All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Monday, April 25, 2022

Broadway: Beanie Feldstein Makes a Terrific Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” Revival, Plus Barbra Streisand Ain’t Coming Back by Roger Friedman

I’m just back from the opening night of the first ever revival of “Funny Girl” on Broadway in 58 years. What I’m

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:42AM
Thursday, April 21, 2022

Bobby Morse Succeeded in Show Business: RIP at 90, Emmy and Tony Winner by Roger Friedman

Robert Morse is gone at age 90. His impish charm, noted everywhere this morning, served him well. His big early moment came

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:24AM
Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Some Like It VERY Hot: Cool New Musical of Famed Movie Coming to Broadway This Fall by Roger Friedman

Sounds like a drag: “Some Like it Hot” is coming to Broadway this fall in a very cool production. The book is

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:06PM
Thursday, April 14, 2022

Barry Manilow Tests Positive for COVID, Won’t Be Able to Attend Premiere of “Harmony” Musical by Roger Friedman

Barry Manilow has tested positive for COVID. He won’t be at tonight’s premiere of his new musical. Manilow writes: “I am heartbroken

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:33AM
Thursday, April 7, 2022

COVID Updates: “Plaza Suite” Pauses as SJP Tests Positive, “Macbeth” Still Off, Patti Scialfa Rocks at Home by Roger Friedman

I am so sorry for all these performers testing positive for COVID. Last night, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa couldn’t make Clive

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:06PM
Wednesday, April 6, 2022

On Monday. Matthew Broderick was on “Kelly & Ryan,” Then He Tested Positive for COVID, Now He’s Home and Not in “Plaza Suite” by Roger Friedman

COVID is still everywhere. Especially in showbiz. On Monday morning, Matthew Broderick appeared on “Live with Kelly & Ryan” to promote his

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:33AM
Saturday, April 2, 2022

Broadway: Daniel Craig Tests Positive for COVID, “Macbeth” Cancels Today’s Shows, Waits for Monday by Roger Friedman

Even James Bond can get COVID. Daniel Craig has tested positive for the virus, thus shutting down “Macbeth” on Broadway today. The

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:12PM
Thursday, March 31, 2022

Broadway: Aaron Sorkin to Write New Book for Fall “Camelot,” Will “New Version” Replace Old? by Roger Friedman

Uh oh. “Camelot” is being revived by Lincoln Center for the fall on Broadway. Aaron Sorkin and Bartlett Sher ar reuniting from

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:12PM
Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Broadway Gives Grosses 1st Time in 2 Years: “Music Man,” “Michael Jackson” Booming, “Company” Needs Some, “Tina” Rolling on a River by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back, and so are the grosses. For the first time in 2 years we have the actual numbers for the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:48PM
Thursday, March 17, 2022

Broadway League Says It Will Return to Reporting Weekly Box Office Per Show Starting Next Week by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back. And soon we’ll know what the heck is going on. Starting next week, the Broadway League will return to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 03:33PM
Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Broadway: Great News as Tony Awards Returning to Radio City, Live Across the US on June 12th by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards are back to normal! Returning to Radio City June 12th on CBS. What great news! The 75th anniversary show

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:18PM
Monday, March 7, 2022

Broadway Rock Bottom Hail Mary Pass: Pamela Anderson Joining Limping Musical “Chicago” by Roger Friedman

Broadway needs to fill seats, but this is ridiculous. The long running musical, “Chicago,” has always relied on stunt casting for its

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:36PM

“Mockingbird” National Tour Will Feature Original Oscar Nominated 1962 Film “Scout” Mary Badham in Cast by Roger Friedman

Mary Badham was 10 years old when she played Scout Finch in the 1962 movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Now, some 60

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:24AM
Friday, March 4, 2022

First a Movie, Now a Musical: “Tammy Faye” with Music by Elton John Headed to London and then…Broadway? by Roger Friedman

Jessica Chastain is up for an Oscar as Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” She may even win! Now

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:18PM
Thursday, March 3, 2022

Three Time Tony Award Winner Tony Walton Dies at 87, Famed Costume and Set Designer Of “Mary Poppins” by Roger Friedman

Tony Walton, 87, was one of the great costume, set, and production designers of our lifetimes. He was married famously to Julie

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:06PM

The Fat Lady Sings: Met Opera Star Anna Netrebko Ousted from All Shows After Not Denouncing Putin by Roger Friedman

Metropolitan Opera star Anna Netrebko is out of the opera “Turandot” this spring and “Don Carlo” next season after not denouncing Vladimir

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:03PM
Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Broadway: James Earl Jones Becomes Only Living Performer to Have Theater Named For Him by Roger Friedman

Luke Skywalker, I am your theater! The great actor James Earl Jones is getting an amazing honor. The Shubert Organization is renaming 

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:42PM
Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Sir Elton John Makes A Magnificent Pandemic Comeback at MSG as Farewell Tour Resumes by Roger Friedman

Elton John said he wanted to wrap up his touring life so he could spend time with his kids. After 50 years,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:03PM

Ye of Little Faith: Kanye Has Disastrous Non-Release Listening Party in Miami for Unreleased Album by Roger Friedman

Well, 2-22-22 has come and gone. And there is no “Donda 2.” No one is surprised. Kanye West, aka Ye, had a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:54PM
Saturday, February 19, 2022

Broadway Blues: With 19 Shows Down to $18 Mil Week, “Mrs. Doubtfire” Musical Delays Reopening Til April 14th by Roger Friedman

“Mrs. Doubtfire” isn’t coming back to Broadway so fast. The musical version of the Robin Williams movie opened on December 5th but

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:36PM
Wednesday, February 16, 2022

EXCLUSIVE If You Love “Schmigadoon” You’ll Really Be Excited About the Sequel, “Schmicago” by Roger Friedman

The pleasures of “Schmigadoon” are known not only to the viewers of Apple Plus TV but also to the American Film Institute.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:18PM
Friday, February 11, 2022

Review: Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster Light Up Broadway with Boffo “Music Man,” Star Studded Premiere by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back! “The Music Man” revival that opened tonight at the Winter Garden is a crowd pleaser, a bright, lively blockbuster

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:18AM
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks “Gazpacho Police”: Woman on Verge of Nervous Breakdown by Roger Friedman

Yes, the idiotic congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She calls out Nancy Pelosi’s

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:48PM
Tuesday, February 8, 2022

“Funny Girl” is Returning to Broadway with a Twist: Florence Ziegfeld is a Black Man This Time by Roger Friedman

“Funny Girl” is coming back to Broadway for the first time since the original production closed in 1967. But this time around,

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:07AM
Monday, February 7, 2022

UPDATES: “Plaza Suite” Tickets on Sale, Brandi Carlile to Play Elton John Event, UK Film Coming with Full Frontal by Roger Friedman

There’s a lot going on this morning. “Plaza Suite” tickets are on sale. Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker star in the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:54PM
Friday, February 4, 2022

“American Idol” Star Fantasia Chosen to Lead “The Color Purple” Movie Musical with Taraji P. Henson by Roger Friedman

In Hollywood terms, Fantasia should be over 50 years old by now. But she is only still just 37! One the great

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:36AM
Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Broadway: Michael Jackson’s Kids, Prince and Paris, Came to Opening Night of “MJ The Musical” by Roger Friedman

Broadway is not the same these days. You can’t go backstage after a premiere, and there are no parties. It’s all COVID

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:03PM

Broadway: “MJ” Michael Jackson Musical Opens to 3 Standing Ovations, Happy Audiences, and Cranky Critics by Roger Friedman

The Michael Jackson musical, “MJ,” opened on Broadway last night to standing ovations and cheering during the show, an extremely enthusiastic, and

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:48AM
Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Stephen Sondheim’s All-Star Off Broadway “Assassins” Assassinated by COVID, Show Closes Early by Roger Friedman

That’s it for the off Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins.” The musical about famous assassins has been killed early thanks to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:06AM
Monday, January 24, 2022

Exclusive: Adele Was Using Non-Union Musicians in Las Vegas Gig, Opposite of Pro-Union Lady Gaga by Roger Friedman

The difference between Adele and Lady Gaga, at least in Las Vegas. Gaga has been using union musicians since she started performing

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18AM

Harry Potter and the Cursed Play: Actor Playing Adult Title Character Fired for Sexual Misbehavior by Roger Friedman

It’s not just COVID causing trouble on Broadway. Over at “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” there are other issues of substance.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:18AM