Sunday, March 7, 2010

Bits and Pieces for 03.07.10

Hope you had a great week!    Don't forget to vote in this month's poll!  Jeff

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

Broadway Boys: Mr. March
REVIEW: Yank!
February Poll Results
Looking Forward to Spring
Broadway Crossword II: The Divas, Part 1
RANT: Ticketmaster Troubles

ET TU, MIRACLE WORKER?


With Friday's ominous, if honest, statement from the producers of The Miracle Worker that if ticket sales don't improve substantially, they'd have to consider closing, I have to ask myself a rather pointed question: Am I a jinx to Broadway revivals?  Look at my track record: Tried to buy tickets for Brighton Beach Memoirs, but it closed the next day.  Had tickets for Ragtime, announced closing, extended, and still I was a week too late.  Then there's Finian's Rainbow, I didn't like it, but the critics raved.  I saw it, and it closed shortly thereafter.  Saw Bye Bye Birdie.  We all know how that turned out.

On the plus side, A Little Night Music is doing well a full two months after I saw it.  And the future looks, well, promising for Promises, Promises.  But I've already started praying, just in case, that it makes it to Memorial Day weekend.  And I'm really hedging my bets on La Cage aux Folles - I'm seeing that in previews...

NY TIMES ARTICLES: COME FLY AWAY AND NEXT FALL


Of the new shows coming up this spring, I have tickets to a preview of Come Fly Away  (just in case - I'll be blogging my review the day after the show opens, since I'm seeing a preview), and Next Fall for a few weeks after opening - my thinking is that it is already critically-acclaimed and Elton wouldn't let me down.

Recently, The New York Times had articles on both shows.  One is a short piece on "must see" actors David Breen and David Heusinger  of Next Fall.  The other is a pretty lengthy article about Twyla Tharp  and the genesis of Come Fly Away.  That article is of particular interest because it delves into her feelings about The Times They Are A-Changin', and it discusses the fact that there is most definitely a plot to each pairing of charcaters in Come Fly Away. 

I point this out because the nabobs of a certain other Broadway site that allows reader commentary threads are complaining that the show is plotless and can't understand why there is no talking in it.  Um, duh.  It is a dance musical, where the dancing and the lyrics tell the story of the show, like Movin' Out.

Anyway, click the above links.  I think you'll find the info interesting.

MORE YANK!


Good news!  You have at least two more weeks of performances to catch of Yank!, the terrific new musical playing at the York Theatre Company on Lexington Avenue.  It features star turns by Nancy Anderson, Ivan Hernandez, Jeffry Denman and Mr. March himself, cutie patootie Bobby Steggert.  There is a lot of really cool stuff on the show's website, too.  Check it out at http://www.yankthemusical.com/.  And go see the show!  (Click above to see my review!)

BROADWAY BY THE NUMBERS


0 = The number of Tony-winning Billys left in Billy Elliot.  After this evening's performance, when the amazing Trent Kowalik takes his final (and, I'm sure, tearful) bow, all three will have said goodbye to Broadway.  Let's hope Mr. Kowalik comes back again and soon!

3 = The number of Broadway shows that have re-opened off-Broadway.  First, there was Avenue Q, then The 39 Steps, and now (several years later) Defending the Caveman.  It plays at Sophia's Downstairs in the Hotel Edison (next to the Lunt-Fontanne).

1:1 = Goodbye and good luck in London, original revival tribe of Hair, who leaves after today's performance for the West End.  And that means welcome and good luck on Broadway, new revival tribe of Hair.  We trade nice guy Gavin Creel for the charming Kyle Riabko, the sexy Will Swensen for the equally sexy (I might just have to back and see this guy live) Ace Young

Happy Birthday Last Week to:

2/28: Bernadette Peters
3/1: Kevin McCollum
3/2: Theodor Seuss Geisel
3/3: Christopher Body
3/4: Romain Fruge (right)
3/5: Elaine Page
3/6: Stephen Schwartz





Comments?  Leave one here or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
Jeff

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...