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Saturday, December 13, 2003 [ CNN ] Neil Simon: Moore 'didn't learn the lines' Can you win a press war by criticizing a co-worker....especially if it's Laura Petri or Mare? posted at 12/13/2003 12:33:37 PM by the other James | Item Link Features: [ NYT ] A NIGHT OUT WITH Middle Earth Ambassador: Ian McKellen by MARGY ROCHLIN "The Producers" in Toronto - Reviews: [ TStar ] The Producers delivers most of the goods by RICHARD OUZOUNIAN There's a lot to like in the Toronto production of The Producers, but with a leading man who fails to deliver the goods, it's hard to give it an unqualified recommendation. [ TSun ] Mel produces: Punchy, profane and out of control -- it's Brooks at his acerbic best by JOHN COULBOURN As Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, The Producers of title, Sean Cullen and Michael Therriault are merely damn good in roles that demand nothing less than bloody brilliance. [ G&M ] Being offended has never been so much fun by KAMAL AL-SOLAYLEE It's not the way forward for musical comedy, but if the way forward is more Disney musicals and greatest hits a la Mamma Mia!, I'm happy to go back to the past. Many, many thanks to Richard Ouzounian for providing us with the links to his review and his colleagues' reviews! Other Reviews: [ BG ] A fresh twist on a classic 'Carol' by Catherine Foster With Stacy Keach. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'THE GIFT OF THE MAGI' Oh, Combs! Oh, Fob! O. Henry! Musical 'Magi' for the Holidays by ANITA GATES The sweetness of O. Henry's best-known holiday story comes through, but the music is less than memorable, and the overall effect is sadly a little thin. [ SLATE ] The Lector Effect by Dale Peck HBO's new Angels in America gets Kushner wrong. [ CU ] Frame 312 Review News: [ NYT ] Lloyd E. Rigler, Industrialist and Backer of a Variety of Arts Groups, Dies at 88 by WOLFGANG SAXON He was the founder of Classic Arts Showcase, an eclectic television service that distributes performing arts films at no cost to public television stations. [ B ] Caroline, or Change Extends to 2/1 at the Public [ TM ] NY-1 Names Michael McElroy "New Yorker of the Week" [ CST ] 'Nunsense' dropped like a bad habit The all-star 20th anniversary production of "Nunsense," scheduled to run Jan. 13-18 at the Auditorium Theatre, has been canceled due to lack of ticket sales. [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 13 [ P ] Friedman's Listen to My Heart Cast Recording Now Available [ P ] Chicago's Ute Lemper Makes Café Carlyle Debut in Voyage, Jan. 9-31 [ P ] Fame Star to Sing on "Weekend Today" Dec. 14 Fame on 42nd Street star Cheryl Freeman will perform on WNBC's "Weekend Today in New York." [ P ] Caroline, or Change, Amid Talk of a Commercial Transfer, Extends Again, Now to Feb. 1 at The Public [ P ] Cy Coleman's Musical, The Great Ostrovsky, Gets Philly Reading Dec. 15 Prior to Spring 2004 Run [ P ] Beau Jest: The Musical! Gets World Premiere in Florida New Year's Eve, with Schwartz and LeGette [ P ] Kuhn Is FDR Gunman in Broadway's Assassins posted at 12/13/2003 12:22:22 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Friday, December 12, 2003 [ O ] BOOK REVIEW: First Rehearsal, Opening Night�And Everything In Between by Andrew Rosenheim Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical "Follies," by Ted Chapin. Alfred A. Knopf, 331 pages, $30. [$21 @ Amazon] Everything was possible... just ask Roy Somlyo at the Wing... posted at 12/12/2003 11:50:40 PM by James Marino | Item Link Features: [ B ] Ask A Star: Ra�l Esparza [ B ] Q&A: Eartha Kitt by Lisa Collins [ CST ] Speaking with ... Karen Mason BY JAE-HA KIM [ CST ] The mane event BY MISHA DAVENPORT Mark O'Donnell and Paul Huntley on "Hairspray." [ TM ] Dueling Divas by: David Finkle Pamela Payton-Wright and Laura Esterman spar and sparkle as Eleonora Duse and Sarah Bernhardt in Duet. posted at 12/12/2003 08:07:52 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ B ] Susan Egan Tapped as the Next Star of Millie She will presumably take over the role of Millie Dillmount right after Tony winner Sutton Foster, who has extended her contract and will now stay in the musical through February 15, departs. [ P ] Wonderful Town's Ohio Sister Joins Free Modern Orthodox Reading Dec. 15 [ P ] Wonderful Town Featured on "Today Show" Dec. 15 [ P ] New Kushner One-Act Read by Chalfant, McLaughlin, Gyllenhaal Jan. 22, 2004 [ P ] Epic Proportions: Cast of CSC's Biblical Mysteries Announced; Eden Dawns Jan. 8, 2004 [ P ] Lacey, Piro, Colella Sing Heartland in Dallas in January 2004, After Madison Rep Run [ P ] Jack and Jill Meet Dick and Jane in New Musical, Fetching Water; NYC Reading Is Dec. 15 [ P ] Deaf West Big River Launches Tour From Houston in Summer of 2004 [ P ] PBOL'S THEATRE WEEK IN REVIEW, Dec. 6-12: King Kushner [ P ] CBS-TV Visits 42nd Street, Mamma Mia! and More Dec. 12 WCBS-TV's "Holiday on the Town" will feature visits with four New York productions. [ P ] Mamma Mia! to Open in Sweden � with Swedish Lyrics � in 2005 [ P ] Matthew Warchus May Direct Broadway Revival of Mamet's Speed-the-Plow [ P ] Sarah Jones's Bridges and Tunnels Arrives at 45 Bleecker in January Reviews: [ B ] CDs: Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch? by Ken Mandelbaum WICKED (Decca Broadway) [ TM ] The Siegel Column A monologue by Josh Kornbluth, two great performances in Duet, three cheers for Ramayana 2K3, and four stars for cabaret's Helen Baldassare. Features: [ P ] DIVA TALK: The Wonderful Donna Murphy, Wicked on CD Plus News of Betty, Bernadette and Sutton [ P ] PHOTO CALL: JFK-themed Frame 312 Opens at Atlantic Theatre Company posted at 12/12/2003 03:25:24 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link [ STARS ] JIM DALE: SCROOGED, POTTERED, KNIGHTED AND NOMINATED by ELLIS NASSOUR Jim Dale is filled with holiday warmth and having a Dickens of a time. Even if he is playing that bah-humbug Scrooge in the musical A Christmas Carol, in its 10th and final season. But Dale has had quite a year, and a few nominations, too. News: [ NYP ] SPARE CHANGE? by MICHAEL RIEDEL LIKE the maid who amasses a pile of pocket change from dirty laundry in the Public Theater's "Caroline, or Change," the creators of the show are rifling through some of their friends' deep pockets to come up with the $6 million they need to move it to Broadway. [ NYT ] ON STAGE AND OFF A Dissent From Golda by JASON ZINOMAN Eliam Kraiem's debut play, which is centered on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, could be the most provocative drama of the spring. [ B ] Maxwell, Plimpton Set for Wounded; Hirsch Likely [ V ] 'Plow' may speed back to B'way Araca Group's Warchus hoping to bring back classic If there's a David Mamet play that needs a Broadway revival, it is "Speed-the-Plow." [ V ] E! lets celebs be heard Net takes 'Words' from stage to small screen [ DN ] Opening on B'way: A toy drive by PATRICIA O'HAIRE It's the second year for Broadway's Operation Santa, organized by veteran director Scott Ellis. [ NYP ] CINDY ADAMS SWAYZE INTO 'CHICAGO' ON B'WAY BEFORE L.A. Interview. [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 12 [ P ] Broadway Begins Answering Letters to Santa, Dec. 12 [ P ] Jared Harris Opens in New London Les Liaisons Dangereuses , Dec. 12 [ P ] Taboo's Boy George and Post's Riedel Engage in "Battle of Wits" on"Theater Talk" Dec. 12 Features: [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia shares his thoughts about the new biography of Joan McCracken, The Girl Who Fell Down. [ NJ ] Actor contemplates the Scrooge season BY PETER FILICHIA Usually a stage actor must play his role for 12 consecutive weeks before he reaches his 100th performance. But this month, when James Ludwig portrays Fred and John Christopher Jones plays Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" at the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, they'll attain the magic number only after more than three years. [ NJ ] Expect Glover to sing and spring surprises BY ROBERT JOHNSON "I'm trying to step it up a little bit as an entertainer, not only as a tap dancer," says Savion Glover, describing his new show, which opens a three-week run Tuesday at the Joyce Theater. [ LAT ] A strange alchemy by David Gritten Author Philip Pullman has a hit with his fantasy trilogy for teens, and stage and film versions are coming. But his atheistic views stir debate. Reviews: [ NJ ] JFK's death still echoes BY MICHAEL SOMMERS Keith Reddin's new play "Frame 312" provides no answers. Nor does it offer much in the way of satisfying drama. [ ATW ] Kennedy Conspiracy Illuminates a Changed America Review by Andy Propst [ TM ] Frame 312 Reviewed By: David Finkle [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'DUET' One Stage, One Play and Two Conquering Heroines of Art by MARGO JEFFERSON This play about Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse at the Greenwich Street Theater does not capture the grandeur of these legendary women, rather it is a diva-drama. [ ATW ] Women Love (Beware?) Women in Comedic A Very Pulpy Christmas Review by Andy Propst [ ND ] Just Clowning Around by Michael Bracken Circus antics get an artsy, funny update from Oz posted at 12/12/2003 07:43:37 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Thursday, December 11, 2003 News: [ B ] Stage Notes: 12/11/03 by Paul Wontorek The Sh-K-Boom folks on Great Joy!; Jeffrey Wright on Angels; and Paul on Never Gonna Dance, Avenue Q and GLAAD. [ Z ] Lea Thompson Wedded to 'Ed' Cameo "Caroline in the City" and "SpaceCamp" star Lea Thompson is set to guest star on NBC's "Ed." The "Casual Sex?" and "Howard the Duck" thespian will do a three-episode arc playing Ed Stevens' (Tom Cavanagh) ex-wife Liz. Yes, Melissa Errico played Liz in the season two episode "Closure." [ B ] Sarah Jones' New Show Set for 45 Bleecker [ B ] Jeffrey Kuhn Tapped for Zangara in Assassins [ BS ] Equity Demands Meetings Council Tells Members to Gather with Broadway/Tour Casts [ BS ] Marketing Workshop Gives Theatre Makers New Insights [ P ] Thomas Replaces Langella in McNally's The Stendhal Syndrome Off-Broadway [ P ] Andrew Lloyd Webber's Woman in White to Reach West End in Fall 2004 [ P ] Aftermath of a Police Sting Documented in Off-Bway's Texas Homos, Starting Jan. 23, 2004 [ P ] Will Sutton Foster Play American Heroine Jo March in Musical Little Women? [ P ] Marc Kudisch in Line to Join Assassins on Broadway [ P ] Rattazzi to Star in Off-Broadway's 800 Words, Dec. 11-13 Reviews: [ ND ] Frame 312 Review by Gordon Cox It's a perpetually tantalizing topic, but Reddin's script, about a contemporary family gathering at which the matriarch reveals her own role in the dissemination of information about the murder, is content simply to ask the questions. [ B ] Frame 312 Review by William Stevenson Though it could use more action and conflict, the play does offer some gripping moments and a compelling performance by Mary Beth Peil in the lead role. [ ND ] 'Angels' Enjoys a Second Coming by Linda Winer Many who already have reviewed the TV "Angels" have described this as a dream cast. And certainly, it is. I can't stifle a pang, however, for the dream casts that defined these characters for so long. [ TM ] Tunes, Tomes, & Videos New Christmas CDs showcase Barbara Cook, the Philly Pops (with Ann Hampton Callway), and the Broadway Inspirational Voices. [ ATW ] An Engrossing 'Story' Review by Andy Propst [ CU ] The Story Review [ CU ] Handy Dandy Review [ CU ] Nothing But the Truth Review Features: [ TM ] All Over the Map by: Dan Bacalzo Embarrassments in Philadelphia, Oy Vey in a Manger in San Francisco, and Man From Nebraska in Chicago. [ BS ] Getting Your Show on the Road by Simi Horwitz Booking an Act on the College and Small Theatre Circuits posted at 12/11/2003 07:42:53 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ B ] Thomas Joins Rossellini in The Stendhal Syndrome Broadway.com has learned that Richard Thomas, best known as John "John-Boy" Walton in the television series The Waltons, has been picked to co-star with Isabella Rossellini in the upcoming Primary Stages world premiere production of Terrence McNally's The Stendhal Syndrome. [ P ] Victor/ Victoria Pen Blake Edwards Awarded Honorary Oscar at Feb. 29 Ceremony [ P ] Historic Children's Opera Brundibar Adapted by Kushner May See Long Wharf Stage [ P ] Taboo Offering 50% Discounted Tickets [ P ] Richard Benjamin Expected to Helm Ludwig's Comedy, Leading Ladies, in Regional Co-Production [ P ] Spiegel Named Co-Director of R&H Organization's Theatre Library; Briggs Is Creative Consultant [ P ] Two New Kushner Plays�One for Spinella, One for Laura Bush�Ready for Production [ P ] Women's Lecture Series, "Smart Talk" To Feature Elaine Stritch, Whoopi Goldberg and Susan Sarandon [ P ] Kushner: Caroline to Go to Broadway in February [ P ] 42nd Street's Billy Stritch Welcomes Guest Stars at A Billy Holiday [ P ] Lypsinka's John Epperson Removes the Drag for Show Trash Dec. 15 [ P ] Joel Grey, John Lithgow and Brian Stokes Mitchell Join "Times Talks" Jan. 11 [ TM ] Kurt Weill Cabaret Tonight at Drama Book Shop [ TM ] Producer Lewis M. Allen Dies at 81 Features: [ B ] Looking Back: '68-'69 by Ken Mandelbaum [ B ] Photo Op: B'way Kicks Off the Holidays with Tree Lighting [ B ] Photo Op: Nothing But The Truth Gets a Special Visitor [ P ] PHOTO CALL: The Story is Leaked, as Wilson Play Opens at Public Theatre posted at 12/11/2003 04:03:13 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ DN ] Subs at center stage BY JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ It's been a bad year for Broadway shows. But it's been a good year for Broadway understudies. [ YN ] Towns Vying for Goodspeed Musicals by DIANE SCARPONI, Associated Press Writer [ BS ] She Dupes To Conquer Modern women may need new understanding to play pre-feminist characters. News: [ B ] Kudisch to Play Proprietor in Assassins on B'way Tony nominated actor Marc Kudisch has been tapped to the play a new, expanded version of the Proprietor in the upcoming Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins. [ NJ ] Center stage by Peter Filichia The intense snowstorm of last weekend caused all of New Jersey's professional theaters to call off their Friday and Saturday performances. But only the Paper Mill Playhouse will offer an extra performance to make up for the cancellations. [ HC ] What's on Kushner's calendar by Frank Rizzo Kushner also says his new musical that just opened off-Broadway, "Caroline, or Change" will definitely be on Broadway, perhaps as early as February but certainly before the end of the current season. He says a theater has been secured (he can't say which one) and that financing is in place. [ ND ] 'Little Women' Runs a Little Late by Gordon Cox "Caroline, or Change" also has been offered an available Broadway theater, said to be the Eugene O'Neill, where "Nine" plays it final performance on Sunday. [ BS ] Equity Members' Earnings Up [ BG ] 'Angels' touches Eustis; 'BCN's changing cast by Carol Beggy & Mark Shanahan BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS HIM: Watch carefully during Part II of "Angels in America," airing Sunday on HBO, and you'll glimpse Oskar Eustis, artistic director of Trinity Repertory Company. [ P ] Reddin's Frame 312 Opens Dec. 11 at the Atlantic [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 11 [ P ] A Dickens of a Christmas Is Alternative to A Christmas Carol, Playing NC Dec. 11-21 [ P ] Angels in America Star Performs The Last Letter in New York City, Dec. 11-Jan. 11 [ P ] Wharton, When She Sizzled: Rodgers-Winning Musical, Summer, Gets NYC Reading Dec. 11 [ P ] Bloom's Day: Canadian Staging of The Producers Opens Dec. 11 [ P ] Ann Arbor's Performance Network Names New Directors [ NYP ] REAL 'WICKED' TALK about your reality shows: Taye Diggs will join the cast of "Wicked" as the love interest of Idina Menzel - his real-life love. "The Story" - Reviews: [ ND ] Reporters, murder and ethics make for a slick mix in 'The Story' by Linda Winer Tracey Scott Wilson's "The Story" at the Public Theater, is so damp off recent ethics-and-black-journalism headlines that one could easily - in fact, too easily - overlook the skill of this bright new playwright. If so, our loss - and most likely - Hollywood's gain. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'THE STORY' Ambition and Ethics Wage War at a Paper by BRUCE WEBER Tracey Scott Wilson's compelling new play is a timely and well-executed review of the current year in journalistic ethics. [ NJ ] Engrossing 'Story' covers key journalistic issues BY MICHAEL SOMMERS A timely play and an absorbing yarn, "The Story" registers as one of the best bits of news from off-Broadway in some time. [ TB ] The Story Review by Matthew Murray Much of the play is interesting, but in the wake of the real-world events Blair set in motion, the play's edges don't seem as sharp, its insights not quite so cutting. [ B ] The Story Review by Eric Grode It's what Front Page-era newshounds used to call a corker, and it's a bright spot on the current theater scene. [ TM ] The Story Reviewed By: Barbara & Scott Siegel [ YN ] 'The Story' Raises Many Questions by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic Other Reviews: [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW Recent Plays A Christmas Carol; Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama in "A Very Pulpy Christmas"; Nativity: A Life Story. [ NYP ] PIRANDELLO IN A FASHION, OVERDRESSED by DONALD LYONS Unfortunately, director Fabrizio Melano, renowned for his opera stagings, has jazzed up the play absurdly. [ CU ] Love and Taxes Review [ CU ] Never Gonna Dance Review posted at 12/11/2003 07:48:10 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Wednesday, December 10, 2003 Features: [ P ] PLAYBILL ON-LINE'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Cameron Mackintosh Producer Cameron Mackintosh, the most financially successful theatrical producer in history, still has a meal or two or three on his plate. [ TM ] Charity Begins at the Palace by: Michael Portantiere and Joseph Marzullo This year's Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Gypsy of the Year event is the main focus of our latest photo feature. [ B ] Photo Op: Fun and Funds at the 2003 Gypsy of the Year News: [ B ] James Barbour to Star in Broadway's Assassins "This is one of those magical moments," Barbour told Broadway.com. "The cast of this show is so stellar and [director] Joe [Mantello] has such fantastic ideas." [ P ] To the Head of the Line: James Barbour Plays Big Bill Killer in Assassins on Broadway [ B ] Jason Donovan to Join Chitty Chitty Bang Bang [ P ] Plays and Playwrights of Louisville's 2004 Humana Festival Announced; Public Tix on Sale Dec. 18 [ P ] Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping Inspires Off-Broadway Play Right as Ron, Jan. 29-Feb. 14 [ TM ] No Butz About It: Diggs to Appear in Wicked posted at 12/10/2003 05:19:44 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ NYO ] Punk Media: Jodi Kantor by George Gurley The Times� li�l culture czarina; what an audition! what mentors! but where are pieces on Eugene O�Neill? Final item. [ B ] Photo Op: Fran Drescher Pops In On Taboo Reviews: [ B ] DVDs: Lloyd Webber in Bollywood by Ken Mandelbaum SALAAM "BOMBAY DREAMS" (Universal) CHESS (Mono Music) [ SUN ] The Better Angels of Tony Kushner by JEREMY McCARTER Nothing obscures like praise. News: [ LAO ] NYT memo to staff: arggh! Following a spate of erroneous or premature obituaries in its pages, the New York Times editor in charge of obits gets tough. [ P ] Patrick Stewart, Rosemary Harris and Vanessa Redgrave Pay Tribute to Sir Peter Hall Dec. 15 [ P ] Dance of the Vampires Star Heads to the "Broadway Spotlight" in January [ P ] Sandra Bernhard Finds Excuses for Bad Behavior at Ars Nova Theatre, Dec. 31 [ P ] Lewis Allen, Producer of Broadway's Rappaport, Annie and More, Dead at 81 [ P ] Menzel, Tartaglia and Warren to Perform at Times Square Virgin Megastore Dec. 11 [ P ] Hytner's Dark Materials Stumbles at National, Delays Start [ P ] With Diggs' Arrival, Original Rent-ers Take New Lease on Broadway Much of the action in the long-running rock musical Rent takes place between Christmas and New Year's Eve. This holiday season, more than half of the original leading players who owe their stardom to the Jonathan Larson show are holding an informal reunion in Manhattan's theatre district. [ P ] Casting Announced for George Street's Agnes of God [ P ] New Les Misérables Vocal Selections Features Seven Never-Before Published Songs [ B ] Happy Days to End in London on January 31 [ B ] Tony-Winning Producer Lewis M. Allen Dies [ TM ] Gypsy of the Year Raises Record $3,359,000 for BC/EFA posted at 12/10/2003 03:06:37 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ NYT ] Lewis M. Allen, 81, Tony-Winning Producer, Dies by JASON ZINOMAN Lewis M. Allen produced around a score of Broadway shows, including the hits "Annie" and "Master Class." The cause was pancreatic cancer, said his wife, the writer Jay Presson Allen. [ IBDB ] Lewis Allen's Broadway Credits [ NYP ] PAGE SIX MASON GLOATS OVER CRITIC'S FALL Plus news on Eric Nederlander (second item - link at the bottom). [ NYP ] MEA CULPRITS by MICHAEL RIEDEL THEATER people have a lot to apologize for these days - and I'm not talking about the quality of their shows. [ NYT ] BOLD FACE NAMES Apology Accepted, But Let's Not Shake Hands by JOYCE WADLER Broadway producers like to think of themselves as gents and ladies so you can imagine the shudders of gossipy delight. . . . Oh, no wait, we meant to say, the horror, when the producer of one newly opened production blessed by good reviews ("I Am My Own Wife," by DOUG WRIGHT) took a shot at another newly opened production blessed by good reviews ("Caroline, or Change," a musical by TONY KUSHNER and JEANINE TESORI). Second item. [ FOX ] Star-Packed Casts May Be Backfiring on Broadway by Jennifer D'Angelo Thanks to Britannia on All That Chat for the link. [ WP ] Viewers Say Bah, Humbug to HBO's 'Angels' by Lisa de Moraes The premiere of HBO's heralded "Angels in America" was no match for yet another CBS Christmastime treacle flick. [ P ] HBO's Angels in America Pulls in 4.2 Million TVs, Year's Top Cable Movie The first part of HBO's Angels in America, which aired Dec. 7 on the cable network, pulled in a solid audience of 4.2 million, according to Nielsen Media Research. [ P ] Hairspray's Matthew Morrison Takes Part in "Celebrity Bartending Night" Dec. 10 [ P ] Taye Diggs Steps in for Ailing Butz in Broadway's Wicked [ P ] Report: Jumpers to Reach Broadway in Spring; Mourning to Dawn? [ YN ] 'Taboo' Co-Star McCartney Has Baby Girl [ P ] John Lithgow and Eartha Kitt Light Broadway Holiday Tree Dec. 10 in Duffy Square [ P ] Wildhorn's Dracula Workshopped in NYC Dec. 10-16 [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 10 [ P ] The Public Theater Tells Wilson's Story, a Journalism Thriller, Opening Dec. 10 [ P ] Long Wharf Theatre Launches A New War in Connecticut, Dec. 10 [ P ] Off-Broadway Cast, Dates Set for Rudnick's New Comedy Valhalla [ B ] Broadway Grosses: Let It Snow More than 11 inches of snow stormed into New York this past week, but that didn't deter local theatergoers from checking out shows on the Great White Way. Features: [ INQ ] Jerry Orbach, living landmark by David Hiltbrand After 12 years starring in "Law & Order" and a long stage career, the actor is an official New York City institution. [ NYT ] Aye, Hal, Such Commotion as if 'Twere the Globe by WILBORN HAMPTON After a little preparation, New York City high school students were a rapt, if noisy, audience for Lincoln Center Theater's "Henry IV." [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia reports on the Toronto production of The Producers and muses about the 2001 Broadway phenmoenon. [ NJ ] The story behind 'The Story': A playwright talks about her unexpectedly timely new work BY PETER FILICHIA [ B ] Video: Wonderful Town Opening Night [ B ] Video: Welcoming a Starry New Henry [ B ] Video: A Confederate Opening/Closing [ B ] Video: Anna in the Tropics Opening Reviews: [ TM ] Virgin Mary, Make Mine a Double Reviewed By: David Finkle [ NJ ] Laughing at death: Black humor enlivens farce taking place on Christmas Eve BY PETER FILICHIA [ TB ] Handy Dandy Review by Matthew Murray [ TB ] Camelot Washington Review by Tracy Lyon [ DN ] Magoo's 'Carol' is back at last by David Bianculli Tonight's Cartoon Network showcase is a big deal. "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" is a mini-musical written by composer Jule Styne and lyricist Bob Merrill, who wrote such maxi-musicals as "Funny Girl." [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH Diane Judge on "I Am My Own Wife" and London's latest hits. [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'JUVENALIA' That Old College Try at Being Sophisticated by BRUCE WEBER The furious, profound but ultimately dull discourse of the know-it-all collegians in Wendy MacLeod's new play is too realistic for its own good. [ NJ ] Stage presence outshines everything BY MICHAEL SOMMERS Cast in the difficult role of a poor little rich girl with a nasty edge and a dying mother, Aubrey Dollar pretty much does everything wrong. She moves awkwardly, pitches her voices badly, winds herself in the big emotional moments and doesn't find the pathos within her not-so-nice character. Yet you can't take your eyes off her. Dollar possesses the sort of unique personal charisma that made critics of the early 1930s take favorable notice of the pre-Hollywood Katharine Hepburn when she floundered through some early stage roles. Hmm... why is it Mr. Sommers can't take his eyes off of Ms. Dollar? These photos may tell you why... ;-) posted at 12/10/2003 09:07:30 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Tuesday, December 09, 2003 News: [ B ] Taye Diggs to Join Wife Menzel in Wicked Stint Diggs has been tapped to step in for the ailing Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero, the love interest of both Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth's Glinda, from December 25 through January 18. [ B ] 15th Annual Gypsy of the Year Breaks Record The whopping grand total of $3,359,533 was announced today at The 15th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition at the Palace Theatre. Includes details on the skits. [ P ] 15th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition Is a Record-Breaker [ P ] Broadway Grosses: December 1-7 [ P ] Tea at Five Released as Audio CD [ P ] One Kiss More: The New Moon Will Have Concert Cast Album in 2004 [ P ] Kirsten Greenidge Named Playwriting Fellow by Page 73 Productions [ P ] Calling All Anecdotes: Westport Playhouse Casts Dragnet for Alumni [ P ] "Taxi" Star Christopher Lloyd Begins in Off-Broadway's Trumbo, Dec. 9 [ P ] Commonwealth Shakespeare Co. to Present Much Ado in Boston Amid Democratic Convention [ P ] Wonderful Town Cast Album To Be Recorded [ P ] What In the World, by Urinetown's Rick Crom, Debuts January 2004 Features: [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Zaks and Feldshuh Honored with Tree of Life [ SFC ] Dennehy latest to join the cast of 'Exonerated' by Christopher Hawthorne An interview. Thanks to American Theater Web for the link! Reviews: [ TM ] A Christmas Carol Reviewed By: Matthew Murray [ VV ] Goods and Disservices In musical theater, the old songs are the best songs, if only you know how to treat them by Michael Feingold Never Gonna Dance; Primrose [ VV ] Identity May Be Fluid, But Wife's Quality is Unmistakable by Michael Feingold I Am My Own Wife; Right You Are [ VV ] Sightlines by Michael Feingold Nothing but the Truth [ VV ] Feathered Friends A tale of teenagers in fugitive flight from grown-up horror by Charles McNulty Birdy [ VV ] Message In A Bottle Indian telemarketers learn it pays to mimic TV's Friends by Tom Sellar Alladeen posted at 12/9/2003 06:10:46 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ B ] Q & A: 12/9/03 by Ken Mandelbaum There is talk of Liam Neeson starring in a revival of Camelot. Reviews: [ TM ] The Siegel Column A few words in defense of Never Gonna Dance and some Frank observations about Our Sinatra. News: [ P ] The Rhythm Club Team Win Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theatre Award, Dec. 8 [ P ] Shirlee Harris, Press Rep for Nederlander Shows in Detroit, Dead at 74 [ P ] Last London Shocker for Peter, April 8-24 [ P ] Whales Sighted at London's Comedy Theatre [ P ] Top Cast Albums of 2003 on "Radio Playbill" Dec. 8-20 [ P ] Eartha Kitt Returns to Joe's Pub for New Year's Eve Concerts [ P ] Conversation with Wicked's Stephen Schwartz Set for Dec. 16 [ P ] Wicked's Idina Menzel Sings "Uncharted: Andrew Lippa" Dec. 15 [ TM ] Foster, LaChiusa, de Haas, et al. to Perform in Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series [ TM ] Theater and Theater People Among GLAAD Media Award Nominees posted at 12/9/2003 02:30:35 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Features: [ WP ] Backstage: Arena, Working on Knight Moves by Jane Horwitz The "Camelot" now at Arena Stage may not look like a revisionist production at first, but to the three actors playing the leads, it sure is. [ R ] McKellen says Shakespeare helped him play Gandalf [ BH ] Here they come a 'Carol'-ing: Stacy Keach puts his stamp on Ebenezer Scrooge by Terry Byrne [ BH ] Why the Dickens do they come back? by Terry Byrne Meet three local actors who return to portray Dickens' beloved characters year after year. [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Everything is Right with Randall as New National Actor's Theatre Show Opens Reviews: [ NJ ] 'Christmas' gift: Charming musical conveys Dylan Thomas' Wales tale BY PETER FILICHIA [ DN ] A fine, final 'Carol' by Howard Kissel No bah, no humbug: Jim Dale is the heart of MSG's 'Christmas' [ B ] A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant Review by Kevin Manganaro [ B ] The Karaoke Show Review by Katie Riegel [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'RIGHT YOU ARE' Loose Lips Can Sink People in a Pirandello Fishbowl by BEN BRANTLEY Maria Tucci gives this modern interpretation of Luigi Pirandello's play, which considers gossip from a philosopher's point of view, its emotional weight. [ NJ ] Drama misses 'Right' direction BY MICHAEL SOMMERS [ YN ] 'Juvenilia' Morphs From Bawdy to Earnest by JUSTIN GLANVILLE, Associated Press Writer For a play that begins as an excruciatingly broad sex farce, it's a surprise � and a relief � that Wendy MacLeod's "Juvenilia" winds up quietly singing the praises of true love. [ CU ] Juvenilia Review [ TM ] Snow in June Reviewed By: Sandy MacDonald [ SUN ] A Wintry Mix by JEREMY McCARTER At just 40, Chen Shi-Zheng has emerged as one of our most original and gifted directors. [ ATW ] Kornbluth Returns to N.Y. Stage with Comedic Look at Love & Taxes Review by Andy Propst [ ND ] 'Nothing but the Truth' by Gordon Cox Kani's look at life after apartheid creates a moving portrait [ NYP ] LIZ SMITH "Never Gonna Dance" (second item). News: [ B ] R&B Star Deborah Cox Eyes Lead in B'way's Aida [ P ] Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 9 [ P ] Harriet Walter Hosts Dinner at Wyndham's, Dec. 9 [ P ] Woody Guthrie Heard Anew in This Land Is Your Land, a Benefit for NYC's Melting Pot, Dec. 9 [ P ] Helen Gallagher Stars in William Gibson's Handy Dandy, Opening Dec. 9 in NYC [ P ] Johnston, Taylor, Errico Star in Aunt Dan and Lemon Off-Broadway, Dec. 9 [ P ] Mullets and Martial Arts: Road House, Inspired by the Movie, Starts Off-Bway Dec. 9 [ P ] Golf: The Musical Hooks Up With The Golf Channel, Offering Peek at "Fore" Play Dec. 9-17 [ P ] Playwright Christopher Shinn At Work on New Musical and U.S. Debut of Where Do We Live [ P ] Wharton, When She Sizzled: Rodgers-Winning Musical, Summer, Gets NYC Reading Dec. 11 posted at 12/9/2003 07:45:12 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Monday, December 08, 2003 News: [ P ] And She Is Telling You: Frenchie Davis Talks About West Coast Dreamgirls; Cast Announced [ P ] Puttin' on the Schmaltz: Off-Broadway Show Upgrades Beginning Dec. 23 [ P ] When You Help Others...: Avenue Q Performs Special Actors' Fund Benefit, Dec. 11 [ P ] Lindsay-Abaire and Brown to Collaborate on Betty Boop Musical [ P ] Sutton Foster to Make Solo NYC Concert Debut in May; American Songbook Spring Season Announced [ P ] Very "Popular": Schwartz's Wicked To Tour in 2005 [ V ] CAA's legit arm inks talent Scribes Taylor, Berman sign [ V ] 'Girl' hits the West End in spring "Me and My Girl," one of the longest-running Brit tuners of the 1980s, will receive a major West End revival next spring. Reviews: [ ATW ] NAT's Right You Are Right On Many Counts Review by Andy Propst [ CU ] Right You Are Review [ ATW ] Juvenilia:Caution: Children at Play Review by Andy Propst [ SUN ] The Quality of Mercy by JEREMY McCARTER Truth and reconciliation are the twin concerns of John Kani's new play. [ INQ ] Three grannies need help by Douglas J. Keating Even the best efforts of the cast and crew can't make this musical rise above predictability. [ NYer ] DANCE-OFF by HILTON ALS Love and tap in �Never Gonna Dance.� Features: [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Casual Sex Comes to Playwrights Horizons as Juvenilia Opens [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Let the Truth Be Told as Lincoln Center Production Opens [ BS ] The Actor's Friend Ellie Kanner offers advice, caution, and encouragement with her new book, How NOT to Audition: Avoiding the Common Mistakes Most Actors Make. [ BS ] Classic Clowner Mark Bramhall traveled the country in search of a place to call home. He finally found A Noise Within, a classical repertory theatre company in Glendale. posted at 12/8/2003 05:22:24 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link News: [ P ] Downtown Toronto Theatre Collapses; One Dead, One Trapped Inside The Uptown Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, collapsed this morning during preparations for the demolition to the landmark venue. [ P ] Boston University Research Center Opens Robert Brustein Archive Exhibit, Dec. 8 [ P ] Naughton Reads Miller's Resurrection Blues, Launching New Theatre Initiative in Key West, Dec. 11 [ B ] Avenue Q, Taboo and Wife Get GLAAD Noms Features: [ P ] PHOTO CALL: Famed Abbey Theatre Celebrates a Century of Excellence Reviews: [ TM ] Like Jazz Los Angeles Review By: Jonas Schwartz posted at 12/8/2003 03:40:44 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Reviews: [ B ] DVDs: Live from the Venue by Ken Mandelbaum TABOO (Aces Wild) [ TM ] Nothing But the Truth Reviewed By: David Finkle [ TM ] Right You Are Reviewed By: David Finkle News: [ B ] Julia Stiles to Star in Oleanna in the West End [ P ] Julia Stiles Looks to Star in London Oleanna [ P ] "Carols for a Cure" CD Features Jackman, Menzel, Fierstein and Banderas [ P ] Caroline Transfer May Be Fueled by HBO Money [ P ] Andrews, Peters, Stritch and Rivera Honored Burnett at Kennedy Center Honors; CBS to Broadcast Dec. 26 [ P ] Last Schwartz Playwright Tackles Gulf War in New Play, Gulf of Westchester [ P ] Caroline, Or Change Star Is "Phenomenal Woman" at Joe's Pub [ P ] Taboo Star Welcomes a New Addition [ P ] 15th Annual GLAAD Media Award Nominees Include Avenue Q, Taboo and "Angels in America"; Cherry Jones a Special Honoree posted at 12/8/2003 12:37:00 PM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Hype, Hysteria, HBO? Are the rumors of HBO producing on Broadway true? Can this new Angel on Broadway bring Change? posted at 12/8/2003 09:04:24 AM by James Marino | Item Link Features: [ WP ] Five-Star Salute In the Opera House, A Famed Quintet Takes the Curtain Call of a Lifetime by Peter Marks She very rarely sings in public anymore, but Julie Andrews made an exception last night for a very good friend, Carol Burnett. [ WP ] Washington Puts Its Cares Aside and Glad Rags On to Lift a Two-Day Toast by Roxanne Roberts "I just want a kiss!" said actress Michele Lee, who bounded up to director Mike Nichols for the standard great-to-see-ya celebrity smooch. "He has a great behind," she confided. [ TM ] Peter Filichia's Diary Filichia reports on some of the shows he saw during his recent trip to Toronto. [ TB ] Interview with Austin Miller - Link in the "Hairspray" Tour by Ed Feldman "Nothing but the Truth" - Reviews: [ NYT ] THEATER REVIEW | 'NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH' The Ashes of Apartheid Don't Fit in a Tiny Box by BEN BRANTLEY Director John Kani focuses on the quieter casualties of post-apartheid South Africa in his deeply felt portrait at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. [ YN ] 'Nothing but the Truth' Has Rage, Hope by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic At times, it borders on soap opera as dramatic revelations pile on top of each another. Yet there is a fierce honesty to these emotions, particularly since the playwright also stars as the agitated Sipho. [ NYP ] MINING S. AFRICAN TREASURE by DONALD LYONS It is thrilling to see such a warm, forgiving, even funny drama emerge from South Africa. [ B ] Nothing But The Truth Review by Eric Grode Other Reviews: [ YN ] 'Right You Are' Ends Up All Wrong by MICHAEL KUCHWARA, AP Drama Critic "Right You Are" - no, you're not. The dismal new revival of Luigi Pirandello's "Right You Are" by the National Actors Theatre could set back the play's reputation in New York for years to come. [ B ] Right You Are Review by Celia Wren [ ND ] Contemporary Juvenile Cruelty by Gordon Cox Wendy MacLeod's new play is a look at bad behavior [ TB ] Juvenilia Review by Matthew Murray [ B ] Juvenilia Review by William Stevenson [ TB ] Ah, My Dear Andersen Review by Matthew Murray [ TB ] An Enola Gay Christmas Review by Matthew Murray [ CST ] "Edward Gorey's Dispirited Diversion for Christmas" BY HEDY WEISS It is a blending of two Gorey stories -- "The Headless Bust" and "The Haunted Tea-Cosy" -- that have been adapted by Sean Graney and directed by Halena Kays in ways that are giddily playful at times, but too often undermined by a surfeit of campiness. [ CU ] I Am My Own Wife Review News: [ BG ] A theatrical coup for BU; a musical score for Warren Zevon fan by Carol Beggy & Mark Shanahan A trove of letters, manuscripts, photos, and other memorabilia belonging to Robert Brustein goes on display today at Boston University's Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center. [ R ] Award Winning Music Creators in Court Battle LOS ANGELES - Hans Zimmer and Jay Rifkin, two childhood pals who created the award-winning film score for "The Lion King," have fallen out over what Rifkin described in a $10 million lawsuit as Zimmer's plot to take over their famed Santa Monica, California music studio. [ P ] The Gypsy In Their Souls: Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition Dec. 8 and 9 at the Palace [ P ] Jerome Robbins' Gals - Mason and Gravitte - Heat Up the King Kong Room Dec. 8 [ P ] Dreidels and Sleighbells Features Daly, Graae and McKuen Dec. 8 in L.A. [ P ] Adler, Birney and O'Connell Part of Free Reading of Swimming in the Shallows [ P ] Phillip Officer and Others Sing Ella Fitzgerald Tunes Dec. 8 in Musicals Tonight! Concert [ P ] Redgraves, Holm and Dee Go to Guantanamo at the Royal Court, Dec. 10 posted at 7:40 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link Sunday, December 07, 2003 Features: [ CT ] Chicaago could have been 'Urine's' kind of town by Chris Jones Deep in the tale of "Urinetown" lies the heart-breaking paradox of the Chicago theater. As with Mary Zimmerman's "Metamorphoses," the success of "Urinetown" is firm evidence that the kind of original work that goes on here in storefronts (even unlicensed storefronts) every season is the same kind of work that wins major awards elsewhere and is hailed in New York as revolutionary even 10 years after its Chicago creation. [ CST ] Comic relief BY MARY HOULIHAN Success came to Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann not with a whimper but with a bang. [ NYT ] A Working Stiff, With Style by JEREMY McCARTER Lisa Emery � whose latest role is in Rona Munro's new play, "Iron" � is not a star, but a gifted character actor. [ NYT ] Finding Her Own Way to Get the Story Right by JESSE McKINLEY "The Story," Tracey Scott Wilson's new play at the Public Theater, tells a tale that resembles the 1981 Janet Cooke scandal at The Washington Post. [ NYT ] Excerpt: 'The Story' [ BG ] The brand name by Vanessa E. Jones Hip-hop heavy Russell Simmons has one eye on the bottom line and the other on higher callings [ P ] STAGE TO SCREEN: "In Celebration" and Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding I�m holding off on my 2003 review/2004 preview until after the new year. However, I did want to mention the Sundance Film Festival�s 2004 slate of titles. [ HC ] The Art of the Gift: THEATER by FRANK RIZZO Can't get enough of Kate? The double CD and audio tape of Matthew Lombardo's bio-show of Katharine Hepburn, "Tea at Five," starring Kate Mulgrew, is now available through HighBridge Audio. [ V ] Playwrights heed muse of music Kushner leads list of scribes tackling first musicals Thanks to American Theater Web for the following features! [ DP ] Mind your theater manners by John Moore Are you rude, self-centered and, in general, a real boor at the theater? Wise up with this guide. [ HChron ] Kaye Ballard's stage work habit-forming by EVERETT EVANS "Angels in America": [ NYT ] When It Comes to TV Angels, He's Batting .500 by ALEXANDRA JACOBS Once fired from "Touched by an Angel," Justin Kirk now stars as the funny, bitter, scabrous, queeny Prior Walter in "Angels in America." [ NYT ] FRANK RICH 'Caroline,' Kennedy and Change After "Angels in America," Tony Kushner's encore is an extraordinary new musical called "Caroline, or Change," which deals with a national trauma. [ HC ] A Call To The Angels Of Theater by Frank Rizzo Watching an advance screening of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" - beautifully translated to television and debuting tonight on HBO - made me alternately thrilled and depressed. [ INQ ] The best television in a long, long time by Jonathan Storm Angels in America, which HBO will premiere in two big chunks at 8 tonight and next Sunday, is the best television show I've seen since starting this job in 1989, more original, more finely acted and directed than any other. Above all, there is the language, which lives up to the title. It is celestial. [ P ] The Millennium Approaches Anew: HBO Airs Kushner's Angels in America, Dec. 7 The messenger has arrived as Angels in America, the Tony Kushner epic saga, debuts on HBO. The playwright's screen adaptation is directed by Mike Nichols and stars Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson. Reviews: [ NYT ] 'The Complete Lyrics of Frank Loesser': The Man Who Rhymed 'Barbasol' by DAVID LEHMAN At his best, Frank Loesser wrote lyrics which approach the ideal described by Ira Gershwin: "rhymed conversation." [ DN ] What made Sammy run by DAVID HINCKLEY Biography selects moments from Rat Packer's troubled life to tell the whole story [ NYT ] 'The Unexpurgated Beaton': I Could Have Dished All Night by RICHARD EDER [ NYT ] DVD'S When Films Started Talking, He Taught Them to Sing by RICHARD SCHICKEL Two new DVD's offer vivid proof of the director Rouben Mamoulian's momentary greatness. News: [ V ] Biz booms; 'Town' 516g Broadway Grosses [ V ] B.O. bucks B'way trend Road Grosses [ ND ] Did Actor's Slight Give Ticket Sales A Boost? by Gordon Cox "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." [ NYT ] Letters: 'From Here to Eternity'; Golda Meir; Tony Kushner; Zagat; Two Philharmonics [ P ] Talk Show Watch: Mary-Louise Parker on "Today," Helen Mirren and Jason Patric on "The View" [ P ] National Actors Theatre's Right You Are Opens Dec. 7 [ P ] Juvenilia, Tale of College Kids and Games of Seduction, Opens Off-Bway Dec. 7 [ P ] Kani Tells Nothing But the Truth at Newhouse, Dec. 7 [ P ] Vogel's Long Christmas Ride Home Ends Off-Broadway, Dec. 7; Broadway Next? [ P ] New Holiday Musical Tale Striking 12 Begins at Old Globe in CA, Dec. 7 posted at 12/8/2003 07:40:00 AM by Tim Dunleavy | Item Link BroadwayStars is powered by Blogger Pro! [Past News] |
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