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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

    Features:

    [ DCTS ]  Podcast: Valerie Harper on Looped

    Valerie Harper tells us what it took to create the role of Tallulah Bankhead in the bound for Broadway comedy Looped and welcomes her new co-star Jay Goede.

    [ B ]  FEATURE : Extra! Extra! Broadway Publicist Shirley Herz Wins an Honorary Tony

    [ B ]  VIDEO FEATURES : Lunch with the Stars: Gavin Creel, Sutton Foster & Marc Kudisch

    [ TM ]  The Astaire Way By: Tristan Fuge and Brian Scott Lipton

    Nick Adams, Marisa Berenson, Stockard Channing, Alan Cumming, Jeffry Denman, Stanley Donen, Donna McKechnie, Liza Minnelli, Bebe Neuwirth, Martha Plimpton, and more stars attend the 2009 Astaire Awards.

    "Sister Act":

    [ T ]  Sister Act at the London Palladium, review By Charles Spencer (****)

    A production of Sister Act at the London Palladium proves more enjoyable on stage than on film.

    [ ES ]  Nun fun is heavenly in Sister Act By Fiona Mountford (****)

    [ STAGE ]  Review: Sister Act by Lisa Martland

    If your taste in musicals veers towards hijinks rather than high art, then get thee to a nunnery because Sister Act's arrival in the West End comes highly recommended.

    [ TIMES ]  Review: Sister Act at the London Palladium by Benedict Nightingale (***)

    [ G ]  Review: Sister Act by Michael Billington (**)

    [ MAIL ]  Sister Act - The Musical: This stage version of the film is predictable and reeks of artistic laziness By Quentin Letts

    "Coraline":

    [ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Musical Coraline Opens Off-Broadway

    [ B ]  PHOTO OP : MCC Musical Coraline Creeps to Off-Broadway Opening

    [ CFR ]  A Merrittocracy: The Magnetic World of 'Coraline' Off-Broadway by Leonard Jacobs

  • Posted by Tim Dunleavy at 4:55 PM | Item Link


      • Theatre World Awards 2009

      [ STARS ]  Welcome to the Theatre, by Michael Portantiere

      Honored veterans were on hand to celebrate super-talented Broadway and Off-Broadway debutants at the 65th annual Theatre World Awards.

      This morning's Peter Filichia:

      [ TM ]  The 65th Annual Theatre World Awards

      Had a good time emceeing the Theatre World Awards on Tuesday afternoon at the Friedman. Since I started emceeing the awards in 1997, this was the first time that each and every recipient was on hand to accept his trophy—as well as each and every presenter. I can't tell you how many times in the last dozen years I've been getting ready for the ceremony, the phone has rung, and I've answered it to find that so-and-so just can't make it after all. Not this year!

      This morning's Michael Riedel:

      [ NYP ]  Tony Squeezes Out Drama

      After years of pretending to "honor excellence in the theater," Tony officials are finally coming clean about their true calling: making money for the backers of big musicals—and trying, however ineptly, to jack up ratings for CBS. How else to interpret the decision to eliminate from Sunday's Tony telecast a bunch of what are patronizingly called "creative awards" and put in their place musical numbers from touring productions of Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, and—here's a good reason to switch channels—Legally Blonde? Tony officials announced this week that the awards for things such as lighting, sets and costumes—all insignificant components of a Broadway show, as anyone who works in the theater can attest—will not make the broadcast. And that's not all.

      This kind of thing has been happening for years, and isn't a surprise. The thing that really amazes me, however, is that if you go back and look at early Tony Awards telecasts, there once was a time when there was plenty of room for entertainment as well as all the awards. The best example, I think, was the 25th anniversary Tony broadcast, when Alfred Drake, Richard Kiley, Carol Channing, Gwen Verdon, and tons of other stars were invited back to perform songs from the shows they made famous, all without having to squeeze out the "lesser" categories. Of course, with the revival awards and the design awards divided between both plays and musicals, that's much harder to do. But there still have to be better, smarter choices than this. No matter what the producers of the Tonys have done, no matter what they sacrifice or who they anger, they can never get anyone beyond the core group of devotees to watch. So, really, why not just stop trying? Admit that the Tonys are always going to have a limited viewership and that the show itself should just be the best, most complete, and classiest it can possibly be. Who knows? If the people who put on the Tonys were actually concerned with putting on a good show, maybe it would attract more people. After all, if everything else hasn't worked—and everything else hasn't worked—isn't it worth a shot?

    • Posted by Matthew Murray at 10:01 AM | Item Link


        • [ NYT ]  'God of Carnage,' and Its Cast, to Extend on Broadway By Dave Itzkoff

        [ P ]  God of Carnage's Tony-Nominated Cast Extends to November, with Summer Hiatus

        [ B ]  God of Carnage's Tony-Nominated Cast to Extend, After a Summer Break

        [ TM ]  God of Carnage to Take Summer Hiatus, Extend Through November 15

        [ TNO ]  TO PLAY ANOTHER DAY

        God of Carnage to take summer off, return through November 15.

        [ TM ]  Juliette Binoche, Cate Blanchett, Robert Lepage, Liv Ullmann, Robert Wilson, et al. Set for BAM's Next Wave Festival

        [ P ]  "Degrassi" Star Epstein to Succeed Riabko in Spring Awakening National Tour

        [ TM ]  Degrassi Star Jake Epstein to Play Melchior in Spring Awakening Tour

        [ B ]  Degrassi's Jake Epstein to Star in Spring Awakening Tour

        [ P ]  Tony Nominee Lathan Will Join Rashad, Jones and Lester in London Cat

        [ TM ]  James Earl Jones, Saana Lathan, Adrian Lester, Phylicia Rashad to Star in West End Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

        [ TNO ]  NO HAIRBALL IN THIS CROWD by ROGER B. HARRIS

        [ TM ]  Christopher Gattelli to Helm Actors' Fund Tribute Concert to Frank Loesser

        [ P ]  A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser to Benefit the Actors Fund

        [ B ]  Music of Frank Loesser Celebrated at Actors Fund Benefit

        [ P ]  Lincoln and Douglas Will Debate More Than Expected; NYC Rivalry Extends

        [ TM ]  MacLeod Andrews, Adam Driver, Meg Gibson, Seth Numrich Set for Slipping at Rattlestick

        [ LAT ]  Culture Monster: Ryan Reynolds, Matthew Perry lined up for 'Celebrity Autobiography' by David Ng

        [ V ]  Emile Hirsch to star in 'Hamlet'

        Catherine Hardwicke to direct for Overture

        [ BREW ]  Comic Strip Serenade by Jerry Beck

        Bill Kartalopoulos and Mark Newgarden are putting together a one-of-a-kind musical event taking place Sunday, June 7 @ the Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn NY, to coincide with the MoCCA Comic Arts Fest.

        [ NYP ]  PAGE SIX

        ANDREA Martin ("Young Frankenstein," "Exit the King") got a laugh presenting a Theatre World award yesterday to Aussie legend Geoffrey Rush.

        [ BG ]  Letter: Theater smarting from harsh review

        IN THE 13 years that I have served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Huntington Theatre Co., I have never seen a more negative review than that written by Louise Kennedy last month ("Sunken treasure," Living/Arts, May 22) in regard to our current production of "Pirates!"

        The Tony Awards:

        [ BN ]  Was Harry Potter Star Victim of Tony's Spring Bias? Commentary by Jeremy Gerard

        [ NY ]  Hugh Jackman on Neil Patrick Harris, Tonys Host: 'He'll Do Better Than Me'

        [ B ]  FEATURE : Hello, Jerry! Tony Honoree Jerry Herman on the Broadway Musicals of His Life

        [ B ]  VIDEO FEATURES : 09 Tony Nominee Poll: Question 3

        [ P ]  Tony Nomination Is Career Highlight for Veteran Actor Roger Robinson

        [ B ]  FIRST PERSON : Roger Robinson: President Obama's Come and Gone

        [ AP ]  Queen to Queen: McTeer, Walter talk Tonys and more By DOUGLAS J. ROWE

        [ TONY ]  Ask a Tony nominee: John Glover by Adam Feldman

        [ NY1 ]  Broadway Stars Prepare To Shine On Tony Night By: Roma Torre

        [ B ]  Video: Tony nom Jeff Daniels only has to remember four words if he wins

        [ B ]  VIDEO FEATURES : Behind the Scenes: Backstage at Guys and Dolls

        [ P ]  THE LEADING MEN: J. Robert Spencer and Robert Newman

        [ B ]  PHOTO OP: Stage door scene: Next to Normal stars and their devoted fans

        [ B ]  PHOTO OP : Composer/Pianist Tom Kitt and His Band Rock The Bitter End

        [ LAT ]  Culture Monster: Come chat with us on Tonys night by Lisa Fung

        [ P ]  Tony Awards Announce Student Rush Tix and Celebrity Tweeter

        [ P ]  Tony Awards Presenters Will Be Invited to Gift-Filled Lounge at Radio City

        [ CT ]  A Tony Awards boost for two Chicago shows by Chris Jones

        [ B ]  PHOTO OP : That's Hot! Paris Hilton Rolls at Rock of Ages

        [ P ]  PHOTO CALL: 2009 Tony Award Preview - Play/Revival of a Play Nominees

        [ B ]  Liza Minnelli, Dolly Parton, Elton John & Poison Join Tony Performance Lineup

        [ P ]  Dolly Parton, Elton John, Liza Minnelli and More to Perform on 2009 Tony Awards

        [ TM ]  Tony Awards Telecast to Feature Elton John, Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli, Poison, and More

        Features:

        [ NYP ]  Theater Blog: Who's at the helm? by Elisabeth Vincentelli

        People always talk about a crisis in American playwrighting, but I think the real crisis lays with American directors and artistic directors.

        [ P ]  The Business of Creating Broadway Marquee Signage

        Attend almost any show on Broadway, and you'll see the work of Wayne Sapper at least four or five times before you experience that of any playwright, actor, director or designer.

        [ WP ]  Backstage: Writer Puts His Heartache Into 'Soul' By Jane Horwitz

        David Emerson Toney took the lemons-into-lemonade route.

        [ BE ]  New play at Shakespeare & Company offers insights into family, creative process By Jeffrey Borak

        [ TM ]  On A Wing and a Prayer By: Joseph Marzullo; Text by Brian Scott Lipton

        Kristin Chenoweth, Barbara Cook, Neil Patrick Harris, Hugh Jackman, Marc Kudisch, Angela Lansbury, Constantine Maroulis, Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, and a host of stars attend the American Theatre Wing Gala.

        [ P ]  PHOTO CALL: American Theatre Wing's Annual Spring Gala

        [ P ]  PHOTO CALL: 2009 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards

        [ P ]  PHOTO CALL: Make Me Opens Off-Broadway

        [ LAT ]  Gold Derby by Tom O'Neil
        Chat live with 'Mad Men' creator Matt Weiner and star John Slattery on Thursday

      • Posted by Tim Dunleavy at 9:14 AM | Item Link


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