Saturday, January 05, 2002

SO YOU WANNA BE A STAR? ASPIRING PENIS PUPPETEERS WANTED FOR OPEN AUDITIONS FOR OFF-BROADWAY HIT, PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS ON JAN 17 AT 11 AM
MUST HAVE OWN EQUIPMENT
Anyone looking for a new job in 2002?

The Sound of His Music by Richard Ouzounian of The Toronto Star
Richard Rodgers was the man who wrote "You'll Never Walk Alone," but personally, he followed a sad, solitary path for all of his 77 years on earth.


posted at 1/5/2002 11:00:08 AM by Susan Heim | Item Link



Resolutions and Rando by Peter Filichia

Lost Porter by Ken Mandelbaum

Wonder Will Cease Jan. 5 at MTC

Compleat Works of William Shakespeare Not Abridged; OB Comedy Hits 100 Jan. 11

Metamorphoses, Producers, Urinetown Dominate Year-End Lists

No More Wire Hangers: Christmas With the Crawfords Closes Off-Bway Jan. 5

OB's Lintel to Grow at Soho Playhouse at Least Till April

Grizzard, Brustein, Colt Tapped for Theatre Hall of Fame, Jan. 28

Thou Shalt Stop on Jan. 6; Stroman-Connick Musical Ends on Bway

THINK TANK | Tony Kushner, the Prescient Playwright
Excerpts from the opening monologue of Kushner's new play, "Homebody/Kabul."
posted at 1/5/2002 08:04:02 AM by Matthew Murray | Item Link

Friday, January 04, 2002

On Stage and Off: Effort to Expand $480 Tickets

Critic's Choice: A Monster's Eyes Reflected in the Glare of the Footlights

King plays lead in 'Goldwyn'
Play opens Off Broadway March 13
Alan King stars as legendary film producer Samuel Goldwyn in "Mr. Goldwyn." The new play by Marsha Lebby and John Lollos opens Off Broadway March 13 at the Promenade Theater, where it replaces Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things."

Revival Finds New Love In Old Play
When I first saw John Van Druten's "Voice of the Turtle" 40-odd years ago as an unimaginably innocent teenager in suburban Milwaukee, I didn't understand why people were so taken with a play about the propriety of a soldier spending the night in a single girl's apartment.

OUT ON A LIMB by MICHAEL RIEDEL
IT'S time for some fearless and no doubt foolhardy predictions about the shows and stars that will have the theater world buzzing in 2002.

King to Star as Mr. Goldwyn at Promenade

Carmello Confirmed for Paper Mill's The King and I

Urinetown To Stay at Henry Miller

Andrea Martin Joins Oklahoma! Cast

Gurney & Lippa Work On Life With Father
Broadway.com has learned that A.R. Gurney and Andrew Lippa are in the preliminary stages of developing a musical version of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse's Life With Father.

Alan King Is Mr. Goldwyn at Promenade Theatre, Feb. 26

What Comes Naturally: Wopat Makes NYC Cabaret Debut at Arci's Place Jan. 15-26

Kulick Much Ado Closes Early at Berkeley Rep Jan. 4

L.A.'s Fools Get Grimm, Too! at the MET Jan. 29-Feb. 27

"Theater Talk" Hosts Frayn, Easton and Hibbert, Jan. 4

tick, tick's Off-Bway Time Running Out, But a National Tour is Expected
As well as a production... in Korea. (?)

Carolee Carmello Is Anna in Paper Mill's The King and I, April 3-May 19
Excellent casting.

Rent Becomes 15th Longest-Running Show in Bway History Jan. 7

France 10, Zach 3: Les Miz Beats Chorus Line Record Jan. 25 with 6,138th Perf

Andrea Martin Is Aunt Eller in Bway Oklahoma!; Principals Announced

Off-Broadway Goes Belly Up, Jan. 30-Feb. 23

Jarrod Emick to Join London Full Monty Cast

RSC's BITE '02 Announces Schedule Featuring Woyzeck

Parliament Gets Involved in RSC Debate

Report: Shear to Embark on Sail Away Project at NYTW

Dresser's Rounding Third Gets NYC Reading Jan. 7 with Wendt and McKinney

Marcy. Zina. Scott. Matt. Paige. Monday-Tuesday. Details.
posted at 1/4/2002 09:12:01 AM by James Marino | Item Link

Thursday, January 03, 2002

Crain's New York: Cablevision appointment fuels sale buzz
Cablevision Systems Corp. has named a former AOL Time Warner executive as president of its New York cable business, fueling buzz that Cablevision is looking to sell the business to the media giant.
What does this have to do with Broadway? Follow the money... Cablevision owns Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall. They have been involved in many productions (Christmas Carol, Pimpernel, Wizard of Oz...) AOL Time Warner wants to get into the Broadway business (nee: Disney), dangling its feet in the water with the Batman project among other things. If this rumored sale happens, it will definitely have an impact on Broadway, if only to give Disney some competition. But in bigger ways, if AOL Time Warner takes a large stake in Broadway properties, they most certainly have a distribution and marketing channels. Can you imagine everyone who logs on to AOL getting a popup that says, "You've Got Tickets!"
posted at 1/3/2002 02:49:24 PM by James Marino | Item Link



A Return to Sullivan Street by Ken Mandelbaum
...and the Grinch's heart grew to three times it's normal size!
posted at 1/3/2002 02:36:29 PM by James Marino | Item Link



Camp Broadway and Columbia University announce The Stringers Program
Camp Broadway and Columbia University's Columbia Scholastic Press Association, in association with Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, unite to train New York City high school students in arts journalism

Christine Ebersole cancels
[Cancels her next few concerts at Arci's and some 42nd Street performances.]
posted at 1/3/2002 10:24:20 AM by James Marino | Item Link



Mayor's Concern and a Departure Cloud the Lincoln Center's Project by ROBIN POGREBIN

A Tempest at Shakespeare Shrine: Plan to Raze Theater Is Debated by SARAH LYALL
Even the most zealous partisans of the Royal Shakespeare Theater, built in 1932 as a showcase for the Art Deco style then in vogue, are well aware of its drawbacks.

B'way has happy holiday
Holiday B.O. a big reason to celebrate
"The good story is, there was no story," said "Rent" producer Jeffrey Seller. "Broadway behaved as it was supposed to last week."

Peter Filichia's Diary
Filichia chats with Joe Morton and other theater types at various holiday parties.

ZIEGFELD FOLLIES cast album CD [review]

Broadway Grosses: Dancing Feet
Those tapping feet of 42nd Street did something amazing last week: they danced their way to the top of the box office heap.

The New Group's Good Thing Ends Early
Jessica Goldberg’s Good Thing will end its limited engagement at The New Group/Theatre @ St. Clement's a week earlier than expected. The drama will now close on Sunday, January 6.

Will Streetcar Run on B'way in 2002?
The long-rumored revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Kim Cattrall, may still happen.

Bad Year, But Grand Finale
Despite a holiday-week bonanza at the box office, Broadway ended the year down more than $22 million and 500,000 fannies from its record 2000 season. With figures available through Dec. 30, Broadway theaters recorded $373,128,667 in sales for the season starting in June.

Hey Big Spenders, a B'way Giveaway

A WORD FROM THE WISE by CHIP DEFFAA
IF you haven't met Wise Guise yet, you should. The 11-year-old sketch-comedy troupe has a new show, and while it's uneven, it's still wildly entertaining.

Margulies' Collected Stories, with Lavin, Mathis Airs on PBS, Jan. 16

Margulies' God of Vengeance to Play Williamstown in 2002

Donna McKechnie's Musical Comedy Life, a 2001 Smash, Return Jan. 3-12 in NYC

The Civilians Plays Canard, Canard, Goose at HERE, Jan. 15-Feb. 17

Flicker is a Play and a Film Rolled into One Jan. 3-Feb. 3 in NYC

HERE Presents the Hybrid Performances of 'Culturemart 2002,' Jan. 3-13

Broadway Grosses: December 24-30
$279,803

OB's Primary Stages to Kill Children by the Fourth Wall For Rest of Season

Miller's Luck to Play Broadway Beginning April 19

OB's Atlantic Chooses to Change Hobson's Choice Opening to Jan. 13

Dutch Producer Has High Hopes for Cy Coleman's Grace, the Musical

And good news to look forward to in February: Playbill Radio will be launching!
posted at 1/3/2002 09:19:29 AM by James Marino | Item Link

Wednesday, January 02, 2002

Very funny bit in the New Yorker about theatre "warning" signs that you may see posted in the lobby.
posted at 1/2/2002 11:49:46 PM by Catherine Skidmore | Item Link



Bill Russell to Direct Own Side Show at Park Square in St. Paul

Eileen Heckart, Oscar-Winning Actress, Is Dead at 82

Boffo finale for B'way
Legit shows averaging 48.9% rise over last session
After a turbulent autumn at the box office, Broadway managed to end the year with its traditional big-bucks performance.

BBC tunes up Cardiff fest
Global Search for New Musicals to be Oct. 20-Nov. 3

A Musical Chock-Full Of Grace Notes
Princess Grace may be on her way to Broadway. It will be a long trip. "Grace, the Musical," with a score by veteran composer Cy Coleman, is running in Amsterdam — and so far, it's in Dutch.

WEST END RIPE FOR PICKING by MICHAEL RIEDEL
THINGS are a little sleepy on Broadway right now, what with theater mucky-mucks running off to ski houses in Vermont, private yachts in the Caribbean and spas in Arizona. But there's plenty of theater news coming out of London.

BURN, BABY! by JONATHAN FOREMAN, MICHAEL RIEDEL and MARY HUHN
What's hot and what's not in movies, theater and music.

Jarrod Emick to Go The Full Monty in London
Retro-news... it's hot for 2002!

Legendary Actress Eileen Heckart Dead at 82
Legendary actress Eileen Heckart died Monday, December 31 at her home in Connecticut after a three-year battle with cancer, according to The Associated Press. She was 82.

2001 Necrology: Playbill On-Line Recalls Theatre Folk Who Passed On

Plays By, About and Starring Novelist Dawn Powell Grace 78th St. Lab, Jan. 18-March 9

Long Island's Theatre Three Stages One-Act Fest Feb. 27-March 20

Mabou Mines' Peter and Wendy Returns to OB's New Victory, Feb. 1-24

Eileen Heckart, Gravel-Voiced Actress of Bad Seed and Waverly Gallery, Dead at 82
posted at 1/2/2002 09:57:57 AM by James Marino | Item Link

Tuesday, January 01, 2002

Peter Filichia's Diary
Hats off to Bacall, Garbo, Loren, and all of the other “beautiful girls” invoked by musical theater lyricists.

Follow Spot
As 2002 begins, here is a look back at some highlights and disappointments of the fall 2001 season.

Charles Nelson's Casts and Forecasts
A hundred years of gratitude for Marlene Dietrich, a landslide of tributes to Richard Rodgers, and a bittersweet birthday for Amahl and the Night Visitors.

No Ordinary Zoe
Michael Buckley catches up with Zoe Caldwell, an actress for all seasons.

PHOTO RECALL: What a Pisser!

PHOTO RECALL: The Lullaby of Broadway

Worth Street Theatre Presents Screwball Tartuffe, Jan. 12-Feb. 16

PHOTO RECALL: 'Those Face'

PHOTO RECALL: I Love NY Theatre

PHOTO RECALL: Bang the Drum

PHOTO RECALL: Ovid Underwater?

PHOTO RECALL: Star-Gazing in the Park

PHOTO RECALL: From Riff-Raff to Riches

PHOTO RECALL: A 'Hedda' The Class

PHOTO RECALL: An Itch for Something Scratchy

PHOTO RECALL: Turning Over a New Liev

PHOTO RECALL: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

PHOTO RECALL: Oh Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia!

PHOTO RECALL: Off-Broadway Goes Batty

PHOTO RECALL: The Helicopter Has Landed

Shepard's Ducks Crossing Arrives at NYC's Vital Theatre Jan. 10-27

Broadway Talent on Amsterdam: New Year's Eve Concert at St. John the Divine

PHOTO CALL: Noises Off for Hill and Bill Dec. 27
posted at 1/1/2002 09:48:01 AM by James Marino | Item Link



Broadway Revisited by Clive Barnes

Playbill On-Line Looks Back at Theatre 2001: A Year in Images

New Year, New Name for Off-Broadway's Latest Forbidden Broadway, Jan. 1

New Times Square Center Will Be New Off-Bway Haven, Jan. 1

Spend Your Regards to Broadway program starts today

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R
posted at 1/1/2002 08:46:12 AM by the other James | Item Link

Monday, December 31, 2001

'Seconds' tick away
Simon comedy made world preem on B'way in Nov.
And "45 Seconds from Broadway" makes it nine Broadway shows to post closing notices this winter. The Neil Simon comedy will call it quits at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Jan. 13, after 31 previews and 73 regular performances.

PLAY BY PLAY / Tony Prognostication/ A 'Sweet' Victory

Cook, Sondheim/ Together They Go / At last, her voice, his songs meet at Lincoln Center

2001 Wrap-Up: Quotable Quotes
"I can’t believe it’s me. I’m afraid that a lot of people will listen to it and try to sing like that—I hope they don’t hurt themselves! I’m not sure how I do it.

2001 Wrap-Up: Final Bows
The theater community was shocked when Kathleen Freeman, the unstoppable star of The Full Monty, died unexpectedly on August 23, as she had appeared in the hit show just a few days earlier.

2001 Wrap-Up: Unforgettable Performances
Over the past year, the theaters of New York City were filled with star turns, unforgettable debuts and the kind of passion that can only be found on the stage.

Photo Op: Clintons at NOISES OFF - Photos by Bruce Glikas

Photo Op: TICK, TICK...Benefit! - Photos by Bruce Glikas

They're Still Here by Ken Mandelbaum
[Elaine Stritch, Barbara Cook, and Bea Arthur.]

Year-End 'Best-Of' Lists Feature Producers, Kabul, Stritch

Will Struggling Actors Find 'It' on Bravo TV? Series Debuts Jan. 6

Playbill On-Line Selects the Top Theatre Stories of 2001

Coming Soon: Debbie Does Workshop in Feb, Then Off-Bway in Spring 2002

Frankie and Johnny Were Waitin', Waitin' `til August to Play

TACT to Look Homeward, Jan. 18-21 at NY Historical Society

Report: London Private Lives May Reach Rodgers

Well, I totally zoned on this one. I meant to mention that on Discovery's The Learning Channel December 29 and December 30 was "Wedding Story" which featured Broadway stars Paige Davis and Patrick Page, in their actual wedding. (They met on the Beauty and the Beast tour.) Paige is the host of TLC's popular show, Trading Spaces. Hopefully TLC will re-broadcast "Wedding Story" around Valentine's Day.

Word is that Santa has brought me one of my presents late: I asked for a weekly fix of Michael Buckley, the TV Guide writer and former Broadway Online columnist. TheaterMania, who picked up a 3x a week Peter Filichia after the closing of BroadwayOnline, has added Michael Buckley to the TheaterMania roster. Mr. Buckley will be writing once a week, mostly interviewing personalities. Starting the new year: Zoe Caldwell. Of course, we will link to the interview as soon as it is posted...

And while we are talking about Santa's presents, Hollywood Media Corp, which owns Broadway.com, has had something special to cheer about over the past three months. While all the uncertainty in the stock market, Hollywood Media Corp, which is considered a pure play dot com, has seen its stock price double since the end of October. Even in the face of Tribune Company selling its entire 9% stake in the company, the shares were immediately purchased and held the stock price.

And finally, since everyone else is wrapping up the year, I thought I would as well. BroadwayStars has grown a bit this year. We now have approximately 35,000 unique readers every day. This never could have happened without some writing and linking help from my friends: Catherine Skidmore, Mathew Murray, Susan Heim, James Galla, Seth Christenfeld and Bill Jennings. My buddies Douglas Maxwell and Keith Johnson on the technology side who keep me from breaking everything. (More likely, they fix what I already broke.) The un-named people who I don't name so that they can keep their jobs (they know who they are!) thanks to you too. This site has been brought to you this year by a generous grant from American Express. Lets hope they hire me again next year!

The last thing to mention is that theater people are the best people in the world. Smart, caring, insane, dependable and dreamers. The major media talked about how America changed after September 11th: Americans are smarter, caring, insane, dependable and dreamers. And what a wonderful feeling that is to be unified in goodness. Theater people already knew that.
posted at 12/31/2001 10:59:18 AM by James Marino | Item Link

Sunday, December 30, 2001

THE YEAR IN THEATER
Plenty of Signs That the Show Is Still the Thing by BEN BRANTLEY
From Elaine Stritch's brass to the brazenness of "The Producers," theater showed that it, and New York, would survive.

THE YEAR IN TELEVISION
Anchors Mattered Again, and 'Survivor' Didn't by CARYN JAMES
A time when network news moved center stage, "Friends" grew up and reality shows lost most of their allure.

2001's Lessons: We Must Go On; We Can Go On

Given Permission to Be Different, and Still Taking It

The Actors Who Make History Live

Musical Revivals For 2002
At first glance, the spring theater season has a heavy aura of déjà vu about it — in the case of musicals, not only will there be several major revivals but even the new shows will be adaptations of familiar

Off-Broadway: Playing the Race Card

BEST IN SHOWS: THE GREAT BUT FORGOTTEN by CLIVE BARNES
It is always the runts of the litter that deserve our sympathy - particularly if they happen to be talented runts.

Briah at OOB's La MaMa, Conflates Culture Clashes and Creation Stories, Thru 30

Put Out the Light: Public Othello Ends Off-Broadway, Dec. 30

Lincoln Center Theater Cooks Up Mostly Sondheim, Beginning Dec. 30

Metamorphoses Leaves Second Stage Dec. 30; Next Stop Broadway, Feb. 21

Bway's By Jeeves Goes Bye Bye Dec. 30

March, March, Marching Music Man Ends Bway Run Dec. 30

Another Closin', Another Show: Hit Bway Kiss Me, Kate Revival Ends Dec. 30

Psych is Out, Ending Off-Bway Run Dec. 30

Steven Suskin ON THE RECORD: Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lloyd Webber

Documentary on Peter Hall and John Barton's Tantalus Airs Dec. 30 on PBS
posted at 12/30/2001 09:55:35 AM by James Marino | Item Link

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