The Broadway press agents act curiously when it comes to announcing stuff. News of casting or show premieres tends to spread before they can actually announce it all officially. Here are some examples:
-We're now finally getting the "official" word that GLORY DAYS will indeed move from DC's Signature Theater to Broadway's Circle in the Square. Broadway.com reported this news like two weeks ago, yet no one else had the news. Then it started actually selling tickets to the show, still before anyone else had the news. Finally, The Washington Post reported this yesterday, and Playbill is reporting it too. I meanwhile have yet to receive any "official" press release. :(
-RENT will extend to September. Okay, in fairness to the producers, they announced this before news spread, but we all already suspected this would happen.
-The casting of SHREK is another case. Everyone already knew for a long time that Sutton Foster was in it before the official word came, and the same goes for most of the other cast members, most of which have now been officially announced.
These situations put me in an awkward situation when it comes to my print theater column. Without an official press release, do I feel comfortable enough to report this kind of news anyway? Or should I wait for the official word? And if I do, will this stuff still be "newsworthy" anymore?