Wednesday, April 17, 2024

‘The Wiz’ Review: In a New Broadway Revival, Dorothy and Friends Get Lost in a Hypercolor Whirligig by Gordon Cox

A flight of imagination born of the trippy 1970s, “The Wiz” can shoulder a lot of interpretation. Sidney Lumet’s shadowy film, starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, sets the Black s…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM

Maya Boyd Taking Over ‘& Juliet’ Title Role on Broadway — Just as Soon as She Graduates College (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Maya Boyd will take over the title role in Broadway’s “& Juliet.” She joins the cast directly from the company of “Merrily We Roll Along,” where she made her Broadway debut ea…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:00AM

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Broadway Musical in the Works From Director Jon M. Chu by Rebecca Rubin

Break out the dumpling wrappers and mahjong sets because “Crazy Rich Asians” is coming to Broadway. The beloved romantic comedy is being developed as a Broadway musical by director Jon M…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:00AM
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Why Grant Gustin Loves the Scary Parts of Starring in a Broadway Musical by Gordon Cox

Grant Gustin, the former CW superhero now making his Broadway debut in the musical “Water for Elephants,” has been headlining his current, critically praised stage gig since it began pre…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:14PM

Rachel Zegler, Kit Connor to Make Broadway Debuts in ‘Romeo+Juliet’ With Music by Jack Antonoff by Rebecca Rubin

“West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler and “Heartstopper” breakout Kit Connor will make their Broadway debuts in “Romeo+ Juliet,” a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:59AM
Monday, April 15, 2024

‘Lion King’ Live-to-Film Hollywood Bowl Concert to Feature Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Eichner and More (EXCLUSIVE) by Chris Willman

The 30th anniversary of the original animated film version of “The Lion King” will be celebrated at the Hollywood Bowl next month with a live-to-film concert/screening that will include …

SOURCE: Variety at 09:29AM
Sunday, April 14, 2024

‘Lempicka’ Review: Broadway Musical Leaves a Visionary Artist Out of Focus by Gordon Cox

To the list of larger-than-life, survivalist women in musical theater, add Tamara de Lempicka — but with an asterisk. The name of the Polish-born portraitist who died in 1980 might not be …

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM
Friday, April 12, 2024

‘Player Kings’ Review: Ian McKellen and Toheeb Jimoh Give Star Turns in a Chilly New Take on Shakespeare’s ‘Henry IV’ by Gordon Cox

According to theater lore, it was Elizabeth I who demanded Shakespeare write another play about Falstaff, which, allegedly, is why he wrote “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” The Queen might …

SOURCE: Variety at 01:21PM
Thursday, April 11, 2024

‘The Outsiders’ Review: Broadway Musical Packs Heart and Soul but Little Punch by Gordon Cox

Tough guys with a soft side have long held a firm grip on the American imagination. S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders,” about a cadre of down-and-out boys, has been read by millions o…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Zhang Yimou Sets Theater Residency in Macau, Plans ‘MGM 2049’ Stage Spectacular by Patrick Frater

Leading Chinese film director Zhang Yimou has been announced as chief director of “MGM 2049,” pitched as “an unprecedented residency show” in Macau. Zhang, who is known for films inc…

SOURCE: Variety at 07:33AM
Thursday, April 4, 2024

Maia Novi’s ‘Invasive Species’ Announces Off-Broadway Run (EXCLUSIVE) by Brent Lang

Maia Novi’s “Invasive Species” has announced an Off-Broadway limited engagement at The Vineyard’s Dimson Theater. The production will reunite the cast and creative team from the dark…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:07AM
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ Review: Patricia Clarkson Illuminates an Uneven West End Production by Gordon Cox

No one, wisely, has turned “A Long Day’s Journey Into Night” into an opera — not least because, arguably, Eugene O’Neill’s most famous play already is one. It features extended s…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:53PM

Christopher Durang, Writer of ‘Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,’ Dies at 75 by Brent Lang

Christopher Durang, a Tony Award-winning playwright who specialized in a particular form of brainy and absurdist comedy, has died. He was 75. The cause was complications from a form of demen…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:22AM
Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Bernadette Peters Recalls the Moment She Fell in Love With Stephen Sondheim’s Work: ‘He’s Our Shakespeare’ by Gordon Cox

The Tony-winning Broadway icon Bernadette Peters has long been considered one of the foremost performers of composer Stephen Sondheim’s work. But as Peters revealed in the latest episode o…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:22PM
Thursday, March 28, 2024

‘Tommy’ Review: Broadway Musical Revival is Strictly for the Boomers by Gordon Cox

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those that love bone-shaking, ear-splitting spectacles, like fireworks and arena-sized heavy metal concerts, and those who want nothing more than…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM

Japanese Theater Firm to Pay Compensation After Harassed Actress’ Death by Patrick Frater

Hankyu Hanshin, parent company of all-female musical theater company Takarazuka Revue, has apologized to the family of an actor who died in September last year. The 25-year-old woman died af…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:26AM
Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Ariana DeBose Returns to Host 2024 Tony Awards by Rebecca Rubin

Ariana DeBose will host the Tony Awards for the third consecutive year. Broadway’s biggest night will take place on June 16 in New York City at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.…

SOURCE: Variety at 12:00PM
Tuesday, March 26, 2024

‘Opening Night’ Review: Sheridan Smith’s Turn Cannot Save Ivo Van Hove and Rufus Wainwright’s Monotonous Musical Adaptation by Gordon Cox

At the start of the second half of Ivo Van Hove’s production of his own musical version of John Cassavetes’ ultra-Seventies backstager “Opening Night” — with music and lyrics by Ru…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:00PM
Monday, March 25, 2024

Andrew Scott Makes History With Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards Win for ‘Vanya’ by Brent Lang

With his victory on Monday at the Critics’ Circle Theatre awards, Andrew Scott has made history. The British performer, recognized as best actor for his one-man West End show, “Vanya,”…

SOURCE: Variety at 01:29PM
Sunday, March 24, 2024

Jean Smart and Sterling K. Brown Honored for Queer Allyship: LGBTQ Rights and Racial Justice Are Not ‘Separate Battles’ by Marc Malkin

Though the Human Rights Campaign gala on Saturday night in Los Angeles contended with a brief interruption by protestors calling for a Gaza ceasefire, the annual stayed largely on course, se…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:22PM

‘One of the Good Ones’ Review: Pasadena Playhouse’s Cross-Cultural Comedy Brings a Norman Lear Sensibility to the Stage by Chris Willman

Does “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” count as a genre unto itself, given how many plotlines in the last half-century have relied on the suitor-out-of-water supper guest as a linchpin? T…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:03PM
Thursday, March 21, 2024

‘Water for Elephants’ Review: Broadway Musical and Circus Merge for Spellbinding Entertainment by Gordon Cox

Ever feel like running away from home to join a musical? Then “Water for Elephants” would be the show of choice that offers escapism, enchantment and heart — and thrills, too. Based o…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM
Wednesday, March 20, 2024

How Juliana Canfield Went From ‘Succession’ to Broadway’s ‘Stereophonic’ by Gordon Cox

Juliana Canfield didn’t mean to lie when she was auditioning for the play “Stereophonic” — it just accidentally happened. Listen to this week’s “Stagecraft” podcast below: Th…

SOURCE: Variety at 11:00AM

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Broadway Revival Recoups Investment, Redeeming One of Stephen Sondheim’s Most Embarrassing Commercial Failures by Brent Lang

A star-studded revival of “Merrily We Roll Along” has managed to accomplish something that eluded the ill-fated original production of the Stephen Sondheim musical. Turn a profit. The sh…

SOURCE: Variety at 09:30AM

‘Hamilton’ to Return to Australia, With Jason Arrow Reprising Title Role by Patrick Frater

Jason Arrow will reprise the role of Alexander Hamilton as the hit stage musical “Hamilton” returns to Australia later this year. The production will play a limited engagement at the Syd…

SOURCE: Variety at 08:06AM
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Sufjan Stevens’ Musical ‘Illinoise’ Sets Broadway Opening Date by Rebecca Rubin

Sufjan Stevens is bringing his musical talents to Broadway. The singer-songwriter’s show “Illinoise,” based on his album of the same name, will open at the St. James Theatre in the spr…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:01AM
Monday, March 18, 2024

‘An Enemy of the People’ Review: An Actorly, Broadway Face-Off Between Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli by Danvariety

At various points in “An Enemy of the People,” the Jeremy Strong-led production of Henrik Ibsen’s classic, the greatest entertainment comes from watching the faces opposite you. That�…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM

Ben Platt Announces New Album ‘Honeymind’ and Surprise 18-Show Residency on Broadway by Meredith Woerner

Celebrating the release of his first solo album, “Honeymind,” Tony Award winner Ben Platt just announced a concert residency at Broadway’s Palace Theatre. “Like my foremothers Liza a…

SOURCE: Variety at 02:51PM
Friday, March 15, 2024

Michael Imperioli Escorts Climate Protestors Out of Broadway’s ‘An Enemy of the People’ by Rebecca Rubin

Climate change protestors disrupted Thursday night’s performance of Broadway’s “An Enemy of the People.” The disturbance briefly halted the play and resulted in several of the cast m…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:31AM
Thursday, March 14, 2024

‘The Notebook’ Review: Broadway Musical of the Popular Romance Hits All-Too-Familiar Notes by Gordon Cox

Musical theater can be a sucker for a romantic tale, whether it’s about obsessive devotion, idealized passion, or lost loves. “The Notebook,” based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling, 1…

SOURCE: Variety at 10:00PM

Theater Historian Ben West Writing ‘The American Musical: Evolution of an Art Form’ by Brent Lang

Musical theater artist and historian Ben West is writing a new book, “The American Musical: Evolution of an Art Form.” The book will be released by Routledge, an imprint of the Taylor &a…

SOURCE: Variety at 05:12PM

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