Saturday, December 14, 2002

Features:

[ LAT ]  The family business by Patrick Pacheco
Siblings Lynn, Vanessa and Corin Redgrave will reaffirm their status as one of the great acting families in New York this season. But don't call them a dynasty.

[ LAT ]  A history that keeps rewriting itself
The Redgrave name is synonymous with acting. The family's ties to the stage date back to the 18th century.
Sidebar.

[ OS ]  Gaines on the go by Elizabeth Maupin
It's not easy catching Davis Gaines.
Thanks to American Theater Web for the link!

[ B ]  Photo Op: Chicago Film Stars at the Shubert

[ TM ]  Tunes and Tomes
Michael Portantiere reviews the cast album of Baz Luhrmann's La Boh�me and offers some recommendations on complete recordings of the opera.

Reviews:

[ NJ ]  Oldies but goodies BY PETER FILICHIA
The cast makes "Let Me Sing" the best-sung and best-danced show that New Jersey has seen since "Follies" played Millburn's Paper Mill Playhouse in 1998 -- though it's hardly on the same grandiose scale.
And what a cast!

[ NJ ]  Showcase for classy performer BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
Ever a smart performer who sings, dances and acts with expertise, Priscilla Lopez skates gracefully upon the exceedingly thin material of her new one-woman comedy.

[ NYT ]  OPERA REVIEW | 'THE SEAGULL'
Finding the Musical Romance in a Chekhov Play by ANNE MIDGETTE
The Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater on Wednesday presented the New York premiere of Thomas Pasatieri's "Seagull," 28 years after it opened at the Houston Grand Opera.

[ NYT ]  In Performance
A Tale of African Oil and Those Who Want It
'A Last Dance for Sybil,' Theater at St. Clement's

[ TB ]  The Three Sisters Review by Matthew Murray

News:

[ B ]  Teen Hunks Prinze & Klein to Join Burns in Youth

[ B ]  The Breath of Life Extends Again in London

[ P ]  Finley Examines New Yorkers in the Wake of Sept. 11 in Distribution of Empathy, Jan. 14-19

[ P ]  Aladdin�with New Menken Song�to Officially Open Jan. 17 at Anaheim Disney

[ P ]  Barzee Breezes Into Urinetown, Providing Hope, Dec. 30

[ P ]  Freddie Prinze Jr. and Chris Klein To Join Cast of London's Youth

[ P ]  West End Macbeth Extends Through March 2003

[ P ]  Soho Rep Closes Signals of Distress Dec. 14

[ P ]  Radio's WNYC Airs "Baz on Broadway" Dec. 15

[ P ]  Flower Drum Song Offers Special Actors' Fund Performance Dec. 15

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 14

[ P ]  Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso Gets World Premiere in Philly May 2003

[ P ]  Cast Complete for MTC Kimberly Akimbo; Markell Is Burke's Mom

[ TM ]  First Annual Nightlife Awards Judges Announced

[ TM ]  Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire to Appear at Drama Book Shop, January 27

[ TM ]  New York City Gay Men's Chorus to Present Holiday Concert at Carnegie Hall, December 17

[ HC ]  What Did Happen After What Didn't by Patricia Seremet
Tuesday night was the off-Broadway opening of "What Didn't Happen," the latest play from Wethersfield's Chris Shinn, starring "Sex and the City"'s Mr. Big, Chris Noth. Java moles Jacques LaMarre from Hartford Stage and Courant drama writer Frank Rizzo offered some special behind-the-scenes insights.
posted at 12/14/2002 09:46:07 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Friday, December 13, 2002

News:

[ B ]  Jodie Markell to Star in Kimberly Akimbo

[ BS ]  AGMA Counters Equity on 'Movin' Out' by Roger Armbrust
Gordon Calls Eisenberg 'Dedicated' but with 'Faulty Reasoning'

[ P ]  Van Outen to Star in Reworked Tell Me On a Sunday in London, April 2003

[ P ]  Breath of Life Gets Second Wind in West End

Features:

[ BS ]  Stepping In
Some things in life are simply irreplaceable--close friends, family, and, yes, a spectacular night at the theatre. Yet in the theatre, actors replacing one another are just about an everyday occurrence.

[ BS ]  12 Animals, Woman Share Makeshift Home
Backstage at Radio City Music Hall, past the Rockettes' dressing rooms, three camels, six sheep, two donkeys and a horse keep a woman awake each night.

[ B ]  Video: Backstage at Def Poetry Jam

[ ND ]  Photo Gallery: Celebs at Imaginary Friends Premiere

Reviews:

[ ND ]  Famous Works of Friction by Linda Winer
The result is a witty, swanky, thoroughly delightful intellectual vaudeville that's as light as it is sneakily substantial.

[ NJ ]  Literary lionesses bare razor-sharp claws BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
"Imaginary Friends" is a wickedly stylish account of a famous feud.

[ CT ]  Cabaret review, Karen Mason at Davenport's by Sid Smith
Thanks to American Theater Web for the link!
posted at 12/13/2002 05:07:23 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

[ P ]  Darius de Haas Sings Arlen, Rent and Strayhorn Dec. 16 at Joe's Pub

[ P ]  Video Choreographer Robinson to Do Dances in New Musical, Radiant Baby

[ P ]  Broadway's Dance of the Vampires Shoots TV Spot Dec. 16 to Air in Jan. 2003

[ P ]  PBOL'S THEATRE WEEK IN REVIEW, Dec. 7-13: Broadway and Art

[ P ]  DIVA TALK: Buckley's Poignant "Doorway," McGovern in Concert & Diva News!

[ P ]  Cabaret Tony Winner Guests on David Letterman Dec. 13

[ P ]  Report: Art's Molina to Head Cast of Fall Fiddler Revival

[ P ]  "Theater Talk" Welcomes Fourth Wall's Gurney, Kimbrough & Sullivan Dec. 13

[ P ]  Weisslers Set April 24 for Bway Opening of Miracle Worker; Swank Stars

[ P ]  Michael Moore: Live on Broadway in March?

[ P ]  Transit Strike or No, Broadway Shows to Go On

[ B ]  Alfred Molina Headlines Fiddler on B'way in Fall

[ B ]  The Miracle Worker to Open at Music Box April 24
posted at 12/13/2002 01:54:42 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

[ B ]  CDs: Military Life, From Berlin and Rome by Ken Mandelbaum
Add Dorothy Stanley and Jim Stanek to the cast (including Richard Kind, Howard McGillin, Faith Prince, John McMartin, and Joy Franz) of this week's reading of the Sondheim-Weidman-Prince Gold!.
posted at 12/13/2002 10:47:13 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

News:

[ NYP ]  HATE AT 1ST BITE by MICHAEL RIEDEL
A producer who bought an opera then decided he wanted a musical comedy. A temperamental star who wrote his own jokes - then cut all of his co-star's.

[ NYT ]  ON STAGE AND OFF
Make Me a Match by JESSE MCKINLEY
A musical that positively screams Great White Way is "Fiddler on the Roof," which will be produced next fall, starring Alfred Molina as Tevye.

[ B ]  Columbine Crusader Moore Heading to B'way

[ CST ]  'Exonerated' coming here BY HEDY WEISS
Now it is headed for a three-city tour led by Brian Dennehy, who will be joined by Mia Farrow and Chad Lowe in Washington, D.C. (Jan. 14-19), and by Marlo Thomas in Boston (Jan. 21-Feb. 2) and then at the Shubert Theatre in Chicago (Feb. 4-16). Veteran film, TV and stage actor Bob Balaban will direct.

[ NYP ]  THE STARR REPORT by MICHAEL STARR
Boyle �Exonerated' in off-Broadway run

[ BG ]  Cellphones redefine modern theater by Maureen Dezell

[ P ]  Playwright Amiri Baraka Under Fire as Poet Laureate of New Jersey

[ P ]  With Little Shubert, Off-Broadway Gets Lavish New House

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Medea Opening Night: Euripedes' Auspices

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Medea Opening Night: Jekyll Among Women

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Medea Opening Night: Tale of the Argonaut's Wife

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Medea Opening Night: A Bundled Busch

[ P ]  Peters, Lansbury, Daly, Reams, Panaro and More on New Jerry Herman CD

[ P ]  Anthony Rapp Is Hedwig at Pittsburgh's City Theatre, May 2003

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Kennedy Center Honors: Kiss of the Spider Women

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Kennedy Center Honors: Chita and the Man of La Mancha

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Kennedy Center Honors: Sharing the Glory

[ P ]  Postilio's Dec. 13 Concert Reunites Our Sinatra Cast

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Light the Lights (on the Holiday Tree)

[ P ]  Kahlo and Rivera Get World Premiere Musical Frida and Diego in San Francisco Dec. 13-21

[ P ]  San Francisco Celebrates a John Waters X-Mas Dec. 13

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 13

Reviews � "Imaginary Friends":

[ B ]  New York Critics Weigh In On Imaginary Friends

[ DN ]  A highbrow hissy fit by Howard Kissel
If the two women in Nora Ephron's "Imaginary Friends" were unknown intellectuals, would anybody care? As it happens, they are Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy, who were writers of great interest in the mid-20th century. But it's possible that my question is still valid.

[ NYP ]  WITH 'FRIENDS' LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS MUSIC? by CLIVE BARNES
NORA Ephron's "Imaginary Friends," which courageously opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre last night, is an imaginary play.

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'IMAGINARY FRIENDS'
Literary Lions, Claws Bared by BEN BRANTLEY
Nora Ephron's play of two politically engaged women feuding within a literary world of men takes the prize for audacity.

[ YN ]  Bickering Gets Old in 'Imaginary Friends' by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic
Perpetual bickering can be exhausting - even when the combatants are portrayed by such dazzling performers as Swoosie Kurtz and Cherry Jones.

[ CST ]  Grand time with bickering 'Friends' BY HEDY WEISS
Nora Ephron's "Imaginary Friends," which opened Thursday on Broadway with a cast headed by the individually splendid and wonderfully teamed actresses Swoosie Kurtz and Cherry Jones, is a highly engaging vaudeville.

[ BH ]  Punchless drama: Cherry Jones, Swoosie Kurtz can't save `Imaginary Friends' by Terry Byrne
"Imaginary Friends"? Imaginary play is more like it.

[ TM ]  Imaginary Friends Reviewed By: Marc Miller

[ TB ]  Imaginary Friends Review by Matthew Murray

[ B ]  Imaginary Friends Review by Adam Feldman

Other Reviews:

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'WRONG FOR EACH OTHER'
When Rudy Met Norah, An Epilogue to a Marriage by BRUCE WEBER
The play, directed with resourcefulness by Christopher Goodrich, breaks no surprising ground in exploring relations between the sexes.

[ DN ]  With six you get actress' range by Robert Dominguez
In the charming one-woman show "Class Mothers '68," Priscilla Lopez does everything but hand out programs and work the lights. She acts, sings and dances, changes into as many accents as she does wigs and costumes - and gives a total of six strong performances.

[ LAT ]  Wistfulness and humor in aging by Don Shirley
In 'Morning's at Seven,' at the Ahmanson, a talented ensemble cast brings to life timeless midlife questions of fulfillment and regret.

[ LAT ]  THEATER BEAT
Varla Jean gives it her all
The love child of Ethel Merman and Ernest Borgnine tries to stay fabulous through the holidays.
Plus reviews of four other shows, including, um, "The Penis Monologues" with John Aniston.

Features:

[ B ]  Quotable Quotes: At the Imaginary Friends Bash

[ B ]  Photo Op: H'wood Friends Come Out For Imaginary Friends

[ B ]  Photo Op: Entertainment Brings Variety Arts Back to Its Roots

[ B ]  Photo Op: What Did Happen at Shinn's Latest Opening

[ TM ]  The Siegels' Nightlife Notes
Is there life -- and work -- for female cabaret artists over 40? ShaRell Productions says: You betcha!

[ TM ]  Peter Filichia's Diary
Filichia suggests some rare cast recordings that would make great stocking stuffers for show tune lovers.

[ NJ ]  Old chums compare notes on Scrooge BY PETER FILICHIA
When they met eight years ago on Broadway -- performing in the Russian play "A Month in the Country" -- F. Murray Abraham was a poor doctor named Ignaty Illich Shpigelsky, and John Christopher Jones was a rich landowner named Afanasy Ivanovich Bolshintsov.
Now both are playing a character whose name is much better known to audiences: Ebenezer Scrooge.

[ CST ]  Keys to success BY MARY HOULIHAN
Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt became casually acquainted while working as actors in Canadian theater. But it wasn't until they did a show together in which they both had to play classical piano that the actors realized they had much more in common.
posted at 12/13/2002 08:24:45 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Thursday, December 12, 2002

News:

[ P ]  Baz Luhrmann to Guest on "Charlie Rose," Dec. 12

[ P ]  Hi, Bali! Arena Stage's South Pacific Opens Dec. 13 in DC

[ P ]  Bunch of Oates: Food for Thought Series Offers Tony Winner in Oates One-Acts

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: At the Gypsy Museum

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: All She Ever Needed Was the Music and the Mirror

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: Hairspray

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: Thoroughly Modern Millie

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: Oklahoma! With Phyllis Newman

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Gypsy of the Year 2002: The Phantom of the Opera

[ P ]  Whoopi Ma Rainey and Bernadette Gypsy Tix Now Available for Gold Card Members

Features:

[ TM ]  Haul Out the Holly! by: Michael Buckley
Four of the New York theater's brightest talents share their holiday plans and memories.

[ BS ]  A Worried and Depressed Man
Playwright Janusz Glowacki won't go so far as to say that Chekhov's "The Three Sisters" is ripe for satire, despite the over-the-top parody in his "The Fourth Sister."

[ BR ]  Pulled two ways, and loving it by Robert Feldberg
Christine Ebersole's years of work in musical theater, where her leading-lady singing talent was on frequent display, were capped last year with a Tony Award for "42nd Street."
So wouldn't you know it, in her new show she doesn't get to sing at all. Except in her head.
Thanks to American Theater Web for the link!
posted at 12/12/2002 05:32:14 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

[ B ]  Lessons of the Season ('02-'03) #3 by Ken Mandelbaum

[ B ]  Anastasia Barzee to Join the Cast of Urinetown

[ B ]  Jayne Atkinson to Appear in Enchanted April

[ P ]  42nd Street Moon Calls the Wind Maria With Paint Your Wagon, March 2003

[ P ]  No Importance Cast Records Album Dec. 16, Aiming at March 2003 Release
posted at 12/12/2002 03:23:31 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

[ B ]  Panaro Replaces Flynn in Little Fish Cast

[ P ]  Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! Extends in London

[ P ]  Earl Hindman Is TFANA's Julius Caesar Jan. 14-March 12

[ P ]  "The IT Factor": Rudetsky Has Two Guests at Dec. 19 Chatterbox

[ TB ]  Too Many Girls and Big River San Francisco Reviews by Richard Connema
posted at 12/12/2002 12:30:35 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Features:

[ NYT ]  Movin' Out Beyond Missteps: Twyla Tharp's Hit by ROBIN POGREBIN
The job of rescuing "Movin' Out" after early negative reviews rested with one person, Twyla Tharp, who has developed a reputation for exacting work habits and a firm grip on the wheel.

[ NYT ]  Celebrating Beckett, Against His Will by DINITIA SMITH
Samuel Beckett would have been unhappy. With what? With "Watt." Wha-a-t?

[ DN ]  Reenacting a literary claws c�l�bre by Pete Hamill
In certain circles, those words became known as The Line. It poisoned the final years of both Hellman and McCarthy, writers of high reputation, and reverberates through "Imaginary Friends," a new play with its book by Nora Ephron and music by Marvin Hamlisch.

[ DN ]  Bracco doesn't shrink from nudity by PATRICIA O'HAIRE
Lorraine Bracco has become best known for her work on "The Sopranos," where, as Dr. Jennifer Melfi, she helped Tony tame his primal urges.

[ BS ]  Vanity Free
As a gasoline-sniffing widower in Love Liza, the fearless Philip Seymour Hoffman makes an unlikely -- and unforgettable -- leading man.

Reviews � "Adult Entertainment":

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'ADULT ENTERTAINMENT'
Is She a Serious Actress? XXXtremeley by BEN BRANTLEY
If Elaine May's jovial satire deflates before it's over, it still manages to generate more hoots and giggles than any other comedy to open this season.

[ ND ]  This Bunch Hopes a Star Is Porn by Gordon Cox
May and Aiello try 'Adult Entertainment'

[ DN ]  May's 'Adult' sex comedy by Robert Dominguez
Porn is in this Off-Broadway season. Hot on the spiked heels of "Debbie Does Dallas," the musical spoof of the '70s skin flick, comes "Adult Entertainment," a fluffy, funny sendup.

[ NYP ]  PORN TO BE WILD by DONALD LYONS
A Robin Byrd-like porn queen called Heidi the Ho is hosting her show on public access. She asks the usual cheery questions about her guests' latest films and where they're dancing - but tonight, there's a shadow over the party.

[ NJ ]  Size does matter in this porno romp BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
Perhaps it's dubious taste to mention size when assessing a play about porno actors -- but "Adult Entertainment" is way, way, way too long for its own good.

[ TM ]  Adult Entertainment Reviewed By: Barbara & Scott Siegel

[ B ]  Adult Entertainment Review by William Stevenson

Other Reviews:

[ NYP ]  WRITERS: NO DAY IN COUNTRY by DONALD LYONS
CHRISTOPHER Shinn is a bold, young and limber playwright who's trying his hand at different kinds of play.

[ B ]  A Celtic Christmas Review by Katie Riegel

[ CST ]  'Seussical': Horton hears a boo BY HEDY WEISS
The true test of "Seussical" is audience response, and I heard not a single excited giggle or delighted "ooh" or "ah" from any of the many children at the performance I attended.

[ INQ ]  'Secret Garden' comes with a crop of spirits by Douglas J. Keating
With Jennie Eisenhower and Aaron Paul.

News:

[ B ]  Rapp coming here by Christopher Rawson
Broadway singer/actor Anthony Rapp will play the title role in City Theatre's musical, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," May 1-June 8.
Directing "Hedwig" will be Brad Rouse, for the past eight years an assistant to director Harold Prince.

[ ND ]  Hot Shows Should Help B'way Brave the Cold by GORDON COX

[ HC ]  Mixed Reviews For `Our Town' From N.Y. Press by Frank Rizzo
It looks more and more likely that "Enchanted April," which received its premiere three years ago at Hartford Stage, will make it to Broadway. Molly Ringwald and Elizabeth Ashley have already been mentioned to star but now add Jayne Atkinson to the quartet of women who seek to warm their soul at an Italian retreat.
Third item.

[ P ]  Roundabout's Goodman-Bedford Tartuffe to Open Jan. 9, 2003

[ P ]  Beatrice Manley, Lincoln Center Actress in 1960s, Dead at 81

[ IBDB ]  Beatrice Manley's Broadway Credits

[ P ]  Booked for Broadway: Ephron's Play with Music, Imaginary Friends, Opens Dec. 12

[ P ]  Jeff Daniels, Acoustic Guitar in Hand, Sings at Regional Theatre He Founded, Dec. 27-Jan. 4, 2003

[ P ]  Ingmar Bergman's Domestic Epic, "Scenes From a Marriage," Gets NYC Reading Jan. 4, 2003

[ P ]  Signature's 110 in the Shade Features Two New Songs; Complete Cast Announced

[ P ]  Smith, Stone, Berlinsky Star in Jean Cocteau's Uncle Vanya

[ P ]  La Boheme Troupers Will Sing to Benefit New Musicals, Dec. 16 in NYC

[ P ]  "Chicago" Oscar Ad Positions Zellweger as Best Actress, Zeta-Jones Best Supporting Actress

[ P ]  Take a Seat: New Addition of 'Seats' Guide to NYC Theatres Is On Shelves Dec. 12

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 12

[ P ]  George Hall, Broadway Actor Recently of Boys From Syracuse, Dead
posted at 12/12/2002 07:49:42 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Wednesday, December 11, 2002

News:

[ YN ]  A hit and a miss: A tale of two big Broadway musicals by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Writer
To paraphrase (sort of) from Charles Dickens: It was the best of shows, it was the worst of shows.
Two big, expensive musicals arrived this week on Broadway within a day of one another, and their receptions couldn't have been more different.

[ P ]  Actors' Equity Announces Joe A. Callaway Award Winners

[ P ]  Long-Running OB Play Underneath the Lintel to Close Jan. 5

[ P ]  New Musical Radiant Baby to Shine at Public Theater Jan. 31

[ P ]  Karen Mason Sings Christmas! Onstage�Dec. 11-16�and on TV

[ P ]  Malik Yoba Hosts "A Night Of Hip-Hop Theater" For Hip-Hop TheaterFest in NYC, Dec. 11

[ P ]  Vortex Opens Grandage's Donmar Season in West End

[ P ]  London's Talking Cure Cancels Performances Due to Actor's Illness

[ P ]  Scrooge Raises Money for London's Lyric Theatre

[ P ]  Peter Pan and Wendy Musical by Honk! Writers Has US Debut in Philly, Dec. 11-29

[ B ]  Eve Ensler Stars in Final Weeks of Monologues

Features:

[ BH ]  A beastly move: `Beauty' stage crew are pros at setting up Disney show by Robert Nesti
How do you cram the sets and costumes from a dozen 50-foot trucks into a backstage as small as that of the Colonial Theatre?

[ ND ]  'Our Town' in Our Town by Peter Goodman
Wilder's play about life's values reaches beyond Broadway

Reviews:

[ HC ]  'Vampires' lacking bite, needs stake in the heart by EVERETT EVANS
"God has left the building!" Crawford intones after entering in a coffin that rises through the floor. God must have seen the script.
Lots of quotable lines in this review.
Thanks to American Theater Web for the link!

[ B ]  Were New York Drama Critics Slayed by Medea?

[ USA ]  Gripping 'Medea' cuts to the bone by Elysa Gardner
The ultimate dramatic account of a woman scorned is gripping

[ ND ]  Unspeakable Act, Unforgettable Acting by Linda Winer
Deborah Warner's modern-day vision and Shaw's performance are unforgettable, the sort of experience that makes one regret the overuse of the word on so much of the barely remembered.

[ NJ ]  Timeless BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
Updated 'Medea' speaks volumes about contempory tragedies

[ CST ]  Horrors and hats in New York BY HEDY WEISS
Medea, Far Away, and Crowns.

[ ND ]  Writers and Others Indulging in Novel Talk by Linda Winer
To say that "What Didn't Happen" is a young-man's play is a good thing. To say that the drama feels less mature than his earlier work is disappointing, but not nearly enough to shake serious belief in his gifts.

[ ND ]  Playwright makes most of 'What Didn't Happen' BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

[ TM ]  Rapt Reviewed By: Meredith Lee

[ TB ]  Forbidden Xmas at Tacoma Actors Guild Review by David-Edward Hughes

[ TB ]  Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Boys Next Door Minneapolis Reviews by Elizabeth Weir

[ TB ]  The Tempest Review by Matthew Murray
posted at 12/11/2002 05:51:22 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

News:

[ B ]  Danny Glover Returns to B'way in "Master Harold"

[ P ]  Eve Ensler Returns to Vagina Monologues for Final Weeks Off-Broadway

[ P ]  Report: Norbert Leo Butz Gets Wicked in Schwartz's Broadway-Bound Musical

[ P ]  Hairspray and Urinetown Win Top Honors at Gypsy of the Year

[ P ]  Duke and Tune Light Holiday Tree Dec. 11; Performance from Mamma Mia!

Reviews:

[ B ]  DVDs: Hearts, Not Diamonds by Ken Mandelbaum
THE FAN (Paramount)
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Kultur)
posted at 12/11/2002 12:25:44 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

News:

[ NYP ]  TALKIN' TONY by MICHAEL RIEDEL
THE Tony Award eligibility committee - an august body, to be sure - will have plenty to hash out at its meeting next month.

[ B ]  Broadway Grosses: Up in Arms

[ B ]  Gypsy of the Year Tops Last Year's Grand Total

[ B ]  Foard to Replace Hensley in Oklahoma!

[ NYP ]  CINDY ADAMS
Cindy talks to Stanley Tucci.

[ NYP ]  LIZ SMITH
"La Boh�me," Liza and "Hairspray."

[ P ]  PLAYBILL ON-LINE NOTEBOOK: A Guide to the Intellectuals of Imaginary Friends

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Bow of the Undead

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Beauty and the Beast

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Vampires in Urinetown

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Angels or Devils

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Wilkomen to Lower Belabartokovich

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Tommy Tune Goes Undead

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: A Gore-y Night at the Theatre

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Thoroughly Vampiric Millie

[ P ]  Elaine May's Adult Entertainment Opens Off-Bway Dec. 11, With Berlin and Aiello

[ P ]  Aida's Matt Bogart to Star in Signature's 110 in the Shade

[ P ]  Final "Oz" Season-with Buckley, LuPone & Grey-Premieres Jan. 5 on HBO

[ P ]  Broadway's Morning's at Seven Dawns in Los Angeles Dec. 11-Jan. 26

[ P ]  "The Making of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" Musical Available on DVD/Video

[ P ]  Hoffman's Too Jewish? Brings in Record Pledges; Rebroadcast Dec. 12

[ P ]  CT's Long Wharf Workshops PBS Newsman Robert MacNeil's Karla Dec. 11-14

[ P ]  Rebecca Pidgeon Is On the Waterfront for BBC/L.A. Theatre Works Dec. 11-15

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 11

[ P ]  Dana Ivey Added to Cast of Broadway Joe Egg

[ P ]  Richard Rodgers' Broadway Whistles a Happy Tune for Kids

[ P ]  Shuler Hensley to Exit Broadway's Oklahoma! Jan. 5, 2003

Reviews - "Medea":

[ DN ]  The tragedy the Greeks overlooked: Bad buzz by Howard Kissel
Of all the Greek tragedies, the one that gets produced most often is the story of the woman who, to spite her unfaithful husband, murders their children. "Medea" gets done so often simply because the role is so appealing to actresses, which somehow trumps its essentially misogynist sensibility.

[ NYP ]  'MEDEA' PLAYED FOR LAUGHS & TEARS by CLIVE BARNES
MOURNING becomes Electra, but do sunglasses become Medea? The answer is a slightly guarded yes.

[ B ]  Medea Review by Adam Feldman

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'MEDEA'
Fitting the Modern Age to the Classic Greek Form by BEN BRANTLEY
Fiona Shaw brilliantly portrays Greek tragedy's most vengeful woman in this production set in the dawning years of the 21st century.

Reviews - "What Didn't Happen":

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN'
Eloquent Silences Among the Words by BEN BRANTLEY
They all have it in them to talk a blue streak, or rather - since most of them are writers - a purple one. But it's the silences among the characters that get to you in "What Didn't Happen," the new work from the hope-inspiring young playwright Christopher Shinn.

[ DN ]  Tale of 2 writers, 1 sad life story by Robert Dominguez
Not a lot happens in "What Didn't Happen," wunderkind playwright Christopher Shinn's latest work, an articulate, subtle and ultimately sad drama about writers grappling with varied levels of despair, frustration and guilt.

[ TM ]  What Didn't Happen Reviewed By: Philip Hopkins

[ B ]  What Didn't Happen Review by William Stevenson

Other Reviews:

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL'
Scrooge's Benign Tendencies Slip Out by LAWRENCE VAN GELDER
Misanthropy without menace characterizes F. Murray Abraham's portrayal as the Scrooge of the year in the ninth season of "A Christmas Carol" at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

[ NJ ]  Bloody bad show -- Crude script and noisy score defang taste-free 'Vampires' BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
A total eclipse of good taste, "Dance of the Vampires" is a stupid nothing of a musical inflated to "Hindenburg"-sized proportions for Broadway.

[ BR ]  Dead on arrival by ROBERT FELDBERG
I know it wasn't just a nightmare, because I pinched myself as I stumbled out of the theater. There is a musical called "Dance of the Vampires." And I saw it. And it is dreadful beyond words. I will, however, try to find them.

[ VV ]  GRAVE OCCASIONS by Michael Feingold
Our Town; La Boheme; Dance of the Vampires

[ VV ]  WITCHES RIGHT AGAIN by Alisa Solomon
Yukio Ninagawa's Production of Macbeth, at BAM.

[ VV ]  MAC WELLMAN'S GRECIAN YEARN by Una Chaudhuri
Antigone by Mac Wellman

[ TM ]  Like Crazy, Like Wow Reviewed By: M. Scott Mallinger

[ NJ ]  Crossroads regains stride BY PETER FILICHIA
The Crossroads Theatre Company finally has a winner with "From the Mississippi Delta."

Features:

[ TM ]  Peter Filichia's Diary
Filichia indulges in more La Mancha madness as he addresses reader responses to last week's column.

[ P ]  PLAYBILL ON-LINE'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Stephen Flaherty
Following their mammoth musical, Ragtime, composer Stephen Flaherty, lyricist Lynn Ahrens and librettist Terrence McNally decided that something small-cast and intimate would be a good followup to their historical pageant.

[ B ]  Quotable Quotes: Medea & Co. at Sardi's

[ B ]  Photo Op: Gypsy of the Year at the Palace

[ B ]  Photo Op: Medea Makes a Killing on Broadway

[ B ]  Q&A: Fiona Shaw by Beth Stevens

[ OCR ]  Laurie the star: Stage 2 by PAUL HODGINS
At 70, Piper Laurie is enjoying a career rekindling that she never planned to have.
Thanks to American Theater Web for the link!
posted at 12/11/2002 08:13:26 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Tuesday, December 10, 2002

News:

[ B ]  Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson Set for Chicago

[ B ]  Off-Broadway's Jolson & Company to Shutter

[ NYT ]  Arvell Shaw, Jazz Bassist, Dies at 79 by DOUGLAS MARTIN
During the 1970's and early 80's, Mr. Shaw played with bands for the Broadway shows "Bubbling Brown Sugar" and "Ain't Misbehaving." He said in an interview with Newsday last year that he would keep playing music until he dropped.

[ P ]  Backstreet to Backstage: Kevin Richardson Joins Chicago Jan. 20

[ P ]  New Almeida Season Announced in U.K

[ P ]  Swan Lake's Adam Cooper Chats About New Willows Role

[ P ]  The 2002 Gypsy of the Year Pays a Visit to the Gypsy Museum

[ P ]  Stage Version of Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge" Aimed at a Casino

Features:

[ TM ]  With Friends Like These... by: Leslie (Hoban) Blake
Lyricist Craig Carnelia on Imaginary Friends

[ TM ]  The Siegels' Nightlife Notes
Cabaret perennial Steve Ross blooms in a new venue.

Reviews:

[ TM ]  Dangerous Liaisons Reviewed By: Philip Hopkins

[ TM ]  Blue Sky Transmission Reviewed By: Philip Hopkins
posted at 12/10/2002 04:07:18 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

[ B ]  Together Again: Sondheim, Prince, and McMartin by Ken Mandelbaum
There's a reading this week of Gold!, the Stephen Sondheim-John Weidman-Harold Prince musical scheduled to play Chicago's Goodman Theatre in June. In addition to the participation of previously announced leads Richard Kind, Howard McGillin, and Faith Prince, the reading will feature John McMartin as the father and Joy Franz as the mother of the Mizner boys.

[ TB ]  Spotlight On Harry Groener by Nancy Rosati

[ P ]  Boheme Takes in Nearly $1 Million Day After Opening; December Cast Sked Announced

[ P ]  "Chicago" Film Hits Top 20 Markets Dec. 27; Hits More Screens Jan. 3
posted at 12/10/2002 11:08:09 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Pans - I mean, Reviews - of "Dance of the Vampires":

[ B ]  Critics Show Their Fangs for Dance of the Vampires

[ B ]  Sucking For Dummies by Ken Mandelbaum
For those who found Jekyll & Hyde too intellectually challenging, Dance of the Vampires may be just the thing. A bona fide Eurotrash bonanza, Vampires would surely have been wiser to unpack its bags in the West End or in Las Vegas. It may make one nostalgic for such hallowed Minskoff Theatre fare as Rockabye Hamlet, Got Tu Go Disco, Marilyn: An American Fable, Teddy and Alice, Tom Sawyer, Saturday Night Fever, or even Metro, the Minskoff's last foreign-language import. Needless to say, collectors will have to catch Dance of the Vampires. As the title of one of Krolock's songs puts it, a good nightmare comes so rarely. Don't forget the garlic.

[ USA ]  'Vampires' bites, and that's no compliment by Elysa Gardner
This Dance will appeal only to the most die-hard lovers of inadvertent camp - provided they bring plenty of Excedrin and don't eat too much beforehand.

[ DN ]  Vampire show down for count by Howard Kissel
It is my sad duty to report that, although the writing is amateurish and vulgar, the music mindless and the acting - for the most part - ludicrously broad, "Vampires" does not reach the "Carrie" threshold of awfulness.

[ WP ]  'Vampires' Of Broadway: Count Dreckula by Peter Marks
Could this have worked in a scaled-down version in some off-Broadway hole in the wall? I don't think so; it's not even kitschy-funny. As it is, the only chills aroused by "Vampires" come in a perusal of the credits: How could so many talented people have shot so wide of the mark?

[ NYP ]  NEEDS NEW BLOOD by CLIVE BARNES
OH Buffy, you Vampire Slayer - where were you when we needed you? There are altogether far too many vapid vampires in the new musical "Dance of the Vampires," which opened at the Minskoff Theatre last night.

[ YN ]  'Dance of the Vampires' Hits Broadway by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic
They have unleashed an expensive, more than $10 million musical of mind-numbing silliness, a show that wastes its performers, most notably Michael Crawford, and dazes audiences who have to sit through its campy, yet mirthless meanderings.

[ ND ]  Seductive 'Vampire' Is of Mixed Blood by Linda Winer
The show has a peasant ensemble number about garlic that, except for it being a joke, could be compared in tastelessness with the pig-blood dance from the infamous "Carrie" musical. There is also "Death is Such an Odd Thing," which sounds a lot like the immortal "Paris Makes Me Horny" from "Victor/Victoria."

[ HC ]  `Vampires' A Phantom Of Its Former Self by MALCOLM JOHNSON
A fine line divides satire and plagiarism, and "Dance of the Vampires" crosses it all too often.

[ TB ]  Dance of the Vampires Review by Matthew Murray

[ TM ]  Dance of the Vampires Reviewed By: Barbara & Scott Siegel
But, for the most part, it's Halloween at the Minskoff in the sense that the show is full of tricks and treats.
They (mostly) like it! Wow!

Other Reviews:

[ ND ]  Nothing's Thrifty About This Scrooge by Michael Bracken
It's been a few years since I've seen "A Christmas Carol" at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, and I have to admit I had forgotten how beguiling Alan Menken's music for it is.

[ LAT ]  Opera for eyes first, ears second by Mark Swed
Baz Luhrmann's 'La Boh�me' is a tale told with wit, stagecraft and chutzpah, but musically it's underpowered.

News:

[ NYT ]  Italian Opera With Hollywood Heart Looks Like a Broadway Hit by JESSE McKINLEY
"La Boh�me," the Australian director Baz Luhrmann's hipster take on the Puccini opera, burst out at the box office after opening to strong reviews.

[ DN ]  Box-office Boh�mania by Patricia O'Haire
The weather may have been frigid yesterday, but the box office was hot at the Broadway Theatre after "La Boh�me," Baz Luhrmann's version of the venerable opera, opened Sunday to rave reviews.

[ YN ]  Broadway Abuzz as Baz Plots More Plays by Robert Hofler
NEW YORK (Variety) - "La Boheme" is just the beginning. Having won over the Broadway critics with his opera production, Baz Luhrmann is now set to direct two more theater shows.

[ NYP ]  CINDY ADAMS
Cindy talks to Baz (second item).

[ V ]  SWEET SMELL OF LEGIT B.O.
Higher tix prices cited in non-holiday mark
Broadway's 34 shows set a non-holiday record of $17,500,645 last week, which retired the old one of $16,068,527 from April 9-15, 2000, when there were 36 productions on the boards. No surprise: Higher ticket prices had much to do with that $17.5 million take.

[ B ]  Roundabout: "Master Harold" May Play the Booth

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: Tu- Tu- and Two

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: TV News Mavens

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: Harvey Envy?

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: 2 Out of 3

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: A Little Red Bow

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Baz Boh�me's Broadway Opening: Smiles from Carpet to Curtain

[ P ]  Yeston & Kopit's Phantom Haunts FL's Hollywood Playhouse, Starting Dec. 31

[ P ]  Medea, Starring Fiona Shaw, Opens on Broadway Dec. 10

[ P ]  Gallagher, Pashalinski, Setterfield Talk Art, Life & Show Biz, New Off-Bway Play, Jan. 3-26

[ P ]  Spend New Year's Eve with Eartha Kitt at Joe's Pub

[ P ]  Christy Baron and Darius de Haas Sing at Joe's Pub in December

[ P ]  What Didn't Happen, Shinn's Play About Mentors and Students, Opens Dec. 10 in NYC

[ P ]  La Boheme Cast Album in Stores Dec. 10

[ P ]  Guthrie Theater Will Present Shaw's Mrs. Warren in January 2003

[ P ]  Robert Morse Returns to Capote in L.A. Christmas Memory Dec. 10

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 10

[ P ]  Broadway Grosses: December 2-8

[ P ]  McCarthy, Runolfsson, Skinner, Butler & Oscar on New deRoy CD "Family"

[ V ]  INSIDE MOVE: WHAT ARE THE 'ODDS'?
Trio reteams as 'Couple' goes German
Felix und Oskar? German helmer Doris Dorrie ("Naked") has reteamed with veteran thesps Heiner Lauterbach and Uwe Ochsenknecht for a Teutonic take on Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple."

[ V ]  SOCCER STAR MARADONA TOPIC OF TUNER
Musical to premiere in Buenos Aires in April
Soccer superstar Diego Maradona is about to follow his countrywoman Eva Peron as the inspiration for a legit musical.

Features:

[ ND ]  G-Rated Danny by Blake Green
'Adult' role aside, Aiello aspires to Yeats

[ ND ]  Premiere Of 'Boh�me' Boon For Paparazzi by Gordon Cox

[ WP ]  Backstage: Getting The Hang of 'Bat Boy' by Jane Horwitz
A Musical Role Turns an Actor's Life Upside Down

[ NYP ]  THREE'S A CHARM by MICHAEL RIEDEL
On paper, none of them looked like blockbusters. "Hairspray"? A cult movie, at best.

[ NYP ]  WHY THE RISKS ARE PAYING OFF by MICHAEL RIEDEL
"La Boheme": Sexy cast with classically trained voices, so even die-hard opera queens can't whine too much. Luhrmann's fluid direction and wife Catherine Martin's luscious Parisian sets and costumes. Funny subtitles everywhere you look. And if you think you don't like opera, this easy-going "Boheme" has as many catchy tunes as an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical (in fact, some of them are one and the same!)

[ B ]  Quotable Quotes: Interviews With the Vampires

[ B ]  Photo Op: An Opening Night Ball for Vampires

[ B ]  Photo Op: Nativity Spreads Gospel-Flavored Holiday Joy

[ BSUN ]  There's power in the arts by Donna M. Owens
Michael Ross, Center Stage's managing director, is back in Baltimore, trumpeting the theater's unifying power
posted at 12/10/2002 07:55:25 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Monday, December 09, 2002

[ NYT ]  It Ain't Over Till the Goth Vampire Sings
By BEN BRANTLEY

posted at 12/9/2002 08:22:47 PM by James Marino | Item Link

News:

[ YN ]  London May Get More of Kidman's 'Theatrical Viagra'
Kidman is in negotiations with director Trevor Nunn to appear in Henrik Ibsen's "The Lady From the Sea" at the Almeida theater, theaterland sources say.

[ WP ]  At the Gala: Smiles, Tears and a Dazzling Finale by Ken Ringle
A Constellation Of Distinguished Talent Shines at The 25th Honors
Gotta love Steve Martin's comments...

[ P ]  La Boheme Featured on "Today" Dec. 10

[ P ]  Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye: Jolson & Company Closes Dec. 22

Features:

[ ND ]  Photo Gallery: Stars Arrive at La Bohome Premiere

[ NYer ]  DEPT. OF LITIGATION
LILLIAN, MARY, AND ME by Dick Cavett
Who would guess that by uttering a few harmless words you could trigger lawsuits in the millions, a furor in the literary world, and a Broadway show?

Reviews:

[ NYer ]  SOUL FOOD by JOHN LAHR
Getting the spirit onstage.
"Our Town" and "Crowns."

[ ND ]  Puccini's 'La Boh�me' Shoots for the Hip by Linda Winer
Reworked opera swaps traditional strengths for MTV-style dazzle
Here's a switch: Newsday is the LAST New York daily to post its review.
posted at 12/9/2002 05:34:45 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

News:

[ P ]  Skylight Opera in Milwaukee Does Killer Business With Chicago

[ P ]  Kahlo and Rivera Get World Premiere Musical Frida and Diego in San Francisco Dec. 13-21

[ P ]  Nicole Kidman May Head Back to London Stage in 2003

[ P ]  Spring Season Announced for London's Royal Shakespeare Company

[ P ]  London's Young Vic Announces New Season

[ P ]  Priscilla Lopez Plays Six Moms in Solo Show, Class Mothers '68, Opening Dec. 9

[ P ]  New Sweet Charity to Have U.S. Debut in Chicago, July 2003; Walter Bobbie Helms

[ P ]  Settin' the Woods on Fire: OB's MET Presents Hank Williams Starting Dec. 9

[ P ]  CBS To Air "Kennedy Center Honors" On December 27; Chita Rivera Saluted

[ P ]  Woodard Retells African Tales in L.A. Folklore Project Dec. 20-22

Reviews:

[ TB ]  The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and Uncle Vanya Boston Reviews by Suzanne Bixby
posted at 12/9/2002 02:47:20 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Features:

[ YN ]  'La Boheme' Opens With Hollywood Glitz by JUSTIN GLANVILLE, Associated Press
Sandra Bullock in a slinky black evening gown, edging past paparazzi. A throng of onlookers waiting in vain for the arrival of Leonardo DiCaprio (he sneaked in through a side entrance). Candice Bergen holding court with friends and fans in the lobby.
It wasn't a typical night at the opera.

[ B ]  Photo Op: A Starry Opening for La Boh�me

[ B ]  Quotable Quotes: At the Boh�me Bash

[ LAT ]  Stars Shine on Theater Troupe by Josef Woodard
Ventura's 5-year-old Rubicon company has benefited from, among other things, its founders' friendships with celebrities.

[ TM ]  Peter Filichia's Diary
Filichia goes to North Carolina to celebrate A Tuna Christmas with the good people of Charlotte.

[ USA ]  For stars, the lights are brighter off-Broadway by Elysa Gardner

[ TS ]  Bombay Dreams, T.O. reality? by MARTIN KNELMAN
Lloyd Webber pitches Bollywood musical to Mirvishes
Thanks to ElleWhy on All That Chat for the link!

Reviews � "La Boh�me":

[ B ]  Broadway Critics Seduced by Baz's Boh�me

[ NYT ]  THEATER REVIEW | 'LA BOHEME'
Sudden Streak of Red Warms a Cold Garret by BEN BRANTLEY
Baz Lurhmann's production of Puccini's opera turns out to be an enchanted mixture of self-conscious artistry and emotional richness.

[ DN ]  Puccini for the people by Howard Kissel
All through the 19th century, opera was show business. In his Broadway production of Puccini's "La Boheme," which opened last night, Baz Luhrmann restores it to those roots.

[ NYP ]  BRAVO 'BOHEME'! by CLIVE BARNES
OPERA on Broadway? Italian Opera? I mean classic Opera in Italian? Is someone crazy around here? Not exactly. Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme," given the full Broadway treatment by Australian wunderkind director Baz Luhrmann and his remarkable designer Catherine Martin, opened at the Broadway Theatre last night and looks and sounds like a hit.

[ USA ]  'La Boheme' proves opera can be both tragic and hip by Elysa Gardner
First, forget everything you think you know, or don't know, about opera.

[ WP ]  The 'Boheme' Next Door by Peter Marks
Baz Luhrmann Puts Puccini Back on the Map, on Broadway

[ CST ]  Review of "La Boheme" in New York BY HEDY WEISS
In the end, the visual delights of this production outweigh its aural pleasures, and the crucial emotional heat that comes with big operatic voices is lacking. This "La Boheme" may be the equivalent of a good set of training wheels for the MTV-educated audience. But serious opera fans will still want to head to the opera house. As for me, I'm waiting for a grunge-band version of "Woyzeck."

[ NJ ]  Boring 'Boh�me' comes to Broadway BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

[ YN ]  'La Boheme' Opens at Broadway Theatre by RONALD BLUM, Associated Press Writer
Baz Luhrmann's new production of Puccini's "La Boheme" should be required viewing for all opera impresarios.

[ YN ]  `La Boheme' Arrives on Broadway by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic
"La Boheme," in this enthusiastic interpretation by Luhrmann and company, blazes with a blinding light that rarely flickers all evening long.

[ B ]  Light My Candle on the Left Bank by Ken Mandelbaum

[ TB ]  La Boheme Review by Matthew Murray

[ TM ]  La Boh�me Reviewed By: Michael Portantiere and Barbara & Scott Siegel

Other Reviews:

[ NYT ]  OPERA REVIEW | 'SOPHIE'S CHOICE'
Styron's Tormented Characters, Revealed Through Music by ANTHONY TOMMASINI
Composer Nicholas Maw's reverence for the characters of William Styron's novel is palpable in his beautifully realized opera.

[ NYT ]  CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK
The Nativity, Now Chasing The Rockettes by BRUCE WEBER
The Broadway-size and starry Christmas pageant that is "The Nativity" finds a permanent home in Washington Heights.

[ TM ]  The Chaos Theories Reviewed By: Meredith Lee

[ NJ ]  Was this Bard's 'Dream'? BY PETER FILICHIA
Now is the midwinter of our discontent at the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival in Madison.

News:

[ P ]  Finn Directs Zien in One-Man Show Ashtabula, Dec. 9

[ P ]  Forever's Gonna Start Tonight: Dance of the Vampires Opens on Broadway, Dec. 9

[ P ]  Rebecca Pidgeon Is On the Waterfront for BBC/L.A. Theatre Works Dec. 11-15

[ P ]  Harriet and Harvey to Host Gypsy of the Year Competition Dec. 9-10

[ P ]  Schedule of Upcoming Broadway Openings

[ P ]  American Theatre Wing Panel Explores Hairspray's Success Dec. 9

[ P ]  92nd Street Y's Makor Offers an Evening with Hairspray's Shaiman Dec. 9

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 9

[ P ]  Eric Grode's STAGE TO SCREEN: Condon on �Chicago� and the �Shadows of Motown�
posted at 12/9/2002 07:49:11 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

Sunday, December 08, 2002

Features:

[ WP ]  For Chita Rivera, A Career With Legs by Jacqueline Trescott
At crucial moments, teachers helped Chita Rivera become what she is today: her own person.

[ WP ]  James Earl Jones, Artist in Resonance by Peter Marks
You've heard the booming, mellifluous voice of Kennedy Center Honor recipient James Earl Jones countless times in television and film. But nowhere has the actor's impact been more profound than in the arena of his first love, the theater.

[ WP ]  Who's Next?
It's a daunting task, sifting through the tinsel and ribbons of dozens of artistic careers, weighing them against each other and coming up with a slate of Kennedy Center honorees.

[ WP ]   It's Too Late Now
Here are some of the artists who died before they could make the cut. Call them our Honorary Honorees.

[ HC ]  Bells Are Ringing For Tucci by RON DICKER
Stanley Tucci broke through the fourth wall recently, and not as a dramatic device. Irritated by cellphones ringing and cameras clicking during "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," his Broadway play with Edie Falco, Tucci finally cracked one night when someone took pictures from the second row.

[ DN ]  Come hear the music by CHRISSY PERSICO
For those who have been driven away from theater by expensive tickets, there's a cheaper way to hear the songs of Broadway from the front row and get a first look at tomorrow's writers and performers. New York's affordable cabaret circuit, made up of cozy rooms, historical haunts and raucous piano bars, offers both stars and new talent for very reasonable prices.

[ TS ]  Reunited and it feels so good by RICHARD OUZOUNIAN
Christmas concert pairs Plummer and Andrews Dame Julie on life after losing her singing voice

[ BG ]  Villages are dying in Ireland but thriving onstage by Maureen Dezell
Three plays in Boston portray a culture's vanishing way of life

[ CST ]  Once again, Dr. Seuss is on the loose BY MISHA DAVENPORT

[ NJ ]  Baz Luhrmann brings Puccini's bohemians to Broadway BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
"There are easier ways to have a hit than to do an Italian opera on Broadway," remarks director Baz Luhrmann about his new staging of "La Boh�me."

[ HC ]  Baz Luhrmann's �La Boh�me' Living Large On Broadway by MALCOLM JOHNSON
Set In 1957 Paris, `La Boh�me,' Is The First Italian- Language Opera On The Great White Way

News:

[ NYP ]  LIZ SMITH
�HIS personality was a marriage of Dorothy Parker and all five of the Marx Brothers!" said Tony-winning playwright Peter Stone of the late Adolph Green, who was given a tribute to end all tributes as a memorial.

[ LAT ]  Juveniles Escape Own Crime Tales on Stage by Stephanie Chavez
Detained youths work with professionals to produce a play, which many say helps keep their minds off the next court hearing.

[ P ]  Luhrmann's La Boheme Waltzes Onto the Broadway Stage, Dec. 8

[ P ]  Irving's Ghosts Are Gone Dec. 8

[ P ]  The Shape of Things Film To Debut at Sundance Film Festival, Jan. 16-26

[ P ]  Boheme�s Baz Luhrmann and "Heart and Soul" on "Radio Playbill" Dec. 9-14

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: LaChanze Congrats White on Her Crowns

[ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Sporting Their Crowns

[ P ]  Composer David Friedman Is Special Guest at Spiritus Concerts

[ P ]  Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon Read New Bettenbender Work at Rattlestick Theatre, Dec. 8

[ P ]  'Money, Money, Money' for a Good Cause: Mamma Mia! Hosts Actor's Fund Show Dec. 8

[ P ]  Mednick's Joe and Betty Are Back in New York City Dec. 8-Jan. 12

[ P ]  Performance Piece, Velocity, Returns to New York, Dec. 8 and 9

[ P ]  Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 8

Reviews:

[ TB ]  The Frog Princess Cincinnati Review by Scott Cain
posted at 12/8/2002 09:13:16 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link

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[Past News]

BROADWAYSTAR'S FIVE DAY FORECAST

2007-08
Broadway Season

June 28 - Old Acquaintance (AA)

July 10 - Xanadu (Hayes) [Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel and Sarah Murchison/Dale Smith]

Aug 19 - Grease (Atkinson)

Oct 4 - Mauritius (Biltmore) [MTC]

Oct 11 - The Ritz (54)

Oct 18 - Pygmalion (AA)

Oct 25 - A Bronx Tale (Kerr)

Nov 1 - Cyrano de Bergerac (Rodgers)

Nov 4 - Rock 'N' Roll (Jacobs)

Nov 8 - Young Frankenstein (Hilton)

Nov 9 - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (St. James)

Nov 10: Local One Strike Begins

Nov 28: Local One Strike Ends

Dec 2 - Cymbeline (Beaumont)

Dec 3 - The Farnsworth Invention (Music Box) [Dodger Properties with Steven Spielberg, Dan Cap Productions, Fred Zollo, Latitude Link and the Pelican Group]

Dec 4 - August: Osage County (Imperial) [Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Steppenwolf]

Dec 6 - The Seafarer (Booth)

Dec 9 - Is He Dead? (Lyceum)

Dec 16 - The Homecoming (Cort) [Richards, Frankel]

Jan 10 - The Little Mermaid (Lunt)

Jan 15 - The 39 Steps (AA)

Jan 17 - November (Barrymore)

Jan 24 - Come Back, Little Sheba (Biltmore)

Feb 21 - Sunday In The Park With George (54)

Feb 28 - Passing Strange (Belasco)

Mar 6 - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadhurst) [Stephen C. Byrd]

Mar 9 - In The Heights (Rodgers)

Mar 27 - Gypsy (St. James)

Mar 29 - Macbeth (Lyceum)

Apr 3 - South Pacific (Beaumont)

Apr 17 - A Catered Affair (Kerr) [Jujamcyn Theaters, Jordan Roth, Harvey Entertainment / Ron Fierstein, Richie Jackson and Daryl Roth]

Apr 24 - Cry Baby (Marquis)

Apr 27 - The Country Girl (Jacobs)

Apr 30 - Thurgood (Booth)

May 1 - Les Liaisons Dangereuses (AA)

May 4 - Boeing-Boeing (Longacre)

May 7 - Top Girls (Biltmore)

TBA - Godspell

2008-09
Broadway Season

Oct 16 - Billy Elliot (Imperial)

Nov 08 - Dividing the Estate (a Shubert theater)

Dec 14 - Shrek: The Musical (Broadway) [DreamWorks]

Talked About
Not Scheduled Yet

TBA - 50 Words

TBA - Addams Family (Elephant Eye)

TBA - American Buffalo

TBA - An American Vaudeville [Farrell, Perloff]

TBA - The Beard of Avon [NYTW]

TBA - Being There [Permut]

TBA - Benny & Joon [MGM]

TBA - Billy Elliot

TBA - Brave New World [Rachunow]

TBA - Breath of Life [Fox]

TBA - Busker Alley [Margot Astrachan, Robert Blume, Kristine Lewis, Jamie Fox, Joanna Kerry & Heather Duke]

TBA - Broomhilda

TBA - Bye Bye Birdie [Niko]

TBA - Camille Claudel [Wildhorn]

TBA - Camelot

TBA - Carmen [Robin DeLevita and The Firm]

TBA - Catch Me If You Can

TBA - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Bob and Harvey Weinstein]

TBA - Cry Baby [Grazer, Gordon, McAllister, Epstein]

TBA - Designing Women [Alexis]

TBA - Don Juan DeMarco [New Line]

TBA - Dreamgirls [Creative Battery]

TBA - Duet

TBA - Equus

TBA - Ever After [Adam Epstein]

TBA - Fallen Angels (Shubert) [Kenwright]

TBA - Farragut North [Richards]

TBA - Father of the Bride

TBA - The Female Of The Species (TBA)

TBA - Fool For Love (AA) [Roundabout]

TBA - Girl Group Time Travelers

TBA - Golden Boy

TBA - Harmony [Guiles, Karslake, Smith, Fishman]

TBA - Hitchcock Blonde

TBA - The Importance Of Being Earnest

TBA - Jerry Springer: The Opera! [Thoday, McKeown]

TBA - Jesus Hopped The 'A' Train (Circle)

TBA - Josephine [Waissman]

TBA - Leap of Faith

TBA - A Little Princess [Ettinger, Dodger]

TBA - Midnight Cowboy [MGM]

TBA - The Minstrel Show - Kander and Ebb and Stroman

TBA - Moonstruck [Pittelman, Azenberg]

TBA - Mourning Becomes Electra [Haber, Boyett]

TBA - Monsoon Wedding

TBA - The Night of the Hunter

TBA - The Opposite of Sex [Namco]

TBA - Orphans

TBA - Pal Joey [Platt]

TBA - Paper Doll

TBA - The Paris Letter

TBA - The Philadelphia Story

TBA - Peter Pan

TBA - Porgy and Bess [Frankel, Viertel, Baruch, Routh, Panter, Tulchin/Bartner]

TBA - The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert

TBA - The Princess Bride

TBA - Princesses [Lane, Comley]

TBA - Poe the Musical

TBA - Rain Man [MGM]

TBA - Robin Hood

TBA - Secondhand Lions

TBA - South Pacific

TBA - Speed-the-Plow

TBA - Stalag 17

TBA - Starry Messenger

TBA - Syncopation

TBA - A Tale Of Two Cities

TBA - Torch Song Trilogy

TBA - Turn of the Century

TBA - West Side Story

TBA - The Wall [Weinstein, Mottola, Waters]

TBA - Will Rogers Follies [Cossette]

TBA - The Wiz [Dodger]

TBA - Zanna [Dalgleish]

This list is compiled from various sources. If you have corrections to the Broadway Season, please contact us.

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2007-08Broadway Season

2008-09Broadway Season

Talked AboutNot Scheduled Yet

2007-08
Broadway Season

2008-09
Broadway Season

Talked About
Not Scheduled Yet