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Saturday, February 08, 2003 Features: [ NYT ] PROCESS A Flop Reblooms by JESSE GREEN This week the fabulous 50's failure "House of Flowers" makes a reappearance on the New York stage. What killed it back then � and how it finally blossomed again. [ NYT ] She Sings the Body Desperate for a Smoke by DON SHEWEY In "Little Fish," Michael John LaChiusa's new musical, quitting smoking is a metaphor for gaining self-knowledge. [ NYT ] A Woman of Power Was a Vowel Away by NEIL GENZLINGER Blair Brown, Tony Award winner, mid-career actress, thinks the solution to one longstanding problem may have been sitting there in plain sight all along: "Instead of women of a certain age all complaining that there are no parts, just take the boys' parts from the boys." [ NYT ] LETTERS Al Hirschfeld; Dolly Parton; Roman Polanski Reviews: [ TB ] Requiem for William Review by Matthew Murray [ TB ] Mark of Cain Review by Matthew Murray [ TB ] La Dispute Boston Review by Suzanne Bixby [ CU ] Ten Little Indians Review by Brad Bradley posted at 2/8/2003 09:37:31 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ Z ] Steven Weber Plays 'The DA' in ABC Pilot [ LAT ] A happy medium by Don Shirley There aren�t many mid-size theaters, but they offer a balance between audience intimacy and decent wages. [ LAT ] To serve a butler by Elaine Dutka Playwright James Still tells why he memorialized a White House servant. posted at 2/8/2003 05:09:31 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ TM ] The Siegels' Nightlife Notes Feinstein's at the Regency hosts singer-songwriter-guitarist Kenny Rankin in his new show, A Song For You. [ TM ] Tunes, Tomes, & Videos As Harold Hill in ABC-TV's new "Wonderful World of Disney" movie version of The Music Man, Matthew Broderick gives exactly the performance you'd expect. [ INQ ] Broadway's Faith Prince shines in cabaret turn by Douglas J. Keating Features: [ TM ] Inge by Inge by: Brian Scott Lipton Transport Group pays tribute to William Inge, one of the most popular American playwrights of his day. [ PPG ] Next up for August Wilson: Standup solo comedy by Christopher Rawson Thanks to American Theater Web for the link! News: [ YN ] 'Vagina Monologues' Goes to Mexico City by LISA J. ADAMS, Associated Press Writer [ NYT ] Letter to the Editor: Missing on Broadway [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 8 [ P ] Baltimore's Center Stage Presents New Lynn Nottage Play, Intimate Apparel, Feb. 26 [ P ] De Shields Is Ambassador Satch, New Musical at Philly's Prince, Feb. 26-March 9 [ P ] Zwei Tausend!Cabaret Celebrates 2,000th Performance on Broadway, Feb. 8 [ P ] Studio Arena Has Buffalo-Set World Premiere, While We Were Bowling, in 2004 [ P ] Before Seducing in Philly Run of Allergist's Wife, Jana Robbins Sings Cy Coleman Feb. 17 posted at 2/8/2003 08:06:51 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ NYT ] CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: Side by Side, Anguished Challenges to Convention by BRUCE WEBER Edward Albee turns 75 next month, an occasion that the Alley Theater in Houston has chosen to celebrate with an unusual pairing of plays. Word out of Texas is that both these productions are remarkable. If you have the means and the opportunitiy, checking them out would almost certainly be worth your time. posted at 2/8/2003 07:15:03 AM by Matthew Murray | Item Link Friday, February 07, 2003 Features: [ B ] Photo Op: Ma Rainey's Opening Night Bash [ B ] Photo Op: Ooh Papa Tooney! Ruth Brown Visits Hairspray Reviews: [ CU ] Rose and Walsh Review by Laura Hitchcock [ ND ] Riffing on Race and Rhythm by Linda Winer 'Ma Rainey' offers a look back at early August Wilson News: [ B ] The Night of 1000 Voices Celebrates Trevor Nunn [ B ] Kirk & Rupert Added to William Finn Revue at LCT [ TM ] You Say You Want a Revolution? 1776 to Play Ford's Theatre in D.C. Good cast. [ P ] "Xena" Actor Raimi Is Foreigner at Michigan's Meadow Brook, Feb. 12-March 9 [ P ] William Finn Revue, Now Called Elegies, Announces Full Cast; Tix on Sale Feb. 21 [ P ] Times' Brantley and Weber Exit New York Drama Critics Circle [ P ] Worth Street's Mystery of Attraction Returns Feb. 5-16 posted at 2/7/2003 06:28:01 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] Were CA Critics Kind to Simon's Rose & Walsh? Features: [ B ] Quotable Quotes: Ma Rainey Cast Speaks Up News: [ B ] Minnie Driver Set for Sexual Perversity in London [ P ] "Caroline Rhea" Welcomes Flower Drum Song's Lea Salonga Feb. 10 [ P ] Neuwirth, Hamlisch and NYC Featured in "How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days," Movie Opens Feb. 7 [ P ] Minnie Drives into West End for Sexual Perversity [ P ] Nunn & Zippel On Board for Lloyd Webber's Woman in White [ P ] She's Tracy! Winokur Returns to Hairspray Feb. 7 [ P ] PBOL'S THEATER WEEK IN REVIEW, Feb. 1-7: Unfriendly Overtures [ P ] Casting for Broadway Little Shop Confirmed: Hunter Foster and Alice Ripley Head Company [ P ] Directors Guild Musical Variety Nominees Include Fosse and "56th Annual Tony Awards" [ P ] "All That Jazz" Music Video Featuring "Chicago" Movie Clips Airing on VH1 [ P ] DIVA TALK: LuPone & Cook Sing Sondheim, Errico Goes Solo and More "Idol" Thoughts posted at 2/7/2003 03:22:20 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] Did New York Critics Sing Ma Rainey's Praises? Features: [ B ] The Straight-Play Categories by Ken Mandelbaum News: [ P ] National Tour of Oklahoma! Expected To Be Non-Equity [ P ] PBS' "Theater Talk" Salutes Movin' Out on February 7 [ B ] Morrie Out, Talking Heads In at Minetta Lane posted at 2/7/2003 12:21:34 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ NYP ] MINIMUM RAGE by MICHAEL RIEDEL BULLETINS from the front lines of the producers vs. musicians labor dispute... [ NYT ] ON STAGE AND OFF An Opening Is Set By JESSE MCKINLEY Linda Emond of "Homebody/Kabul" fame will star in "Life 3" by Yasmina Reza ("Art") at Circle in the Square. [ ND ] Show Will Go On in Moscow by Liam Pleven Musical interrupted when rebels attacked theater to reopen [ P ] Fifth of July May Extend at Signature Until March 9 [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 7 [ P ] Heather Headley Receives Soul Train Nom.; "Chicago" Star Latifah to Co-host Awards [ P ] Ringwald Joins Farrow in Long Wharf Reading of Lapine's Fran's Bed, Feb. 7-9 [ P ] Razzle Dazzle 'Em: "Chicago" Opens Wide February 7 [ P ] Off-Broadway's Mint Theater Presents Rare Schnitzler Play, Feb. 7 Reviews � "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom": [ DN ] As a hot blues singer, she's no big Whoop by Howard Kissel When "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" opened on Broadway in 1984, it was our first exposure to the fresh voice of August Wilson. The revival is uneven, but reminds us how strong that voice remains. [ NYP ] ACTING MAKES 'RAINEY' SHINE by CLIVE BARNES WHEN August Wilson burst upon Broadway in 1984 with "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," two stars were born - Wilson, a new playwright of stature, and his lead actor, the hitherto unknown but explosive Charles S. Dutton. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM' Old Blues, New Riffs by BEN BRANTLEY This hollow new revival of August Wilson's play starring Charles S. Dutton and Whoopi Goldberg lacks the enthralling music of Mr. Wilson's words. [ YN ] Imbalance in Casting Mars 'Ma Rainey' by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic [ NJ ] Bottoms up with marvelous 'Ma Rainey' BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ TM ] Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Reviewed By: David Finkle [ TB ] Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Review by Matthew Murray [ B ] Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Review by Adam Feldman Other Reviews: [ LAT ] Till death do us part, and after by Diane Haithman Neil Simon takes a quirky look at love in the erratic world premiere of his latest work, "Rose and Walsh." [ LAT ] THEATER BEAT An ego is downsized in 'Sanguine' At Blank Theatre Company, a well-crafted portrait of a corporate downsizing victim�s psychological disintegration. With Jeremy Sisto. [ LAT ] Chinatown meets Skid Row in 'Shop' by Don Shirley A "Little Shop of Horrors" set in Chinatown? Sounds like fun, and the East West Players' revival of the boppin' little musical satire, staged by Glen Chin, lives up to that expectation. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | RECENT PLAYS 'Ten Little Indians'; `Uncle Vanya' [ BG ] Change partners by Ed Siegel Seductive beauty and broad comedy make an uneasy mix in 'La Dispute' [ BH ] `La Dispute' is loverly by Terry Byrne [ TB ] In The Garden, Amnesia and Blue Jelly San Francisco Reviews by Richard Connema Features: [ NYT ] Beyond Stilettos, Bringing a Harsher Reality to Life by ROBIN FINN Kristin Davis has made the leap from ingenuous gal about town in HBO's "Sex and the City" to death-row inmate as Sunny Jacobs in the play "The Exonerated." [ NJ ] Blair Brown tosses 'Tempest' a curve BY PETER FILICHIA [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia sees Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot: The Musical, a show that used to be called Sugar. [ BS ] Stock Exchanges Back Stage spoke with actors, directors, choreographers, designers, and producers about their summer stock experiences to find out what it taught them, how they liked it, and whether they would recommend it to their peers. [ CSM ] Blind actors overcome limitations by Gregory M. Lamb Thanks to American Theater Web for the link! posted at 2/7/2003 07:58:09 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Thursday, February 06, 2003 [ CNY ] Coliseum Books to reopen on 42nd Street by Wendy Blake Coliseum Books, a New York City institution that closed last year, will reopen this April on 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. The store just signed a 20-year lease at 11 W. 42nd St. for a little more than 11,000 square feet of space. posted at 2/6/2003 05:35:38 PM by James Marino | Item Link News: [ B ] Emond & Lansbury Join Cast of B'way's Life x 3 Broadway.com has learned that Linda Emond and David Lansbury will join previously reported stars Helen Hunt and John Turturro in the Broadway production of Yasmina Reza's Life x 3. The play is scheduled to begin previews at the Circle in the Square Theatre on March 11. [ P ] Queen Musical Will Rock You Longer at U.K.'s Dominion [ P ] Black Milk Now Playing London's Sloane Square Theatre [ P ] Percussive Show Will Stomp On at West End's Vaudeville [ P ] 1984's Nightmare Vision Arrives on London Stage [ P ] Future OB Show Matt & Ben Added to HBO Comedy Fest Lineup, Feb. 26-March 3 [ TM ] Classic Stage Company to Present Michael Torke in Concert on February 24 [ TM ] La Boh�me to Benefit NARSAD on February 22 Features: [ TM ] Photo File Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett are honored by the Museum of Television & Radio in a glittering gala at the Waldorf Astoria. From the Hollywood Arms to the Waldorf... wow, that Donna Lynne does get around... posted at 2/6/2003 05:24:18 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ B ] First Person: Bring in Da Cookin' by Ann Duquesnay News: [ P ] Kimberly Akimbo Extends at MTC Until April 6 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Les Misérables: Leading Mann [ P ] Cynthia Nixon Returns to Off-Broadway in String Fever, Feb. 26 [ B ] Kimberly Akimbo Extends a Week at MTC [ B ] New Cast Set for London's My Fair Lady [ B ] James & Keira Naughton Team Up for December [ B ] The Visit Readies for Life at the Public Theater posted at 2/6/2003 02:26:09 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ B ] CDs: Twain Tuner by Ken Mandelbaum Just as the new Encores! season is about to begin, word is that the 2004 Encores! season is likely to include the Gershwins' 1924 hit, Lady, Be Good!. The original production starred siblings Fred and Adele Astaire. Encores!' Lady, Be Good! will be a vehicle for siblings Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors). [ P ] A Couple Naughtons Star in New Off-Broadway Play Roses in December, Feb. 25 [ P ] "My Man Godfrey" � Butler Pix � Optioned for Broadway [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Fifth of July: Opening Night Party [ P ] "Chicago" Soundtrack Sales Down for Third Week in Release [ P ] Liz Callaway Joins Stephen Schwartz for Children's Letters to God Premiere [ P ] Peter Shaw, Angela Lansbury's Producer-Agent Husband, Dead at 84 posted at 2/6/2003 11:00:28 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link "Last year I starred in the Broadway revival of the play A THOUSAND CLOWNS. On opening night, some guy yelled out, 'Hey, where are all the clowns?' I politely explained that there aren't any actual clowns in the play. "Everyone walked out." - Tom Selleck, in the "Selleck Secrets" skit, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," 1/31/03 News: [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH "I THINK we are doing fine at the box office. Especially for a serious show, with all black people - one that is not a musical!" So says Whoopi Goldberg, who opens tonight on Broadway with the great Charles Dutton in a revival of August Wilson's acclaimed "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." [ NYT ] Mobilizing a Theater of Protest. Again. by JULIE SALAMON Hearing the drumbeat of a new war, artists are trying to recapture their place as catalysts for public debate and dissent. [ NYT ] Kevin Spacey Puts Down New Roots at the Old Vic by WARREN HOGE Kevin Spacey, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor, has been named the director of a new production company at the Old Vic Theater in London. [ NYT ] Jerry Mayer, Actor in One-Man Shows, Is Dead Jerry Mayer won an Obie award for one of his own long-running one-man shows. He acted off and on for more than 30 years. [ IBDB ] Jerry Mayer's Broadway Credits [ IOBD ] Jerry Mayer's Off-Broadway Credits [ NYT ] Peter Shaw, TV Producer and Agent, Dies at 84 Peter Shaw, a retired talent agent and studio executive, was a co-producer of the long-running television series "Murder, She Wrote" starring his wife, Angela Lansbury. [ YN ] Archerd: Bochco books big deal by Army Archerd "My Man Godfrey" has been optioned for B'way -- as a musical -- by East of Doheny's Kelly Gonda, among the producers of "Flower Drum Song" in L.A. and "The Full Monty" in London. Plus a preview of the "Mack and Mabel" concert. [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 6 [ P ] Observe The Sons of Ulster March into the Newhouse [ P ] Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, with Goldberg and Dutton, Opens Feb. 6 [ P ] Kander and Ebb's Curtains to Have NYC Reading in May 2003 [ P ] Kander and Ebb's Skin of Our Teeth Musical Looking for Regional Production [ P ] PLAYBILL ARCHIVES: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom � 1984 [ P ] Tony n' Tina's Wedding Crosses Threshold Into 16th Year in New York City [ P ] Report: Urinetown, Millie, Hairspray Headed to L.A. in 2004 [ P ] Too Hot for School Outreach, Middle-East-Themed Paradise Gets Cincinnati Playhouse Reading Feb. 18 [ P ] James and Keira Naughton Are Pen Pals in Off-Bway's Roses in December, Feb. 25-March 9 [ P ] Musical Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Now Dubbed The Game, Premieres in MA, Summer 2003 [ NYP ] A REAL FEET Forget body doubles - the stars of the film musical "Chicago" really did all their own singing and dancing. Stop the presses! People in the movies have talent! Reviews: [ WP ] Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Glad You Asked. by Dolores Gregory In keeping with my New Year's resolution to emphasize the positive, I have this to say about Classika Theatre's latest production: The seats are pretty comfortable. [ NJ ] Some like the original much better BY PETER FILICHIA At the end of "Some Like It Hot: The Musical," Tony Curtis says it best. "Nobody's perfect." Certainly not Curtis, who acts adequately but cannot sing, dance or project his voice into the cavernous Prudential Hall at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. [ CST ] Justice system takes a beating BY HEDY WEISS The most dramatic moment at the opening-night performance Tuesday of "The Exonerated"--the patchwork docudrama about wrongly accused Death Row inmates--occurred immediately after the 90-minute piece ended. In an eerie conjunction of art and real life, two of the play's subjects walked onstage of the Shubert Theatre and hugged Brian Dennehy and Marlo Thomas--the actors who had just portrayed them. [ USA ] 'Fifth of July' is drowned out by abrasiveness by Elysa Gardner Wilson's play about anti-establishment types is less than enticing. Features: [ HC ] Martin Landau: His Life's Mission by FRANK RIZZO A Moving Play Brings The Movie And Tv Star Back To The Stage At Long Wharf [ DN ] Onstage, it's the story of his lives by Robert Dominguez Luis Chaluisan knows he didn't have to give his autobiographical one-man show a controversial title like "Spic Chic" just to grab an audience's attention. Thanks to American Theater Web for the following features! [ RT ] A Working Composer BY DENNIE BROWN Stephen Schwartz shows how it's done [ SS ] Star of Aida wants to see all America has to offer by Elizabeth Maupin Even in a crowd, Paulette Ivory stands out. [ YN ] Face to Face: Michael Gladis Gladis concedes feelings of intimidation now that he's appearing in Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July," Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre. posted at 2/6/2003 09:28:04 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Wednesday, February 05, 2003 Features: [ B ] Q&A: Kevin Richardson by Melissa Rose Bernardo [ B ] Photo Op: Kimberly Akimbo Opens at MTC News: [ R ] British Audiences Laugh at Play Mocking Bush "The Madness of George Dubya" -- which mercilessly satirizes British Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as Bush -- has proved such a success at a fringe theater in London that it is moving to a larger venue next week for an extended run. [ P ] It's Official: Kevin Spacey to Take Over London's Old Vic [ TM ] James, Auburn, and Howe are Keen on Benefit [ TM ] CTI Announces "Producing for the Commercial Theater" Intensive, April 25-27 Reviews: [ CU ] Kimberly Akimbo A CurtainUp Review posted at 2/5/2003 05:35:47 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ P ] Sondheim-Weidman Musical Gold! Renamed Bounce; Tix on Sale March 24 Said Prince of the change: "The abiding message of the show is that the best of America is pioneering � that we have an uncommon resilience, and the ability to reinvent ourselves. We believe Bounce reflects that, and Steve Sondheim's opening number is 'Bounce.'" [ P ] Kander and Ebb's The Visit to Play Public Theater in January 2004 with Rivera [ P ] TDF Announces 2003 Irene Sharaff Award Winners The 2003 Theatre Development Fund/Irene Sharaff Awards for Theatrical Costume Design were announced Feb. 5. [ P ] Report: Hank Williams May Strum at the Little Shubert [ P ] Chenoweth Sings for Her Supper in February Concerts in OK and D.C. [ TM ] Opera and Musical Theater Star Jerome Hines Dies at 81 posted at 2/5/2003 02:38:24 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] DVDs: Peter the Pirate King by Ken Mandelbaum THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Acorn Media) TEN BLOCKS ON THE CAMINO REAL / DRAGON COUNTRY (Kultur) Features: [ TM ] Murder in Texas by: Brooke Pierce Playwright Johnna Adams discusses the origins of her psychodrama Cockfighters. [ B ] Photo Op: Pre-Show Party for Kids' Night on B'way News: [ B ] Naked Angels Presents Fear as Part of Issues Project [ P ] Martin Landau Stars in Sixteen Wounded at CT's Long Wharf, Feb. 5-March 16 [ P ] A Year With Frog and Toad Begins Bway Performances April 2; Opens April 13 [ P ] Jekyll & Hyde's Sexton to Star in New Musical, Heat Lightning [ P ] Tony Winner Alan Cumming Caught "Eavesdropping" On TV [ P ] Guthrie Theater to Present Six Degrees of Separation, March 1-April 6 [ P ] Flower Drum Song Stars Flock to the Chatterbox Feb. 6 posted at 2/5/2003 12:16:15 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ NYT ] Governor's Cutbacks Anger Advocates for the Arts and Health by IVER PETERSON PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 4 � Gov. James E. McGreevey offered some sympathy today as he doled out the bad news, saying his budget would hurt programs he supported and bring pain to constituents he would like to help. But cuts in spending on the arts and health care left advocates for those programs feeling singled out and abandoned. [ LAT ] Tony winners on their way to L.A. by Don Shirley 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and 'Urinetown' are scheduled for 2004 along with likely contender 'Hairspray.' [ USA ] 'Chicago' taps into Hollywood's musical dreams by Andy Seiler All aboard for Chicago, which expands to 1,800 theaters on Friday. Next stop: Sweeney Todd, an American Idol musical and the song-filled life of Cole Porter? [ USA ] Lullaby of Broadway Here are some more musicals at various stages of development. [ DN ] Old Vic gets new leader by PATRICIA O'HAIRE [ DN ] Not doing fine, 'Oklahoma!' to close [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 5 [ P ] Rose and Walsh, Neil Simon's 33rd Play, Bows Feb. 5 in L.A. [ P ] Trapped by Society, Schnitzler's Fräulein Else Finds Release in Berkeley Rep Premiere [ P ] Martin, Battle, Ziemba, McKechnie and Kaye to Salute Orbach at Feb. 24 Drama League Event [ P ] Cleale, Huddleston, Ludwig Are Patriotic Trio in DC 1776 at Ford's Theatre in Spring [ P ] Miracle Worker Cast Announced; Bartusiak is Helen Keller to Swank's Annie Sullivan [ NYP ] EX-LOVER SUES RUE FOR $50M by MICHAEL STARR EX-"Golden Girls" star Rue McClanahan is being hauled into court by her ex-lover on fraud charges. Features: [ KCS ] With two big projects ahead, Chenoweth's star is rising by HAP ERSTEIN, Cox News Service Thanks to John_C on All That Chat for the link! [ USA ] This is what 'Lovers Do' by Steve Jones Kenny Lattimore, Chant� Moore team up in music, theater and marriage. [ NYP ] CINDY ADAMS SO, the lawyer who tap dances in "Chicago" introduced himself as: "Hi, I'm Richard Gere, the dancer." Reviews � "Kimberly Akimbo": [ ND ] 'Kim' Ages Badly As Play Gets Old by Linda Winer In "Kimberly Akimbo," which MTC valiantly opened last night in a gesture of support more than wisdom, Lindsay-Abaire, 33, has given Burke, 62, her most challenging role to date. Unfortunately, he also has written his most tiresome play. [ VV ] OLD TALES RETANGLED by Michael Feingold 'Fifth' Still Has Kick, but 'Kimberly' Is All Akimbo [ YN ] 'Kimberly Akimbo' Is An Affecting Tale by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic [ NJ ] Old Jersey girl BY MICHAEL SOMMERS Deft direction makes tale of prematurely aging teenager pass swiftly [ TB ] Kimberly Akimbo Review by Matthew Murray Other Reviews: [ TB ] Cockfighters Review by Matthew Murray [ VV ] THAMES THE BREAKS by David Finkle London's Winter of Theatrical Discontent [ VV ] ASSASSINS AND ROMANCE by Charles McNulty TFNA and CSC Take on Shakespeare's Human Invention Julius Caesar; The Winter's Tale posted at 2/5/2003 08:27:44 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ NYP ] BROADWAY FIGHT IS ON By MICHAEL RIEDEL THE war between Broadway producers and pit musicians has begun, with the musicians gaining an early advantage with a p.r. blitzkreig. [ TM ] Why We Love Original Cast Albums by Peter Filichia Filichia's readers discuss some of the original cast albums they love and why they love them. [ NYT ] This Girl's Sweet 16 Is Bitter Old Age By BEN BRANTLEY Marylouise Burke, 62, delivers an enchanting portrait of a bittersweet 16-year-old in David Lindsay-Abaire's haunting and hilarious new play. [ NYP ] KEEP 'KIMBERLY AKIMBO' AT ARM'S LENGTH by DONALD LYONS A satiric sensibility has to be funny first. David Lindsay- Abaire, whose latest play, "Kimberly Akimbo," follows his "Fuddy Meers" and "Wonder of the World" at the Manhattan Theatre Club, lacks funniness. Instead, he goes heavy on kooky. [ DN ] Delightful wrinkle on teen tale by Robert Dominguez A teen girl suffering from a rare disease that causes premature aging hardly seems the stuff of comedy. [ V ] Kimberly Akimbo review by Charles Isherwood [ TM ] Kimberly Akimbo review by Philip Hopkins [ B ] Kimberly Akimbo review by William Stevenson [ NYT ] Bitter Showdown Over Orchestra Size Looms on Broadway By ROBIN POGREBIN Theater producers and musicians are negotiating a new contract that hinges on the size of orchestras. [ B ] Frog and Toad Set For April Bow at Cort [ B ] Additional Cast Set for The Miracle Worker posted at 2/5/2003 07:52:09 AM by Matthew Murray | Item Link Tuesday, February 04, 2003 News: [ TM ] The Corn is Brown: Broadway Production of Oklahoma! to Close on February 23 The closing is sooner than expected, given that recent ads had indicated that the production would run through the spring. According to a press representative for the show, "The bottom just fell out. Right now, people are having no trouble getting tickets for Hairspray or Mamma Mia! so everything farther down the ladder has really been suffering." [ B ] Broadway Grosses: Strange Days Last week was a bizarre one on Broadway. For the first time in recent memory, The Lion King, The Producers and Thoroughly Modern Millie all failed to make it to the Frontrunner category in terms of capacity. The Lion King, Disney's mega-hit which has been selling out for years, only filled the New Amsterdam to 71.40% capacity on average. Go see a show, folks. [ B ] B'way's Oklahoma to Close on February 23 [ B ] Critics' Circle Awards Announced in London [ P ] Recovering From Muscle Pull, Winokur Still Out of Hairspray [ P ] Music Copyists Now on Table at League-Musicians' Union Talks [ P ] Some Like It Hot Plays Newark's NJPAC, a Stone's Throw From NYC, Feb. 4-9 [ P ] Oklahoma! Will End Broadway Run on Feb. 23 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Wintertime: Say That You Love Mee [ P ] Broadway Grosses: Jan. 27 - Feb. 1 [ YN ] Archerd: Funnyman Vilanch in close shave by Army Archerd He will make a personal sacrifice to play the role. He'll part with a close friend of 32 years -- his signature beard. Features: [ B ] Fresh Face: Lemon by Katie Riegel From "Def Poetry Jam." [ BS ] Let Me Sing and I'm Happy For this year's annual spotlight on singing and music, Back Stage takes a look at musicals with an eye toward filling you in on what you need to know in order to get cast in one of them. Reviews: [ CU ] Fifth of July A CurtainUp Review [ YN ] Julia Sweeney Stars in One-Woman Show by JOSH L. DICKEY, Associated Press Writer A decade or so ago, when Julia Sweeney was getting big laughs on "Saturday Night Live" for her puffy, androgynous character Pat, a show about a woman's quest to become a single mother might have been fresh and insightful. posted at 2/4/2003 05:29:50 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ B ] Photo Op: Star Understudies Take Center Stage [ B ] Photo Op: Fifth of July's Opening Night Bash News: [ P ] Ragtime Journeys On to London Premiere, Starting March 8; Kevyn Morrow is Coalhouse [ P ] West End Critics Circle Awards Announced; Mendes & Anything Goes Among Winners [ P ] Zipp! Opens at West End's Duchess Theatre [ P ] Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey to Run London's Old Vic [ P ] The Winner Takes It All: Mamma Mia! Comes to Las Vegas; Principal Cast Announced Reviews: [ B ] Were CA Critics Charmed by Confederate Widow? [ TB ] Bus Stop Los Angeles Review by Sharon Perlmutter posted at 2/4/2003 03:01:52 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] CDs: Betty and Brent by Ken Mandelbaum BRENT BARRETT: THE ALAN JAY LERNER ALBUM (Fynsworth Alley) BETTY BUCKLEY: THE DOORWAY (Fynsworth Alley) [ TB ] The Shape of Things Boston Review by Suzanne Bixby News: [ P ] Report: NJ Gov Proposes Elimination of Arts Budget [ P ] Aida Replaces Sweet Charity at Toronto's Canon Theatre, May 7-31 [ P ] Patti LuPone to Play Fosca in Sondheim's Passion in August [ P ] "Jeopardy" to Feature Theatre Category on Feb. 5 Show [ P ] Barbara Cook to Return to Carnegie Hall with Sondheim in November [ P ] Report: Bruce Vilanch to Play Play Edna in Hairspray Tour [ P ] Talk Show Watch: Neuwirth and Harris on "Caroline", "Music Man" cast on "The View" [ B ] Kevin Spacey to Head Old Vic in London [ B ] Bruce Vilanch to Star as Edna in Hairspray Tour posted at 2/4/2003 12:26:51 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ NJ ] McGreevey lops all aid for the arts Proposed cut of $31.7 million stuns cultural leaders statewide posted at 2/4/2003 12:13:22 PM by James Marino | Item Link News: [ TIMES ] Kevin Spacey to run the Old Vic by Andrew Pierce The surprise announcement, which will be supported by the theatre�s chairman, Sir Elton John, could come as soon as tomorrow. Thanks to ragtimebaby on All That Chat for the link! [ DN ] 'Chicago' loops to top the hard way, via B'way by Jim Farber Show queens have a good excuse to dance in the aisles this week. Tomorrow, a movie adaptation of a Broadway musical may top Billboard's Album Chart for the first time in a quartercentury. The "Chicago" soundtrack already has achieved the highest debut for any Broadway-related album since "Grease" took the top slot in July 1978. [ V ] HARMONY'S IN HIDING League wants music copyists out of union The battle lines are drawn. If the League of American Theaters and Producers gets its way, music copyists will no longer be members of Local 802, the Associated Musicians of Greater New York. [ NYT ] John L. Dales, 95, Executive for Actors Guild, Is Dead John L. Dales, as executive secretary for the Screen Actors Guild, pioneered the effort to get residual payments for actors. [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 4 [ P ] Corthron's Venus de Milo Is Armed Gets Explosive Premiere in AL, Feb. 4-March 9 [ P ] Wild Blue Yonder: Sky Girls Gets World Premiere at Northlight in IL, Feb. 4 [ P ] Kimberly Akimbo, Seeing Life Through Jaundiced Eyes, Opens Feb. 4 at MTC [ P ] O'Malley, Nobbs and Norton Sing a Dublin Carol Off-Broadway, Beginning Feb. 4 [ P ] Provocative Take Me Out Slides Into Bway Feb. 4 [ P ] Who's the Mann? Bway's Original Javert Returns to Les Miz Feb. 4 [ P ] It's Kids' Night on Broadway!The Great White Way Welcomes Children, Feb. 4 Features: [ DN ] The wilkommen mat's out for Doogie in 'Cabaret' by PATRICIA O'HAIRE [ NYP ] MARQUEE DE SAD by BARBARA HOFFMAN YOU'VE seen the movie. Do you really need to see the musical? On the heels of box-office bonanzas like "Hairspray" and "The Producers" comes a flurry of movie-turned-musicals, like "Urban Cowboy," which starts previews this month. [ TM ] Follow Spot: Mark Setlock by: Michael Portantiere The star and co-creator of Fully Committed returns to the New York stage in Jonathan Tolins's The Last Sunday in June. [ WP ] Backstage: 'Oedipus Plays' Headed To Acropolis in Athens by Jane Horwitz Includes interview with Marie Jones ("Stones In His Pockets"). Reviews � "Fifth of July": [ ND ] 'Fifth of July' Ignites Its Own Fireworks by Linda Winer Lanford Wilson play sets off criticism of activism gone awry [ DN ] Drama's too dated by Robert Dominguez It may have lit up Broadway more than 20 years ago, but there aren't a whole lot of dramatic fireworks on display in "Fifth of July," a revival of Lanford Wilson's 1978 play. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'FIFTH OF JULY' 60's Radicals Reunited, This Time as Ensemble by BEN BRANTLEY A beckoning warmth radiates from the revival of Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July," starring Robert Sean Leonard and Parker Posey. [ NYP ] RADICAL CHEEK by DONALD LYONS BEFORE the films "Re- turn of the Secaucus 7" (1980) and "The Big Chill" (1983) hit screens, Lanford Wilson wrote "Fifth of July" (1978), a lively, funny play about a group of college radicals reunited 10 years later. [ NJ ] Hard to warm up to 'July' BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ YN ] 'Fifth of July' a Reminder of Vietnam War by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic Some plays perfectly capture a time and place. [ TM ] Fifth of July Reviewed By: David Finkle [ B ] Fifth of July Review by Adam Feldman Other Reviews: [ WP ] One 'Lesson' Too Many by Dolores Gregory Before Lily Tomlin, before Anna Deavere Smith, before Eve Ensler and a host of other performance artists, there was Ruth Draper, monologuist. [ LAT ] Burstyn hits the high spots by Don Shirley Alone on stage, she captures the sprawling multi-generation narrative of the �Confederate Widow.� [ NJ ] Extended family BY PETER FILICHIA Luna Stage deploys cast of 8 with precision to achieve tour de force [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH "Shanghai Moon" (third item). [ TB ] From The Top Review by Matthew Murray posted at 2/4/2003 08:45:18 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Monday, February 03, 2003 Features: [ BR ] Dutton satisfies hunger for a role once tasted by Robert Feldberg Thanks to American Theater Web for the link! Reviews: [ CU ] Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All San Diego Review by Gordon Osmond [ NYer ] A TALE FOR ALL SEASONS by HILTON ALS Adventures in casting at the Classic Stage Company. News: [ P ] Swank Talks About Miracle Worker With Regis Feb. 5; NC Tryout Starts March 14 [ P ] Sylvia Regan Ellstein, Bway Playwright of Morning Star, Dead at 94 [ P ] Innaurato's Gemini Sings as a Musical in NYC Readings Feb. 10 [ P ] Red Demon Opens at Young Vic [ P ] Sing ALong a Longer! [ P ] Nunn So Generous [ P ] Cooper, Hines, de Haas, Ralph and White Heat Up Bubbling Brown Sugar, March 31 [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Chicago: Housewarming Party [ P ] Dinner at Eight Auction Results in Dinner with Andre [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: Strike Up the Band [ P ] The Globe's Summer Has Sullivan-Helmed Caesar and Najimy in Dirty Blonde [ P ] Denver Center Serves Up Diner Stories, a World Premiere Musical, in 2003-04 [ P ] Little Ham Team Sends Pure Gospel Valentine to Houseman, Through Feb. 16 [ B ] Debbie Does Dallas Advertises Last Weeks [ TM ] Titans Theatre Company Celebrates Diversity With Earthshaker Awards, February 24 posted at 2/3/2003 06:15:13 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ P ] Off-Broadway's Debbie Does Dallas Advertises Final Weeks [ P ] T. Scott Cunningham Gets Placement at 78th St. Theatre Lab Reviews: [ TB ] 42nd Street Philadelphia Review by Pati Buehler [ TB ] Theatre Mu's Falling Flowers exposes comfort womens' silenced history Minneapolis Review by Elizabeth Weir posted at 2/3/2003 03:23:34 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ V ] Romeo & Bernadette Variety Review by Jack Zink This is the same production that is coming into the Paper Mill. posted at 2/3/2003 02:06:19 PM by James Marino | Item Link News: [ P ] Report: Kevin Kline to Play Cole Porter in Film "De-Lovely" [ P ] R & J, Off-Broadway Reimagining of Bard, to Debut in UK [ WOS ] Nunn Signs Up for Webber's Woman in White??? Thanks to leeinlondon on All That Chat for the link! [ B ] B'way Playwright Sylvia Regan Ellstein Dead at 94 Reviews: [ B ] Two Ladies in de Shade of de Banana Tree by Ken Mandelbaum We all could list any number of unsuccessful musicals whose cast recordings make us wonder how the show could possibly have failed. One of the chief '50s exemplars of this phenomenon is Columbia Records' House of Flowers, preserving a show that ran 165 performances at the Alvin (now the Neil Simon) Theatre in 1954. Features: [ P ] A Man for All Moli�res A master at Moli�re, Brian Bedford returns to Broadway in the Roundabout Company's new production of Tartuffe. posted at 2/3/2003 12:23:26 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ LAT ] The challenge of a lifetime by Diane Haithman The lifetime belongs to the 'Oldest Living Confederate Widow,' and Ellen Burstyn has just herself and 16,000 words to tell the story. [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary A gag in Elaine May's play Adult Entertainment causes Filichia to muse on the subject of stage directions. [ HC ] The Tale Of Valerie Harper's Enduring Allure by FRANK RIZZO [ USA-W ] Q&A: The musical, man! by Jennifer Mendelsohn Actor Matthew Broderick reveals the true love of his life: the great American song-and-dance tradition of Broadway. Thanks to Ann on All That Chat for the link! News: [ NYT ] A New Play Encounters Muslims' Ire in Cincinnati by MEL GUSSOW A windstorm of controversy surrounds Glyn O'Malley's "Paradise," a play about the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. [ NYT ] Sylvia Ellstein, 94, Author of Hit Play, Is Dead Sylvia Regan Ellstein was the playwright of a two-act comedy about the dress trade called "The Fifth Season," which was a Broadway hit in 1953. [ IBDB ] Sylvia Regan Ellstein's Broadway Credits [ V ] B.O. chilly; 'Chi' 524g Broadway grosses [ V ] Biz off; '42nd St.' sings Road grosses [ V ] Off B'way tuners boom [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 3 [ P ] Puppets and People Sing in New Musical Avenue Q Off-Broadway, Feb. 20 [ P ] Neuwirth, Patinkin, Diggs, Errico Among Guest Stars on NBC Sweeps in February [ P ] Fifth of July, Ensemble Classic of Love and Loss, Opens Off-Bway Feb. 3 [ P ] Talk Show Watch: Richardson and Perez on "Caroline", Tony Curtis on "The View" Reviews: [ NJ ] A relatively mild 'Summer' BY PETER FILICHIA If a theatergoer sees 150 plays in his lifetime -- and makes "Winterizing the Summer House" at New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch one of them -- he'll probably rank it 74th, 75th or 76th. [ NYT ] In Performance `Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran' `Julia Sweeney in the Family Way' [ TB ] The Woman from the Sea Review by Matthew Murray Okay, Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea is no Hedda Gabler, but did it need to be rewritten? [ B ] The Winter's Tale (CSC) Review by Adam Feldman posted at 2/3/2003 08:20:16 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Sunday, February 02, 2003 Thanks to American Theater Web for the following features! [ CCT ] Broadway on the big screen is yours for a song by PAT CRAIG AFTER SAYING for months that the prospects were unlikely at best, Mel Brooks is now seeing some chance of his smash Broadway hit "The Producers" returning to the movies, where it began, as a film musical. "'Chicago' opened the gates," Brooks said in an interview last week. "The studios are thinking about musicals again." [ HC ] A Texas girl who cried 'Woolf' by EVERETT EVANS Judith Ivey relishes role in Albee play [ DMN ] Albee finds an ally in Alley by TOM SIME Playwright forms symbiotic relationship with Houston theater [ P-D ] It's a Schwartzfest : The varied works of Stephen Schwartz will be seen and heard all over St. Louis BY JUDITH NEWMARK [ IS ] Taming 'Beauty and the Beast' by Peter Szatmary Director drastically revamps the cast of the musical's third national tour. Other Features: [ NYT ] The Mother of an Era: August Wilson's by SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN With the revival of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," starring Whoopi Goldberg, the career of a playwright who has defined his time comes full circle. Includes a link to Frank Rich's 1984 review of "Ma Rainey." [ NJ ] Ma Rainey's return: August Wilson shepherds a landmark back to Broadway BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ NYT ] A Playwright Who Casts His Muse by ROBIN POGREBIN "Kimberly Akimbo" is the fourth collaboration between the playwright David Lindsay-Abaire and the actress Marylouise Burke. [ ND ] Defying Her Age by Blake Green A 'late bloomber' goes all akimbo to play a prematurely aging teenager [ NYT ] An Outsider Plays an Outsider, Blown on the Wind by DON SHEWEY In "Fifth of July," Parker Posey arrives onstage from the world of low-budget films as a bundle of neurotic energy and uncensored impulses. [ ND ] FAST CHAT: David Strathairn [ ND ] Time to Band Together by Linda Winer What is the value of live sound? [ BG ] To Anne Bogart, practice makes perfect sense by Thea Singer Director prepares for 'La Dispute' at ART [ BH ] Engaging return: Anne Bogart brings her creativity back to Hub by Terry Byrne [ CST ] Finding drama in 'Exonerated' inmates BY MARY HOULIHAN Two summers ago, Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen took several road trips unlike any they would ever embark on again. News: [ P ] STAGE TO SCREEN: Costa-Gavras on "Amen"; Lloyd Webber Musicals On Screen [ P ] Today In Theatre History: FEBRUARY 2 [ P ] deRoy, Mac Rae, Gold and Others Salute the Grammys Feb. 15 at Laurie Beechman Theater [ P ] Songs by LaChiusa, Crawley and Giering Featured in Requiem for William [ P ] Sutton Foster Takes February Vacation Dates From Millie [ P ] Guggenheim Hosts Sneak Peak of My Life With Albertine Feb. 2-3 [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH Al Hirschfeld remembered. [ DN ] No sun setting for Weller By JIM FARBER Off-topic, I know, but I love Paul Weller... posted at 2/2/2003 10:06:29 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link BroadwayStars is powered by Blogger Pro! [Past News] |
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