All stories by Roger Friedman on BroadwayStars

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Broadway’s Back But Struggling: Disney’s “Aladdin” Cancels Show After COVID Discovered Among Company by Roger Friedman

Disney’s “Aladdin” cancelled tonight’s show because COVID cases broke out among the company. It was their second night of resumed performances. Broadway

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18AM
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Broadway: “Girl from the North Country,” the Best Musical of All, is Returning with Mare Winningham, Jay O. Sanders, and Marc Kudisch by Roger Friedman

No disrespect to “Moulin Rouge,” but if “Girl from the North Country” had been included in that Tony Awards on Sunday, things

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:06PM

Out Damn Spot! Daniel Craig to Star in Broadway “Macbeth” with Ruth Negga Despite Oscar-Buzzed Movie by Roger Friedman

Holy moly. The day after the 2022 Oscars might go to Joel Coen’s “Macbeth,” Daniel Craig– aka James Bond– will open on

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:06PM
Monday, September 27, 2021

Ratings for Tony Awards Terrible But Who Cares, Global Citizen Concert a Real Bust by Roger Friedman

The Tony Awards on CBS had pretty bad ratings, just 2.65 million people. And who cares? The two hour show from 9

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:24PM

Tony Awards Pt 2: “Moulin Rouge,” “The Inheritance” win Best Musical, Play, In Memoriam Segment Shines with Mitchell, O’Hara, and Lewis by Roger Friedman

Part 2 of the Tonys went on a little too long, but overall the show on CBS was a success. “The Inheritance”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:12AM
Sunday, September 26, 2021

Tony Awards Part 1: Jennifer Holliday Steals the Show, Adrienne Warren Best Actress, Aaron Tveit Best Actor in a Musical by Roger Friedman

The first two hours of the abridged 2020 Tony Awards, shown in September 2021, were well produced, an intimate affair with a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:18PM

RIP Bobby Zarem, 84, NY’s Most Famous PR Guy, Promoted The Original “I Love New York” by Roger Friedman

I am heartbroken this morning at the news of Bobby Zarem’s passing. All his friends around the world are. He’s gone to

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:03PM
Monday, September 20, 2021

Broadway: CBS Will Not Give Best Actors, Actresses Tony Awards on Air, Only on Streaming Special by Roger Friedman

The belated 2020 Tony Awards are coming this Sunday, but on CBS they will be an iffy deal. CBS is running a

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:42PM
Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Broadway is Back! Four Musicals Re-open Tonight, and “Lackawanna Blues” Arrives by Roger Friedman

Broadway is back tonight! Four musicals are re-opening, and one new play is going to previews. Hallelujah! “Hamilton,” “The Lion King,” “Wicked,”

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:18PM
Monday, September 13, 2021

Broadway: Tony Awards Get Hosts in Audra McDonald, Leslie Odom Jr, “Book of Mormon” Gets a Cast and Maybe Some Editing by Roger Friedman

The 2020 Tony Awards  have hosts. Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom, Jr. are picking up the batons for  the CBS-Paramount Plus special

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:06PM

Say It Three Times: “Beetlejuice” Is Coming Back to Broadway After “The Music Man” Chased it Away by Roger Friedman

Say it three times: “Beetlejuice” is coming back to Broadway. The hit musical exited Broadway in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:06PM
Monday, August 30, 2021

Watch Sensational Video: “This Is Broadway” Welcomes Audience Home with Hamilton, Wicked, Lion King, Rare Angela Lansbury Clip by Roger Friedman

Play this video, and make it loud and big on your screens. Oprah Winfrey narrates “This Is Broadway,” welcoming back audiences after

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:54PM
Monday, August 23, 2021

RIP Micki Grant, First African American Character on a Soap, Won Many Awards for Theater Work by Roger Friedman

Back in 1965, there had never been a full time character on an afternoon soap played by an African American woman. Then

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 10:32PM
Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Broadway Star Laura Osnes Comes Out as Crazy, Won’t Get Vaccinated “Because There Is So Much That Is Still Unknown” by Roger Friedman

Broadway star Laura Osnes came out as crazy on Instagram today. She and her husband won’t get vaccinated. They’re waiting for more

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:12PM
Friday, August 13, 2021

Comedian Jim Gaffigan’s Mostly Unsold Radio City Shows Blocking Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall by Roger Friedman

Well, this is weird. The special Tony Awards event set for September 26th won’t be in its usual home, Radio City Music

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:36AM
Thursday, August 12, 2021

Broadway: Beanie Feldstein Chosen for First Ever Revival of “Funny Girl” Since Streisand Launched it In 1964 by Roger Friedman

Barbra Streisand burst onto the scene in 1964 with “Funny Girl” and everything changed. Her career took off like a rocket. No

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:12AM
Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Broadway: Michael Jackson Musical Sets Cast, Reveals Characters Including Jackson 5, Berry Gordy, and Michael’s Parents by Roger Friedman

The cast and characters for “MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” were revealed this morning. We now know who the main characters are

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 11:32AM
Monday, August 9, 2021

Broadway: Scott Rudin’s Miserable “West Side Story” Will NOT Re-open, As Predicted Here, To Make Way for Spielberg Movie by Roger Friedman

As I predicted, Scott Rudin’s “West Side Story” revival will not reopen on Broadway. I’m told this is because Disney does not

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 05:24PM
Monday, August 2, 2021

Ten Years Later, Actress Who Had a Concussion on “Spider Man” Musical Returns to Broadway with “Moulin Rouge” by Roger Friedman

When Broadway’s “Moulin Rouge” announced the replacement for Karen Olivo today, I thought, that name sounds familiar. And it wasn’t who we

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:48PM
Saturday, July 31, 2021

Broadway Is Returning But Shows Will Require Masks and Proof of Being Fully Vaccinated for Audience, Cast, Crew, Staff by Roger Friedman

And so it should be.  The Broadway League has decreed that everyone who sets foot in a Broadway theater in New York

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:54PM
Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Nick Jonas Quietly Filming “Jersey Boys” in Cleveland for Peacock, Hoping for a Disney “Hamilton” Type Success by Roger Friedman

Much as we love Clint Eastwood, his film version of “Jersey Boys” was not a success. Ever since its disappointing run in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 12:48AM
Monday, July 26, 2021

Advance Sales for Michael Jackson Broadway Musical “MJ” Suffering Even Though King of Pop’s Record Sales are Soaring by Roger Friedman

“MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” is suffering at the box office. Advance sales are very poor so far because tourists are restricted

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 06:18PM
Thursday, July 22, 2021

AM Round Up: Rolling Stones Hit the Road, Anne Hathway’s Criminal BF Upset, Adrienne Warren’s “Tina” Tony Victory Lap, “Dune” Director Get by Roger Friedman

A lot of things are going on this morning… THE ROLLING STONES, THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROCK AND ROLL BAND are hitting the

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:48PM
Sunday, July 18, 2021

RIP Elliot Lawrence, 96, Won 9 Emmy Awards, 1 Tony, Jazz Composer, Big Band Leader, the Bernard Herrmann of Soap Operas by Roger Friedman

The composer, jazz musician, big band leader, Elliot Lawrence, died on July 2nd at age 96. He won 9 Emmy awards in

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 09:06AM
Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Broadway: “Company” Is Coming Sooner Than Expected, Patti Lupone and Pals Start Performances November 15th by Roger Friedman

Now I know where I’ll be on November 15th. The Broadway revival of “Company” starring Patti Lupone and Katrina Lenk has moved

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 04:42PM
Wednesday, June 30, 2021

David Geffen Gives $150 Million Donation to Yale School of Drama, Which Will Now Be Tuition-Free and Named for Him by Roger Friedman

Call it the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. The record and movie mogul, and current co-producer of “The Music

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:24PM
Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Broadway’s Hottest Ticket is Back: Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker Check into “Plaza Suite” Next February by Roger Friedman

Finally. “Plaza Suite” is back. Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker will check in next February with a March opening night. Like

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:03PM

Michael Jackson Broadway Musical Casts Unknown as King of Pop as Tony Nominee Moonwalks Away from Show by Roger Friedman

The Michael Jackson Broadway musical, “MJ,” is having a rough time. Ephraim Sykes, Tony nominated for “Ain’t Too Proud,” has moonwalked right

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 02:03PM

Happy 95th Birthday to Mel Brooks, Purveyor of Joy and Jokes, Subversive Social Satirist Extraordinaire by Roger Friedman

I know Mel Brooks is lonely for his real friends, like Carl Reiner, and his wife, Anne Bancroft. But we will have

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:54AM
Monday, June 28, 2021

Broadway: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” Returns in November as One Show Not Two, And Maybe a Little Shorter by Roger Friedman

Big Broadway news: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is returning in November. But this time, it won’t be two different plays.

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 07:48PM
Sunday, June 27, 2021

Bruce Springsteen Makes a Triumphant, Emotional Return to Broadway, Jokes About Arrest by Roger Friedman

Bruce Springsteen made an emotional, Triumphant return to Broadway tonight at the St James Theater. His audience included the governor of New

SOURCE: ShowBiz 411 at 01:06AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre