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 Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark
2012 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners
The Outer Critics Circle Award winners have been announced. The ceremony will be held on May 24 at 4 PM. The winners are:
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Bonnie & Clyde
Newsies
Once
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Lyons
One Man, Two Guvnors
Seminar
Stick Fly
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Blood and Gifts
The School for Lies
Sons of the Prophet
Tribes
OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Death Takes a Holiday
Lucky Guy
Play It Cool
Queen of the Mist
OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Queen of the Mist
OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Bonnie & Clyde
Death Takes a Holiday
Newsies
Queen of the Mist
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Best Man
Death of a Salesman
The Lady From Dubuque
Private Lives
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Carrie
Evita
Follies
Porgy and Bess
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Mark Brokaw, The Lyons
David Cromer, Tribes
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Mike Nichols, Death of a Salesman
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Jeff Calhoun, Newsies
Michael Grandage, Evita
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
John Tiffany, Once
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Bob Crowley, Once
Derek McLane, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Christopher Oram, Evita
George Tsypin, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Gregg Barnes, Follies
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
William Ivey Long, Dont Dress for Dinner
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Neil Austin, Evita
Donald Holder, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Brian MacDevitt, Death of a Salesman
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost: The Musical
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
Russell Harvard, Tribes
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Hamish Linklater, The School for Lies
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Tyne Daly, Master Class
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Nicole Ari Parker, A Streetcar Named Desire
Laila Robins, The Lady From Dubuque
OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Danny Burstein, Follies
Raúl Esparza, Leap of Faith
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, Porgy and Bess
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Marin Mazzie, Carrie
Audra McDonald, Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli OHara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
Will Brill, Tribes
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Andrew Garfield, Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, The Best Man
Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Joanna Gleason, Sons of the Prophet
Spencer Kayden, Dont Dress for Dinner
Angela Lansbury, The Best Man
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Daphne Rubin-Vega, A Streetcar Named Desire
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Phillip Boykin, Porgy and Bess
Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Newsies
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Chris Sullivan, Nice Work If You Can Get It
OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Rebecca Luker, Death Takes a Holiday
DaVine Joy Randolph, Ghost: The Musical
Melissa Van Der Schyff, Bonnie & Clyde
OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Judy Gold, My Life as a Sitcom
David Greenspan, The Patsy
Denis OHare, An Iliad
Stephen Spinella, An Iliad
JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Robert Askins, Hand to God
Gabe McKinley, CQ/CX
Erika Sheffer, Russian Transport
Jeff Talbott, The Submission
2012 Tony Award Nominees
BEST MUSICAL
Leap of Faith
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
BEST PLAY
Clybourne Park
Other Desert Cities
Peter and the Starcatcher
Venus in Fur
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Lysistrata Jones, Douglas Carter Beane
Newsies, Harvey Fierstein
Nice Work If You Can Get It, Joe DiPietro
Once, Enda Walsh
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE
Bonnie & Clyde, Frank Wildhorn and Don Black
Newsies, Alan Menken and Jack Feldman
One Man, Two Guvnors, Grant Olding
Peter and the Starcatcher, Wayne Barker and Rick Elice
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Master Class
Wit
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Evita
Follies The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
Frank Langella, Man and Boy
John Lithgow, The Columnist
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Cynthia Nixon, Wit
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Danny Burstein, Follies
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines, Follies
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Audra McDonald, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes, Bonnie & Clyde
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Michael Cumpsty, End of the Rainbow
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Andrew Garfield, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Linda Emond, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Spencer Kayden, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Condola Rashad, Stick Fly
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris, Evita
David Alan Grier, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Elizabeth A. Davis, Once
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Jessie Mueller, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost the Musical
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Pam MacKinnon, Clybourne Park
Mike Nichols, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Jeff Calhoun, Newsies
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Diane Paulus, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
John Tiffany, Once
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Bill Elliott, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Martin Lowe, Once
Danny Troob, Newsies
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
John Lee Beatty, Other Desert Cities
Daniel Ostling, Clybourne Park
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Donyale Werle, Peter and the Starcatcher
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bob Crowley, Once
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Ghost the Musical
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, Newsies
George Tsypin, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
William Ivey Long, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Paloma Young, Peter and the Starcatcher
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Gregg Barnes, Follies
ESosa, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Jeff Croiter, Peter and the Starcatcher
Peter Kaczorowski, The Road to Mecca
Brian MacDevitt, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Kenneth Posner, Other Desert Cities
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Christopher Akerlind, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Natasha Katz, Follies
Natasha Katz, Once
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost the Musical
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Paul Arditti, One Man, Two Guvnors
Scott Lehrer, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Gareth Owen, End of the Rainbow
Darron L. West, Peter and the Starcatcher
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Clive Goodwin, Once
Kai Harada, Follies
Brian Ronan, Nice Work If You Can Get It
SPECIAL TONY AWARD® FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE
Emanuel Azenberg
REGIONAL THEATRE AWARD
The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, D.C.
ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD
Bernadette Peters
SPECIAL TONY AWARD
Actors’ Equity Association, Hugh Jackman
TONY HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATRE
Freddie Gershon
Artie Siccardi
TDF Open Doors
The Reviews for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark are in…
NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW:
“There is something to be said for those dangerous flying objects — excuse me, I mean actors — that keep whizzing around the Foxwoods Theater, where the mega-expensive musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” has entered the latest chapter of its fraught and anxious existence. After all, if you’re worried that somebody might fall on top of you from a great height, the odds are that you won’t nod off. “
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS REVIEW:
“The problem with expensive leftovers is that they’re bound to go bad if you don’t put them to good use. “
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
WASHINGTON POST REVIEW:
“When last we left Spidey, boy oh boy, was he in a pickle. Rampaging super-villains are one thing — they come with the territory. But those reviews! Holy clock-cleaning!”
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
BACKSTAGE REVIEW:
“What an improvement. The tangled plot threads that made the new musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” a sticky mess during its record-breaking preview period have been unraveled and woven into an exciting web of wonder.”
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY REVIEW:
“Early in Act 2 of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the genetically altered villain Green Goblin (Patrick Page) sings, ”I’m a $65 million circus tragedy — actually, more like 75.” Yes, that’s a wink-wink nod to the show’s notorious crawl to opening night following months of delays, budget overruns, cast injuries, and the exit of original director and co-creator Julie Taymor. “
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER REVIEW:
“The Bottom Line: The costliest, most ambitious endeavor in Broadway history, “Spider-Man” finally gets off the ground but fails to soar. “
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE REVIEW:
“”Spidey 2.0,” as the once-pretentious, hitherto-arty, forever-costly musical called “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” is now colloquially known, is quite startlingly different from the disastrous original incarnation of the comic-book musical that humbled Bono and The Edge and ate Julie Taymor alive.”
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
AM NEW YORK REVIEW:
“Anyone who sat through an early preview of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” before the show went on a three-week hiatus and Julie Taymor was forcibly removed as its director is sure to notice how substantially the show has been improved.”
Click here to read the full “Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark” review.
My Top 10 Broadway Moments in 2010
A guest blog by Ken Davenport
It’s the time of year for the ol’ look back. What memorable moments have the last 12 months brought us that could help define the next 12 months?
Here are my top 10 Broadway moments for 2010 . . . in no particular order.
1. It’s a bird, it’s a plane! No, it’s actually a performance of Spiderman!
Will it? Won’t it? Everyone in the biz has been asking this question about Spiderman for years. And, well, a new era of musical theatre began when the curtain (finally) went up after the first (long) preview. Obviously, the drama isn’t over yet . . . but come on, 2 years ago when work halted at the Hilton, did you think we’d ever see Spidey on stage?
2. 39 Steps transfers again, but this time, from Broadway to Off.
When one show does it (Avenue Q), some might call it a fluke. When two shows do it, it’s officially a trend. And rumor has it that a third recently shuttered Broadway show is headed for the 499 that 39 Steps is vacating. My prediction? When Chicago finally loses its steam at the Ambassador, it’ll transfer to the Little Shubert and run for another 10 years.
3. Billie Joe Armstrong puts his guitar where his mouth is.
Getting your creative team behind your production is important. But when your creative team is a humongo rock star, it’s essential. Billie Joe stepped into the spotlight when asked and played 8 performances [of American Idiot] and literally stopped traffic on 44th Street in the process. He’s on his way back to the St. James this winter to boost the box office again.
4. Did you see who took that photo?
In a related story, check out this article in the New York Times about the Billie Joe appearance. What’s so memorable about it? Well, the photo was taken by someone in the audience, and the Times used it, which shows you where journalism is headed over the next 10 years. And the audience member who took it? It was Jordan Roth, owner of Jujamcyn Theaters. And that shows you where theater is headed over the next 10 years.
5. Sean Hayes is gay?
Newsweek caused quite a fuss over its article that questioned whether Sean Hayes could convincingly play a heterosexual man [in Promises, Promises]. It got everyone fired up, from his costar Kristin Chenoweth, to Aaron Sorkin, to just about every single poster on All That Chat. Sean got the last word when he hosted the Tonys and did a fantastic job.
6. La Cage Aux Folles is back. Too soon?
Last year’s production of Ragtime had everyone saying that there is a minimum number a years a show needs to be off the boards in order for a revival to work. Then in struts La Cage, less than five years after its last revival, proving to everyone that it’s not always about the . . . timing. It’s about excellence.
7. Scarlett Johansson debuts A View From The Bridge . . . and she’s good!
Alright, alright, I’ve got a soft spot for Scar (as I call her), but after her performance in Bridge and her acceptance speech on Tony night, who didn’t fall in love? Crushes aside, her performance was exactly what we hope for when an A-lister hangs out with us for a while. I guarantee that other Hollywood hotties were saying, “I wanna try that.” And that is good for all of us. Because like it or not, stars have the ability to bring new audiences to the theater.
8. Glee makes singing cool again.
Matt Morrison was on the cover of Details last month. Lea Michele is in US Weekly almost every week. Who knew we’d have some Broadway hotties making a splash out West and serving as singing and dancing role models.
9. One agency goes, and another one comes.
2010 saw the end of the Eliran Murphy Group, an ad agency which serviced the majority of the Off-Broadway shows in town. But it also saw the arrival of a bigger dog on the block. AKA, an advertising force from the UK, arrived on our shores over the summer, and snatched up bunch of high profile players at competing firms. We all knew there was room for another agency in town. But no one knew it would be something with the experience of AKA. Things just got real, yo. With three major players on the street (Serino, Spot and AKA), there’s actually some real competition and a choice for Producers.
10. The NFL puts a play in its playbook.
Who says big business won’t back Broadway? Here comes the NFL, one of the biggest businesses of all, with more eyeballs every Sunday than we could dream about in a year, sponsoring Lombardi. The odds were on Lombardi not making it to the playoffs, but thanks to the NFL, the show looks destined to run past Super Bowl Sunday and beyond.
So I’ve shown you mine, now you show me yours. What were your most memorably moments on or off Broadway in 2010?
Ken Davenport is a Broadway and Off-Broadway producer who helped bring 13 and Altar Boyz to New York and is now working towards mounting a revival of Godspell. For more like this, you can follow his blog at theproducersperspective.com or find him on Twitter or Facebook.
Closings, castings, previews and the chance to become a producer
There’s been lots of news this last week. Here are the big items:
Closing Soon
West Side Story and Promises, Promises have just announced that they will close on Broadway on January 2, after playing 748 and 291 performances, respectively. West Side Story has had quite the run – an admirable revival that played to positive reviews and celebrated great attendance throughout. Promises, Promises, which opened to very poor reviews, ended up pulling in many more patrons than anyone thought after Sean Penn’s Tony Award appearance (and on-screen heterosexual kiss with his co-star, Kristin Chenoweth). The closing comes soon after announcements that Kate Finneran, who received much critical acclaim and a Tony Award for her performance in the show, would be departing the production.
Fela! will also be closing its doors on January 2, after a bit of celebrity casting in the role of Fela’s mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Pop star Patti LaBelle has stepped into the role created by Lillias White and will continue until the show’s final performance in January.
Casting Announcements
Elf has now been fully cast and will star Sebastian Arcelus (Jersey Boys, Wicked, Rent) opposite Amy Spanger (Rock of Ages, The Wedding Singer) alongside an ensemble of big name stars, including: Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, Mamma Mia!), Mark Jacoby (Sweeney Todd, Show Boat), George Wendt (“Cheers,” Hairspray), Matthew Gumley (Addams Family), Valerie Wright (Steel Pier), Michael McCormick (Curtains) and Michael Mandell (Big River).
The biggest casting excitement is over that of the star-studded Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, which includes the likes of de’Adre Aziza, Laura Benanti, Danny Burstein, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mary Beth Peil, Sherie Rene Scott and now Justin Guarini. If star power is worth anything, this show will bring in the crowds. Whether they’ll recoup with the size of the checks they’ve got to be writing for this cast is another question altogether…
As to casting changes, American Idol winner Jordan Sparks has joined the cast of In the Heights and gave a stunning rendition of “Breathe” at this year’s Broadway on Broadway. Constantine Maroulis left Broadway’s Rock of Ages to tour with the production, and has been replaced with Broadway newcomer Joey Taranto. Ryan Jesse will be stepping into the role Sebastian Arcelus is vacating in Jersey Boys on October 12, but most everyone else appears to be staying put.
Show Previews
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Elf and Priscilla Queen of the Desert all had premiere performances this last week, the first on Good Morning America and the other two at this year’s Broadway on Broadway. Check out the songs below. What do you think?
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Elf
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Become a Producer
And then there’s a new category of news – Ken Davenport is producing Godspell on Broadway and is inviting anyone with $1,000 to help him do so. It’s what he’s calling “the first ever community produced Broadway musical.” Shares are available at $100 a pop, with a minimum purchase of 10. For more information or to become a producer, go to www.peopleofgodspell.com.
An Exciting New Season Begins!
I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I escaped to Maine and I’m afraid summer-stock ate up all of my free time, so that (and the lack of any real exciting Broadway news) has keep the blog pretty quiet this summer. But never-fear, I’m back again and vow to maintain a more consistent posting schedule this Broadway season.
We’ve got some gems opening in the next year, lots of movie adaptations, Off-Broadway transfers and a couple infamous big-spenders who’ll soon be making splashes. Here’s the line-up:
- Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson – October 13
- The Scottsboro Boys – October 31
- Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown – November 4
- The Pee-Wee Herman Show – November 11
- Elf – November 14
- Zorba – Fall 2011
- Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark – Dec 21
- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – March 27
- The Book of Mormon – March 2011
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – March 2011
- Anything Goes – April 7
- Wonderland – April 17
- Phantom: Love Never Dies – April 2011
- Sister Act – April 2011
- Catch Me If You Can – Spring 2011
- Unchain My Heart – Spring 2011
I’ll be tweeting live from Broadway on Broadway, where a couple new shows will be performing for the first time alongside many of the long-running hits.
There’s a lot of star power behind a lot of these shows, but unlike last season, it appears (for the most part) to be homegrown Broadway talent, rather than Hollywood ringers – exciting news for those who got up-in-arms around Tony Award time last year.
What are you most excited about in this upcoming season?
I’ll be back next week with an update about cast changes and announcements.
A preview of the musicals opening next season on Broadway
As the 2009-2010 Broadway season has officially come to an end, I thought it timely to look forward to the shows on the docket for next season. There are a lot of movie to stage productions, couple of TV to stage productions, some Off-Broadway transfers, some revivals, a new jukebox musical and the messes that are Spider-Man and Love Never Dies. Last year sales went up slightly but audience attendance went down for the 4th year in a row. Will this next season get more “butts in seats”? Here’s hoping!
The Pee-Wee Herman Show – Opening October 26
Paul Reubens brings his iconic character Pee-Wee Herman to the stage in a show featuring the good ol’ Playhouse gang. The show premiered in Los Angeles earlier this year – attracting a die-hard cult fan-base who had nothing but good things to say about the show. It’s now headed to the Great White Way for six-week limited run at the newly christened Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Critics who saw it in LA named it a “phantasmagorical visual treat” and a “trip down memory lane;” hopefully it can retain its whimsical charm on a bigger scale.
The Scottsboro Boys – Opening October 31
After a successful Off-Broadway run, this new Kander and Ebb musical about the Scottsboro case that helped to ignite the civil rights movement is headed to Broadway after a brief fix-up at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. Using a minstrel show treatment, critics found the Off-Broadway show thought-provoking and shattering (in a good way), with just a few kinks to work out. Hopefully they’ll make better fixes than American Idiot (which cut away at the poor book rather than adding more substance to it), before it makes its way to the Lyceum Theatre.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown – Opening October 2010
A stage musical based on the Spanish film of the same name is headed to Broadway this fall, starring Jessica Biel and possibly Salma Hayek, Matthew Morrison and Paulo Szot (who all participated in a reading). Some are skeptical about the casting, but then again, we’ve been surprised by more than one Hollywood starlet in recent years (just look at this year’s Tony nominees). The production will be directed by Bartlett Sher at the Belasco Theatre.
Unchain My Heart – Opening November 7
With a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog, The Book of Grace) and direction by Sheldon Epps, this musical biography of Ray Charles is opening this fall at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and hoping to cash in on the recent success of jukebox musicals like Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet and Mamma Mia. The show will star will star Brandon Victor Dixon, Nikki Renée Daniels, Harrison White and Tasha Taylor.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark – Opening November 2011
Now having spent nearly 50 million dollars, the Julie Taymor-directed musical with music and lyrics by Bono and the Edge is finally supposed to open at the Hilton Theatre in the fall. Reeve Carney is the only member of the original cast to remain. Patrick Page (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) has been offered the role of the Green Goblin, but they are still looking for a replacement for Evan Rachel Wood’s character. Will it ever actually open? For the sake of their investors, I sure hope so.
The Book of Mormon – Opening March 2011
The creators of Avenue Q have teamed up with those of South Park to bring a musical about Mormonism to the Great White Way. When they made their movie-musical “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut,” many, including Stephen Sondheim, called it one of the best musicals of the past 15 years. The plot may seem a bit odd, but with those names on board, we can safely say we’re in for a fun show…
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – Opening March 2011
Based on the movie of the same name, this musical, which has had great success on the West End, is now headed to Toronto and then making its way to Broadway. Simon Phillips will direct the show, which has a book by Stephan Elliott (director of the original film) and Allan Scott and will star Will Swenson (Hair) and Tony Sheldon, from the London production. Judging by the success La Cage Aux Folles has found on the Great White Way, campy fun like this may be just what Broadway audiences are looking for.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – Opening Spring 2011
Daniel Ratcliff (Harry Potter) is headed back to Broadway, where he successfully played Alan Strang in Equus last year. This time he will be taking on a much lighter (and fully clothed) role – that of Finch in a revival of this fun musical directed by Rob Ashford, (Promises, Promises, Curtains). The original Broadway production starred Robert Morse (whose performance was captured on film in the Hollywood version) and a 1995 revival starred Matthew Broderick. Will Daniel be able to carry a show like this? I can’t be the only one waiting to find out…
Catch Me If You Can – Opening Spring 2011
A new musical based on Steven Spielberg’s film about young con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr. will be directed by Jack O’Brien, with choreography by Jerry Mitchell, a book by Terrence McNally and a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal) and Norbert Leo Butz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Wicked) starred in the Seattle mounting of the show and are expected to appear in the Broadway version, though no official casting has yet been announced. Critics in Seattle were a bit negative, so a lot of work will need to go into sprucing up the production.
Phantom: Love Never Dies – Opening TBA
Originally planned for a November opening, Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s doctor has caused producers to move the opening to the Spring. Jack O’Brien and Jerry Mitchell were originally on board to mount the production, but by spring will be busy with Catch Me If You Can, so the production team is now up in the air. The musical opened on the West End to mixed reviews, so the delay might be a good thing, allowing them more time to make fixes before heading to New York.
Zorba – Opening Fall 2011
The Scottsboro Boys isn’t the only Kander and Ebb musical headed to the Great White Way next season – a revival of Zorba is also hitting Broadway. Starring another big Hollywood name, Antonio Banderas, the production will be directed by David Leveaux (Nine, Fiddler on the Roof). When these two last collaborated in Nine, critics and audiences ate it up. Hopefully they’ll find that same magic in this show.
Yank! – Opening TBA
Yank!, another Off-Broadway hit dealing with the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, will be making a Broadway transfer. The Off-Broadway production, directed by Igor Goldin, starred Bobby Steggert (Ragtime) and Ivan Hernandez (The Fantasticks), but no official director, cast or production team has been announced for the Broadway mounting. The producers were inspired to bring it to Broadway by “the success of other non-traditional musicals” like Next to Normal, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening and thank goodness.
Godspell – Opening TBA
Finally, producer Ken Davenport (Altar Boyz) has announced plans to try to bring the Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin) musical, Godspell to Broadway. The revival will be helmed by Daniel Goldstein, who directed the Paper Mill Playhouse production in 2006. No casting has yet been announced.
April News Roundup
An awful lot has happened this month on the Great White Way – numerous shows have opened, squeezing in just in time for award consideration, and there’s been lots of exciting announcements and good old controversy. If you’ve been hiding under a rock, here’s what you’ve missed:
The Addams Family opened to dismal reviews, while the critics ate up the La Cage Aux Folles revival and had mixed things to say about American Idiot, Million Dollar Quartet, Sondheim on Sondheim and Promises, Promises.
Everyday Rapture, the last minute Sherie Rene Scott showcase, opens tomorrow night and released a very fun cast recording pre-opening. The buzz so far is that those who love the woman will adore the production, while others may be left scratching their heads. We’ll see what the critics have to say tomorrow.
There’s quite a break before the next round of shows look to make their way to Broadway. The big official announcements are that Catch Me If You Can, which had an out-of-town-tryout last year in Seattle, is looking at a spring 2011 Broadway opening. However, Jack O’Brien and Jerry Mitchell, who were involved in the Seattle mounting are already tied up in Phantom: Love Never Dies, which was pushed back to the spring in response to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s health problems, so everyone’s wondering which production they’ll stick with.
The other exciting spring openings are How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which will feature Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, The Book of Mormon, from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q composer and co-creator Robert Lopez and the Australian/West End transfer of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, whose producers are reportedly talking to Matthew Cavanaugh (West Side Story) and Will Swenson (Hair) about joining Tony Sheldon in the production.
The doomed Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark ran into another hiccup, when it’s only remaining headliner, Alan Cumming, bailed on the production. Originally slotted to open in the fall of last year, then in February of this year, the show now has no official start date or stars, save for the newcomer, Reeve Carney, who Taymor selected to play Spidey…
Plenty of rumors have popped up this month too. Rumor is that Gwyneth Paltrow and her mother Blythe Danner may be taking over for Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury in A Little Night Music, when they depart the production in June. And Disney acquired the domain names DumboOnBroadway.com and NewsiesOnBroadway.com. The Post already told us about a potential Dumbo mounting on Broadway, but the Newsies purchase has sparked some positive buzz among our Twitter and Facebook followers.
Another adaptation of film to the stage is officially in the works – as producer Matt Murphy has acquired the stage rights for a musical adaptation of Dances With Wolves. Murphy, who is pulling together a creative team now, is looking to team the composer “with a Native American musical expert to lend authenticity to the score.” And the NFL has invested in their first Broadway show, Lombardi, which will star Dan Lauria (“The Wonder Years”) and is slated to open at Circle in the Square on Oct. 21, 2010.
The biggest controversy this month was that Next to Normal took home the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, even though it was not among the nominees. The board members are reputed to have attended the show the night before making their decision and Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times cried foul while others sat wondering “what’s with all the N2N hate?” The show did just recoup its investment – a very exciting achievement that many hope will help producers see they don’t have to rely on Hollywood stars and spectacle to make a success – a good show will get “butts in seats.”
In other award news, nominees for the Outer Critics Circle Awards and Drama League Awards have been announced. The Drama Desk nominees will be out on May 3rd and the Tony Award nominees on May 4th. Here’s when all of the award ceremonies will take place:
Drama League Awards: May 21, 2010
Drama Desk Awards: May 23, 2010
Outer Critics Circle Awards: May 27, 2010
Theatre World Awards: June 8, 2010
Tony Awards: June 13, 2010
Cast albums are out for Everyday Rapture, American Idiot and A Little Night Music and The Addams Family, Fela! and Memphis all recently went into the studio to record their own. The Off-Broadway (and suspected soon-to-transfer-to-Broadway) production of The Scottsboro Boys also ducked into the studio to record an album.
In casting news, Brian d’Arcy James, who originated the role of Dan in Next to Normal‘s original Off-Broadway run, will be rejoining the cast, this time on Broadway. J. Robert Spencer leaves the show on May 16 and James will start his run in the show the following day.
And the final bit of excitement I’ll leave with you is official confirmation that shooting for the In the Heights movie, directed by Kenny Ortega and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, begins this August.
New Musicals, News, Casting, Cast Albums, TV Appearances and More
New Musicals and Transfers
The Michael Grandage-directed production of Evita, which opened at London’s Adelphi Theatre in June 2006 is officially heading to Broadway next year. Elena Roger, who starred in the West End production, will repeat her performance in the Broadway remount. Rumor has it that Ricky Martin is in talks to play Che, though this has not been confirmed.
Disney was apparently in talks with Billy Elliot‘s Stephen Daldry to direct a stage adaptation of Dumbo. Though he turned down the job, they’re still on the hunt for a new director for the musical. We can only hope Dumbo will fare better than some of Disney’s recent attempts to adapt their animated films for the stage (ie. The Little Mermaid, Tarzan). No names have yet been attached to this project.
A new jukebox musical called Unchain My Heart will be heading to Broadway on Nov. 7 this year. Featuring the music of Ray Charles and a book by Suzan-Lori Parks, casting for the production has not yet been announced.
The Canadian Press is reporting that Mel Brooks is working on a musical adaptation of his film, Blazing Saddles. Brooks has apparently already written two songs for the show though he’ll be taking his time bringing it to Broadway due to the “lukewarm” reception Young Frankenstein received.
Producer David Shor announced the creative team for the Broadway aimed Sleepless in Seattle – The Musical. Michelle Citrin, Michael Garin and Josh Nelson will serve as composers/lyricists, Jeff Arch (who co-wrote the movie’s screenplay) will be the show’s librettist and Joel Zwick will direct. The musical adaptation is hoping to make a Broadway bow on Valentine’s Day 2011.
News About Shows Opening Soon
Kristin Chenoweth will be singing the song “I Say a Little Prayer” in the revival of Promises, Promises. Though by the show’s composer, Burt Bacharach, the song was not included in the original production. Not exactly sure where they’re gonna put it, but I’m guessing it’s gonna be one of those where the guy behind you starts singing along…
Kelsey Grammer who is returning to Broadway in the role of Georges in La Cage Aux Folles, shared that he will take on the role of Albin six months into the musical’s run. In other casting news, the musical’s producers announced that Fred Applegate (The Producers, Young Frankenstein) will take on the roles of Edouard Dindon and M. Renaud in La Cage Aux Folles.
It may not even fit under this category anymore (though Julie Taymor is adamant that it will open this fall), but the big news is that Evan Rachel Wood, who was to play Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, has left the production due to “scheduling conflicts.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, opened to mixed reviews in London. The show is likely to undergo changes before heading to the Great White Way, so who knows what it will look like when it comes our way. Anyone here seen it on the West End?
Casting Announcements
Rumor is that Alice Ripley will be touring with the Next to Normal cast, which is exciting news for those who haven’t been able to make the trip to NYC! As to the Broadway replacement, producers are holding open Equity auditions. Wonder who they’ll find to replace her…
The new tribe for Broadway’s Hair has taken over and the OBC headed to the West End. Led by Diana DeGarmo, Ace Young, and Kyle Riabko, this American-Idol heavy group seems to be just as energetic and excited as their predecessors.
Mandy Gonzalez, who originated the role of Nina in In the Heights, will assume that of Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on March 23.
Emily Padgett (Grease, Legally Blonde) has succeeded Tony nominee Kerry Butler as Sherrie in the Broadway production of Rock of Ages. Derek St. Pierre and Katie Webber (Memphis) will join the cast on March 22.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury are leaving A Little Night Music on June 20 but the show will run through through Aug 29. It will be interesting to see who ends up stepping in for the last couple of months and if the show will last after its stars’ departure.
Karl Kenzler and Megan Osterhaus joined the Broadway company of Mary Poppins on March 1 in the roles of George Banks and Winifred Banks, succeeding Jeff Binder and Rebecca Luker.
Cast Album and DVD Releases
The album for the current revival of A Little Night Music, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury, will be available on April 6. It is now available for pre-order.
The cast album for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies is now out in stores.
And the cast recording for The Addams Family, which opens on Broadway on April 8, will be available in June 2010.
The DVD and Blue-Ray version of Nine will be available in stores on May 4. It is now available for pre-order.
Television Appearances
“Glee” – Air dates TBA – Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel
“Ugly Betty” – Wed, Mar 17 – Aaron Tveit and Carol Kane
“The View” – Thur, March 25 – Michael Feinstein and Dame Edna
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” – Tues, March 16 – Hugh Jackman
“The Today Show” – Wed, March 17 – Riverdance performance
Rumors are flying about Lea Michele and a Jeff Buckley jukebox musical
Perhaps because real Broadway news has been slow this week, the rumor mill has been active circulating rumors about new shows.
First – the New York Post reported that the New York Theatre Barn is wooing Lea Michele for a new musical based on the real-life attempts of a high school in Texas to produce Rent. The show, called Speargrove Presents, has a role written for her, but with her Glee filming schedule, taking time out to star in a non-profit’s musical just may not be in the cards. That said, she has been a fan of the Theatre Barn for years. I’m waiting to see whether any other names come on board for the project. Until they do – they can pine for her all they want – were I her agent, I’d tell her to politely decline.
Also rumored, this time by Variety, is that the Jeff Buckley jukebox musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet called The Last Goodbye is eyeing a Broadway premiere during the 2010-11 season. A concert version of the show was presented this past May at Joe’s Pub with a cast that included Kelli Barrett (The Royal Family, Rock of Ages) and Theo Stockman (Hair, American Idiot). After doing a workshop at Gotham and an out-of-town tryout somewhere yet-to-be announced, they’re hoping to hit the Great White Way. Anyone catch the Joe’s Pub performance? I think this show could either be really good, or do a big old flop.
In other news….
The Phantom Love Never Dies soundtrack is being released on March 9. We hooked you up with a sample of some music from the show. Be sure to pre-order your copy of the full cast album now!
The Matt Stone and Trey Parker Morman Musical, starring Cheyenne Jackson, will officially make an appearance Off-Broadway in the 2009-10 season. I am so on board with this show.
The Lion King officially became the 8th longest show in Broadway history, surpassing Rent, which previously held that position. Julie Taymor’s brilliant puppetry combined with a large Disney budget made this wonderful movie into a truly unique stage experience – and one that just keeps rolling along…
Speaking of Julie Taymor – the now $45 million dollar production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark that was supposed to start previews earlier this month under her direction – “will open before the end of the year” according to U2′s the Edge. They’ve already run into hurdle after hurdle, found an entirely new set of producers, and returned money to those excited fans who bought their tickets months in advance. I really want to think the best of this production, but have to admit, I’ve grown wary. So, the Edge: Thank you for trying to inspire confidence, and I hope for the sake of those who gave you all the $45 million you’ve already spent, that you do, in fact, go up before the end of the year, but I have to tell you – I’ll not be holding my breath.
In West End news – Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Trevor Nunn will direct Aspects of Love, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical for the Menier Chocolate Factory this summer. This wonderful theatre has contributed a lot to Broadway in recent years (Sunday in the Park with George, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music), so if its a successful revival over there – it’s likely to make its way across the Pacific.
And finally in other redo moves – Variety is reporting that Karen McCulluh and Kirsten Smith, the writers of the film Legally Blonde, are set to create a big screen remake of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The film will be produced by Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, of the “Twilight” franchise. First of all – why redo it? Secondly – what a weird assortment of people. I can only hope this new version will feature vampire prostitutes with chihuahuas!
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