing, Davidson

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:24AM
Friday, December 15, 2023

London Report: Three “Stranger Things” Prequels Could Be Running on Broadway Over the Next Decade by Roger Friedman

You tmigboye hought “Stranger Things” was wrapping up after five seasons. Um, no. A “Stranger Things” prequel theater production opened in London

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:42AM
Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Alicia Keys Off Broadway Musical “Hell’s Kitchen” Coming to Broadway in March 2024 by Roger Friedman

Alicia Keys becomes the latest pop star to debut a musical on Broadway. Keys’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” currently at the Public Theater, will

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:32AM
Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Exclusive: Ariana Grande Sees “Spamalot” on Broadway for the Fifth Time, Brings Superstar Songwriter Max Martin and “SNL” Star Bowen Yang by Roger Friedman

I was a little reluctant to go see the new revival of “Spamalot” on Broadway Monday night. I felt like I knew

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:54AM
Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Nick Jonas TV Version of “Jersey Boys” Still Coming Despite Being Filmed 18 Months Ago by Roger Friedman

Somewhere, lost in space, is the Nick Jonas version of “Jersey Boys.” Back in July 2021, I wrote about the stealth filming

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:02PM

Review: Barry Manilow’s “Harmony” Makes a Tuneful, Tearful Premiere on Broadway After 25 Years in the Making by Roger Friedman

I hate even to call “Harmony,” which opened on Broadway Monday night, just Barry Manilow’s musical. It’s written by Bruce Sussman, a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:48AM
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Exclusive: “Taxi” Sitcom Cast Has Monthly Zoom Reunion, Will Appear on “The View” Together This Week by Roger Friedman

The A list opening night of Barry Manilow’s (and Bruce Sussman’s) musical, “Harmony,” was filled with celebs. I was lucky enough to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:18AM
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Broadway: David Byrne’s Remarkable “Here Lies Love” Will Close November 26th Despite Rave Reviews by Roger Friedman

This is very sad news. David Byrne’s amazing musical, “Here Lies Love,” is closing on Broadway November 26th. The show– written with

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:24AM
Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Broadway: Huey Lewis and the News Jukebox Musical Coming This Spring, Like it Or Not by Roger Friedman

Another jukebox musical would seem like a futile effort for Broadway at this point. Do we really need one of these shows

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:42PM
Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Broadway: “Sweeney Todd” Lures Tony Winners Sutton Foster, Aaron Tveit to Take Over from Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford by Roger Friedman

Well, this is good news. We knew that Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford were leaving “Sweeney Todd” on January 14, 2024. It’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:19PM
Saturday, October 28, 2023

(Watch) Dame Judi Dench Recite Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29 “Fortune in Men’s Eyes” on A UK Talk Show, Promoting Her Upcoming Book About the Bard by Roger Friedman

Dame Judi Dench, one of the last great people anywhere, is publishing a book about Shakespeare next April. I guess it’s out

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:07AM
Monday, October 23, 2023

Broadway: “Cabaret” Starring Eddie Redmayne as Emcee Will Get Two Opening Nights in a Row, Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles by Roger Friedman

Producers are so about “Cabaret” returning to Broadway it’s getting not one but two opening nights. Oscar and Tony winner Eddie Redmayne

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:25AM
Friday, October 13, 2023

Theater: Shaina Taub’s Public Theater Hit Musical, “Suffs,” Coming to Broadway This Spring With Stellar Cast by Roger Friedman

EXCLUSIVE “Suffs” is coming to Broadway this spring. The Public Theater’s hit musical from 2022 is aiming for opening this spring with

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:49PM

Broadway: “Gutenberg!” A-List Premiere Gets Nathan Lane as Surprise Guest for Hilariously Silly, Much Needed Musical by Roger Friedman

Tony winning beloved Broadway star Nathan Lane sat behind yours truly for two hours last at the star studded premiere of “Gutenberg!

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:33AM

“Jihad Friday” Puts New York, LA on Guard: SAG Calls Off Picket Lines, Real Estate Offices Advise Brokers Not to Come In by Roger Friedman

Crazy Arab terrorists are threatening “Jihad Friday” in New York. No one knows exactly what that means, but SAG AFTRA has called

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:33AM
Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Tony Awards Move to Lincoln Center After Disaster Uptown, Radio City A Thing of the Past by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are moving to Lincoln Center. After this past summer’s disaster in Washington Heights, the Tony’s have made a wise

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:49PM
Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Broadway: Lea Michelle Misses Yet Another “Funny Girl” Performance Just Days Before the Troubled Revival Closes by Roger Friedman

Lea Michelle doesn’t mind raining on the parade of her fans. Less than a week before “Funny Girl” closes, Michelle is out

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:07PM
Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Broadway: Is COVID Back? “Sweeney Todd” Stars Affected, Plus Britney Spears Jukebox Musical Shutting Down by Roger Friedman

Before I get to COVID, let me remind you I told you the Britney Spears jukebox musical, “Once Upon a One More

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:05PM
Monday, August 14, 2023

Notes from London, and Streaming: Rose Byrne Gets “Physical,” ABBA Dazzles, Andrew Lloyd Webber Still Has the West End by Leah Sydney

“Abba Voyage,” is a technological wonder kind of spectacular show featuring the phenomenon that was/is the Swedish band Abba.  I recently got

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:25PM
Friday, August 11, 2023

Broadway Review: The Shark Has Big Teeth, Dear in Comedy Satire of “Jaws” That Devours Spielberg’s First Big Hit by Roger Friedman

“The Shark is Broken” is funny but is the play that satirizes the making of “Jaws”? The answer is yes and no.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:19PM
Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Broadway: Ariana Grande’s “Wicked” Boyfriend Joins “Spamalot,” Angelina Jolie Will Be An Insider for “The Outsiders” Musical by Roger Friedman

I never heard of Ethan Slater before he allegedly dumped his wife for singer Ariana Grande. The two of them star in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:33PM

Broadway: Britney Spears Musical “Once Upon a One More Time” On Death Watch with 12% Drop by Roger Friedman

Last week I told you two Broadway musicals were in trouble. They were the Neil Diamond musical, “A Beautiful Noise” and the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:33PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards