All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Monday, June 12, 2023

Tony Awards Ratings Drop 11% As Mainstream Audience Tunes Out Writer-less Show, Lowest Ever Numbers by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards were a ratings bomb. The show last night brought in just 3.42 million viewers. They even lost 2 million

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:13PM

Watch the Very Classy Tony Awards In Memoriam Sung by Last Year’s Amazing Winner Joaquina Kalukango by Roger Friedman

The In Memoriam last night on the Tony Awards was so classy — the Oscars and Emmys should really look at how

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:13PM

Tony Awards Without Writers: Aaron Rodgers, Mrs. Maisel, Grand Wizards, Bleeped Words, Non Binary Winners, and a Shake Shack Dinner in Washington Heig by Roger Friedman

By now, anyone who’s interested in the Tony Awards has an idea of what happened last night. Without writers, the show– hosted

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:07AM
Sunday, June 11, 2023

Tony Awards Tonight: Hot Races in Every Category, But Look for Jessica Chastain, Leopoldstadt, Some Like it Hot, Annaleigh Ashford Among My Choices by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are on tonight at 8pm on CBS. It’s been another long theater season, with ups and downs. But there

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:49AM
Saturday, June 10, 2023

Broadway: Lea Michele Is Taking the Day off from “Funny Girl” to Get Ready for Her Big Night at the Tony Awards by Roger Friedman

This is what I call dedication! Lea Michele, who’s been playing Fanny Brice on and off since last September, is skipping today’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:33PM
Friday, June 9, 2023

Sunday’s Tony Awards Must-Sees: Mass Singalong of “Sweet Caroline” with Neil Diamond (?), Lea Michele Knock Out “Funny Girl” Performance Eve by Roger Friedman

The biggest moments on Sunday’s Tony Awards show may not come from nominated shows. There will be a show stopping performance from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:07AM
Thursday, June 8, 2023

Sex in Another City: Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick Taking Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” to London’s West End Next Winter by Roger Friedman

London is about to get a taste of some sex in the city. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are taking their

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:43AM

Broadway Shows in Peril Because of Air Quality: “Camelot,” “Hamilton” Cancel, Shakespeare in the Park off Until Improvement by Roger Friedman

The scary air situation in New York City has hit Broadway and theater performances. Both “Camelot” and “Hamilton” cancelled tonight’s shows because

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:37AM
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Amy Sherman-Palladino Next Project After “Mrs. Maisel”: Bringing Sutton Foster to Broadway Encores in Carol Burnett Role by Roger Friedman

Amy Sherman-Palladino has her first new assignment after co-writing, producing, and directing “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” to acclaim for five years on

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:06PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Tony Awards Get a Waiver from Writers Guild: Show Will Go On, But Exactly How No One Knows by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards can proceed with their show on Sunday, June 11th. It can be broadcast on CBS thanks to a waiver

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:42AM
Saturday, May 13, 2023

Britney Spears Cinderella-Themed Musical Starts Performances Tonight on Broadway, See Video by Roger Friedman

Yes, there’s a musical with songs associated with Britney Spears starting performances tonight on Broadway., “Once Upon a One More Time” opens

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:42PM

Tony Awards Nix Show for June 11th, Must Choose Between Likely Delay or Non-Broadcast Dinner, Marginal Shows in Peril by Roger Friedman

You can scratch the Tony Awards for June 11th. The Writers Guild rejected giving CBS and the American Theater Wing a waiver

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:32AM

Review: It’s Sultry Judith Owen’s Turn To Jazz Up New York with Her Gentleman Callers Band from New Orleans by Roger Friedman

The McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea dates back to 1939, so it’s the perfect place for Judith Owen and her Gentlemen Callers —

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:32AM
Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 34 Year Run on Broadway Will End June 4th When “Bad Cinderella” Closes by Roger Friedman

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has been represented on Broadway with some show since 1979. But that will end June 4th when his

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:42PM
Monday, May 8, 2023

Writers Guild Strike Claims AFI Tribute to Nicole Kidman, Tony Awards Next to Be Delayed, “Wire” Writer David Simon Sees HBO Contract Suspended by Roger Friedman

The fall out from the WGA strike is getting worse. The American Film Institute is postponing its June 10th tribute to Nicole

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:06PM
Friday, May 5, 2023

Ex-Broadway Star Laura Osnes, 6 Time Tony Nominee, and Anti-Vaxxer Compares Her Ostracism to Jesus, Says Settled NY Post Defamation Lawsuit by Roger Friedman

We first learned that former Broadway star Laura Osnes was putting her career in jeopardy in the summer of 2021. She refused

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:06PM
Thursday, May 4, 2023

Review: Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan Deserve a Better Play Than “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” by Roger Friedman

During the winter, a revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s “other play,” called “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” came to BAM. I didn’t

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:02PM

Writers Strike Affects MTV Awards as Drew Barrymore Backs Out as Host: Will Ariana DeBose Exit Tony Awards? Who Will Write It? by Roger Friedman

Drew Barrymore is out as host of the MTV Movie and TV Awards this weekend. The reason? She’s in sympathy with the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:02PM
Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Broadway: Andrew Lloyd Webber Snubbed by Tonys for “Bad Cinderella,” Bob Fosse’s “Dancin'” Closing After No Nominations by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are the great leveler for marginal shows. Without any nominations, Bob Fosse’s “Dancin'” will now close on May 14th.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:12PM

Tony Nominations: “Leopoldstadt,” “Some Like it Hot,” Actors Include Wendell Pierce, Sean Hayes, Annaleigh Ashford, Brian d’Arcy James by Roger Friedman

Stand by for full list… BEST MUSICAL Some Like it Hot, & Jullet, New York New York, Kimberly Akimbo, Shucked BEST PLAY

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:02AM
Monday, May 1, 2023

Tony Nominations Are Coming on Tuesday with Some Big Names in the Races Including Sean Hayes, Wendell Pierce, Jessica Chastain, Danielle Brooks, Josh by Roger Friedman

Tony Awards nominations are coming on Tuesday. There are some hot races expected among big stars. There are also the categories for

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:32AM
Thursday, April 27, 2023

Broadway: “New York, New York” Is a Musical Without a Book Or Any Idea What It’s Supposed to Be About by Roger Friedman

Listen: Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film, “New York, New York” wasn’t easy to begin with. It was so long and unwieldy that a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:12AM
Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Broadway: Outer Critics Circle Weird Nominations, Snubs Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, Wendell Pierce Among Others by Roger Friedman

Last year I wrote about the Outer Critics Circle and how they lost all credibility with their kooky nominations. A couple of

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:06PM
Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Review: Star Studded Audience Turns Out for Sean Hayes’s Sensational Broadway Play, “Good Night Oscar” by Roger Friedman

“Will & Grace” star Sean Hayes has a secret life as an accomplished pianist besides being a terrific comic actor. If we

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:36AM
Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Broadway: Tom Stoppard Is On His Way to Win a Tony Award and (Hopefully) A Pulitzer Prize for “Leopoldstadt” by Roger Friedman

British-Czech playwright has six Tony Awards for writing the Best Play on Broadway. This June should come his 7th statue, and maybe

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:32PM
Monday, April 10, 2023

Broadway’s Biggest Annual Charity Gala Challenges Anna Wintour’s Met Ball on Same Night Next Month With Actual Talent by Roger Friedman

Game on! Broadway’s biggest annual charity gala will take on Anna Wintour’s Met Ball on May 1st. I’m rooting for Broadway. The

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:24PM
Monday, March 27, 2023

Broadway: Revived “Sweeney Todd” Scores a Triumph with Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, “Stranger Things” Star Gaten Matarazzo, and 43 Piece Or by Roger Friedman

Josh Groban, you know, has always wanted to be a rock star. With his gorgeous deep baritone, he’s released several hit albums

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06AM
Friday, March 24, 2023

Broadway: Andrew Lloyd Webber Faces Rare Financial and Criticial Bomb as “Bad Cinderella” Musical Decimated by Roger Friedman

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has had hit after hit with “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Evita,” and other musicals that have been

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:12PM
Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Aaron Sorkin Tells NY Times He Had a Stroke, Paper Strangely Omits His Perilous History with Drug Addiction by Roger Friedman

I like Aaron Sorkin very much and admire his plays and movies. But still, today he tells the New York Times he

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:22PM

Watch President Joe Biden Give National Medal of Arts to Gladys Knight, Bruce Springsteen, Amy Tan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, More by Roger Friedman

Twenty three deserving Americans received Presidential Medals of Honor yesterday from Joe Biden. A lot of press was given to Bruce Springsteen,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:39AM

Broadway Cult TV Show “Smash” Coming to Broadway in 2024 Directed by Susan Stroman by Roger Friedman

So you know “Smash” was a TV series about a Broadway show that finally opened on fictional Broadway after many soap opera

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:29AM

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