All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Broadway Recession: Daniel Craig’s “Macbeth” Had a Tough Week, “Paradise” Lost, “Loop” Not So Strange by Roger Friedman

Last week was tough on Broadway, even for big stars. “Macbeth” starring Daniel Craig only filled 83% of the Longacre Theater in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12PM
Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Broadway: Tony Awards Can’t Stop Acclaimed “Company” from Closing at End of July by Roger Friedman

The acclaimed revival of “Company” won a Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, and Tonys for its two featured actors, Patti Lupone

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:48PM
Thursday, June 16, 2022

Broadway Exclusive: “Funny Girl” Insiders Are Saying Lea Michele Will Finally Be Fanny Brice by Roger Friedman

EXCLUSIVE: We know that Beanie Feldstein will exit her role as Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” in September. Jane Lynch, who plays

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:48PM

Broadway: No Tony Awards Love Sends Beanie Feldstein Packing from “Funny Girl,” Jane Lynch Too by Roger Friedman

Beanie Feldstein is outta here. The star of Broadway’s “Funny Girl” is exiting the show in September. That will be six months

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 08:42AM
Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Ex-Monk $259 Million Powerball Lottery Winner Makes Martha Clarke’s Stunning “God’s Fool” Come Alive at Famed La Mama Theater by Roger Friedman

Martha Clarke‘s stunning theater piece, “God’s Fool,” opens at the famed La Mama theater in the East Village this week. But the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:33PM
Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Tony Awards Ratings Zoom Up 47% from 2021 Show, Win the Night, Trounce Time 100 Special by Roger Friedman

The 2022 Tony Awards on CBS were a ratings hit. Total viewers were 4.2 million, up significantly — 47 % — from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06PM
Monday, June 13, 2022

Hugh Jackman Tests Poz for COVID, Again: He’s Out of The Music Man Through June 21 by Roger Friedman

For the second time in this difficult Broadway season, Hugh Jackman has tested positive for COVID. He’s out of “The Music Man”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:48PM

2022 Tony Awards: A Great Night for Jennifer Hudson, and for Anyone Named Michael Jackson by Roger Friedman

It was a great night at the Tonys for Jennifer Hudson and anyone named Michael Jackson. JHud. became an EGOT last night,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:33AM
Sunday, June 12, 2022

Tony Awards Tonight: Hugh Jackman vs. Billy Crystal vs. Michael Jackson Is the Big Race by Roger Friedman

Think the Tony Awards are boring? Not tonight. When the show kicks off on CBS at 8pm, Paramount Plus at 7, it’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18PM
Friday, June 10, 2022

Broadway: Legendary Performer Lena Horne Will Be First Black Woman With Theater Named for Her by Roger Friedman

This is big news. The great Lena Horne, legendary movie and stage star and singer of “Stormy Weather,” is getting a Broadway

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:19AM
Thursday, June 9, 2022

Tony Awards Plan Star Studded List of Presenters, Performers: Will Michael Jackson Be the King of Broadway? by Roger Friedman

Sunday’s Tony Awards (CBS, 8pm) are going to be full of stars. Presenters and performers are all A list. Top of the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:12PM
Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Broadway: “Evan Hansen,” “Tina Turner” Musicals to Close This Summer, Early Fall: More to Come by Roger Friedman

Broadway is really subject to the adage Only the Strong Survive. The pandemic break hit all the shows hard, and now the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:36AM
Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Sunny Day! “Sesame Street” Musical Coming to off Broadway This Fall for Limited Run by Roger Friedman

Next year’s Obie Award for Best Actor may go to… Elmo! “Sesame Street: The Musical” is set for a limited run off

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:37PM

Broadway: Bad News as Beanie Feldstein Out of “Funny Girl” Again, This Time with COVID by Roger Friedman

Bad news for fans of Beanie Feldstein. The usually effervescent star of “Funny Girl” will be out the rest of this week.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:18AM
Thursday, June 2, 2022

Hear the First Song from “Almost Famous” the Musical Coming to Broadway This Fall by Roger Friedman

Cameron Crowe’s great movie, “Almost Famous,” is coming to Broadway as a musical this fall. They’ve released a song called “Everybody’s Coming

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:33PM
Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Broadway: With Scott Rudin Gone, “The Music Man” Will Have Normal Actors Fund Performance by Roger Friedman

Yes, I know the Actors Fund is now called the Entertainment Community Fund. Blech. Anyway, when it was called the Actors Fund,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:07PM
Saturday, May 28, 2022

Broadway: “Funny Girl” Star Beanie Feldstein Keeps Missing Shows, Giving Understudy Julie Benko a Surprise Showcase by Roger Friedman

It pains me to say this. But there’s some trouble at “Funny Girl.” I’m a big fan of Beanie Feldstein, who plays

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:33PM
Thursday, May 26, 2022

Broadway News: Sondheim’s Hot Summer Continues with “Into the Woods” All Star Revival Coming Next Month by Roger Friedman

Stephen Sondheim is smiling in heaven. “Company,” as I told you yesterday, is booming right now with Patti Lupone, Katrina Lenk and

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:48PM
Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Dead Show Walking: Broadway’s “Paradise Square” Scored 10 Tony Nominations But No One Is Going to See It by Roger Friedman

No one knows why “Paradise Square” received 10 Tony nominations. No one except Tony nominators who were clearly not in touch with

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:33PM

Broadway: “Company” Box Office Jumps by $100K After Star Patti Lupone Curses Out Audience Member by Roger Friedman

Give Patti Lupone her Tony Award — and a raise. Before May 11th, the box office at the much praised revival of

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:33PM
Monday, May 16, 2022

Theater: Drama Desk Noms So Weird They Actually Gave One to the Star of “Diana, the Musical” by Roger Friedman

I really don;’t understand what the Drama Desk is, except their nominations make for a lot of drama. They kind of ignore

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:18PM
Saturday, May 14, 2022

“ER” Star Anthony Edwards Isn’t in “Top Gun,” But Last Night He Sang Bob Dylan Songs on Broadway by Roger Friedman

“ER” star Anthony Edwards can’t be in “Top Gun Maverick” because his character, Goose, died in the first movie, Spoiler alert! But

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:18PM
Friday, May 13, 2022

Broadway Downs and Ups: “Mrs. Doubtfire” Musical Closing Before Tonys, Two Plays Extend Runs by Roger Friedman

Broadway is not for the faint of heart even in a good economy. But with inflation soaring and COVID lurking, keeping a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:54PM
Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Watch “Company” Star Patti Lupone Curse Out A Mask-Abuser at After Show Talk Back by Roger Friedman

Tony nominee Patti Lupone gets my vote for this eviscerating of a fan at the after show talk back for “Company.” Patti,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:03PM
Monday, May 9, 2022

Tony Awards Headscratcher: 10 Noms for “Paradise Square” Even Though Criminal Produced It, Critics Hated It by Roger Friedman

Here’s a mystery. The Tony Awards gave 10 nominations including Best Musical to “Paradise Square.” The critics hated it. The producer is

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12PM

Tony Nominations Snub Big Stars Daniel Craig, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, All of “Funny Girl” by Roger Friedman

The 2022 Tony Awards nominations are out, and so are most of the big stars bringing people to Broadway. There is ONE

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12PM
Friday, May 6, 2022

Broadway: Pam Anderson’s 2nd Week in “Chicago” a Bust So Jennifer Holliday’s the Next Big Name Coming to the Show by Roger Friedman

Pamela Anderson in “Chicago” got a lot of press for a few minutes. Adding the sexy siren to Broadway’s longest running show

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:03AM
Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Broadway: Ariana DeBose to Host Tony Awards, “Plaza Suite” Books 3rd Extension with Broderick, Parker by Roger Friedman

Some good Broadway news for a change. Ariana DeBost is having a great year. She won the Oscar for “West Side Story”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:18PM
Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Andrew Lloyd Webber No Prince Charming as He Decides to Shut Down London “Cinderella” Without Telling Cast or Director by Roger Friedman

If you think we have problems… In London, Andrew Lloyd Webber who functions as a “composer” and “producer” is in hot water.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM

Broadway Box Office Falls by $5 Mil Even With Tony-Buzzed Shows Opening Last Week by Roger Friedman

The final week of the Tony award season was not so good at the Broadway box office. The total gross fell by

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards