The Broadway Musical Blog – Musical theater news and gossip from the Great White Way
Dishing out daily (or almost daily) Broadway musical news and gossip. The companion site to The Broadway Musical Home (broadwaymusicalhome.com), a directory of Broadway musicals with the story, songs, merchandise, video clips, lyrics, tickets, rights & awards for almost 200 shows.Archive for September, 2009
Soon starring actors “stolen” from other Broadway shows, the west end and the silver screen
It’s common for actors to drop out and rotate around as new things start up, but there’s an awful lot of moving around right now. Below is a consolidation of where Broadway is now “stealing” its talent from:
Stolen from other Broadway shows
Actors Savannah Wise and Wesley Taylor are leaving Rock of Ages on September 13 to start preparing for Ragtime and The Addams Family respectively. It’s not all bad though, as Kerry Butler and Tom Lenk will step in to play their first performances in the production on September 18.
Stolen from the West End
Broadway is also borrowing from the West End. Laura Michelle Kelly, who won a 2005 Olivier Award for her title role in Mary Poppins will be crossing the Atlantic to play Mary on Broadway starting on Oct 12.
Stolen from the Silver Screen
Big screen star Antonio Banderas, who stars in the upcoming movie version of Nine, claims he will star in Trevor Nunn’s upcoming production of Zorba, though no official information has been released about the show.
Stolen by a touring show
But one actor, 14-year-old Tommy Batchelor, one of the rotating Billys in Billy Elliot, will be actually leaving the Broadway production on Dec 11 to join the touring version of the show. The tour opens in Chicago on March 18. His Broadway replacement has not yet been announced. Who knows where they’ll steal him from?!
A whole lot of gossip and news
Curtain up on Bye Bye Birdie!
The Broadway revival of Bye Bye Birdie starts previews this evening. The production, which stars Gina Gershon, John Stamos and Nolan Gerard Funk will officially open on October 15 at the brand new Henry Miller’s Theatre.
O’Hara returns to South Pacific!
Another exciting bit of news: Kelli O’Hara, who took a leave of absence to welcome her first child back in March, returns to Broadway’s South Pacific on Oct. 13.
A new Woodstock musical is in the works
Michael Lang, one of the producers of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, is working on a Broadway musical based on his memoir, “The Road to Woodstock.” He’s reaching out some of the surviving artists from Woodstock for possible contributions to the production. No information about a cast or creative team has yet been announced.
Video clips from Finian’s Rainbow now online!
Finian’s Rainbow, which opens on Broadway on October 29th, has started posting some lovely videos from the Encores performances to start getting folks excited about the production. Check them out:
September is Back2Broadway month – tons of awesome events!
Our friends over at ILoveNY have been busy preparing for what they’ve dubbed Back2Broadway Month. Watch their video and check out some of the awesome events:
Sirius XM Radio “Live on Broadway” Lunchtime Concerts
Sept 16th, 23rd and 30th - 12 pm
Inside the Times Square Information Center on 7th Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets
Star Chats
Sept 9th (Joe DiPietro, Rick Elice, Marshall Brickman) at Marriott Marquis
Sept 23rd at Sardi’s Restaurant
Sept 30th at TheTimesCenter
All Star Chats will take place at 5:30 pm
RSVP with the date you’d like to attend
Karaoke
Sept 10th, 17th and 24th - 5 pm
Broadway and 7th Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets
Open House Theatre Tours
Sept 12th: Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway Theatre and Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Sept 19th: Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Richard Rodgers Theatre, and Winter Garden Theatre
Sept 26th: August Wilson Theatre, Majestic Theatre and Minskoff Theatre
All tours will take place from 10 am – noon
Broadway on Broadway concert
September 13th - 11:30 am
Times Square
Kids’ Night on Broadway – Kids Go Free!
Sept 15 and 16
Insider View Post-Show Talkbacks
Sept 15, 22 and 29 immediately following evening performances of Billy Elliot the Musical, Burn the Floor, Chicago, In the Heights, Jersey Boys, Memphis, Next to Normal, The Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, The Royal Family, Shrek:The Musical, Superior Donuts, The 39 Steps, The Toxic Avenger, West Side Story
Broadway Dance Studio
Sept 18 and 26 - 5 pm
Duffy Square, Broadway and 7th Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets
Broadway Tweet-Up via Twitter
September 22 - from 12-2 pm
“Broadway Salutes”
September 22 – 4 pm
Duffy Square, Broadway and 7th Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets
The 23rd Annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction
September 27
Shubert Alley, West 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
Locations and more details are available on the I Love NY website.
Not that you’ve even bought your calendar for 2010 yet …
But if you have, mark it up:
The 64th Annual Tony Awards will be held on June 13, 2010, broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall beginning at 8 PM on CBS.
A fun farewell video for Broadway’s 9 to 5
9 to 5 closed on Broadway yesterday after playing 148 performances. Didn’t see it – luckily for you – the national tour is starting up in Nashville next year!
The company put together a fun video farewell that is well worth watching:
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas will open at the Marquis in its place this November.
Deborah Cox (Aida) to play title role in a new McKneely directed/choreographed musical about Josephine Baker
R&B superstar Deborah Cox (Aida) is slotted to play the title role in Josephine, a new biographical musical with a score by Steve Dorff, lyrics by John Bettis and a book by Ellen Weston and Mark Hampton (Full Gallop).
Joey McKneely (West Side Story) will direct and choreograph this Broadway-bound show.
No dates or venue information has been announced.
Full Cast Announced for Broadway’s The Addams Family
Producers have announced the offical cast for The Addams Family.
As previously announced, the production will star Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia and will feature Terrence Mann as Mal Beineke, Carolee Carmello as Alice Beineke, Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman as Grandmama, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez as Wednesday.
Joining the ensemble are Merwin Foard, Jim Borstelmann, Erick Buckley, Colin Cunliffe, Rachel de Benedet, Valerie Fagan, Matthew Gumley, Fred Inkley, Morgan James, Clark Johnsen, Barrett Martin, Jessica Lea Patty, Liz Ramos, Samantha Sturm, Charlie Sutton and Alena Watters.
It’s quite the cast! And the creative team is equally talented. An April 8 opening seems so far away …
Video of Jerry Springer singing “All I Care About is Love” in Broadway’s Chicago
Were you curious about late-night talk show host Jerry Springer’s performance as Billy Flinn in Broadway’s Chicagoa? There’s now a taste of it online:
RUMOR: William Finn and James Lapine working on a stage musical version of Little Miss Sunshine
William Finn (25th Annual Putnum Spelling Bee, Falsettos) and James Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, 25th Annual Putnum Spelling Bee, Falsettos) are rumored to be working on a stage musical adaptation of the movie Little Miss Sunshine.
