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Saturday, December 21, 2002 [ NYP ] Tragic Results Broadway's graphic "Medea" ground to a halt this week when an audience member passed out as Fiona Shaw - the star of the 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy - appeared onstage carrying the limp, bloody bodies of her murdered children. Article is on page 7 of the hard copy. posted at 12/21/2002 10:02:18 AM by the other James | Item Link Features: [ BS ] 2002 in Quotes [ TS ] An all-star tour of Chicago by RICHARD OUZOUNIAN The story spawned a play, 2 films and one of Broadway's hottest musicals [ PTR ] Gorshin calls`Gracie' role his toughest job by Ed Blank [ * ] "Forty-fourth Street!" Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooorty-fourth Street Where the wind comes sweeping from the west Let's go in The Algonquin And pretend that we're a guest. The parody of "Oklahoma!" performed last Saturday on "A Prairie Home Companion." (Sung by Kristin Chenoweth, although the page doesn't make that clear.) News: [ NYT ] William Glover, Retired Critic for Associated Press, Dies at 91 William Glover reviewed theater for the Associated Press for 18 years, covering Broadway, Off Broadway and theater in 28 states and 20 countries. [ HC ] Director Quits Theatre Of Deaf by FRANK RIZZO Jerry Goehring, executive director of the National Theatre of the Deaf who guided the institution from the brink of bankruptcy to a new home and a second life in Hartford, is leaving his post, effective March 31. [ B ] The Rat Pack Is Back In West End [ B ] Br�an O'Byrne to Headline bedbound at Irish Rep [ B ] Full Cast of Radiant Baby Revealed [ B ] Tales of the City to Become Stage Musical [ B ] Will Coward's Fallen Angels Hit NYC in Spring? [ R ] 'Opposite' Attracts Stage Musical by Michael Fleming NEW YORK (Variety) - The makers of 1998 comedy feature "The Opposite of Sex" are looking to consummate a stage musical. [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Anything Goes: The Roaring 20's [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Anything Goes: She Gets a Kick [ P ] LaChanze Featured in Upcoming Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz TV Movie [ P ] Varekai, Cirque du Soleil's Latest, Arrives in NYC April 24-June 8, 2003 [ P ] No Boy Scout: John Dossett Is Rose's Herbie in Gypsy [ P ] The Play What I Wrote Begins Previews March 7, 2003, at Bway's Lyceum; Branagh Helms [ P ] Report: From Oklahoma! to Texas, Patrick Wilson Joins Disney's "Alamo" [ P ] Harriell Joins New LaChiusa Musical, Little Fish [ P ] PHOTO CALL: The Talking Cure: Ralph Fiennes Is Carl Jung [ BS ] Va. Nonprofit Theater Out of Business Financial woes are closing Richmond's only professional nonprofit theater. [ BS ] NAACP Theatre Noms The Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP has announced its nominees for its Thirteenth Annual Theatre Awards. Reviews: [ BSUN ] 'Sunday' does struggle to make presence known by J. Wynn Rousuck Imagine putting a tasteful but diminutive Christmas tree in, say, Rockefeller Center, and you get an idea of how valiantly actress Alice Ripley has to struggle to grant stature to this musical bauble. [ TM ] Tell Me on a Sunday Reviewed By: Michael Toscano [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'HANK WILLIAMS: LOST HIGHWAY' Painting a Musical Portrait in Lonesome Blues by BRUCE WEBER Randal Myler's show based on the life of the country music legend Hank Williams features fine music and a committed cast. [ INQ ] GrooveLily's 'Striking 12' is part theater, part concert by Douglas J. Keating The Prince Music Theater's new Greenhouse performance series aims to cultivate "imaginative and daring work that does not fit neatly into any category," and Striking 12 certainly fits most of that description. [ TM ] Tunes, Tomes, & Videos Just in time for the holidays, Mel Brooks's The Producers -- the 1968 film version, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder -- is now available on DVD. [ BS ] The Theatrical Year in Review Theatre in NYC made a welcome recovery from the traumatic events of 2001, and a selection of our Back Stage critics survey the smorgasbord and recall the tastiest treats of a nourishing year. posted at 12/21/2002 08:49:08 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Friday, December 20, 2002 Features: [ B ] CDs: Lovers on Christmas Eve by Ken Mandelbaum Several critics noted in their reviews of Tommy Tune's White Tie and Tails the apparent use of a plant during a question-and-answer sequence. I'm told that the woman who steps out of the audience, pretending to be Tune's former dance student, is Sandra Roveta. Roveta danced with Michael Bennett in his first two Broadway shows, Subways Are for Sleeping and Here's Love. [ B ] Photo Op: Lincoln Center Serves Dinner at Eight [ B ] Photo Op: Holiday Fun with the Cast of Rent [ P ] An Uncivil War Legendary literary figures Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy battle in Nora Ephron's Imaginary Friends at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. [ P ] La Vie Boh�me The universal appeal of La Boh�me is at the heart of Baz Luhrmann's Broadway production of Puccini's beloved opera. News: [ P ] Frederick Knott, Playwright of Wait Until Dark and Dial M for Murder, Dead [ B ] Playwright Frederick Knott Dead at 86 [ B ] Marcy Harriell Replaces LaChanze in Little Fish Reviews: [ B ] Did New York Critics Eat Up Dinner at Eight? [ TB ] A Karen Carpenter Christmas Seattle Review by David-Edward Hughes posted at 12/20/2002 12:53:33 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ NYP ] TV OR NOT TV? by MICHAEL RIEDEL NEVER mind the follow spot - it's the 30-second spot that Broadway's concentrating on these days. Three new shows that opened to mixed reviews - "Hollywood Arms," "Man of La Mancha" and "Dance of the Vampires" - are about to unleash expensive television commercials in an attempt to boost ticket sales. [ NYT ] ON STAGE AND OFF Playing in Mother's Hit by JESSE MCKINLEY Jeannie Berlin plays a bad girl gone high art in "Adult Entertainment," a play by her mother, Elaine May, at the Variety Arts Theater. [ NYT ] Frederick Knott, Playwright, Dies at 86 by DOUGLAS MARTIN Frederick Knott, a notoriously unprolific playwright, finally scored big when he wrote the 1952 Broadway hit "Dial M for Murder." [ B ] John Dossett Set for Herbie in Mendes' Gypsy [ B ] Complete Cast Announced for Fifth of July [ B ] Jude Law in Talks to Star in Hamlet [ B ] Cirque du Soleil Returns to Gotham with Varekai [ P ] Emily Bergl Stars in South Coast Rep's Proof Jan. 10-Feb. 9 [ P ] Bayview Offers Callaway, Korey, Anderson on "Broadway Musicals" CD [ P ] Playbill On-Line Selects the Top Theatre Stories of 2002 [ P ] Woodard Retells African Tales in L.A. Folklore Project Dec. 20-22 [ P ] "Theater Talk" Offers Wilson and Bohème Dec. 20 [ P ] Buckley Offers Holiday Songs & Bway Standards in PA, Dec. 20 [ P ] Brian F. O'Bryne Is bedbound in American Premiere at Irish Rep Jan. 17-March 2 [ P ] Over the Rainbow: Sing-a-Long Wizard of Oz Kicks Off in Chicago Jan. 4, 2003 [ P ] DIVA TALK: A Chat with "Chicago" Film's Velma Kelly, Catherine Zeta-Jones [ P ] Complete Cast Announced for Fifth of July, With Robert Sean Leonard, Jan. 16-March 9, 2003 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Hamilton, Sedaris, Overbey Have Gone Home [ P ] Anything Goes Is Nunn's Biggest Hit at London's National Theatre [ P ] James Hazeldine, Star of London's Talking Cure, Dies [ P ] Jude Law in Discussions for London Hamlet [ P ] Strathairn, Garrick Tell CSC's Winter's Tale Jan. 15-Feb. 23, 2003; Nelson Out [ NYT ] 'Chicago' and 'The Hours' Lead Golden Globes Race by RICK LYMAN "Chicago" led a tight pack for the 2003 Golden Globe Awards with eight nominations, including ones for best comedy or musical film, best actress and best actor. [ TM ] Date Change for Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire's Appearance at Drama Book Shop [ TM ] Cirque du Soleil Returns to New York with New Show, April 24 [ TM ] Spaces at 520, With Office and Rehearsal Space for Not-For-Profit Arts Groups, Opens Officially on January 10 Reviews � "Dinner at Eight": [ NYP ] FILL UP BEFORE YOU GO TO 'DINNER AT EIGHT' by CLIVE BARNES AH, the good old days, when a playwright could cheerfully submit a script with a cast of 27 actors, 11 understudies, four musicians and seven changes of set. And, if necessary, a singing bird in a pear tree. [ ND ] A Feast of Personalities by Linda Winer Large cast, lavish sets make 'Dinner' a treat [ DN ] A richly entertaining crew by Howard Kissel Just before the final scene of the Lincoln Center Theater's gorgeous production of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's "Dinner at Eight," a spotlight picks up a glittering chandelier descending in the darkness. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'DINNER AT EIGHT' Setting the Table for Indigestion by BEN BRANTLEY George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's comic melodrama has been given a sumptuous revival, but entirely revitalizing such an old-fashioned play is hard. [ YN ] 'Dinner at Eight' Captures Desperation by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic For those familiar only with the movie, the play will come as something of a surprise. It's a bit different but equally tough and funny, a sturdy piece of theatrical timber directed here with equal parts affection and respect by Gerald Gutierrez. [ NJ ] This 'Dinner' is a theatrical gourmet feast BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ B ] Dinner at Eight Review by Adam Feldman [ TM ] Dinner at Eight Reviewed By: David Finkle [ TB ] Dinner At Eight Review by Matthew Murray Reviews � "Hank Williams: Lost Highway": [ DN ] Williams' bio has us Hank-ering for more by David Hinckley In an effort to explain how Hank Williams came to write the remarkable songs that he did, the bio-musical "Lost Highway" tries it all. It tries confessions, monologues, voice-overs. [ NYP ] �HIGHWAY' HEAVEN by DONALD LYONS �HANK Williams: Lost Highway" is the best example of a musician's bio put on a stage I've ever seen. [ TB ] Hank Williams: Lost Highway Review by Matthew Murray Other Reviews: [ WP ] Down in The Dumps by Peter Marks Alice Ripley, All Alone on 'Sunday' [ B ] A 'Pan' that never quite gets airborne by Douglas J. Keating Peter Pan & Wendy, the musical the Prince Music Theater is premiering as its family holiday show, doesn't stack up very well against its memorable predecessor. Well, I thought it was wonderful. So there!! [ TM ] Porterphiles Reviewed By: Barbara & Scott Siegel [ TB ] Porterphiles Review by Matthew Murray [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'TOMMY TUNE' Wearing Clothes, and Age, With a Determined Ease by BRUCE WEBER Tommy Tune's mild and innocuous song-and-dance revue won't divert much attention from the real attraction, the Little Shubert Theater itself. [ NJ ] Song-and-dance man keeps it light, lively and Tune-ful BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ TIME ] Best and Worst of Theater in 2002 Unlike some of their other lists, there's no "worst." [ TIME ] Best and Worst of Design in 2002 The set for "Hairspray" makes the list. [ DN ] Andrews & Co. give gift of song by Robert Dominguez Considering Julie Andrews' well-publicized problems with her voice the audience seemed both delighted and surprised to hear Andrews croon a tune at Wednesday night's performance of "A Royal Christmas." [ NYP ] NO PLACE FOR 'HOME' by DONALD LYONS IT'S a fairly banal plot - a young man returns home after 10 years away to die of an unnamed but fatal disease - so perhaps the writer thought it needed snapping up. [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH Liz on "Imaginary Friends." [ NJ ] Ready for a 9/11 anti-hero? BY MICHAEL SOMMERS "The Mercy Seat," which opened Wednesday at the Theatre Row complex, offers his greatest slime-ball ever -- a man who hopes to twist the World Trade Center catastrophe to his personal advantage. [ NJ ] Neil Simon comedy is a late bloomer BY PETER FILICHIA His 1980 comedy-drama, "I Ought to Be in Pictures," now at the Bickford Theatre in Morris Township, limps along for 90 minutes, steadily running out of the little gas it had in its tank. [ LAT ] Manhattan transfers, successful and not so by Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune 'Movin' Out' got the fine-tuning it needed between its out-of-town tryout and its Broadway opening. Other shows fare less well. Features: [ TM ] Call Her Eller by: Scott Logsdon Patty Duke comes back to Broadway in Oklahoma! -- and she ain't crawling. [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia lists more than a few of his favorite things about the theater. [ INQ ] Backstage with... Jackie Mason Caustic, politically incorrect comedian Jackie Mason isn't hurting for material these days. "There's plenty of things in the newspaper every morning for me to talk about," the grizzled social commentator said. "It's a wonderful time for me." posted at 12/20/2002 08:14:21 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Thursday, December 19, 2002 Features: [ B ] What Did I Have That I Don't Have? by Ken Mandelbaum Michael Mayer recently directed a reading of a new version of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, the unsuccessful 1965 Broadway musical with a book by Alan Jay Lerner and a fine score by Lerner and Burton Lane. [ B ] Fresh Face: Caroline O'Connor by Cara Joy David News: [ B ] Chicago Film Nominated for Eight Golden Globes [ P ] "Chicago" The Movie Garners Top Golden Globe Noms [ * ] Golden Globes: Complete List of Nominations [ P ] "Chicago" Star Zeta-Jones Hopes to Play Mama Rose in Gypsy on Broadway [ P ] Our Lady of 121st Street Starts Off-Bway Commercial Run Feb. 18, 2003 [ P ] Millie's Creel To Star in "Eloise" Movies for ABC-TV [ P ] Cariou and Alexander Star in Neil Simon's Rose and Walsh at L.A.'s Geffen Jan. 28-March 9, 2003 [ B ] Actor James Hazeldine Dead at 55 Reviews: [ TM ] The Mercy Seat Reviewed By: David Finkle [ TM ] Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails Reviewed By: Marc Miller posted at 12/19/2002 02:36:25 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ YN ] British Actor James Hazeldine Dies at 55 Hazeldine became ill Dec. 10, four days after beginning performances in the new Christopher Hampton play "The Talking Cure" at the National, in which he played Sigmund Freud. [ IBDB ] James Hazeldine's Broadway Credits posted at 12/19/2002 08:01:14 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews � "The Mercy Seat": [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'THE MERCY SEAT'' Yes, He Survived Sept. 11, but What's in It for Him? by BEN BRANTLEY Despite its provocative context, "The Mercy Seat" is not one of those Neil LaBute works that sting like a scorpion. [ DN ] On 9/12, still self-absorbed by Robert Dominguez With the beautifully acted "The Mercy Seat," the controversial filmmaker and playwright has crafted an intelligent and thought-provoking drama that casts a less-than-glowing light on man's dark side in the face of disaster. [ NYP ] HARSH LIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 12TH LOVE AFFAIR by DONALD LYONS WRITER-director Neil LaBute, an edgy observer of human behavior, tackles another romantic power struggle in "The Mercy Seat," a two-character drama set on Sept. 12, 2001. [ ND ] After 9/11, These Zeroes Stand Alone by Linda Winer Ultimately, the only real shocker in LaBute's 100-minute confrontation is the unconvincing bond between Schreiber's Ben, a married man with kids, and Weaver's Abby, who is single, 12 years older and his boss. We almost believe people can be this self-interested in the middle of catastrophe. We just don't believe these people. [ YN ] `The Mercy Seat' Explores Self-Interest by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic Neil LaBute is a master of the intimate argument, those private, often intense battles, usually between a man and a woman, that produce more than enough pain for both of the combatants. And whether you like either one of the participants is often beside the point. [ B ] The Mercy Seat Review by William Stevenson Reviews � "Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails": [ ND ] Formal Wear Revue A Little Too in Tune by Gordon Cox The orchestra, the tap dancing, the formal wear: "White Tie and Tails," Tommy Tune's latest show, is very much a retro of a star vehicle. "Everything old is new again," Tune contends in the song of the same name, but it may take him a while to charm you with the idea. [ DN ] Tune is OK, but show's a bit tapped out by Howard Kissel The proper attitude toward "Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails" is, I know, to be as excited as the waiters at the Harmonia Gardens in "Hello, Dolly!" are when Dolly Levi returns to New York. [ NYP ] GRACEFUL BUT A BIT OUT OF TUNE by CLIVE BARNES THE brand-new theater, the Little Shubert on West 42nd Street's new Theater Row, is an absolute gem, a real addition to off-Broadway's diadem. [ YN ] Tommy Tune Back on New York Stage by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic What's apparent after years of watching Tune � and this reviewer first saw him dance back in 1966 at the old Shady Grove Music Fair in Rockville, Md. � is his sense of joy in performing. Tune is having fun, and he communicates that fun directly to the audience. [ B ] Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails Review by Ron Lasko Other Reviews: [ LAT ] THEME PARK REVIEW 'Aladdin' strives for a little magic by Robert Niles A new live version of Disney's animated musical isn't ready for Broadway, but it is a big improvement for California Adventure. [ YN ] Off-Broadway's 'Gone Home' Is Half-Formed by MARK EVANS, Associated Press Writer Features: [ ND ] Von Essens' Togetherness Isn't an Act by Robert Kahn Max Von Essen's name isn't on the marquee at the Minskoff Theatre, but that hasn't kept audience members from wondering why it sounds so familiar. [ DN ] Renee taps into dark side by ELIZABETH WEITZMAN Zellweger connives & jives in 'Chicago' [ B ] Photo Op: Chicago Arrives (At Last!) at the Ziegfeld [ B ] Photo Op: The Mercy Seat Bows Off-Broadway [ B ] Photo Op: Tommy Tune Opens Little Shubert In White Tie [ B ] Photo Op: Toasting a New Flower Drum Recording [ BS ] From Blocking to Battery How to deal with the director from hell. News: [ NYT ] Baryshnikov Hatches Grand Plan for a New Arts Center by JENNIFER DUNNING Putting New York at the center of his artistic universe once more, Mikhail Baryshnikov says he will open an arts center in Manhattan in 2004. [ TS ] Lion on way out? by MARTIN KNELMAN Its roar has helped enrich both the Disney machine and the Mirvish machine, but could The Lion King's Toronto reign be coming to an end any time soon? Mirvish has raised that question with its producing partners in the Magic Kingdom, but so far the answer isn't clear. Thanks to ElleWhy on All That Chat for the link! [ BS ] 'South Pacific' Crew Collects 9/11 Funds Actor Michael Nouri and his fellow cast members collected more than applause during a recent national tour of the musical "South Pacific." [ B ] Nelson Withdraws from CSC's The Winter's Tale [ B ] Our Lady of 121st Street to Play at Union Square [ ND ] Glover Returns in a 'Master' Stroke of Casting by GORDON COX The Broadway community, thanks to an effort organized by director Scott Ellis ("The Man Who Had All the Luck," "The Boys From Syracuse") and the League of American Theatres and Producers, teamed up to participate in the U.S. Postal Service's Santa Project, in which letters to Santa from underprivileged youths are answered by good Samaritans filling in for St. Nick. Second item. [ YN ] Archerd: Spielberg buys another Oscar by Army Archerd Martin Landau returns to the stage for the first time in 15 years, to star in "16 Wounded," a contemporary Amsterdam-set story about a Holocaust survivor and a Palestinian at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Conn. Final item. [ HC ] Major Events Take Shape At New Haven Arts Festival by Frank Rizzo Goodspeed news (second item). [ P ] Holiday Feast: Lincoln Center Opens Dinner at Eight Dec. 19 [ P ] Mandy Patinkin In 'Court-Room Drama' While Celebrating Sondheim [ P ] They're Singing Their Song: Thompson, Sieber Star in Reprise! of Simon-Hamlisch Musical Jan. 27 [ P ] GMHC Offers All-Star Mack & Mabel Concert with Mitchell, Lane, McKechnie and Gravitte GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis) will present a one-night-only benefit concert of Jerry Herman's Mack & Mabel on March 31, 2003. [ P ] Can You Hum "Tequila"? Porterphiles Digs for Unmined Cole, Opening Dec. 19(18 Dec [ P ] Hey, Good Lookin': Hank Williams Opens Off-Broadway Dec. 19(18 Dec [ P ] Burn This Fizzles Out Jan. 5, 2003(18 Dec [ V ] NEW YEAR USHERED IN 'Lady,' 'Wedding' roll down Off B'way aisle Off Broadway theaters see them coming and going in the early New Year. "Our Lady of 121st Street" takes over for "Burn This" at the Union Square Theater. [ V ] LITTLE SHUBERT TUNES UP BOW Revue opens Off Broadway site Another opening, another show, but not just another theater. The Little Shubert makes its debut tonight with the revue "Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails." [ BS ] Equity Members Earn $249M by Roger Armbrust Despite the devastating effect of historic terrorist attacks in New York and Washington coupled with a recessionary economy, Actors' Equity Association members still maintained fairly level earnings nationwide for the 2001-02 season. [ USA ] Listeners have news for NPR: 'Pants' program doesn't fit by Peter Johnson posted at 12/19/2002 07:47:02 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Wednesday, December 18, 2002 News: [ B ] Burn This Goes Up in Flames January 5 [ B ] Injured Asa Somers Out of Vampires [ P ] Ben Richards Joins Cast of West End Grease [ P ] London's National Theatre Presents Double Bill at the Lyttleton [ P ] Anything Goes Sails Into London's National Theatre Trevor Nunn's last musical at the National opens Dec. 18. [ P ] Zorich Replaces DiCenzo in Ma Rainey Revival; Tickets On Sale Dec. 23 [ P ] Michael Dice, Chicago-Area Actor and Teacher, Dead at 57 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Broadway Bye-Bye: Steven Weber Exits Producers [ P ] Water Coolers, the Workplace Revue, Ends NYC Run Dec. 22, Aims for 2003 Tour Features: [ B ] Photo Op: Here's to You, Lorraine Bracco! [ B ] Photo Op: A New Couple Lights Up Burn This [ B ] Video: Medea Makes a Killing [ B ] Video: Vampires Bites Broadway [ B ] Video: La Boheme Arrives in New York [ B ] Video: La Mancha Returns to B'way Reviews: [ TB ] Black Nativity with Jennifer Holliday and Nutcracker ?! (not so) Suite 2003 Minneapolis Reviews by Elizabeth Weir posted at 12/18/2002 04:19:14 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] Roxie Hart Returns to the Screen by Ken Mandelbaum Review: CHICAGO: THE MOVIE [ TB ] The Oldest Man in Show Business and The Perverse Tongue Los Angeles Reviews by Sharon Perlmutter News: [ B ] Bob Gunton Boards Twentieth Century in LA [ P ] Carmello Stars in L.A. On the Twentieth Century Jan. 21-Feb. 2, Gunton Replaces Sills [ P ] Peter Pan and Wendy, New Show by Honk! Writers, Flies Into Philly Dec. 18 And I'll be there tonight... [ P ] Brian Stokes Mitchell and Linda Lavin Join Students for Holiday Tunes Dec. 18 [ P ] Hairspray's Shoshana Bean Goes Solo Jan. 6 posted at 12/18/2002 12:19:37 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ NYP ] 'GYPSY' SETTLEMENT by MICHAEL RIEDEL THE "Gypsy" billing dispute that caused such turmoil between hotshot Hollywood director Sam Mendes and the estate of the great Jerome Robbins has been settled. [ NYT ] Sidney Glazier, Producer, Dies at 86 by PAUL LEWIS Sidney Glazier was the producer of the 1968 film comedy "The Producers." [ NYP ] THE STARR REPORT These are busy times for Mandy Patinkin. The ex-"Chicago Hope" star is not only starring in a one-man Stephen Sondheim show on Broadway, but is currently shooting a special episode of NBC's "Law & Order" that is scheduled to air during February sweeps. [ NYP ] LOVE YOU, BUT MUST LEAVE YOU by MICHAEL STARR HERE'S something not shocking for a Dick Wolf show - one of its stars is leaving. [ P ] Ruth Kobart, Big-Voiced Actress of Forum, How to Succeed and San Fran's ACT, Dead at 78 Ruth Kobart, the respected character actress who was Tony Award-nominated for playing the blowsy wife, Domina, in Broadway's original A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, died Dec. 14 at her home in San Francisco after a battle with pancreatic cancer. [ P ] Puttin' on the Ritz: Tommy Tune Revue, White Tie and Tails Opens Dec. 18 [ P ] Stockard Channing to Play Hitler's Mom in Spring TV Miniseries [ P ] NY's FireBird Launches New Cabaret Room; Mark Nadler Opens, Jan. 6-25 [ P ] Neil LaBute's Mercy Seat with Schreiber and Weaver Opens Off-Broadway, Dec. 18 [ P ] Worth Street Has New Dark Comedy Mystery of Attraction, Jan. 3-27 Features: [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary They may call him ''Mr. Producer,'' but what PS Classics' Tommy Krasker really gets to do is direct. [ DN ] Tune's tuxedo junction, at corner of song & tap by PATRICIA O'HAIRE The 6-foot-6 Tune - an actor, director, choreographer and first-class tap-dancer - opens his musical revue "White Tie and Tails" tonight in a new Off-Broadway playhouse, the Little Shubert Theater, on W. 42nd St. Reviews � "Gone Home": [ DN ] Back in the forlorn fold by Robert Dominguez It takes the entire first act of "Gone Home" to reveal the reason behind its awkward dialogue and offbeat confrontations, but the payoff is hardly a shocker. That's too bad, because Chicago playwright John Corwin puts a fresh spin on the oft-told tale of the prodigal son's return. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'GOING HOME' A Dysfunctional Family's Secret of Eternal Youth by BRUCE WEBER John Corwin, 35, shows much promise as a playwright, but this play reaches for more profundity than its gimmick-bound script can deliver. [ NJ ] Plot twist is play's only redeeming feature BY MICHAEL SOMMERS The only way to clearly describe "Gone Home," John Corwin's new drama, necessitates giving away its twist, thus robbing the work of suspense. It's petty larceny, however, because the play doesn't really amount to much. [ ND ] Family Doings That Tantalize by Gordon Cox The first half of "Gone Home" is an intriguing game. [ B ] Gone Home Review by Adam Feldman [ TM ] Gone Home Reviewed By: Barbara & Scott Siegel Other Reviews: [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'H.A.M.L.E.T.' From Out of Denmark, Soliloquies With a Smile by BRUCE WEBER Linda Mussman's "reduction" of "Hamlet" at La Mama E.T.C., has its momentary amusements. But over all it is strictly minor league. [ NJ ] 'Miracle' in Maplewood BY PETER FILICHIA Charming Christmas classic interpreted as radio broadcast play [ YN ] Annabelle Gurwitch soars in disheartening 'Joe & Betty' by JUSTIN GLANVILLE, Associated Press Writer [ TM ] Scotch and Water Reviewed By: Meredith Lee posted at 12/18/2002 07:45:22 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Tuesday, December 17, 2002 Reviews: [ VV ] A TURKEY SEASON SONGBOOK by Michael Feingold Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman; Imaginary Friends by Nora Ephron; Adult Entertainment by Elaine May To build the most grandiose set, To dwarf the most noble ideal, To make every action seem puny, To mute every heartfelt appeal: This is my bent; I'm Jonathan Kent. Destroying the theater Is my sole intent. I hate human beings, So petty and small. Let me hide them upstage in the shadow Of my sliding wall! And I know, If I throw in enough little glitzy distractions, That this well-meant but hokey old show Will not matter at all! [ VV ] THIS OLD SPOOK HOUSE by Alisa Solomon Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of the Dead, written and directed by Raymond Bobgan; The Secret of Steep Ravines, conceived and directed by Rachel Dickstein, written with Barbara Wiechmann [ VV ] Sightlines Lloyd Suh's Masha No Home at Ensemble Studio Theatre; Ossie Davis's A Last Dance for Sybil at the New Federal Theater News: [ TM ] Ruth Kobart, of Forum and How to Suceed Fame, Dies in San Francisco at 78 [ IBDB ] Ruth Kobart's Broadway Credits [ P ] Unexpected Songs: Alice Ripley Opens Kennedy Center Tell Me On a Sunday Dec. 17 [ P ] Johnson-Liff Casting Office to Close After Nearly Three Decades [ P ] Sedaris, Gallagher, White Read "Selected Shorts" in 2003 [ B ] The Water Coolers to Close on December 22 [ BS ] ASCAP Honors Sondheim by Leonard Jacobs Features: [ BS ] Directors Take Note Once the real world has been entered, becoming a theatrical director takes timing and patience; a gift for networking also doesn't hurt. posted at 12/17/2002 06:03:40 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ NYT ] PUBLIC LIVES Once the Voice of a Parrot, Now on the Marquee by ROBIN FINN Roger Bart's synopsis of his career pre-"Producers" is summed up by a single day. Now look at him: his name was about to go up in lights on the 44th Street marquee. Thanks to Drum1870 on All That Chat for the link. And go Roger! [ P ] PLAYBILL ON-LINE'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Rob Marshall It's been a natural segue from Broadway to television and � now, with "Chicago" � to film for director-choreographer Rob Marshall who grew up a fan of such movie musicals as "My Fair Lady," "Oliver!" and "The Sound of Music." News: [ B ] Dawn French Files for Divorce in London [ B ] Broadway Grosses: Foul Plays [ P ] Broadway Grosses: December 9-15 [ P ] Five Rarely Seen Plays Find Their Way to London's Gielgud Theatre [ P ] London Offers Several Christmas Shows for Children posted at 12/17/2002 03:32:22 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ P ] Duke and Schwartz Musical, Sadie Thompson, Gets Studio Cast Album The 1944 Vernon Duke-Howard Dietz musical, Sadie Thompson, has been preserved on a studio cast album featuring Melissa Errico, Davis Gaines and Ron Raines. [ P ] South Pacific Breaks 52-Year Box Office Record of DC's Arena Stage [ P ] The Gests � Liza & David � Sue Viacom/VH1 for $23 Million [ B ] Van Outen Stars in Sunday in the West End Features: [ B ] DVDs: Leo and Max---and LSD by Ken Mandelbaum THE PRODUCERS (MGM) [ TM ] The Siegels' Nightlife Notes D.C. Anderson brings his sweet voice and tart comic sensibility to Don't Tell Mama. posted at 12/17/2002 12:41:49 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ CT ] 'Exonerated' an enlightening evening for Ryan by Chris Jones As actors Richard Dreyfuss, Danny Glover and Mike Farrell told tales of "The Exonerated" before a rapt crowd of judges and politicos�and the inscrutable Gov. George Ryan�at an overflowing Chicago Center for the Performing Arts on Monday night, a tall man could be seen leaving his seat and hurrying up the aisle with a pained expression on his face. Thanks to American Theater Web for the link! [ V ] 'LA BOHEME,' 'MANCHA' LEAP B'w'y B.O. strong, but crunch time looming Boffo numbers, heavy doubts. With total receipts at $17,153,306, Broadway produced its second highest grossing non-holiday week, as total tally fell just $438,243 or 2.49%, from the previous record-setting session. [ V ] BIZ RISES; CHI '42ND' 942G Road grosses climbed 6.1% in Week 28 (Dec. 2-8), with 17 shows reporting. [ V ] TYROS ON PARADE Humana slate puts emphasis on new voices The Humana Festival is playing host to a new crop of playwrights this season: None of the playwrights providing full-lengths works have visited the festival before. [ P ] Talk Show Watch: Nathan Lane on 'Conan', Marissa Jaret Winokur on 'Caroline' [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 17 [ P ] Betty Buckley and Hairspray Gals Read New Musical Diner Stories, Dec. 17 [ P ] Phantom Star Davis Gaines Offers Holiday Music in Florida, Dec. 18-21 [ P ] Track Listings for "Chicago" Soundtrack Announced [ P ] I Love You, You're Perfect Gets New Ladies Dec. 17 [ P ] He Can Do It! Bart Blooms as Leo in Bway Producers Dec. 17; Musgrove Is Ghia [ P ] Don't Panic: New Richard Foreman Play Debuts Jan. 9, 2003 [ P ] Josh Hamilton Faces Family Silence in MTC's Gone Home [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Burn These! [ TM ] Eric Bentley to Offer ''Perspectives in Criticism'' at ATCA/NYC 2003 Conference Features: [ ND ] Welcome 'Homa! by Gordon Cox Oh what a beautiful stage return for Duke [ DN ] For 'Boh�me,' Baz reapplies the 'Rouge' by JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ Aussie director Baz Luhrmann's 2001 big-screen musical, "Moulin Rouge," has much in common with his new stage creation, "La Boheme": Same plot, same look, even the same small details. Shameless copycatting? Or a lesson from the if-it-works-once-try-it-again school? [ INQ ] The buzz surrounds by Desmond Ryan The Australian film director's pop-inspired Broadway staging of "La Boheme" blurs cultural lines and stirs ticket lines. Reviews: [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'THE TEMPEST' An Isle Full of Sounds, Sweet Airs and Stagecraft by BRUCE WEBER Theater 80 is compact enough that one is tempted to refer to its current production as "The Tempest" in a teapot. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'JOE AND BETTY' Reality Show of Sorts, With Unseen Survivor by Bruce Weber Murray Mednick's autobiographical play is a harrowing, deeply distressing and memorable, if not exactly enjoyable, comedy. [ BSUN ] In 'Pacific,' the grit is eclipsed by the gloss by J. Wynn Rousuck But D.C. production is still entertaining [ NYP ] HOT NEW CAST FIRES UP 'BURN THIS' by DONALD LYONS LANFORD Wilson's "Burn This" is crackling on with two fresh stars replacing Edward Norton and Catherine Keener. [ LAT ] A 'Medea' for the ages by Charles McNulty Actress Fiona Shaw brings modern power to the play at a time when the Greek tragedies appear to be increasingly relevant. [ LAT ] 'Plaid Tidings' is a holiday delight by David C. Nichols An updated holiday edition of the successful "Forever Plaid" revue is enormously entertaining feel-good fare. [ BG ] Andrews is a 'Royal' holiday treat by Catherine Foster Julie sang! On Sunday, four years after throat surgery squelched her singing voice, Julie Andrews, a host of the ''Royal Christmas'' show, sang. [ TS ] Dance of The Vampires Review by RICHARD OUZOUNIAN Put a stake in it - it's done. [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH Sensational 'Chicago' posted at 12/17/2002 08:12:17 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Monday, December 16, 2002 News: [ B ] Louis Zorich Joins Cast of Ma Rainey [ B ] Mira Nair Developing Monsoon Wedding for Stage [ P ] Corthron, Rebeck Among 2003 Humana Fest Playwrights in Louisville, Starting March 2 Features: [ ND ] Best Foot Forward by Blake Green Tune's back on the New York stage in 'White Tie' [ WP ] OUT & ABOUT by Roxanne Roberts For Arena Stage, Bali Ha'i Was Calling [ YN ] Brooks Checks Out 'Producers' Across U.S. by The Associated Press On a swing through St. Louis, comedian Mel Brooks was awe-struck by the Fox Theater, where he watched a local performance of his Tony-winning musical, "The Producers." Reviews: [ NYer ] KILLING FOR COMPANY by JOHN LAHR "Medea," "Imaginary Friends," "Adult Entertainment." posted at 12/16/2002 06:51:24 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ B ] Barbra's Wedding Sets Dates at Westside Theatre [ P ] Second Actor Withdraws from Cast of London's Talking Cure [ P ] U.K.'s Hampstead Theatre Gets a New Home in Feb. 2003 [ P ] Hardy's "Tess" Becomes NYC Musical Comedy in Tess' Last Night Jan. 16-Feb. 9 [ P ] Queen Latifah Is in Talks to Star in New Suzan-Lori Parks' Play Features: [ B ] Photo Op: Patty Duke Moves to Oklahoma! [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Happy Birthday, Patty! [ TM ] Photo File by: Joseph Marzullo and Michael Portantiere Hot shots of recent Broadway openings and two fabulous events to benefit BC/EFA. posted at 12/16/2002 03:53:36 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ B ] Knoblauch by Ken Mandelbaum Brooks Ashmanskas will be Mr. Goldstone in the Broadway revival of Gypsy. News: [ B ] Tony-Winning Designer Bj�rnson Dead at 53 And now, some stories from the spiffy new Playbill site... [ P ] Robert Morse Returns to Capote in L.A. Christmas Memory Dec. 10 [ P ] Maria Björnson, Designer Who Won Tonys for the Phantom's Lair, Dead at 53 [ P ] "Cabaret" Stars Minnelli and Grey Team Up Again, Feb. 14-16 [ P ] John Waters Discusses Hairspray, Gorshin Gracie at 92 Street Y in January [ P ] "Chicago" Film Star Guests on David Letterman Dec. 16 Reviews: [ B ] Did The Graduate's New Cast Seduce Critics? [ TB ] Prune Danish and On Golden Pond San Francisco Reviews by Richard Connema posted at 12/16/2002 01:03:28 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Received this item submitted through our blind link this weekend.
Another blind submission:
[ CPD ] A year after Sept. 11 led to escapist hits, dramatic themes draw N.Y. audiences Tony Brown, Plain Dealer Theater Critic [ BH ] Brian Dennehy and Emmy Award-winner Marlo Thomas to star in ``The Exonerated,'' [ NYR ] Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway [Review] [ ND ] 'Class Mothers' Is Heartwarming Tale by JUSTIN GLANVILLE (Associated Press Writer) Priscilla Lopez's latest project. [ * ] Jerry Herman All-Star Tribute CD to Benefit The Actor's Fund now Available at LML Music [ * ] Billy Andronicus -- A Karaoke Tragedy [ ATW ] XM Satellite Radio's On Broadway Channel Pays Tribute to Chita Rivera posted at 12/16/2002 09:14:04 AM by James Marino | Item Link Features: [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia reports that everything he had heard about Dance of the Vampires is true. [ TM ] All Over the Map by: Dan Bacalzo Peter Pan flies to Philadelphia, Santa Claus Is Coming Out across the nation, and Omaha shows how the holidays are celebrated throughou the world. Reviews: [ NYP ] SWEET LORRAINE by CLIVE BARNES WHAT'S a nice psychiatrist doing at the Plymouth Theatre in the altogether, with nary her Freudian slip? You may well wonder. Lorraine Bracco, fresh from her impressive if impassive dealings with Tony Soprano's volatile TV psyche, is making her Broadway debut as the new Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate," and she's simply sensational. [ DN ] Flesh is willing, script is weak by Howard Kissel Let's get the really important issue out of the way first: Lorraine Bracco has an infinitely more inviting body than Kathleen Turner, whom she replaced in "The Graduate." [ B ] The Graduate (12/02) Review by Adam Feldman Why is The Graduate, a vulgar travesty of Mike Nichols' 1967 film that opened in April to nearly universal critical contempt, still running at Broadway's Plymouth Theatre? [ B ] Burn This (12/02) Review by William Stevenson [ NYT ] CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK Opera Offers a Love Song to the Glitter of New York by STEPHEN HOLDEN "New York Lights," a serenade from the opera "A View From the Bridge," has a melody so enticing it could turn into a pop standard. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'ANTIGONE' In the Beginning, Maybe, There Was 'Antigone' by BRUCE WEBER Mac Wellman's adaptation of Sophocles' Theban legend is full of grandiosity, undercut by anachronism and other kinds of winking. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW Recent Performances Class Mothers '68, The New Shanghai Circus, Blue Sky Transmission, Masha No Home, and A Celtic Christmas. [ WP ] 'South Pacific' Pearl by Peter Marks Arena Mounts a Classic In a Sparkling Setting [ NJ ] High spirits BY PETER FILICHIA Actor's Scrooge animates timeless 'Christmas Carol' [ BH ] Andrews adds her magic to holiday show by Robert Nesti Julie Andrews brought her considerable charms to ``A Royal Christmas,'' the old-fashioned holiday entertainment at the FleetCenter yesterday afternoon. [ TB ] Happypants! Seattle Review by David-Edward Hughes News: [ P ] Donna McKechnie Brings Inside the Music to L.A. April 12-May 11 [ P ] 14th Annual GLAAD Nominees Announced; Four Theatre Categories [ P ] Hugh Panaro Joins Cast of New LaChiusa Musical Little Fish; Tix on Sale Jan. 3 [ P ] Bway Bohemians Sing Varied Repertoire at One-Night Only Benefit Dec. 16 [ P ] Playwright Beane Hosts Holiday Party at Drama Dept. with Kuhn, Kudish, Hoffman Dec. 16 [ P ] Charm Songs: Vocal Selections for Kleban's Class Act Now Available [ P ] No Importance Cast Records Album Dec. 16, Aiming at March 2003 Release [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 16> posted at 12/16/2002 07:44:46 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Sunday, December 15, 2002 Features: [ LAT ] NPR goes a little show biz by Elaine Dutka "Morning Edition" will run a serial radio play with Hollywood actors, plus the program's host and a reporter. The radio play is by Peter Ackerman ("Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight"). [ WP ] An Era's Bias, Cast In Bali Ha'i Relief by Nelson Pressley With 'South Pacific,' Arena Stage Takes On A Troubling Zeitgeist [ NYT ] Neil LaBute and an Unheroically Human Thought by JULIE SALAMON Neil LaBute has transformed a petty thought he had following Sept. 11 into "The Mercy Seat," a tough-minded, provocative play. [ NYT ] Tommy Tune: From Ground Zero to Another Stage by TOMMY TUNE The Manhattan Rhythm Kings have toured all over the world, but we've never done a run in our own fabulous city. It's time. [ NYT ] Showing the Humor in a Dickens Ghost by CHARLES STRUM In "A Christmas Carol" at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, Paul Kandel has played Jacob Marley's ghost for the past eight years. [ NYT ] A Daughter's Footnotes to 'Dinner at Eight' by BARRY SINGER Anne Kaufman Schneider, 77, whose father George S. Kaufman with Edna Ferber wrote "Dinner at Eight," is one of few people with recollections of Ferber. [ NYT ] A Can-Do Jazz Singer Who Could by JAMES GAVIN For Ann Hampton Callaway, a jazz singer with two CDs out now and a run at the Jazz Standard, early dreams of success took their own sweet time coming true. [ NYT ] 'White Christmas': An Anthem Frosted With Irony by BERNARD HOLLAND Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," the best song he ever wrote, shows no doubt and no need for second thoughts. [ CST ] Still flying after all these years BY MISHA DAVENPORT The Flying Karamazov Brothers want to let you in on a little secret. They aren't really brothers. Heck, they aren't really even Russian. Thanks to American Theater Web for the following features! [ AJC ] Barbara Cook: From ingenue to grande dame by Wendell Brock [ AJC ] A fan's dream list of Barbara Cook's very best by Kathy Janich [ YN ] Director Stanley Donen gets down and dirty with `Adult Entertainment' by MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press Writer [ PPG ] Gorshin's career riddled with challenges by Christopher Rawson "I didn't set out to be an impressionist," says Frank Gorshin. "It just happened. " It happened, as the famous story has it, at the Liberty Theater in East Liberty, where the Peabody High School student saw "The Jolson Story" and came out imitating the star. News: [ ND ] 'La Boheme' Is One For the Ages by Gordon Cox People of any age can be Baz fans. [ Z ] Neil Patrick Harris Takes 'Boomtown' Guest Role [ P ] Steven Weber and Sam Harris Wing Away From Bway Producers Dec. 15 [ P ] Bombay Dreams Extends Run in West End [ P ] Brian Dennehy Leads Exonerated Tour in DC, Boston and Chicago in January, February [ P ] Lorraine Bracco Officially Opens in Broadway Graduate Dec. 15 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: A New Graduate: Lorraine Bracco Is Mrs. Robinson [ P ] PHOTO CALL: A New Graduate: Bedding a 'Soprano' [ P ] PHOTO CALL: A New Graduate: Not Getting Married [ P ] 2002 Tony Award-Winning Goat Closes Dec. 15 [ P ] Steven Suskin ON THE RECORD: Mandy Sings Sondheim Plus & an Unusual Ticket [ P ] A Christmas Carol Actors Pick Best Holiday Showtunes on "Radio Playbill" Dec. 16-21 [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 15 Reviews: [ TS ] New Yorkers embrace a show that's not afraid to feel by RICHARD OUZOUNIAN It's like falling in love for the first time. That's the best way to describe the heart-stopping, pulse-racing, take-your-breath-away exhilaration you'll feel at Baz Luhrmann's production of La Boh�me. [ ND ] 'Boheme' Has Music, Too by Justin Davidson Whether you can tolerate Baz Luhrmann's Broadway "La Boh�me" will depend largely on which you trust more: your eyes or your ears. [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH Liz on "Imaginary Friends." posted at 12/15/2002 11:01:50 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link BroadwayStars is powered by Blogger Pro! [Past News] |
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