Talk about bad timing. Or is it really good timing?

Birthday Tribute to Honor Producer Cy Feuer's 90th, Oct. 30

On Stage and Off: Big Women, `Little Women' by Jesse McKinley

Tony Forecast: Dramatic Races, Musical Chairs

POST SURVEY REVEALS VICTORS

USA Today has done their own Tony predictions. It is always interesting to think what the national (non-NYC) media thinks of the Tony Awards.

Overheard on RATM:

Today @ the Hal Prince Professional Musical Theater Workshop, we had a workshop with the casting director from the Roundabout & the 3 males being called back next week for Buddy are Brent Spiner, Harry Groener, & Allan Arkin.

--
Sincerely,
Adam Roebuck
[email protected]

NAPSTER & The Wild Party
Napster is a network that links user's computers to each other and makes sharing of files possible. This technology is in part being used to trade MP3 files of music. It seems as though someone has made the entire "The Wild Party" CD available for free to the whole world. I wonder if Decca Broadway (the label) is happy about it. Large popular acts like Metallica and Alanis have tried to stop their recording from being made available for free -- to no success.

Speaking of THE WILD PARTY CD, the timely release of the CD as well as getting it into the Tony voter's hands seems to be a good plan for this production. Much of the buzz around MJL's music has turned from negative to positive. Could there be a Tony to owe to this CD's release?

I think that cat is out of the bag, so I can tell you that Jordan Roth, the 20-something producer of off-Broadway's THE DONKEY SHOW will be taking on a large national tour of ROCKY HORROR that goes out in October and will eventually land in the Kit Kat Klub. Jordan is the son of Daryl Roth, the award winning off-Broadway producer (DE LA GUARDA) and real estate mogul Steven Roth, owner of Vornado Realty Trust. It is good to see the development of new independent producers in the 20-30 year old range. Jordan joins a group that includes Adam Epstein (AMADEUS) and Arielle Tepper (THE DEAD), both Tony Nominated productions.

Variety (.com) is going through a redesign that increases download times and limits some features from Macintosh users... uh oh. This may mean less linking to Variety.

NYC-Bound Gershwin Show Opens in Hollywood, June 2-25

Musical Rhythm Club Will Play Chicago in December Prior to Bway

Why Not Nine Lives And A Month? by Sean Patrick Flahaven

Don't Believe The Hype: Macbeth Is On

Stewart Apologizes

Green Bird: The Musical by Ken Mandelbaum

I seem to get a lot of mail from people asking me to get them into a reading or workshop performance. Since most are in development, they don't ask for an audience, except this one... SUBURB, winner of the prestigious Richard Rodgers Development Award for Musical Theater, will be given a workshop production at the York Theater. It is today and tomorrow. If you would like to go or get more information, follow this link to Brett Singer & Associates.

Word over at Talkin' Broadway is that Kelsey Grammer has kicked in to make sure that Macbeth comes to NYC. Also, I have heard from people that the loadin continues for Macbeth. It would be helpful if the producers would just issue a statement and get the speculation over with! Although, we are still waiting for Michael Parker at InTheater to make an announcement about his next upcoming issue...

B'way season ends with mixed reports. B.O. record set, but auds down

New York Box Office Boosts Broadway Season Estimates

Are these two stories (from Variety and Playbill) about the same thing? It seems like A Tale of Two Cities! It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

Union (SAG), advertisers return to table. Both sides play down expectations

Is Macbeth History? Kelsey Grammer may not bring the Scottish Play to New York after all.

Behind a Death on the Street, a Life on the Stage

Art for Art's Sake, the Mobster Says

From Rock to Broadway
Some pop musicians can't resist the theater's lure. Insiders see a growing demand for shows that sing to boomers. They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway

Tony Musings: Part Two by Ken Mandelbaum

Michael Musto has bounced back (literally) from his pedestrian adventures to log the following views in this week's VILLAGE VOICE:

"Another musical's leading (wild) man, Sebastian Bach, insists he's not a crazed hambone at all. The 6'5" ex-Skid Row lead singer—who's going into Jekyll & Hyde on June 13—has spent the last 11 years atoning for having worn an "AIDS Kills Fags Dead" T-shirt in concert and just enlisted me to be part of his spiritual renewal. Anxious to help turn Hyde back to Jekyll, I met him at the Plymouth Theatre and found him to be entertaining, contrite, and not as dangerous as Mandy Patinkin." [full column]

New "Landmark" Theater Opens in Times Square

Seeing from my weblogs and email that Hollywood.com (parent of Broadway.com) is a regular visitor a few times a day here, I thought I would ask a question. Since Hollywood.com is partially owned by CBS, wouldn't it have made sense to launch your really nice website by doing a Tony Webcast (out front rather than backstage) for the first hour so that many people who don't have a cooperative PBS station could watch it? Synergy between the VC that funded you and the audience in which you are trying to reach is beneficial to all.

Revival Meeting: Stroman, Marshall Guests on June 8 Drama Desk Panel in NYC

Putting It Together For PBS: How the First Tony Hour Is Created

Wilson, Danieley Do The Full Monty, June 1-July 2 in San Diego

In just seven days,
I can make you a man.

Drawing on Roots and Legends in a Show at the Apollo

"When a group of rap legends and Harlem-based artists announced last month that they would be mounting a Broadway-style musical in the landmark Apollo Theater, the show was presented not only as an indicator of Harlem's economic and cultural renewal, but as the birth of a virtually new theatrical genre as well: the hip-hop musical."

A story worth visiting again: Radio City Music Hall Reopens with Art Deco Authenticity. A Newly Restored Radio City Music Hall Is a Show-Stopper (Oct '99)

The West Coast's best kept secret, Lisa Richard is going to be performing at THE CINEGRILL and THE SADDLEBACK CABARET SERIES this summer. If you find yourself on the Left Coast, check out her website and see if you can catch her show. If you can't make it out there, you can purchase her CD at LML Music's really hot website.

Very soon... it will all be clear.

Rumor has it that Kelsey Grammer's MACBETH is canceled following scathing reviews out of town. Does this mean that he won't present at the Tonys?

Old faves win mixed B’way week B.O. falls 2.44% in comparison with a year ago

This seems to be a poorly written headline by Variety. If you read the first paragraph it says that biz is down 2.44% from last week. In fact the weekly was $14,768,370; a year ago the total was $12,710,140 -- a healthy gain over last year.

Ahmanson Designates May 30 as Pay What You Can for Pimpernel
Boy, doesn't MSG wish they had that option!

Internet links Kiski students to New York stage
Manhattan Theatre Club uses the internet for outreach.

Obit: Robert Fryer; Producer, Former Ahmanson Director

Toronto Mamma Mia! Breaks Royal Alex Sales Records
It just goes to show you, reviewers know nothing. Or at least the general public thinks so. Wait, so do the insiders!

Get Naked! Broadway Bares For BC/EFA, June 11 w/ Villanch, Eder
Things that scare me even more: Eder naked? As long as she does not sing a new Wildhorn song, I guess we can handle that. As for Bruce Villanch...

Spar Power: Mt. Morgan Producers, Stewart Still Seek Equity in Dispute
Moral of this story: Always bring your Publicist to your hearings.

Filmmakers "Moon" Broadway: July 5 Release of DVD/VHS Docudrama Stars Burnett & Bosco
Its funny that no one brought Equity charges against Carol Burnett when she spoke out against her producers back during MOON OVER BUFFALO....

Dame Edna Tour Dates & Other 'Surprises' Promised For June 1 Press Conference

Production Notes by Forrest

Tonycast tinkering. Producers hope for comeback after rough '99.

"The two-way contest here, between the intellectual 'Copenhagen' and the 'Blonde' crowd-pleaser, may have less to do with nationalism than the increased influence of Tony voters who are road presenters. (Their percentage rose when 100 League of American Theaters and Producers members -- most of them producers and managers in the Gotham area -- lost their voting eligibility this past season.)"

Strike in fifth week; no end in sight; Mediators fail to restart SAG talks.

Moinian and Unnamed Partner Plan Legit Use for Bway's Biltmore

Broadway Box Office Sets a New Record. Facts and figures on the season just ending

New Duo To Alternate Roles in B'way's True West June 21. Josh Brolin and Elias Koteas will play brothers in the Sam Shepard play, which also announced recoupment May 30

Tony Musings: Part One by Ken Mandelbaum

R and H Across The Globe by Sean Patrick Flahaven

Rosie endorses Headley for best actress.

That kind of screws up my Toni Collette theory from yesterday, doesn't it?

There is a new magazine being launched in the South West US named "Cowboys & Indians". Guess what they lead with? Buckskins Over Broadway, a profile of Bernadette Peters. Reading the article makes me wonder a few things. 1) Does Bernadette get younger each year? You have to see the photos of her. She looks great. 2) Is Texas becoming a new destination for Broadway shows? 3) With all of Bernadette's work with animal rights groups, why would she do a spread for the cattle ranchers of the world? 4) And why Bernadette? Why now?

I want to point out that it is easier to see the Tony Awards in Sri Lanka than it is in San Francisco or State College, PA. Why can't anyone at the Tony's get it together?

Does anyone else find this a bit strange? Rosie, who is not only hosting the Tony Awards, but producing the telecast, is inviting a nominee on for AFTER the Tony Awards. Does Rosie know something that we don't? And if that is not true, and by chance Toni does not win a Tony, what will they talk about? Can you see it?

Rosie: So, how 'bout that Marin Mazzie? Is she incredible or what?

Toni: I don't know, I have not seen KISS ME KATE. I have a show at the same time as her...

Weird.

The LA Times has a nice piece on the upcoming FULL MONTE: How a Striptease Got Dressed Up

'Mission': Boffo B.O. is possible. Wed. bow earns $12.5 mil; 4th highest ever.

I mention this because of two different conversations that I had this past weekend. One involved musicalizing MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (which could be as frightening as the Warner Bros. BATMAN) and the second about a project in the works next season with Tom Cruise... Travolta who? If Tom comes to Broadway, it would be the best thing for the business since David Merrick started producing.

PS - Go see M:I2.

Broadway dot com should really learn to spell Kristin Chenoweth's name correctly... especially when they are doing a promo with her name on it.

Buddy Holly musical road tour rocks Ordway's bottom line

COPACABANA casting: Franc D'Ambrosio, Darcie Roberts, and Gavin MacLeod (!).

New Tony Category Doesn't Solve It All by Sean Patrick Flahaven

A Wild Coincidence by Sean Patrick Flahaven

Iceman Plays Rainmaker: Cobb's Extra Innings OB Have Unlikely Pinch-Hitter

Things that scare us.

The Dirtiest Girls on TV. 'Sex and the City' quartet bed down for another season.

'Sex and the City' is becoming the new 'Law & Order' required TV credit for Broadway Actors.

In Germany, Youth Takes the Stage

Aida, Phyllis and Millie by Ken Mandelbaum

Macbeth in Boston

The Broadway Television Network previewed its first offering, SMOKEY JOES CAFE to a select audience this week. It seems as though the drop in the NASDAQ has not affected the funding of this technology startup...

There seems to be WONDERFUL news upcoming.

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER to make way for OKLAHOMA? Word around town is that Cameron Mackintosh is interested in the possibility that FEVER may close and leave the Minskoff available for his upcoming OKLAHOMA!, which has been in casting for the past few weeks.

Broadway dot com is working on download times. I spoke to someone at Broadway dot com and they assure me that they know the shortcomings of the site and are working at making the download times much faster. It is a always a fight between pretty sites and efficient sites. I don't worry about pretty. It's about content.

The 3rd Annual Tony Awards (web) Contest has been underway for a week. We are at about 1000 entries so far. Get yours in soon! [click here for the contest]

MN's Ordway Wraps Adventures in Love Tuner, May 28

2000 BROADWAY.COM AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS

At the 1999-2000 Theatre World Awards by Peter Filichia

Baranski Out; Smart Move?

Did Christine leave because of her 'no diva' policy after CYBILL? Or was it the huge money that Roundabout pays their actors? (Roundabout has operated under LORT contract in the past, while charging full Broadway prices for their tickets. Quite the scam, isn't it?)