As first rumored weeks ago, it's now been confirmed that Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman will star together on Broadway in "A Steady Rain," a two-character play by Keith Huff about two Chicago cops. Directed by Tony Award nominee John Crowley, it begins previews on Thursday, September 10, 2009 and opens Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre for a 12 week engagement through Sunday, December 6, 2009.
“Puppetry of the Penis,” a show best described as “genital origami” from performers Simon Morley and David Friend in front of a live audience, will return to Off-Broadway in August at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre. Their so-called “penis installations” include the Pelican, The Windsurfer, The Eiffel Tower, Loch Ness Monster, and the “Hamburger.” To date, over 650 men (and a few women apparently) have auditioned to be a penis puppeteer and only 20 men have been tapped.
Two month ago, I made a point of trekking out to Washington, DC to catch the Kennedy Center's new production of "Ragtime," While not on such a grand scale as the original Broadway production, it was still a pretty massive production and well worth the four-hour journey. I couldn't imagine it transferring to Broadway. But it is. I can't believe it. The confirmation finally came today. Marcia Milgrom Dodge's production will open at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre on November 15. It's ironic to think that "The Lion King," which won the 1998 Tony for Best Musical over the original production of "Ragtime," is still running.
Not too much theater news happens over the summer. But somehow today we hit the mother load. Let's review in order of importance:
1. As widely expected, London's acclaimed production of "Hamlet" starring Jude Law will indeed transfer to Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre in September.
2. After a truly successful six-year run, not to mention a spectacular Tony victory over "Wicked," "Avenue Q" will finally shutter at the Golden Theatre in September.
3. As soon as "Avenue Q" vacates the Golden, the Los Angeles revival of David Mamet's provocative drama "Oleanna" starring Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman, directed by Doug Hughes, will take up residence.
4. T.R. Knight is apparently set to star in a Broadway revival of Ken Ludwig's farce "Lend Me a Tenor," to be directed by Stanley Tucci.
5. Another one bites the dust. But this one we're actually glad to see go. "The Little Mermaid" will shutter at the end of August. As of now, "The Addams Family" is expected to take its place at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
6. Laura Linney will star in Manhattan Theater Club's production of Donald Margulies' "Time Stands Still" in winter 2010.
3 out of 4 Stars
Can the theatergoing experience be fully and accurately conveyed on the big screen? That’s what numerous theater companies are currently asking themselves. And if so, will people pay to see a live or recorded transmission of a theatrical performance?
Last year, the final Broadway performance of “Rent” was broadcast in movie theaters. The Metropolitan Opera has successfully offered live transmissions since 2006. And now London’s National Theatre is getting in on the act.
Nicholas Hytner’s acclaimed production of the French verse drama “Phedre” starring Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper will be broadcast in eight movie theaters in New York in July. Over 30,000 watched last week’s first broadcast in cinemas around the world.
"The Nutty Professor," which I'm surprised has not yet been made into a musical, is now ready to take a crack at Broadway. And not only that, Jerry Lewis will direct. With a score by Marvin Hamlisch and a book by Rupert Holmes, it is aiming for a Broadway debut in the 2010-11 season.
Professor Julius Kelp is a dull geek with a bright idea. Privately experimenting in his laboratory to find the cure for his social failures, he creates a potion that transforms him into a smooth talking, party animal named Buddy Love. Buddy is everything that Julius always dreamed of being and gets the girl that he always dreamed of dating, Stella. The only problem is that the potion doesn't last very long. Will the school find out his secret and will Stella stick around even after Love has left the building?
No word yet on who will play the role of Spiderman in the forthcoming musical version of the Marvel comic book, but it's been confirmed that Alan Cumming will indeed play the Green Goblin and Evan Rachel Wood will be Mary Jane. Meanwhile, the show's opening date has been pushed back a bit, perhaps to allow more reconstruction on the Hilton Theatre.
3.5 out of 4 Stars
It’s safe to assume that many New Yorkers will be waiting many hours on line in Central Park for their free tickets specifically to see Anne Hathaway in “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare’s romantic comedy of cross-dressing and mistaken identity.
Hathaway gives a convincing but rather unimposing performance as Viola, the smart gal who disguises herself as a male servant but then falls in love with her master. While Viola is the central protagonist of “Twelfth Night,” it is also one of the play’s least interesting roles.
Rather, it’s the supporting characters that reap the real fun and eccentricities such as the jester Feste, self-infatuated steward Malvolio, drunkard uncle Toby and mischievous serving lady Maria.
As a result, Hathaway is kind of overshadowed by some of New York’s finest theater actors including Audra McDonald, Raul Esparza, Michael Cumpsty, Julie White, David Pittu, Stark Sands and Jay O. Sanders.
Last week, rumors popped up that T.R. Knight might star on Broadway in a revival of Ken Ludwig's farce "Lend Me a Tenor." Now it appears that Knight will instead headline a new production of Jason Robert Brown's gripping musical "Parade" in the fall at Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum. The cast also includes Lara Pulver, Christian Hoff, Michael Berresse and Charlotte d'Amboise.
2 out of 4 Stars
Someone must tell Ashanti that displaying the same bored facial expression for two and a half hours is not the equivalent of good acting by any stretch of the imagination.
When it was announced that Encores would stage “The Wiz,” it was generally assumed that Anika Noni Rose would play Dorothy. Instead, the role somehow went to Ashanti. And while her rock solid voice is on full display, her stage debut is stiff, boring and altogether disappointing.
While this upbeat African-American retelling of “The Wizard of Oz” was a huge Broadway hit in the 1970s, it has not aged well. Truth be told, it’s more of a historic curiosity than a great musical. Its awkward combination of soulful anthems and throwaway jokes now plays out unconvincingly like a museum piece.
“August: Osage County,” which failed to revive its box office fortunes after bringing in Phylicia Rashad, will shutter on June 28. But don’t feel too bad. It had a long run, won a Pulitzer, and will soon begin a national tour.
Lots of rumors about Hollywood actors considering Broadway roles are popping up. T.R. Knight is said to be in negotiations to star in a revival of Ken Ludwig’s farce “Lend Me a Tenor” following his exit from “Grey’s Anatomy.” Rumor also has it that Ashton Kutcher has been offered the lead in a forthcoming Broadway production of Neil LaBute’s “Fat Pig.” Jeremy Piven played the role when the play premiered Off-Broadway in 2004.
In spite of an anticipated lawsuit between Bret Michaels and the Tony Awards regarding the head injury that he incurred when a piece of scenery clobbered him in the head, Michaels turned People this week that he does not intend to sue. “There’s no lawsuit,” Michaels said. “I’m not doing any of that. I’m taking the high road.”
Big bravo to Jeffry Denman for his incredible contribution to the 2009 Broadway by the Year season at Town Hall. Typically, Denman directs and choreographs at least one of the four annual concerts. But not this season. Instead, he directed and choreographed no less than three of the four concerts - and choreographed the other one! I did miss seeing a concert or two directed by Scott Coulter, Emily Skinner or Marc Kudisch.
Still, I have no complaints. Denman offered characteristically handsome staging and often innovative choreography. But this was not a strong season of terms of content of featured musicals for the concerts. That's not surprising. Broadway By the Year is about to reach its 10-year anniversary. And for the most part, all the really good years (i.e. 1959, 1964) have already been featured. Each of the first three concerts essentially offered a single well-known musical (be it "Lady Be Good," "Of Thee I Sing," or "On the Town") followed by rare stuff.
"Irena's Vow," Broadway's new Holocaust play starring four-time Tony Award-nominee Tovah Feldshuh, will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, June 28th following 105 regular performances.
Its producers also released an extraordinarily self-indulgent statement: "Our play, which has truly become the ‘People's Choice,' has been moving audiences to laughter and tears at each and every performance. But unless business improves over the next two weeks, we will sadly be forced to close the production," said producer Daryl Roth. She added, "We have recently been blessed by the attendance of Archbishop Timothy Dolan who, after seeing the play, has become an extremely vocal supporter of Irena's Vow and is enthusiastically spreading the word."
No offense, but if "Irena's Vow" were really the "People's Choice," people would actually be going to see it. Rather, "Irena's Vow' is the choice of the playgoing folk who cannot score tickets to "God of Carnage."
It's time to reconsider "I Love My Wife," the 1977 Cy Coleman-Michael Stewart musical comedy about wife-swapping that has not received much attention in recent decades. Reprise did a production in LA this season with Lea Thompson and Jason Alexander, but I didn't hear much about it and it's certainly not transferring. Until I finally got the chance to see a production courtesy of Opening Doors, I had been listening to the cast album for years wondering exactly how the book worked and where the songs fit in.
Continue reading "I Love My Wife at Opening Doors (The Duplex)" »
This lengthy statement was posted on Michaels' website. It doesn't mention whether he plans on pursuing legal action. It is signed "Broadway Bret Michaels."
"I am trying to remain very positive and somewhat humorous about the whole situation. I apologize that I did not make a statement earlier as I have been feeling pretty beat up over the last few days. The fact is I was honored to be asked to perform at the event. The entire "Rock of Ages" production were awesome and even though I was completely out of my element I was really enjoying myself prior to my injury. In fact all involved at the awards show treated me good.
Continue reading "Bret Michaels Releases His Own Statement on Accident" »
We hear that "Fela!," the new biography musical of Nigerian singer-songwriter and political activist Anikulapo Kuti which played a brief Off-Broadway run last September, is now definitely set for Broadway. It will open at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, most recently home to "33 Variations" and "Spring Awakening," in November. Directed and choreographed by Bill T. Jones, it will again star Sahr Ngaujah in the principal role. Here's hoping that they've fixed the show's book problems but retained its incredible theatricality.
3 out of 4 Stars
Let’s face it, Mrs. Huxtable. You’re on drugs!
That’s right. Phylicia Rashad, who most recently appeared on Broadway as Big Moma in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” has taken over the role of Violet Weston, the drug-addicted Big Moma of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer-winning Broadway drama “August: Osage County.”
The play observes the sudden disappearance of family patriarch Beverly Weston, which reluctantly forces the entire extended family – daughters, in-laws, cousins, niece and all– to return to their rural Oklahoma home to comfort and confront an unstable matriarch.
Once the dysfunctional pack returns, the mom’s drug addiction forces everyone to confront a whole mess of other issues: cancer, suicide, incest, pedophilia, marijuana, alcoholism, depression, adultery, abuse, and everything else you can possibly imagine.
Deanna Dunagan, who originated the role of Violet Weston and received a Tony Award, portrayed her as a terrifying, blinding viper. Estelle Parsons, who immediately followed Dunagan, accentuated the comedy, playing her as a grumpy critic with a few hints of insecurity.
While Ms. Rashad is more than competent to play the role, she is still finding her footing and is not quite there yet. Her performance currently feels fake, forced and unconvincing. In any case, the color-blind casting doesn’t bother us at all.
Nevertheless, “August” remains a dramatic and comedic feast. Moreover, the real revelation of a return visit is to “August” is to relive Amy Morton’s harrowing, multilayered performance as the eldest Weston daughter, who must directly confront the faults and flaws of her family until she reaches an absolute breaking point.
Also noteworthy is the addition of Tony winner Elizabeth Ashley as Violet’s sis Mattie, who brings an authentic aura of Midwestern attitude and sensibility.
Music Box Theater, 239 45th St, 212-239-6200, $26-99. Tues 7:30pm, Wed 2 & 7:30pm, Thurs-Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 3pm. Open Run.
