JK's TheatreScene

PHANTOM Turns 24...Broadway Stars Who Aren't That Old

2012-01-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

CLICK THE "HOW TO SUCCEED" LOGO TO YOUR LEFT TO ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO SEE NICK JONAS!

TAKE THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT, TOO)!

Yesterday, The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 24th birthday. Yes, January 26, 1988 was the date history-in-the making began... unless you count its previews which started 17 days earlier on January 9. Nearly 10,000 performances later (that milestone will be made on February 11, 2012), it is hard to imagine Broadway without it, right? Well, for a lot of Broadway fans, their lives have never know a day without the show on Broadway. Literally.

The same goes for many of today's performers. Not a single day in their lives has been lived without Phantom playing the Majestic Theatre. I'll bet that for many of them, the show was the first, or among the first they ever saw. So, who are some of these (literally) Broadway Babies?

Daniel Radcliffe

Adam Reigler - the original Pugsley in The Addams Family.
Anna Maria Perez de Tagle - currently starring as Anna Maria ("Day By Day") in Godspell.
Alexa Vega - she played Penny Pingleton in Hairspray.
Brittny Kissinger - she played Annie in the 1997 revival of Annie.
Daniel Radcliffe - most recently starred as Finch in How to Succeed and earlier as Alan Strang in Equus.

Kiril Kulish, David Alvarez and Trent Kowalik

David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik - the three were the original (and all Tony-winning) Broadway Billys in Billy Elliot.
Emma Hunton - currently Maureen in RENT; most recently, Spring Awakening and the National Tour of next to normal.
Haley Joel Osment - the Oscar nominee starred in the short lived revival of American Buffalo.
Hunter Parrish - currently starring as Jesus in Godspell; previously in Spring Awakening.
Jennifer Damiano - Tony nominee for next to normal, most recently, she created the role of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Jordin Sparks - the American Idol winner recently starred in In the Heights.

Emma Hunton

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and Hunter Parrish

Jennifer Damiano

Kelsey Fowler - most recently, Young Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde, plus Grey Gardens and Mary Poppins.
Mackenzie Mauzy - most recently, next to normal and A Tale of Two Cities on Broadway, and the leading role in Broadway-bound White Noise.
Madeleine Martin - most recently in August: Osage County and The Pillowman.
Matthew Gumley - his credits include Elf, The Addams Family, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast.
Mitchel Federan - Theatre World Award winner for his role as Young Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz.
Nick Jonas - currently starring as Finch in How to Succeed, also, Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables.

Richard Fleeshman

Richard Fleeshman - about to star as Sam Wheat in Ghost: The Musical.
Taylor Trensch - he started performances THIS WEEK as Boq in Wicked. Welcome!
William Ullrich - co-starred in the revivals of Nine and The Music Man.

These are just a few of the many under-24 Broadway performers. Playbill Vault lists 48 actors born between January 1988 and today. And that doesn't even include most of the late-in-the-run Beauty and the Beast Chips, most of the Young Simbas and Young Nalas in The Lion King, all of the Broadway Billy Elliots, and all of the Broadway Janes and Michaels in Mary Poppins.

Makes you wonder how many future Broadway stars who aren't even born yet will be able to say they've never known Broadway without a 10,000+ performance Phantom!

Jeff
3.150

CONTEST: Win Tickets for NICK JONAS in HOW TO SUCCEED!

2012-01-26T01:50:00.000-05:00

You may have heard the news... there's a new guy cleaning the windows at World Wide Wickets (aka the Al Hirschfeld Theatre)! He's teen heartthrob Nick Jonas, and he just put on the green bow tie this week as J. Pierrepont Finch in the hit 50th Anniversary revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

He and his family were on hand to celebrate his opening and his new giant billboard in Times Square.

To help celebrate hie return to Broadway - and to also welcome his new co-stars Beau Bridges and Michael Urie - JK's TheatreScene is giving away tickets to the show! And they are pretty easy to win, too!

THE PRIZE:

Win a pair of tickets to How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway, starring Nick Jonas.
The winner will receive a voucher good for two tickets to a performance during February or March. Some blackout dates will apply.
Winners must reserve tickets at least one week in advance in accordance with the guidelines set by management of the production.
There will be two winners of a pair of tickets each.

JUST FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS:

CLICK the How to Succeed logo to your left, just above this month's poll.
ANSWER the 5 How to Succeed trivia questions.
E-MAIL your name, city and state, and the 5 answers (letter AND answer or TRUE/FALSE) to jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
TYPE NICK JONAS HOW TO SUCCEED CONTEST in the subject heading.
All entries must be received by NOON Eastern time on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

THE FINE PRINT:

ONE entry per email address.
Entries that do not meet all of the requirements will be disqualified.
Contributors to this blog, How to Succeed company members, and anyone who WON tickets from THIS WEBSITE for Follies, Lysistrata Jones or the previous How to Succeed contest are ineligible for this contest. IF YOU ENTERED BEFORE AND DID NOT WIN, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THIS CONTEST.
This blog and its writers are not responsible for entries that do not arrive on time, entries that are not received or do not meet all requirements. Further, this blog is not responsible for the location or availability of the seats for the prizes. Finally, the blog is not responsible for actors who are not in any given performance.

REMEMBER:

Click the How to Succeed logo to your left to get started!
All entries must be received by NOON on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

GOOD LUCK!

Jeff
3.149

BOOK REVIEW: The Broadway Musical Quiz Book

2012-01-25T12:01:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO TAKE THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

Name five currently running shows have had more than one Playbill cover that reflect changes in the show's logo (not color vs black and white) during its original run.
What was the original title of next to normal?
Name the actor and actress who were originally signed to play The Green Goblin and Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
What show was the last to play the Majestic Theatre before The Phantom of the Opera opened there? (Bonus if you can name the theatre it moved to!)
What theatre did Kurt and Rachel sneak into and sing on the stage of during the New York Nationals episode of Glee? (Bonus what two Glee guest stars sang the same song on the same stage, and what was the song?)

Theatre Book Review: The Broadway Musical Quiz Book. By Laura Frankos. Foreward by Peter Filichia. Published by Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, an Imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation, New York. Paperback. Copyright 2010. 271 pages.

Grade: A+

Trivia is a fun and funny thing, especially when it centers around something you are passionate about. Obviously, my passion is theatre - musical theatre, especially - and my friends know it. That's why I got a really cool book for Christmas that I think you'd like, too. It's called The Broadway Musical Quiz Book by Laura Frankos, with a foreword by one of my favorite theatre columnists, Peter Filichia.

I have one word to describe this book: HUMBLING. Boy, I thought I knew my musical theatre - plots, songs, composers, lyricists, even a fair amount of history about many shows through the years. But it is amazing - and humbling - to realize that there is so much out there still to fill my head with.

Ms. Frankos has done an incredible job constructing more than 80 different quizzes that cover the Broadway musical by decade (1900-2000), by major composers (Kern, Comden and Green, the usual suspects), by major theatre artists (Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, Carol Channing, Patti LuPone and the Merm). And she has some really fun ones that cover such varied (and specific) subjects like "Musical Theatre Addresses, the four seasons - 1 quiz, each, Jukebox Musicals, Songs with Numbers, Sports and musicals, and dozens of others.

If you are particularly well versed in musical lyrics, you will do well. If you know the history of productions - firings, hiring, out of town changes and the like - you will do well. There are fill in the blanks, multiple choice and some true/false. There are a great variety of quizzes here, something for everyone, as they say. Even the cover is quiz of sorts - can you identify the famous musical theatre characters who are pictures reading the book?

But the very best part of the book is that each question is a full paragraph of facts about the show in question, BEFORE the question, AND the answers (in the back of the book, naturally) are also full of interesting tidbits and fun facts. So even when you are stumped by a topic you thought you were an expert in, you find out a ton of truly information about your favorite topics! PLUS, sprinkled about are "Broadway Bonus" questions, mostly things you'd never know unless you were there. (For example, p.47 - What happened to John Gallagher, Jr. during the opening night of Spring Awakening at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre during "The Bitch of Living"?) You'll have to get the book to find out the answer to that one!

In short, no matter how much you know, how much you think you know, or even if you are new to this business we call show, this book is a must for lovers of Broadway musicals. It will keep you entertained from start to finish - I've had the book for almost a month and haven't even scratched the surface.

And so to those 5 questions at the top of the blog - those are mine, not the author's. They are the kind of questions we might ask each other at a party. Some stumpers, others really easy if you know just a little about current shows. But no more! Watch out, friends, I am coming armed with some REAL Broadway trivia questions!

There are actually nine: The Phantom of the Opera, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Lion King, Chicago (Revival production), Sister Act, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Memphis, and Mary Poppins.
Feeling Electric
Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood
The original production of 42nd Street. BONUS: It moved across the street to the St. James Theatre.
The Gershwin Theatre. They sang "For Good," which was originally sung by Glee guest stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.

Comments? Below, email: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, Tweet me!
Jeff
3.148

Broadway Box Office: 01.16 - 01.22.12

2012-01-24T17:00:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

The Broadway Box Office Top Ten

for the 34th week of the 2011 - 2012 season

(January 16 - 22; 28 productions):

#8 - The Mountaintop

1. The Book of Mormon (Musical) Eugene O'Neill Theatre (1)

2. War Horse (Play) Vivian Beaumont Theatre (4)

3. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) Al Hirschfeld Theatre (4)

4. Disney's The Lion King (Musical) Minskoff Theatre (3)

5. Wicked (Musical) Gershwin Theatre (2)

6. Jersey Boys (Musical) August Wilson Theatre (8)

7. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Musical) Foxwoods Theatre (6)

8. The Mountaintop (Play) Jacobs Theatre (-)

9. Rock of Ages (Musical) Helen Hayes Theatre (9)

10. The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (Musical Revival) Richard Rodgers Theatre (10)

#3 - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

(To find out how this is calculated, please click HERE.)

(-) - Last week's position in the Broadway Top Ten

Chinglish

Biggest Increase in Attendance: Chinglish (+11.2%)
Biggest Decrease in Attendance: Sister Act (-13.4%)
Biggest Increase in Gross Receipts: War Horse (+$346,480)
Biggest Decrease in Gross Receipts: Wicked (-$258,866)
Highest Average Paid Admission: The Book of Mormon ($162.88)
Lowest Average Paid Admission: Wit ($38.54)

The Book of Mormon

SRO Shows: The Book of Mormon
$1M Club: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked

Jeff

1.147

Puzzles: 3 Shows Coming Soon!

2012-01-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO TAKE THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

Here are three puzzles to enjoy during the dreary days of mid-winter. Three Broadway logos for three shows coming this spring, and all from different beginnings and all from a similar source: a film version came first!

Click on the "Jigsaw" links to open up each puzzle, and enjoy!

JIGSAW #1: The show that started off-Broadway... (80 pieces)

JIGSAW #2: The show that started in London... (77 pieces)

JIGSAW #3: The show that started in a regional theatre... (100 pieces)

Jeff
3.146

TheatreScene: 01.16 - 01.22.12

2012-01-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO TAKE THE JANUARY POLL TO YOUR LEFT!

BROADWAY VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

Looks like they are giving away the ghost over at Ghost: The Musical! On January 24th, the show will broadcast the first of its "Ghost Light Sessions" via Facebook. Here is a teaser of what you can expect. What I see is some serious talent, a pretty song, and most of all some pretty nice chemistry between leads Caissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman. I can't think of a more important quality for the story of Ghost!

NOW IN PREVIEWS ON BROADWAY:

Wit, Samuel Friedman Theatre. Previews: January 5, 2012; Opening Night: January 25, 2012

CLOSING ON BROADWAY TODAY:

The Mountaintop at the Jacobs Theatre. 24 previews, 114 performances.
Follies at the Marquis Theatre. 38 previews, 152 performances.

CLOSING ON BROADWAY NEXT WEEK:

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever at the St. James Theatre. 29 previews, 57 performances.
Relatively Speaking at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. 35 previews, 117 performances.
Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre. 19 previews, 119 performances.

BROADWAY'S WINNERS AND LOSERS THIS WEEK:

WINNER: Fans of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! Three great Finches in one excellent production, right? For now, it's "Goodbye, Darren!", "Hello, Nick!" I have to admit I was dubious about Nick Jonas, but this video posted by Broadway.com makes me want to see the show again! And BONUS: Micael Urie making his Broadway debut! Very cool! Break a leg, guys!

WINNER: The film version of The Normal Heart! It will be directed by Ryan Murphy, and star Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, Alec Baldwin and from the Broadway revival, Jim Parsons. More details HERE.

WINNER: Fans of Spring Awakening! Fans of that show should DEVOUR this book, A Purple Summer: Notes on the Lyrics of Spring Awakening, which will explicate the lyrics of the Tony-winning show by Steven Sater, and it will include a look at the entire creative process from readings to Broadway. And even more of a bonus: photos from the 2nd National Tour of the show!

WINNER: Andrew Rannells! He signed with Fox for a potential pilot developed by Ryan Murphy, who will also direct. It involves a gay couple and a woman who will be their surrogate.

WINNER: Fans of Anything Goes! The boat will continue to sail at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre through September 9 now. Who will be on that boat after April is anyone's guess at this point.

LOSERS: The Producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark: Just pay Julie Taymor what you owe her and then stop and be thankful that you have a hit show and no one dead to show for it. To say that the current show owes nothing to Taymor is laughable. It wouldn't exist without her.

Jeff
3.145

Why Are You Excited About CARRIE The Musical?

2012-01-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

I've had my tickets for MCC Theater's production of Carrie since the tickets went on sale as part of a subscription (along with The Submission and Wild Animals You Should Know). As it turns out, I'm glad I saw those other plays and will probably subscribe again. But I can not wait for Carrie! More about that later...

With the first performance of this revival/revised musical just 10 days away, the media machine is now going full blast. There has been the requisite press preview of rehearsals (click HERE), including the introduction of a new song called, "You Shine." (Click HERE) But what is interesting about that is that it isn't sung by either Carrie or her monster mother. It is sung by Sue (Christy Altomare - Spring Awakening tour) and Tommy (Derek Klena - making his NY debut), the "it couple" at the high school where poor Carrie is being bullied and tortured for being different. Why is that interesting? Because, like every other thing about the press (so far) for this show, Carrie (Molly Ranson) and Margaret White, Carrie's mother (Marin Mazzie), are not really what is being emphasized in the lead up to opening night. Oh, they are always there, adding sound bites to general interviews, and getting enough face time that we know they are there. And they tell us what this version will be about and why it is so timely - it will not be about special effects (though blood is mentioned by others, very pointedly), but it will be about bullying, the timeless plague of the teenage years, now so prevalent in the media as it makes a tragic resurgence nationwide. (Director Stafford Arima convincingly explains how his vision will make the show what it always was intended to be.)

But I suspect that we aren't hearing a whole lot about them just yet for a couple of show-centric reasons. First, comparisons are inevitable and, despite the flopping of the original, both Carrie (Lindsay Hateley) and Margaret (Betty Buckley) came out smelling like a rose critically and popularly. Their performances - especially Buckley's rendition of "And Eve Was Weak", and Hateley's ability to rise way above the material throughout - are the stuff of Broadway legend. And second, most of the critics actually hailed the operatic scenes between mother and daughter. So, why invite comparisons between now and legend, and why not show off the improvements to the parts of the show that needed reworking, hence the emphasis on the new (one of many) song by the high school "it couple," who also figure prominently in the interviews? Makes perfect sense to me.

Also missing, and understandably so, are the creators of the musical, Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford and Lawrence D. Cohen, who wanted to quietly move away from Carrie, denying revivals, re-writes and recordings for decades. One can only imagine how they were talked into this re-visit. And since they are rewriting the book, cutting songs and adding many more, how could they possibly have time for interviews, right? Of course, if this version - the one they wanted in the first place, rumor has it - works, they'll have plenty of time for interviews and paparazzi. If they don't succeed, they can go back into relative anonymity.

But the press machine for Carrie is also offering something fun and interactive. They are posting a series of videos that answer the burning question, "Why are YOU excited about Carrie?" To get the ball rolling, they have bits by this season's stars, Jonathan Groff, Gideon Glick and Jay Armstrong Johnson. There are also a few from the cast and friends of the production (who knew Jeanna de Waal of American Idiot fame had a sweet, thick accent?). But the fun is that it is also a contest. Submit your own video and you could win opening night tickets and invites to the after party! Click HERE for full contest rules.

Here are some of my favorite videos:

Jonathan Groff and Gideon Glick

Alex Brightman and Alex Wyse

The Cast and Creative Team

A Couple of the Entries

I don't think this one qualifies - it is too long for the rules that are set, but it is a RIOT!

So... why am I excited for Carrie? I love challenging shows (especially those who start off with a sad history) that are topics that make you ask, "Are they really making a musical of THAT?" I love the book by Stephen King, and I love, love, love my bootleg of the OBC made through the sound system on closing night of the Broadway production. Heck, I even get some enjoyment of the hideous (bootleg) London version, with the literally laughable performance of Barbara Cook. Mostly, though, I don't want to miss this opportunity to see first hand a phoenix rise from the ashes.

Jeff
3.144

OUT Magazine: Broadway Love Stories

2012-01-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

Broadway favorite and perennial magazine cover boy Neil Patrick Harris has made the cover of yet another magazine. This time, though, it is part of a celebration of love stories and the impact of marriage rights for gays and lesbians, and the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," as presented in this month's issue of OUT Magazine.

In the issue, there are 26 such love stories presented with people from all walks of life - actors, artists, writers, even a pair of recently out military men. These are people who are in long-term, committed relationships which have survived during times of oppression, and who are now freer to express their love and commitment to each other in their workplace and in their lives.

Within the stories, there are three that should have particular resonance for Broadway fans, and I feature them here. But to get the full scope of this romantic and politically important issue, click HERE to see more and to get information on the full issue of OUT Magazine.

DENIS O'HARE (ACTOR) AND HUGO REDWOOD (INTERIOR DESIGNER)

Tony Winner Denis O'Hare (Assassins, Take Me Out, Sweet Charity) discusses why getting married as quickly as possible after it became legal in New York. The couple also discusses why their family includes foster children. Click HERE for the full article. Photo by Martien Mulder.

BILL T. JONES (DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER) AND BJORN AMELAN (SCULPTOR)

Tony Winner Bill T. Jones (Fela!, Spring Awakening) and his partner talk about a second chance at love after the loss of a partner, and how two diverse creative careers can combine both in culture and in love. Click HERE for the full article. Photo by Martien Mulder.

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS (ACTOR/HOST) AND DAVID BURTKA (ACTOR)

One of Broadway's best friends and frequent Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris (Cabaret, Assassins, Sweeney Todd, RENT) and his Broadway actor partner David Burtka (Gypsy) talk about their engagement to be married, why they are waiting and what life is like as America's most famous gay parents. Click HERE for their cover story and even more photos. Photos by Matthew Kristall.

Jeff

3.144

Saying Farewell to FOLLIES

2012-01-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

It is never fun when a show you love closes... even when you know it is coming. You try to get to the show one last time, listen to the cast recording over and over, and sit thinking back to the day it first comes into your life. And so it is for me with the revival of Follies, which is set to close on Sunday.

For a devout Sondheim fan, I came to Follies late. Prior to this production, I pretty much hated it, based solely on the Original Broadway Cast Recording. Stupid, huh? But you have to admit that recording stinks. Fortunately, my obsession with making sure I see every new musical and revival got me to the Marquis Theatre. And then, miracle of miracles, I was transformed - Follies really is one of Sondheim's master works. Better late than never, as they say.

Thankfully, I had the chance to re-visit this marvelous, transforming production one last time before it leaves Broadway forever. Yesterday afternoon, with a packed orchestra section full of fans and first-timers, I got to enjoy, one last time, the wonder that is Follies. Here are but a few moments, characters and numbers that I will miss:

The ghosts of the Follies girls... Spooky, sexy, and beguiling, these ladies inhabit the ruins, gliding noiselessly around the set, recreating, with their older counterparts, moves remembered... I love the tap dancing chorines who rehearse their routines and you see them tap, but can't hear it... I love Young Heidi (Leah Horowitz), hiding among the ruins, peeking out shyly, drawn out only by Older Heidi (Rosalind Elias) herself and recreating past glory in the beautiful duet, "One More Kiss."... And I love the final follies girl leaving the theatre and trapping the young Ben, Buddy, Sally and Phyllis together forever...

"Who's That Woman?/Mirror, Mirror"... Where do I start? Terri White's powerhouse performance? Some of the stage's greatest actresses together in one glorious dance number? The intoxicating coming together of past and present in a rotating kick-line? The joy and sadness when the lights come up on the panting ladies struggling for breath but reveling in their memories? All of that and more...

Young Ben, Buddy, Phyllis and Sally... Not only youthful reminders of what used to be - whole lives ahead of them, optimistic about a romanticized future - but terrific performers themselves. Nick Verina, Christian Delcroix, Kirsten Scott and Lora Lee Gayer manage to remind us of the actors they are portraying, but also create fully separate characters that inform their older counterparts... You can see Ms. Peters in Miss Scott and vice versa... and they do my absolutely favorite number "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through"...

The tragic, sad performance of Bernadette Peters... Her Sally is delusional and lost... her tears flow as freely as her fits of fancy... She is the embodiment of the profoundly sad undercurrent that is at the heart of Follies, and her gut-wrenching "Losing My Mind" brings both actress and audience to tears. Tragic and brilliant...

The strong, phenomenal performance of Jan Maxwell... If I had my way, they'd just engrave her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and just be done with it... a beguiling mix of hardened steel and brokenhearted regret, Maxwell catches us with were smart quickness and biting wit, and keeps us under her spell as she confronts her past, her marriage and her future... "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" is a virtuoso study in musical theatre acting, singing and dancing... she is a triumph...

And finally...the haunting sounds of a creaking theatre, laughter of excited young performers, tap dancing and hushed strains of long ago applause... walking into the Marquis Theatre, confronted with decay, work lights and those eerie sound effects certainly set the tone and plunge us into the world of Follies...it also serves as a sobering reminder of the ethereal quality of live theatre, with each moment gone as soon as it is here... walking into the Marquis Theatre from here on out will never be the same...

Best wishes to the company as they travel on to L.A. and beyond...

(Production photos by Joan Marcus, logo by Fraver, Follies girl outsider pose by BroadwayWorld.com)

Jeff
3.143

Broadway Box Office: 01.09 - 01.15.12

2012-01-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

The Broadway Box Office Top Ten

for the 33rd week of the 2011 - 2012 season

(January 9 - 15; 29 productions):

#9 - Rock of Ages

1. The Book of Mormon (Musical) Eugene O'Neill Theatre (1)

2. Wicked (Musical) Gershwin Theatre (5)

3. Disney's The Lion King (Musical) Minskoff Theatre (3)

4. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) Al Hirschfeld Theatre (3)

4. tie War Horse (Play) Vivian Beaumont Theatre (2)*

6. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Musical) Foxwoods Theatre (7)

6. tie Other Desert Cities (Play) Booth Theatre (10)

8. Jersey Boys (Musical) August Wilson Theatre (8)

9. Rock of Ages (Musical) Helen Hayes Theatre (9)

10. The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (Musical Revival) Richard Rodgers Theatre (-)

#10 - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

* - War Horse gave only 5 performances the week of January 9 - 15.

(To find out how this is calculated, please click HERE.)

(-) - Last week's position in the Broadway Top Ten

Follies

Biggest Increase in Attendance: The Road to Mecca (+23.8%)
Biggest Decrease in Attendance: Mary Poppins (-17.8%)
Biggest Increase in Gross Receipts: Follies (+$130,382)
Biggest Decrease in Gross Receipts: War Horse (-$385,819)
Highest Average Paid Admission: The Book of Mormon ($161.81)
Lowest Average Paid Admission: The Road to Mecca ($44.48)

War Horse

SRO Shows: The Book of Mormon, War Horse, Wicked, The Lion King
$1M Club: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked

Jeff

3.142

REVIEW: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

2012-01-17T17:01:00.000-05:00

Review of the Saturday, January 14 matinee performance at the St. James Theatre in New York City, NY. Starring Harry Connick, Jr., David Turner and Jessie Mueller, with Drew Gehling, Sarah Stiles and Kerry O'Malley. Music by Burton Lane. Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Original book by Alan Jay Lerner. New book by Peter Parnell. Re-conceived by Michael Mayer. Choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter. Direction by Michael Mayer. 2 hours, 45 minutes, including intermission. Mild sexual content. Closes January 29.

Grade: C--

Like just about all shows, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is not as bad as its worst reviews and not as good as its best review. On paper, the re-conception of this troubled 60's musical sounds interesting and even possibly an improvement. And who would have been better to have brought this new take and potentially boundary pushing idea to the stage than the guy who brought us both Spring Awakening and American Idiot, Michael Mayer. Both shows are the poster children for creating new norms for the Broadway musical. So it is somewhat shocking and completely disappointing to report that despite all of his talk about gender switching characters and worrying that we might call it "On a Queer Day," it was all talk and no results. By and large, the disappointment at potential untapped far outweighs the few things that are praise-worthy.

There must be some irony in the inclusion of an audience opinion survey in the Playbill when the show is closing. It asks 3 key questions: What did [I] like most about On a Clear Day? What did [I] like least? and Would I be recommending the show to others?

The Things I Liked Most About On a Clear Day You Can See Forever:

1. The Score: The Burton Lane-Alan Jay Lerner score is rather good. There are peppy Broadway-style tunes, soul searching ballads and some zippy period style numbers that even vaguely fit the shift to 1974. And the jazzy, torchy numbers interpolated from the pair's Royal Wedding are a perfect fit for our time travel back to the 40's. Particular standouts include the exuberant "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!", "Wait 'Til We're Sixty-Five," "Ev'ry Night at Seven," and the title number. And the orchestrations by Doug Besterman are lush and period (70's and 40's) perfect, and played by a great 20 piece orchestra. Equally terrific are the vocal and dance arrangements by Lawrence Yuman, who is also the show's conductor.

"Ev'ry Nght at Seven"

2. The Choreography: JoAnn M. Hunter has created some fun throw back dances that feel both genuine and in tribute to the actual 60's/70's moves she's recreated. The small ensemble dances well together, and fills up the stage in an old-fashioned, pleasant way that has lately in other shows come across as busy and approximated. "On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" and "When I'm Being Born Again" are both crowd-pleasing and look like they are fun to be in. I wish there had been more chances for all out production numbers.

3. A Dancing Ensemble of (Soon-to-Be) Broadway Stars: It is no wonder that the small dancing ensemble that doubles as a psychology class is brimming with talent, led by the vivacious and charming Sarah Stiles (Spelling Bee, Avenue Q) who plays David's best gal pal. And there is the always reliable Tyler Maynard (Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Altar Boyz), Benjamin Eakeley (Sweeney Todd), Zachary Prince (Baby, It's You!, Jersey Boys), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot, Bring It On) and Alex Ellis (Catch Me If You Can). They are fun to watch! There is also Drew Gehling who plays David's boyfriend; he sings very well and is charming enough to believe that they'd be partners. He'd probably make even more of an impression if the material he had to work with wasn't so pedestrian.

4. The Debut of Jessie Mueller: Man, can this girl sing! And as we delve further and further back in time for our revivals, she should be the go-to girl for that distinctive and hard to replicate 30's/40's sound. Ms. Mueller seems born to sing like gals of yore. Her instrument is clear as a bell, and her stylings are spot-on. Her belt is amazing, particularly in "Ev'ry Night at Seven." Her acting is good - one wonders what she might do with better material - and she has good chemistry with her leading man. Sparks flying would be too much to ask for, but they are mildly "aww" worthy.

Jessie Mueller and Harry Connick, Jr.

5. The Wonder That is David Turner: He's impossibly cute, oozes charisma even when he is sitting still, dances like Astaire and sings like a bird (what a nice belt). He knows how to portray gay without being a swishy stereotype, and you just want to run up on that stage and hug him. Plus, so very few of us can pull off 70's polyester sweaters, striped hip-huggers and platform boots, let alone dance in them. He is also the only person on that stage that looks like he's actually enjoying himself. PLEASE, find this talented guy a hit show and a role worthy of his significant gifts.

David Turner

The Things I Liked Least About On a Clear Day You Can See Forever:

1. The Set Design: Mike, who saw the show with me, suggested that perhaps designer Christine Jones should be made to return her Tony Award in exchange for forgiveness for the atrocity that is on display currently at the St, James Theatre. I couldn't agree more. Whoever OK'd the psych test design bears some responsibility, too. An obvious symbol of psychology games so en vogue in the 70's, the result is that everywhere you look, you are distracted by patterns that seem to move in front of your eyes - dizzying and nauseating. The absolute pinnacle of the ugliness is the "blooming" colorful barrage of patterns that appear to crawl from the back wall, down the floor and overhead during the finale. In short, it is ugly, not clever.

2. The Lighting Design: Second only to the ineptitude of the scenic design is the shocking lack of thought given to the lighting design. It pains me to even admit that it is the "work" of my favorite designer Kevin Adams. His community theatre level design consists of three elements. One is some rather bland use of spotlights. The second is the use of full stage washes, where the entire stage is one color at any given time (he uses a similar technique on the blank backdrop upstage). It is plain, appropriately enough, given the designs on the walls, but it certainly isn't very creative or interesting. And third, is an element I'll bet people who were seated downstairs didn't even notice until act two. Every time something "psychological" happens - hypnosis, psychotic break - a whirling spiral that the old "Twilight Zone" TV show used to use shows up on the floor. During act two, you can see the same on the walls for some inexplicable reason.

Kerry O'Malley

3. Some Bad Acting in Supporting Roles: If there were an award for most boring performance of the season, it would easily go to Kerry O'Malley, who walks through her role as colleague to our leading man, with an over the top anger that comes across like more nagging than concern covering unrequited love. Maybe she's pissed that 10 years after Into the Woods she still isn't a Broadway star. Maybe she's mad that her leading man isn't Hugh Jackman. And there is Lori Wilner who plays her small role of secretary with a sharp tongue (on Broadway all secretaries are witty like that, right?) like she's got the comic chops of Lucille Ball (she's not even as funny as Joan Rivers, no offense to Joan). And there's Paul O'Brien who clearly does not enjoy his job. People often ask me what I mean when I say and actor is "calling it in" need only attend this show and watch Mr. O'Brien. Unprofessional defined.

4. Poor Sound Design: Peter Hylenski is responsible for the fact that nearly every solo number that is sung in the show is garbled by a slurred sound coming from the body mics and an over-amplification of the orchestra. When Harry Connick Jr. can't be heard clearly over a small orchestra you know there is a problem. There are whole songs that I couldn't identify a single lyric, not even the title of the song. Thank goodness the orchestra sounded good.

5. Boring Direction: OK, so Clear Day isn't a ground-breaking work like Michael Mayer's most recent works, but it doesn't mean he should throw in the towel. Michael, you of all people should know that you are only as good as your last show. And since it YOUR re-conception, you'd think you'd put a little more effort in. Sure, the show is a traditional, old school musical, but have you seen The Book of Mormon? Traditional can still be fun and exciting, Michael. Of course, the material you are working with isn't all that exciting. Oh, wait. The material is your idea.

David Turner and Drew Gehling

6. An Incomplete Book and Concept: As I said earlier, if anyone could push the boundaries with this re-conception, it is Michael Mayer. But something went horribly wrong. Book writer Peter Parnell seems to have ironed out the confusion of the plot. You can follow the story easily. But then, if you think about it, so many things don't make sense, though most of it would have been cleared up if Mayer and Parnell had been daring enough to to really go there and address the homosexual issues the re-conception brings up. Had he actually "gone there," addressed the pink elephant in the room, pushed the boundary a bit, more of it would make sense. Why he never really addresses the fact that the male psychiatrist is in love with a female past life entity, but should only really be seeing a man in front of him is beyond me. And it opens up many other questions: If the doctor really sees a woman (not to mention other people associated with the woman - co-workers, fellow singers, etc.) and not the man in front of him, is the doctor mentally ill? Is he seeing a man and loving his feminine persona? If so, is there some latent homosexuality in the doctor? While I'm glad he didn't make David Turner do drag, there had to be a better way to let us see everything going on between all three parties - doctor, patient and alter ego. Actually, there are two glimpses that show us what might have been. When all three dance together in "You're All the World to Me" (kudos again to Hunter) and at the last split second of act one when we see what the doctor really sees: his male patient, and the doctor moves in to kiss the alter ego. If Mayer was worried about the audience reaction, he didn't need to: both instances drew applause and delighted laughter from the audience. For shame, Michael Mayer. You really chickened out. And it is very obvious.

Harry Connick, Jr.

7. A Boring Leading Man: Clearly, the key to this version isn't in the patient, but rather in the doctor. Even the advertising tells us that he is the key. And why else hire someone with the stature of Harry Connick, Jr.? He can certainly sing the role, and I've seen him be funny on TV. But here, he takes bland to all new levels. He stands perfectly still for the majority of his songs and is so stiff, one nudge would tip him over. Any chemistry that exists between him and his co-stars is coming from his co-stars. The only glimpse we get of him even remotely enjoying himself is during a scene where he is trying telepathy to bring his patient back. The audience eats him up, and why not? It is pretty much the only time he looks like he is enjoying himself. And I'll bet at least 75% of the audience was there to see him, not the show. Bad form, Harry. Bad form.

So, as for that last survey question: Would [I] recommend On a Clear Day You Can See Forever to others? With 5 things to recommend and 7 things to avoid, I think the answer is clear: Not really. Maybe only to musical theatre enthusiasts with a need to see each production in a Broadway season. And that covers me and Mike. So... if you need to see everything, get there quick Forever ends on January 29. If you don't, I'd spend my money on something else.

(Production photos by Nicole Rivelli)

Rate this blog here and leave your comments below, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
1.341

REVIEW: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

2012-01-16T16:48:00.000-05:00

Review of the Saturday, January 14 evening performance at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City, NY. An American Repertory Theatre production. Starring Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis, David Alan Grier, Joshua Henry, Nikki Renee Daniels, Phillip Boykin, Bryonha Marie Parham and NaTasha Yvette Williams. Music by George Gershwin. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Libretto by DuBose Heyward and Dorothy Heyward. Adaptation by Suzan-Lori Parks and Diedre L. Murray. Choreography by Ronald K. Brown. Direction by Diane Paulus. Graphic violence, drug abuse and sexual content. 2 hours, 30 minutes, including intermission.

Grade: C+

Aside from a few songs which are classics outside the piece called Porgy and Bess, I really know nothing about it beyond what I saw at the Richard Rodgers Theatre the other night. And so I can't really speak about the changes that were or weren't made, or how it was whittled down to two and a half hours, or even which dialogue was original by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and which was adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and Diedre L. Murray. I can only speak to what I saw, which was The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.

The chemistry between Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis

I suppose I should come clean about a couple of things before I start. First, I really do not like opera. I have tried it several times, and it just isn't for me. Second, I realize there is a somewhat fine line between what makes musical theatre and opera. For me, though, the chief difference is in the dynamic of emotions. Both thrive on the unreality of singing and dancing our emotions. But I always feel like if musical theatre is mild wing sauce than opera is atomic heat wing sauce emotionally. And generally, I feel like musicals have their emotional outbursts and then move on, where as I feel like opera tends to take one moment and works and works and works it until there's nothing left to ponder let alone feel. OK, someone is sad. Fifteen minutes, an aria and a group chorale later, and we know someone is REALLY sad. And that's fine, really. If that's your bag, so be it, go forth and love it with all your heart. That isn't for me. And The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess comes perilously close to feeling like the opera it was rather than the musical they are trying to create.

Everything about this production has the look and feel of a major opera - from the design to the style of singing. So, opera fans, rejoice. Musical theatre fans, bide your time, there's something here for you, too.

Design-wise, this production seems enormous in size and scale. And as extreme as black and white. Not a shade of grey to be found - to me that screams "OPERA" not "MUSICAL." There is Riccardo Hernandez' monolithic rusted metal set that dominates in a dangerous way over everything you see. It goes way beyond the view the proscenium allows, and despite several exits, one still feels like the inhabitants of this version of Catfish Row are trapped by the very walls that protect them. As it is, they are frequently literally trapped when danger comes a callin'. Seems the threat, be it the racially insensitive police, the drug dealing, gambling man come to spread his sin, or the abusive, rapist meany that is the "man" of our titular heroine, can get in, cause trouble and leave, whilst the family that has grown together there can't get out. It works, thematically with the show, but it sure isn't much to look at. It doesn't help that the wooden floor is expansive, it looks too perfectly askew, too perfectly aged, too perfectly broken.

McDonald and Williams and Company

The same can be said for Christopher Akerlind's monochromatic lighting. It certainly adds to the idea that these people lead monotonous lives. I suppose the fact that he uses one color - a urine-like yellow - is supposed to be the harsh Southern sun, but it feels less like an intense heat than an approximation of the sun's color. Could he really have intended the entire thing to look like a stain? Maybe. But even though his alternate pallet seems to be the absence of that light, shadows which he uses extremely well, that still leaves us with "on" and "off" as lighting choices. This does not jibe at all with the extremity or wide range of emotion portrayed in this production. And so the set is super sized, the lighting is one extreme or the other.

The only design element that doesn't come even close to big - either in opera terms or in musical theatre terms - are ESosa's costumes. There is the obvious - Bess, a drug abusing slut of a woman comes to us in a red, off the shoulder dress, tight enough to see the curves but obviously easy to get out of. As Bess leaves that live behind, she immediately transforms into the simple frock worn by the community. There is not a gradual transformation. It is simply one or the other. And Esosa must have gotten a great deal on a certain pattern of material, because every woman wears basically the same dress and every man the same denim work pants and dirty wife beater (literally in a few cases). Sure that shows that these people are poor, and a community, but it is very hard to believe that a former winner of Project Runway couldn't mix things up, think about character and still make one roll of fabric work. And I can't even think about their "Sunday best picnic duds" without a giggle. Pristine in their care - pants creased, jackets pressed, hats meticulously arranged - and pastel in hue... is it me or the clothes like the rest of the show, either "on" or "off." Apparently behind the rust and filth there is a community closet that keeps out all the grime. If so, why don't they hide in there when a hurricane or a rapist comes to visit?

Audra McDonald in "the Red Dress" with
Norm Lewis sans goat cart

The Depression-era dances mixed with traditional African rhythmic movement create the evening's only real attempt at showing that these people have any complexity, culture or nuance of feeling. Created by Richard K. Brown, his movement during the extensive funeral sequence is a welcome change to the relative monotony of the first act of the show, and act two comes bursting out like a cannon shot as the lights come up on the picnickers who are enjoying a day away. Later in act two, his use of gospel moves is a fervent reminder of the importance of a higher being to these people, while underscoring the mockery of religion in "It Ain't Necessarily So." Would that the rest of the production been that thoughtfully staged. Diane Paulus, who worked miracles with Hair, has really come up with a big fat snooze of a staging. Again, I don't know what came before this, but, wow, is this thing bland to watch. This is a revolutionary re-imagining of a classic? Yikes! Let me give credit where it is due, first. The group scenes outside in Catfish Row are decently staged, in that she has made a cast of 25 look like much more, with all of their comings and goings. Other than that, she's pretty presentational. If there are two opposing sides in a situation, say men versus women or good guys versus bad, the stage becomes two groups separated by a wide divide. Nothing more, nothing less. When it is community versus one, one is isolated in a spotlight, the community in the shadows. And if it is a "REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT," it happens down stage center. Now I might not know Porgy and Bess like I know some other shows, but I do know the Gershwins, even at their frothy, silly best are more complex than that. Diane, don't tell me you chickened out from all the pre-opening criticism, did you? (You really need to get together with Julie Taymor.)

All told, act two is much better than act one, whether you are an opera buff or a musical theatre fan. Act one is all about introducing the characters and reinforcing (a few times each, at that) whether they are good or bad. Porgy - crippled but beloved; Bess - reviled for the wanton slut she is; Clara and Jake - nearly as perfect as Adam and Eve pre-apple; the saintly Mariah and Serena - God fearing and Jesus conjuring; Sportin' Life - the snake in fancy New York clothes, come back to spread sin in the name of masculinity; and Crown - evil incarnate. Black (no pun intended) and white, all. There is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it murder, that causes the bad guy to flee, but not without telling us he'll be back, he'll be back! And there is a funeral scene that rivals a Papal internment in length - weepin', whalin' and cryin' po' (to use their vernacular). Oh, and Bess moves in with lonely Porgy, who sees past the red dress and is instantly in love (to each his Dulcinea).

But a boatload (literally) of things happen in act two that has the pacing, dancing, and fast moving story that these "adapters" have promised. There are even several moments of actual on your seat tension and fear. Who will survive the hurricane? Who will get to keep Bess? Will Crown and Sportin' Life get their comeuppance? It is no secret that this is a tragedy, so good people die and bad people get away. But I have to say the ending was extremely satisfying as all of the pieces, some inevitable, others not, came together. Turns out that getting through act one was totally worth the wait, staging and design not withstanding.

Why? The success of this production - which isn't even close to as rapturous as the pro-critics say, nor is it as catastrophically as bad at the nay-critics say - rests entirely on the shoulders of the titular brothers Gershwin and the superior talents of the principal cast.

From the very first notes of the Overture to the final notes of the hopeful finale, the Gershwins really proved to be at the top of their game. And at this production, the score is aided by the beautiful orchestrations of William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, and the 25 member orchestra playing it. A stunning hybrid of blues, gospel, jazz and Broadway, it is very obvious why this score is so revered.

NaTasha Yvette Williams and David Alan Grier

The cast, including its 15 member ensemble members, are amazing singers. Though they are constrained by the staging, the ensemble is also very good at emoting both as an ensemble and as individuals. In the thankless roles of Detective and Policeman, Christopher Innvar and Joseph Dellger, provide the requisite tension and racial overtones that a white police force can holdover its poor black minions in the Jim Crow South. Unfortunately, the most interesting part of their story happens off stage (a victim of Paulus' "vision"?). The line between type and stereotype is a thin one here, as best evidenced by the large Earth Mother stature of the matriarch of the neighborhood, Mariah, played by NaTasha Yvette Williams. She has a strong presence and clear sense of right and wrong that instantly endears you to this woman, and WIlliams sings and acts her to the hilt, by design with little nuance. Broad strokes are also employed by the neighborhood conjurer of all things religious, Serena, played by Bryonha Marie Parham, who also manages to make an impression, as constrained as she is here.

The perfect young couple, Jake and Clara, new parents and an optimistic outlook on life, are played with dignity by Tony nominee Joshua Henry and Broadway veteran Nikki Renee Daniels. Their relatively short stage time is remarkably powerful, given the emotional weight that their plot line has long after their demise. They open the show with their amazing take on the classic "Summertime." And we are hopeful.

Joshua Henry and Nikki Renee Daniels

As the bad guys, top-billed David Alan Grier and major star in the making Phillip Boykin, are really worth the price of admission. Grier is funny, slimy, and very dangerous. His humor makes him an audience favorite, and his considerable talents and a singer certainly earn him his ovation. But it is the much more volatile, angry performance by Boykin as Crown that enthralled me. Every time he entered, you could feel the tension in the sold out house rise like a thermometer in August. I found myself praying for his death on more than one occasion. And the prelude to rape that we witness as he takes control of Bess left me breathless and terrified.

The Sportin' Life (David Alan Grier)

Bess and Crown (Phillip Boykin)

Much ink and cyberspace has been devoted to the performance of Audra McDonald as Bess, and she earns it for the most part. You can't argue that she possesses one of the finest vocal instruments in show business today. And she is a terrific actress. But I have to say that act one of her performance left me cold and more than a little disappointed. Perhaps some of it has to do with the material - she is infrequently the focus of the piece in the first half - and probably a lot to do with the staging. Technically proficient is how I might describe her act one performance. She sings every note to perfection. We know she is addled by drug addiction, and relies on her accurate belief that no matter what happens, some man will keep Bess. When Bess should be high, Audra feigns high, when Bess should be scared, Audra looks scared. But when she opens her mouth to sing, it is beautiful and precise. It is also nearly devoid of character. Coloring with in the lines, but not much in the way of art. But then there is Bess in act two, fully embodied by Ms. McDonald, who is barely visible from the entr'acte to the curtain call. Come awards time, her name will certainly come up a lot, and she may win a few more for her shelf. But it won't have a thing to do with act one of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.

Audra McDonald as Bess

Norm Lewis as Porgy

Ultimately, though, it is the vastly underrated performance of Norm Lewis as Porgy that will stick with me for some time. Though playing a cripple, he commands the stage with such a force, you almost forget the affectation of his handicap. To his credit, Lewis never plays the sympathy angel. Rather, he forces you to recognize that he has risen above his physical limitations and is nothing less than a man deserving of the powerful love of a woman. Had he been playing the character only to get us to feel sorry for him, the ending would have almost no meaning. As it is, though, as he turns to face an unknown future, you know that win or lose, Porgy will go down fighting, giving every single thing he has to make things right. Musically, Lewis is giving the vocal performance of his career, including the wry "I Got Plenty of Nothing" and his duets with Bess. The chief difference between Lewis and the rest of the cast is that he manages to make his act one performance better than both the staging and the material. If this show gets only one award, I hope it is for Lewis' emotional roller coaster ride of an interpretation. It is difficult to imagine a better Porgy than this.

I wish I could say the same for the entire production. For all the hooplah surrounding it, it isn't nearly as great as it should have been.

(Take the poll about The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess to your left before the poll closes on January 31!)

Production photos by Michael J. Lutch

Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.140

Broadway Ladies: Ms. Broadway January 2012: Nikki Renee Daniels

2012-01-15T15:35:00.000-05:00

Ms. Broadway January 2012

Nikki Renee Daniels

WHY SHE'S MS. BROADWAY: With several Broadway and regional credits on her resume, she's been entertaining audiences for several years in a wide variety of roles. On Broadway, she's seen her share of hits - AIDA, Les Miserables (revival) - and flops - The Look of Love, Lestat. It is her current role as the tragic heroine, Clara, in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess that has her poised on the edge of real Broadway stardom. She starts the epic musical with a gorgeous rendition of "Summertime," and ends the evening with well-deserved cheers at the curtain call. Rave reviews and a major supporting role in this headline-making revival make Nikki Renee Daniels an excellent choice for the new year's first Ms. Broadway.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Education: 2001 graduate of University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
You might have seen her in: REGIONAL: Beauty and the Beast, Man of La Mancha, Anything Goes, Dorian; NEW YORK CITY OPERA: Porgy and Bess; BROADWAY: AIDA, Les Miserables (revival), Nine (revival), The Look of Love, Lestat, Promises, Promises, Anything Goes,The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.
Where to find her in the Internet: The Broadway Internet Data Base, http://porgyandbessonbroadway.com/, facebook.com/nikkireneedaniels

Be sure to take this month's poll about Ms. Daniels' current show, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess!

IN PHOTOS:

HEAD SHOTS

CONCERT APPEARANCES

AIDA

Anything Goes (with Matt Cavenaugh)

Beauty and the Beast

Caroline, or Change

Dorian (with Max Von Essen)

Man of La Mancha (with Aaron Lazar)

REGIONAL

The Lestat recording session

Les Miserables

Promises, Promises

The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess

BROADWAY

ON VIDEO:

(Photos from Broadway.com, Playbill Online, Getty Images, copyright of their perspective sites and photographers.)

Is there a Broadway guy or doll that you think deserves a little extra attention? Nominate him or her to be the next Mr. or Ms. Broadway! Email your suggestion to jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com!

Jeff
3.139

ON THE RADAR: Kinky Boots

2012-01-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

The film's promo

There really is no reason why the musical version of Kinky Boots should be on my radar. Do we really need another musical based on a marginally successful film? I mean, look at the rest of this season - 4 "new" musicals are based on films - Ghost, Once, Newsies and now Leap of Faith (another ON THE RADAR entry). The other two "new" musicals are re-treads, too - Rebecca has a film version or two, though the show is based entirely upon the novel, and Nice Work If You Can Get It is a songbook show based on another musical/ Heck, even the two remaining revivals, have movies made of them - Jesus Christ Superstar has never had a financially successful Broadway production, and is arguably best known to most by its concept recording and film version; Evita will even incorporate its film-version song add-on, "You Must Love Me."

And with Kinky Boots we have yet another show that will feature a drag queen. I love a good drag queen as much as the next musical theatre enthusiast, but enough, already - all three versions of La Cage aux Folles, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Victor/Victoria, Chicago, Hairspray...!

A scene from the film

Still, it is on my radar, mostly because I'm hoping for another British film turned awesome musical like The Full Monty. I love shows about every day people faced with the lowest point in their lives who over come it all with a great sense of style and a dance number or two. Boots also has what Monty has: a genuine heart beating under a veneer of social consciousness all wrapped up in an outrageous, but sensible way out of its own plight. Trade inexperienced male strippers with an inexperienced shoe maker creating drag-ilicious boots for guys dressed as gals, add the threat of unemployment and financial ruin and you can see that the two are related AND have current event relevance.

Cyndi and Harvey

People love shows they can relate to, laugh at, get an emotional tug at their heart. Kinky Boots might just have that and more. And let's face it, who better than Harvey Fierstein to write the book for such an enterprise? A sense of humor with a socially aware bite to it is his forte, and the guy knows a thing or two about crowd-pleasing both with drag queens and emotional content. Then there is the potential greatness of the quirky, slightly off the beam sensibility of music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. The gal who knows a thing or two about the avante garde. Plus, anyone who can pull off the fun of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "She Bop," AND make you bawl like a baby with "True Colors," seems the perfect match for both Fierstein and the property itself.

Stark and Billy

With the announcement this past week that Kinky Boots will be having a major workshop, you can tell this one is on the fast track to the big time. Mega-producer Daryl Roth is the money behind it, and she ain't no slouch - look at The Normal Heart revival. The generally underrated and too incredible for words Jerry Mitchell will direct and choreograph. And the workshop will star the awesomeness that is Stark Sands (American Idiot) and the fabulousness of Billy Porter (if you missed him in the 1994 Grease as Teen Angel, you REALLY missed something amazing)! The best of all possible worlds, I think.

The boots in question

Here's hoping the workshop is a success and that soon red leather thigh highs with 6 inch stilettos become all the rage on Broadway!

Jeff
3.138

CD REVIEW: Follies (2011 Cast)

2012-01-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

The best revival of the season (thus far), definitely the best revival of 2011, and one of the best revivals I have ever seen - ever - Follies, is about to become Broadway history. Ironic, given the show's subject matter, right? Fortunately for us, the producers of The New Broadway Cast Recording have had the smarts and wherewithal to take full advantage of this opportunity to preserve this phenomenal production and cast in one of the best cast recordings ever done.

Grade: A+

Title: Follies
Artist: The New Broadway Cast Recording
Label: PS Classics
Number: PS-1105
Format: Double CD
Case: Single Jewel Case, 2 disc "page". Card stock sleeve.
Booklet: Full color production photos; complete synopsis, full lyrics and dialogue of included scenes; essays by Patrick Pacheco and Tommy Krasker

The Top 5 Reasons You Need This CD:

1. Preservation of the Complete Score: Great care has been taken to include the full numbers as performed. This includes the Prologue and Overture. And because a great deal of the dialogue has been included, so has a huge amount of the underscoring. Of course, at last being able to enjoy the brilliance of Stephen Sondheim's epic score within the context of a full production, is an irreplaceable thrill for musical theatre enthusiasts.

2. The Orchestrations: Master orchestrator Jonathan Tunick has done a truly amazing job with this score, and it is a marvel of detail, nuance and broad strokes. John Berkman's dance arrangements fold seamlessly into the wide canvas of the entire show. And, as in the theatre, the full 28 piece orchestra under the baton of James Moore offers a lush, full-bodied, and frankly, often breathtaking rendering of the brilliant Stephen Sondheim score.

3. The Caliber of Performances by the Supporting Cast: In a show about the death of a theatre, there is something intrinsically sad about the casting of aging divas and women that are, by virtue of their age, not a sought after group of actresses. On stage, there are two moments that visually capture that tragic "what was and what is" juxtaposition: the moment when the ghosts and the ladies perform "Who's That Woman/Mirror Mirror" and the parade of the ladies down the stairs during "Beautiful Girls." But every single performance uncluttered by the visual on CD rings just as true - lustful for life, vibrant, and yet past its prime and showing its age. The trio of "Rain on the Roof/Ah, Paris!/Broadway Baby" sung by Susan Watson, Don Correia, Mary Beth Piel and Jane Houdyshell is particularly poignant, as vocally, we hear the dings and kinks of once glorious voices now tempered by the same thing that chases us all - age. An even more thrilling example of past meets present comes in the form of "One More Kiss" sung by the lovely opera diva Rosalind Elias and future diva Leah Horowitz. That number, on stage and on this recording, is what Follies is all about. And then there is what has to be the definitive recording of "Who's That Woman?" gloriously belted by Terri White, who goes to show you that later in life doesn't mean life is over. Of course, this shining moment of youthful defiance is the ultimate sad irony. Thank the musical theatre gods that that also comes through on this recording.

4. The Caliber of Performances by the Principal Cast: As we learned from Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, casting a show with actors with high caliber musical theatre credentials doesn't guarantee that a show will work, but Follies by its very nature trades on the idea of bygone eras and bygone talent. And in its five leads (OK, four, but I'm talking billing here) the show has it all at its very apex of greatness. Whether it is the angry bitterness of a well-sung and very unlikable Ron Raines as Ben, or the defiantly angry bitterness of a well-sung and brilliantly acted Jan Maxwell as Phyllis, their characters come vibrantly to life even in the aural only world of cast recordings. And there is a lot of bite, regret and defiance in the Carlotta of Elaine Paige here, too, which comes across more so on this CD than live onstage with its unbearably cute staging (and, arguably, the show's only off moment) As blistering as their performances on CD, though, it is the defeated, heartbreaking resignation that elevates Danny Burstein's Buddy, who tries valiantly to fight off that resignation. His performance here, as on stage, is simply amazing. For the record, their younger counterparts - played by Laura Lee Gayer, Kirsten Scott, Christian Delcroix and Nick Verina - are equally excellent on the recording showing us what was and sounding much like their older selves. "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" is a treasure of this recording.

5. Bernadette Peters: Ms. Peters' performance as the tragically deluded Sally Durant, who can't reconcile a past that she has idealized with a present filled with compromise and "doing what is expected", has been a point of controversy about this production. Am I the only one who sees the bittersweet irony in her brilliant performance - one riddled with bouts of fancy (read "crazy diva") and a squeaky, worn voice that more than hints of a glorious instrument of days gone by? She really is, after all, a celebrated Broadway legend, who really is - forgive me, Bernadette - aging. Like Sally, her life has had its share of triumphs and tragedies. And all of that experience and baggage informs her character on stage, and stripped of the visual, is even more touching and sad on this recording. Her line readings in "the scenes" on the CD make me tear up every time. And her renderings of "In Buddy's Eyes" and "Losing My Mind" are no less than brilliant here, perhaps more so than on stage. It isn't that she isn't in fine voice on the recording - she is the fabled Bernadette Peters as always for fans who miss this show. But she also reminds us, again like Sally, that she (and we) are getting older and not necessarily past our prime, but at a different level of prime, achieved only by having lived. Isn't it folly to go to this show in 2012 and expect to hear Bernadette Peters circa 1984?

Ah... folly!

(Production photos by Joan Marcus)

Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.137

TheatreScene Online: Gotta Dance! on Broadway.com

2012-01-12T12:01:00.000-05:00

People ask me all the time, "Which Broadway website do like the most?" Generally, I answer, "Playbill.com." But more and more, lately I've come to appreciate Broadway.com. It is newsy, just gossipy enough, and more and more interactive. And while it seems that all of their "Word of Mouth" reviews are impossibly positive, they generally come across as sincere. (I still don't understand why so many onliners and bloggers are against those people. What they say is just a video version of Tweeting, blogging and fan support... ah, well. That is for another blog...)

But another really cool thing Broadway.com has is a series of features that combine artistic photography and quick, but relatively in depth interviews with Broadway dancers. The series is called Gotta Dance!

The most recent entry in the series is Adam Perry from Anything Goes. This episode includes very interesting photos by Matthew Murphy (a photographic exclusive for Broadway.com) and a short interview/behind-the-scenes with Perry. I could really identify with his remembrance of being a husky little guy with an interest in the arts and the subsequent teasing that goes with that in small town America. You can find that interview and link to the photos HERE.

How to Succeed's Shannon Lewis was up first. Her career began when Susan Stroman discovered her at an audition for Crazy For You. She talks about being in a Broadway show before she ever saw one (lucky girl!) and how she's a part of history and tradition (smart girl!). Her interview and photo shoot is HERE.

The second Gotta Dance! subject was Preston W. Dugger III who is currently in Memphis. His interview could be straight out of A Chorus line, with his insecurity about dancing, falling in love with the applause, and the surprise it is that he has gone from ballet to Broadway. His outlook on the future is really very nice, too. Read, see and hear all about him HERE.

And the subject of the series just before Adam Perry was Follies girl Kiira Schmidt. Here she talks about growing up in a dancing family, falling in love with musical theatre in high school, and knowing in her heart that dance is her truest expression of self. Oh! And she's an assistant choreographer on SMASH! She's no ghost in real life... read about her HERE.

I can't wait to see who's next in the series!

(Photos by Matthew Murphy. No copyright infringement intended.)

Jeff
3.136

Broadway Box Office: 01.02 - 01.08.12

2012-01-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

The Broadway Box Office Top Ten

for the 32nd week of the 2011 - 2012 season

(January 2 - 8; 31 productions):

1. The Book of Mormon (Musical) Eugene O'Neill Theatre (2)

2. War Horse (Play) Vivian Beaumont Theatre (9)

3. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) Al Hirschfeld Theatre (7)

3. tie Disney's The Lion King (Musical) Minskoff Theatre (5)

5. Wicked (Musical) Gershwin Theatre (4)

6. Billy Elliot (Musical) Imperial Theatre (-)

7. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Musical) Foxwoods Theatre (3)

8. Jersey Boys (Musical) August Wilson Theatre (6)

9. Rock of Ages (Musical) Helen Hayes Theatre (-)

10. Other Desert Cities (Play) Booth Theatre (-)

(To find out how this is calculated, please click HERE.)

(-) - Last week's position in the Broadway Top Ten

Biggest Increase in Attendance: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (+18.2%)
Biggest Decrease in Attendance: Chinglish (-22.3%)
Biggest Increase in Gross Receipts: An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin (+$78.606)
Biggest Decrease in Gross Receipts: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (-$1,220,061)
Highest Average Paid Admission: The Book of Mormon ($163.24)
Lowest Average Paid Admission: The Road to Mecca ($47.92)

SRO Shows: The Book of Mormon, War Horse, Billy Elliot
$1M Club: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Book of Mormon, Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked

3.135

FanScene: FOLLIES' Biggest Fan, Part 2

2012-01-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL (TO YOUR LEFT)!

Are YOU a fan of a certain show? Want to share yolur story? Contact me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com and we can set up an "e-interview!"

Last week, I posted the beginning of the first entry in my FanScene series, where people like you and me discuss the show we are most passionate about. Here is the second part of two of my interview with my buddy Tyler, who is one of FOLLIES' biggest fans. What does he think of the show's understudies? How did he meet one of his best friends? And just what does a college guy do in order to afford seeing a Broadway show over 30 times before it closes?

JEFF: What is your favorite scene of FOLLIES? Do you find that it changes from time to time?
TYLER: Oh my God, I couldn’t pick. I love the poignancy of “Beautiful Girls” – watching these former Follies showgirls come down those stairs just one last time, reliving their youth and glamour; “Who’s That Woman” is a show-stopping number: who doesn’t want to see their favorite divas tap dance while Terri White belts to the rafters? “In Buddy’s Eyes” is such a gorgeous song, heartbreaking and devastating; “I’m Still Here” is this triumphant tour-de-force; the entire "Loveland" sequence, which is brilliant scene after brilliant scene. [But] if I had to pick one scene, it would have to the final scene, as everyone is leaving the party.

JEFF: Which understudies for which actors have you seen? How are they?
TYLER: I have not seen many understudies, compared to other shows. I have seen the understudies for Young Ben and Young Buddy, and their understudies were terrific. My favorite understudy was Florence Lacey, who took over for Elaine Paige in the role of Carlotta for 9 performances while Paige went over seas to perform a concert. I love Elaine Paige as Carlotta, but seeing Flo Lacey as Carlotta was a dream come true. I am a huge fan of Lacey, who I find to be totally underrated - she is a fantastic performer. I saw two of her performances and it was stunning. I am not apt to compare their performances, but Lacey was terrific. The song fit her like a glove.

JEFF: OK, enough about the show for now. As a true fan of a show, talk to other such fans. Have you been seeing other FOLLIES fans regularly? Have you made some fan-friends through this experience?
TYLER: I met one of my best friends because of FOLLIES – the official FOLLIES Twitter account re-tweeted one of my tweets, and she responded, and we hit it off. We have seen FOLLIES together at least 10 times, and since she isn’t from the area, she stays with me when she comes into town. We’ve had lots of fun times together, and I have appointed myself her son’s godfather.

JEFF: You are a college student in NYC. Clearly, budget has to be a consideration. What have you had to give up in order to see your favorite show?
TYLER: I skip meals for FOLLIES.

JEFF: What tips do you have for people who want to see their favorite show several times? Ticket discounts, etc.?
TYLER: Take advantage of EVERY discount, budget as much as you can, enlist help from friends for rushing, be persistent – I find if you are a persistent enough (without being pushy) you can usually figure some way out to see your favorite show.

JEFF: Over the years, my favorite shows have come and gone. When they close - my really favorite shows - I mourn their closing like the death of a friend. As the end of the run draws near, how are you feeling?
TYLER: Bittersweet. It has been quite the experience and I am so thrilled that I had this time with the show, but it’s time to start saying goodbye. It will be hard, but “we must move on” as Elaine Paige ad libs as she leaves the party.

JEFF: Will you be in the audience on January 22nd?
TYLER: Do you even have to ask? I’ve had my ticket since September!

JEFF: So… are you going to L.A.?
TYLER: Oh, L.A.. I’ll let you know…

Rate this blog below and leave your comments, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, ot Tweet me!

Jeff

3.134

UPDATE: Broadway Boys Today, Part II

2012-01-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

Here is the second in a series of "updates" about past Broadway Boys.

It must be cold outside somewhere. I mean, it is January in the Northern Hemisphere. And I live in Vermont. As I type this, it is a balmy 36 degrees, with only a slight chance of flurries over the next few days. Still, it must be cold someplace.

Or maybe it will be cold another day, and you can come back to this page. Why? Because this update on the Broadway Boys features two of the hottest guys chosen for the honor - How to Succeed's Charlie Williams and Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt.

Let me start with what I promise will be the LAST reference to the holidays until at least November:

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!
I love 2012 already!

Isn't the holiday season the best?

Since being named Mr. Broadway April 2011, Charlie Williams has remained with How to Succeed, plus he assisted Christopher Gattelli with the choreography for the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Newsies. (No word on if he'll be doing the same for the Broadway production...) And most recently, he was a dancer on the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors tribute to Barbara Cook. Here are some leftover photos from his last photo essay. And he is as cute as ever!

CHARLIE WILLIAMS: Broadway Debut

Charlie and the boys from the original cast of Memphis

CHARLIE WILLIAMS: Charitable Guy

Next Magazine's pictorial on Broadway Bares: Strip-opoly

Just one more picture of Mr. Railroad
from the Broadway Bares: Strip-opoly press kit

Charlie and the guys vying for the crown
of Mr. Broadway

CHARLIE WILLIAMS: Sensitive Model

CHARLIE WILLIAMS: First-Nighter (How to Succeed and Newsies)

Charlie with Christopher Gattelli

Charlie with Newsies dancer J.P. Ferreri (LEFT)
Charlie at the Opening Night red carpet for How to Succeed (RIGHT)

Since being named Mr. Broadway for the entire year of 2010, Tom Kitt has remained busy. He has worked on the now touring (and possible Broadway-bound) Bring It On: The Musical, and has overseen the launch of the National Tours of both next to normal and American Idiot. And, of course, he is working on several musical projects, including In Your Eyes, with his next to normal collaborator, Brian Yorkey. As unlikely as bipolar disorder was for a musical topic, In Your Eyes has an equally challenging topic: the show takes place at a school in lock-down over a gun man in the area. Could be interesting... definitely interesting.

TOM KITT: next to normal National Tour Launch

next to normal producer David Stone, star Alice Ripley
and composer Tom Kitt

At the tour opening with American Idiot's
Billie Joe Armstrong

TOM KITT: First Nighter

(LEFT) John Gallagher (American Idiot) with Kitt at the opening of Good People
(RIGHT) Kitt with Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights, Bring It On)
at the opening of Meet Vera Stark

TOM KITT: Bring It On: The Musical

Kitt and the creative team for Bring It on: The Musical

At the opening night part with their wives:
Miranda and Kitt (CENTER)

TOM KITT: Extra next to normal photos

Kitt and Ripley

Kitt and the very first Broadway Boy, Aaron Tveit

(Photos from Getty Images, Broadway Bares, Broadway.com)

Remember that a new Ms. Broadway will be named on January 14, and the next Mr. Broadway will be named on February 1! Submit your ideas for for who they should be at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com!
Jeff
3.133

TheatreScene: January 2 - 8, 2012

2012-01-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

NEW POLL! NEW LOOK! POLL IS ON YOUR LEFT! VOTE TODAY!

BEST BROADWAY RUMOR OF THE NEW YEAR!

Boy, do I hope this one is true! According to AM NY, rumor has it that the Roundabout Theatre Company is reviving my all-time favorite show, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Not familiar with the original production? Click HERE.

If it is true, who would you like to see in the cast and in which role? Write in and tell me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com!

NOW PREVIEWING ON BROADWAY:

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, Richard Rodgers Theatre. Previews: December 17, 2011; Opening Night: January12, 2012
The Road to Mecca, The American Airlines Theatre. Previews: December 16, 2011; Opening Night: January 17, 2012
Wit, Samuel Friedman Theatre. Previews: January 5, 2012; Opening Night: January 25, 2012

CLOSING SOON ON BROADWAY:

January 8:

Billy Elliot at the Imperial Theatre. 40 previews; 1304 performances.
Lysistrata Jones at the Imperial Theatre. 34 previews; 30 performances.

January 13:

An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. 6 previews; 62 performances.

January 22:

The Mountaintop at the Jacobs Theatre. 24 previews, 114 performances.
Follies at the Marquis Theatre. 38 previews, 152 performances

January 29:

Relatively Speaking at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. 35 previews, 117 performances

THIS WEEK'S BROADWAY WINNERS AND LOSERS:

WINNER: Fans of Bonnie and Clyde: The Original Broadway Cast Recording was done on January 2nd. Bittersweet though it was, at least we have that to look forward to, right? (Keeping fingers crossed for the same for Lysistrata Jones)

The World Will Remember Them: Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes
record Bonnie and Clyde (Photo by Walter McBride)

LOSER: Fans of Pal Joey: The ominous "scheduling conflicts" reason abruptly ended the Kennedy Center mounting of Pal Joey. In its place? A little revue of Kander and Ebb songs called First You Dream: The Songs of Kander and Ebb from Virginia's Signature Theatre, directed by Eric Schaeffer. Follies notwithstanding, I find his direction pedestrian and bland. I wonder how the subscribers feel about this substitution... Later The Washington Post reported that the cancellation was due to the departure of director Christopher Ashley, who was obligated to return to Leap of Faith, which is now on the fast track to open on Broadway this season. Apparently, the concept and revisions to the new Pal Joey was dependent upon Ashley's tight collaboration with book reviser Terrence McNally.

WINNER: Broadway and BCEFA: Hugh Jackman, Broadway star and mega-fundraiser, will be back in a couple of seasons headlining a new musical (YEAH!) called Houdini. Of course, you'd have to be under a rock not to have heard that news... when was the last time a Broadway casting was announced on the CBS Evening News?

Mark your calendars: Hugh (left) will play Harry (right)
on Broadway in the 2013 - 2014 season

LOSER: Darren Criss fans who don't live in a mansion: I know, I know...supply and demand...blah blah blah... most of Darren Criss fans are between 8 and 15 (at least that's what Glee reporters would have us believe), right? Well, the hard to get tickets for How to Succeed... during his 3-week residence at WWW, are even more expensive, since producers have decided to jack up the price scale. Of course, Criss' REAL fan base can probably scrounge up the extra dough. Now all those gay guys (myself included) will have a chance to sit closer and out of range of the screaming fangirls!

(SHE'S A) WINNER: Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza: Their engagement was announced this week. You may recall that Lopez and his ~~more amazing body than Nick Adams~~ became the first person EVER to have his name above the title at A Chorus Line, which clsed prematurely under his "star power." Anyway, he did meet a terrific Broadway Baby, Courtney Mazza, and they have been together for some time. Congratulations!

Maybe a Broadway Duke and Duchess:
Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza

WINNER: Spider-Man:Turn Off the Dark: The little show over at the Foxwoods that you don't hear a whole lot about these days, set a new theatre and Broadway Box Office record the week between Christmas and New Years, raking in an amazing $2,941,790.20 for 9 shows. It broke the previous record held by Wicked, also for a 9 show week, by more than $700,000.00.

Lining up at the B.O.

WINNERS BOTH: Audra McDonald and Will Swensen: These Broadway babies have been the sweet talk of the town for a long time now. One of them popped the question, and a new Broadway Royal Couple is to be wed... negotiations for full network coverage are underway... no. Seriously, how great for Tick and Bess, right? Congratulations!!

The new King and Queen of Broadway
(along with their Prince and Princess)
Will Swensen and Audra McDonald

WINNER BY A MILE: Darren Criss, who by all accounts made a dazzling Broadway debut in How to Succeed... on Tuesday. And the ever-gracious and thankful guy has been doing press ever since. Check out his "Show People" interview on Broadway.com. He's a great guy!

And FINALLY...

EXTRA! EXTRA!
Jeremy Jordan will be in Newsies!

WINNER: Me and all the theatre onliners (plus kudos to BroadwayWorld AND Disney: I am rarely on Twitter for any length of time, but the other day, as fate would have it, I was there for more than an hour. Anyway, I watched a small bit of history unfold before my very eyes. And for those who turn their nose up at the power of social media, blogs and the like, here's reason to start taking us more seriously. IT all started when BroadwayWorld released a behind-the-scenes video of the making of the OBCR of Bonnie and Clyde. During it, director Jeff Calhoun expressed his gratitude that their hard work would be preserved. Then he said that he was looking forward to working again with Jeremy Jordan on Newsies! PAUSE. Hmmm Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, he blushed... then Jordan himself gets on the screen and with a wink confirms the news. TAKE THAT DISNEY PRESS MACHINE! Well, then the official Newsies / Disney Twitter feed very cooly also confirmed it with amazing grace, actually. So, Disney gets that the future is online. Will the rest of the old school theater folk follow suit? Maybe. But let this bit of history also affect we online folks: they are starting to see we have influence. Let's take that responsibility seriously, too, and put quality material out there.

Jeff
3.132

CD Review: How to Succeed... (2011 Cast)

2012-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

I know I am WAY behind on my Broadway CD collection - I don't even have the OBCR of The Book of Mormon! And here I am giving you my two cents worth on a CD AFTER the big departure of its two stars... ah well. It is still a great production, is as relevant as ever, and all of the supporting cast is still with it (for the time being). So, without further delay...

GRADE: A

Title: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Artist: 2011 Broadway Cast Recording
Label: Decca Records
Number: B0015645-02
Format: Single CD
Case: Single Jewel Case
Booklet: Full color production photos; complete synopsis (5 pages!); essays by Craig Zadan, Neil Meron and David Chase
Bonus: Extra track of "The Pirate Dance" (Extended Version)

Daniel Radcliffe and Tony Award-winner John Larroquette

The Top 5 Reasons You Need This CD:

1. Completeness: The has to be the most complete representation of the score. Songs aside, there are extensive dance sections in the bigger numbers, a great deal of background music and short scenes that include as little as one line of a sung reprise. Heck, not only is the finale there, but so is the bows music and the exit music! And the Bonus Track is the most complete version of "The Pirate Dance."

2. Restoration of the Original Score: I'm not talking about the orchestrations (yet). I'm talking about bringing "The Pirate Dance" and "Cinderella, Darling" to the show. And they are terrific versions, at that. "Cinderella, Darling" even includes the fun old-school style recording of the secretaries tap dancing!

3. The Orchestrations: OK, purists will probably disagree with me, but I think Doug Besterman's sleek work allows the best of both worlds - modern sound quality and sensibility (fewer instruments, but fuller sound) and a very retro sound - love the verve organ and early 60's jazzy take on the music. It's like being in a colorized episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show.

4. The Preservation of Landmark Performances: Both of the "above the title" stars got to preserve their performances - John Larroquette won the Tony for his over-the-top, blustery, yet smooth J.B. Biggley. And guess what? He sings his characterization as well on the recording as he did on the stage. He is funny and even touching at the end! And then there is the J. Pierrepont Finch of one Daniel Radcliffe, one of the world's most-famous film stars of all time - and he's only 21! It is really cool to hear his flawless American accent, and his charm and "schmoozey" quality comes at you from your speakers or earbuds as if he were in the room. His "Rosemary" and "The Brotherhood of Man" are smoothly sung and sweetly rendered - again VERY charming, even just in audio.

Track 7: Christopher J. Hanke and Company
"The Company Way (Reprise)"

Track 11: Rose Hemingway, Mary Faber and Daniel Radcliffe
"Been a Long Day"

Track 4: Rose Hemingway
"Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm"

5. The Supporting Cast: From top to bottom this cast is superior -on stage and on the recording. The fullness and broad strokes of their comedic and satiric characters come through, be it in full songs, like "Coffee Break" (Christopher J. Hanke, Mary Faber), Ellen Harvey's blasting solo in "The Brotherhood of Man," and "Love From a Heart of Gold" (Tammy Blanchard is a riot). And then there is the sublime and smart performance of Rose Hemingway as Rosemary, whose "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm" might just be the definitive version. And Rob Bartlett and Michael Park are a riot as the mail room's 25 year man and sexist VP of HR, respectively. But even the one or two lines each cast member gets to preserve here are great sounding and add much to the character of the show and the recording.

Track 3: The Company
"How to Succeed"

The 3 Drawbacks of the Recording:

1. Incompleteness: CNN's Anderson Cooper is the narrator at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. And so he is here, too. For a disappointing 2 tracks. His narration could be as easily added as all of the reprises and 3 line scenes were. His narration would not only make the recording REALLY complete, but it would help tell the story on the recording, not to mention give a fuller amount of the source material's satire.

2. The Preservation of Landmark Performances: You get the full characterization of both Larroquette and Radcliffe, proving that they are truly very good actors. But don't look for either of them to headline a musical that requires actual quality singing. It is especially evident in Radcliffe's thinner vocal quality in the bombastic opening/title number. Still, charm and genuine acting almost makes up for it.

3. The Supporting Cast: Actually, they are 100% great. With the extensive amount of dance music included, it really makes you miss the brilliant staging and dances created by Rob Ashford. Man, did he get ripped off at the Tonys! I'll have to settle for being to totally visualize "Grand Old Ivy" which is complete with sound effects on the recording!

Track 13: Daniel Radcliffe and Company
"Grand Old Ivy"

(Production photos by Joan Marcus)

Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.131

Broadway Box Office: 12.19.11 - 01.01.12

2012-01-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Broadway Box Office Top Ten

for the 30th week of the 2011 - 2012 season

(December 19 - 25; 34 productions):

#9 - Other Desert Cities

1. Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway (Concert) Broadhurst Theatre (1)

2. The Book of Mormon (Musical) Eugene O'Neill Theatre (1)

2. tie Disney's The Lion King (Musical) Minskoff Theatre (3)

4. Wicked (Musical) Gershwin Theatre (5)

5. War Horse (Play) Vivian Beaumont Theatre (4)

6. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Musical) Foxwoods Theatre (-)

7. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) Al Hirschfeld Theatre (8)

8. Jersey Boys (Musical) August Wilson Theatre (7)

9. Other Desert Cities (Play) Booth Theatre (9)

9. tie The Phantom of the Opera (Musical) Majestic Theatre (-)

#7 - How to Succeed...

(-) - Last week's position in the Broadway Top Ten

Godspell

Biggest Increase in Attendance: Godspell (+23.7%)
Biggest Decrease in Attendance: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (-21.8%)
Biggest Increase in Gross Receipts: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (+$379,198)
Biggest Decrease in Gross Receipts: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (-$392,782)
Highest Average Paid Admission: Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway ($166.44)
Lowest Average Paid Admission: The Road to Mecca ($38.18)

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

SRO Shows: The Book of Mormon, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, War Horse
$1M Club: Wicked, The Lion King, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, The Book of Mormon, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, War Horse

The Broadway Box Office Top Ten

for the 31st week of the 2011 - 2012 season

(December 26 - January 1; 34 productions):

#6: Jersey Boys

1. Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway (Concert) Broadhurst Theatre (1)*

2. The Book of Mormon (Musical) Eugene O'Neill Theatre (2)*

3. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Musical) Foxwoods Theatre (6)*

4. Wicked (Musical) Gershwin Theatre (4)*

5. Disney's The Lion King (Musical) Minskoff Theatre (2)*

6. Jersey Boys (Musical) August Wilson Theatre (8)

7. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Musical Revival) Al Hirschfeld Theatre (7)*

8. The Phantom of the Opera (Musical) Majestic Theatre (9)

9. War Horse (Play) Vivian Beaumont Theatre (5)

10. The Addams Family (Musical) Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (-)

#10 - The Addams Family

(-) - Last week's position in the Broadway Top Ten
* - Played 9 performances this week

Bonnie and Clyde

Biggest Increase in Attendance: Bonnie and Clyde (+34.1%)
Biggest Decrease in Attendance: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (-8.5%)
Biggest Increase in Gross Receipts: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (+$1,181,945)
Biggest Decrease in Gross Receipts: No show posted a decrease this week.
Highest Average Paid Admission: Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway ($190.65)
Lowest Average Paid Admission: The Road to Mecca ($42.65)

Billy Elliot

SRO Shows: The Book of Mormon, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, The Phantom of the Opera, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Wicked, War Horse
$2M Club: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked, The Lion King, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway
$1M Club: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, The Addams Family, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Sister Act, Mamma Mia!, Memphis, War Horse, Chicago, Anything Goes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

3.130

FanScene: FOLLIES' Biggest Fan (Part I)

2012-01-05T12:01:00.000-05:00

Here is the first in what I hope will be a regular feature here on TheatreScene.

Theatre fans are among the most passionate in the whole world. Once we latch on to a show, we don't let go. We are the ones who see shows 5 or more (many more, usually) times. We know in advance who is out for a given performance. We go out of our way to see everyone who plays a certain role - the regular, all three understudies, the swing AND the stand by. We are the ones who stand at the stage door in all kinds of weather, not for autographs and pics, but to chat about the show that day. We are the ones that everyone else stares at when the cast stops to talk to us and no one else. We are Broadway show fans!

A good blog-buddy of mine, Tyler, has agreed to be the first "fan" for this series. If you follow him on Twitter, you know about which show he is completely in love with. The show is Follies. Here is part one of two about his love for the show, his stage door experiences and how being a FolliesFan has changed his life.

JEFF: So, I think it is a safe bet to say that you are one of FOLLIES’ biggest fans, Tyler. How many times have you seen the show? How many more times do you plan to go?

TYLER: I’ve seen it 28 times and counting. I have plans to see the show a few more times with just a little under 3 weeks of its run to go. Believe it or not, I am actually not the biggest fan. There is an older couple that has seen the show almost 90 times. That’s dedication.

JEFF: As someone so young, what is it about a show about aging that obviously speaks to you so profoundly?

TYLER: Ah, the million dollar question. You have no clue how many times I have been asked this. I don’t have a complete answer – part of the reason why I keep going back is to try to understand what about this shows touches me so deeply. It’s a work in progress.

Daniel Radcliffe signing autographs at
the Al Hirschfeld Theatre after How to Succeed...

The Book of Mormon star Andrew Rannells
connects with fans at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre

JEFF: What is it about this production - staging, etc. - that really appeals to you?

TYLER: EVERYTHING! 28 piece orchestra playing this INCREDIBLE Sondheim score, 41 cast members on stage, the cast, including the likes of Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Elaine Paige, Terri White, Susan Watson, et al. It’s a beautiful production and we are lucky to have it on Broadway.

JEFF: Which character or characters do you find that you identify with the most?

TYLER: I find all the characters relatable – there are parts of each character that I can relate to. If I had to chose one character, I would have to say probably Young Phyllis (her naivety and desire to please) and Young Ben (his desire to succeed and his ambition).

JEFF: You have to know that there are many people who really hate the show. I always think people hate it for two reasons: that they only know the OBCR or that when they see it, they just don’t get it. What do you have to say to these people that might make them understand it better, if not like it?

TYLER: I don’t have anything to say to people. The show is not for everyone and I expect many of the people I take to see the show to hate it. It’s a divisive show – in most cases, if you love it, you LOVE it. If you hate it, you HATE it. It’s very polarizing and there isn’t much
that can be said to change their minds.

JEFF: I remember my reaction sitting there when I saw FOLLIES - I was in absolute tears for about 90% of the time. I found it to be profoundly sad. How does FOLLIES effect you emotionally? Has it lessened or gotten more intense over the course of seeing it so many times?

TYLER: It really depends on how involved in the show I am. Sometimes, rough days just make me cry more during certain scenes. Other times, great days just make me laugh more. It really depends. It always hits me emotionally, though.

Fans waited behind the barriers to catch a glimpse
of Promises, Promises stars Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes

JEFF: I’ll bet you’ve gotten to know some cast members and other fans pretty well at this point. Share an experience or two with us that will be your fondest memories at the stage door.

TYLER: One of my fondest memory of the show occurred not at the stage door, but at curtain call. I was sitting in the front row for the first time, and during curtain call, Terri White came out, pointed at me, waved and winked while she took her bow. It was such a small, sweet
gesture but it meant to the world to.

JEFF: Do the stage door people at the Marquis Theatre know you by name and on sight? How about the ushers and merchandise people?

TYLER: The ushers know me and have come up to me while I wait on the subway platform to chat with me. It’s pretty hilarious.

Look for Part Two of this interview early next week! Find out how FOLLIES' closing is affecting Tyler...how to see your favorite show dozens of times on a college student's budget...and how Tyler met one of his best friends through being a FOLLIES fan!

Are YOU a fan of a certain show? Want to share yolur story? Contact me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com and we can set up an "e-interview!"

(NOTE: The photos used in this blog are random pictures collected by Googling "Stage Door" and "Broadway Autograph", etc. If I have used a picture of yours, and you don't want it posted, email me and I'll take it down as soon as possible.)

Rate this blog below and leave your comments, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, ot Tweet me!

Jeff

3.129

Another Good Bye... and More Hellos!

2012-01-04T12:01:00.000-05:00

Just yesterday, I blogged about the bittersweet nature of shows coming and going. And just today, I got a healthy dose of the bitter and the sweet. First, the sweet:

RENT - Good bye, Adam, Matt and Ashleigh! Hello, Josh, Justin and Emma!

Good bye, Matt, Adam and Annaleigh!

As much as I didn't care for the revival of RENT, I have to admit the announcement of the replacements for the roles of Mark, Roger and Maureen excites me. I actually saw Justin Johnston as Angel in the original production of the show, and he was pretty darned good. I am really looking forward to seeing what he does with the role of Roger when he replaces Matt Shingledecker. One former Spring Awakening alum is leaving, and another is joining. Emma Hunton was good in Awakening, and she was truly amazing in the next to normal National Tour. I can't wait to see what she does with the more "grown up" role of Maureen. She takes over for the uneven (in my opinion) Annaleigh Ashford. (Hunton begins performances on January 13.) I can only imagine his chemistry with Mimi!

Welcome to Alphabet City, Josh, Emma and Justin!

Finally, I love Adam Chanler-Berat, even as Mark, but I'm glad that he's leaving the show, because chances are good that he's leaving to be part of the Broadway cast of Peter and the Starcatcher, bringing his critically acclaimed off-Broadway performance to a larger audience. (I'm seriously keeping my fingers crossed.) But Josh Grisetti is reason to contemplate a return visit to RENT. I missed him in Brighton Beach Memoirs, and every subsequent New York appearance of his - all critically-acclaimed. This might just be my chance to see what all the fuss is about. Apparently, Enter Laughing won't be entering the Broadway scene as soon as previously thought. (Both Johnston and Grisetti begin performances on January 20.)

LYSISTRATA JONES - Goodbye, Lyssie J., Mick, Robin and gang!

Good bye, Athens U! And thank you...

Somewhere there is the audience for a Broadway show that is smart, funny, really meant to only entertain and is fresh and new. You know, the show everyone bitches about that is missing from Broadway. Yet another show that Broadway fans scream for but no one will go to - I'm thinking Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Scottsboro Boys - now Lysistrata Jones joins the ranks of failed critical darlings, Thank God the writers of such bold, boundary-pushing works don't give up. Do we really need more Mamma Mia and the like? Once people realize and can respect that these types of shows will always be polarizing, and respect the polarizing opinions as BOTH being viable, the sooner these shows will stand a chance. I'm just saying... if you don't like a show, fine. But don't hate on the people who like it!

Maybe the only good thing to come of this sad departure is that another theatre is now open. Perhaps for Peter and the Starcatcher?

Rate this blog below and leave your comments there, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.128

Good Bye...and Hello!

2012-01-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

As usual, the post-holiday/winter clean out of Broadway is fully underway, as I blogged a few days ago. In the few days since I blogged on the topic there has been much press on the topic, some of which gave me pause and new things to consider when shows close:

Good bye, Mr. Jackman!

Upon its close, the folks over at Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway announced that the Australian wonder not only turned a profit for the show, but he also raised just short of $1.8M for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. All by himself...
This Times article (HERE) is a reminder that there are more than just cast members out of work when a show closes. And given that this article talks about two long-runners, Billy Elliot and The Addams Family, it is a harsh reminder that all shows close eventually, and that just like every other business these days, Broadway offers no job security, no matter the show.

And so we will have said good bye to several shows over the next weeks, there have been/will be several high profile good byes to cast members of shows that are staying put. So with every "good bye" in these cases comes some "hellos" and "welcomes!"

OTHER DESERT CITIES - Good bye, Thomas! Hello, Justin! Good bye, Rachel! Hello again, Elizabeth!

Good bye, Thomas! Hello, Matthew and Justin!

Recently, understudy Matthew Risch (Pal Joey) took over the role of the son, normally played by Thomas Sadoski. Sadoski is back, but only temporarily. He leaves the show permanently following the January 8th performance, to be replaced by Justin Kirk (Love! Valour! Compassion!). Broadway cast member Rachel Griffiths (TV's Brothers and Sisters) will be exiting the drama on March 4th, to be replaced by the off-Broadway original, Elizabeth Marvel.

Come back soon, Rachel!

Welcome home, Elizabeth!

WAR HORSE - Good bye, Seth and Matt! Hello, Andrew and Stephen James!

Good bye Matt and Seth! Welcome to the war, Andrew and Stephen!

On January 12, 15 members of the original Broadway cast of the show, including Seth Numrich and Matt Doyle, who played the lead role of Albert and his cousin/nemesis Billy, respectively. Replacing Numrich will be New York and London actor Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening, Yank, The Burnt Part Boys, The Umbrellas of Cherbourgh). And taking over for Doyle will be Stephen James Anthony, who made his Broadway debut in War Horse as an ensemble member/ puppet handler (Joey as a Foal).

Also saying "hello" on the 12th will be new cast members/original cast members moving up: David Manis (as Arthur Narracott), Andy Murray (as Ted Narracott), David Lansbury (as Hauptmann Müller), Harlan Bengel, Toby Billowitz, Lute Breuer, Hunter Canning, Anthony Cochrane, Ben Horner, Leah Hofmann, Tessa Klein, Nat McIntyre, Geoffrey Murphy, Andy Murray, Tommy Schrider and Jack Spann. And saying "good bye" are: Zach Appelman, Austin Durant, Joby Earle, Ariel Heller, Peter Hermann, Ian Lassiter, Boris McGiver, Prentice Onayemi, Bhavesh Patel, Stephen Plunkett, Liam Robinson, T. Ryder Smith, Zach Villa and Cat Walleck.

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING! - Good bye, Daniel, John and Christopher! Hello, Darren, Nick, Beau and Michael!

The departure of Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette on New Year's Day was all over the news. And the arrival of Glee's Darren Criss has garnered as much press, including this Times article (HERE). His Broadway tenure will be short - just three weeks starting tonight through January 22. At that point, pop/Disney star Nick Jonas will replace Criss as Finch for a longer time, through July 1. Coming on board with Criss, and staying through July1 will be Emmy and Golden Globe winner Beau Bridges (TV: James Brady Story; FILM: Norma Rae, The Fabulous Baker Boys), making his Broadway musical debut - he's been on Broadway twice before. He replaces Larroquette as J. B. Bigley.

Also coming on board with Jonas will be TV and stage favorite Michael Urie (Ugly Betty, The Temperamentals, Angels in America) who replaces Christopher J. Hanke as Bud Frump.

New faces, familiar places - shows to re-see until more new shows start up this spring!

Rate this blog below and leave your comments there, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.127

Broadway Pictorial: Lysistrata Jones in NEXT Magazine

2012-01-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

As I have often lamented, NOT living in New York has many disadvantages for theater fans. One night only things and events not planned months in advance are generally out of reach. Events that happen mid-week keep those of us with the 9 to 5 grind counting our sick days and calculating if we can get into the city on a Tuesday afternoon and home in time for work the next morning.

Well, much smaller, but still annoying, is the inability to read NYC periodicals. Yes, I could subscribe, but why waste the paper and money for the issues that don't feature theatre? So, over the last year or so, I've tried to be faithful in looking at these magazines' websites for that which I crave - articles about my favorite shows and show people. Late last year, two of my favorite NYC periodicals, Time Out New York and Next Magazine featured fun, themed pictorials of my two end of 2011 shows, Bonnie and Clyde and Lysistrata Jones. I featured the B and C pics HERE. (Enjoy the memory...)

Here, though is a blog devoted to the Lysistrata Jones spread that appeared in the December 14, 2011 issue of Next Magazine. And, though the holidays have passed, I figured the fun holiday/winter theme of these pics was still seasonally relevant and a fun way to bring the holidays to a close. They come from an article titled, "Bad Sweaters-Good Drinks". The photography is by WILSONMODELS, and the setting is The Monster, a West Village bar. (Click on the photos to see them larger and as a slideshow!)

Left: Josh Segarra and Patti Murin -

Two Broadway stars that actually look GOOD in Christmas sweaters!

Right: Katie Boren, Kat Nijat and LaQuet Sharnell -

You can't go wrong at a holiday party dressed as a dreidel, a reindeer or sexy Santa!

Left: Alexander Aguilar and Kat Nijat -

I agree! Winter gets old FAST!

Right: Ato Blankson-Wood, Jason Tam and Liz Mikel -

Good Drinks + Santa Hat + Shiny Pole = Holiday Cheer!

Left: Teddy Toye and Alex Wyse -

Talk about impish elves!

Right: Lindsay Nicole Chambers -

So THAT's what happens to the partridge in a pear tree!

What I love best about these pictures is that it is clear that the cast is a fun-loving and silly off stage as it is on stage. The last picture, of Lindsay Nicole Chambers, particularly cracks me up. And the guys aren't too bad to look at, either!

What are you waiting for? Get your tickets for Lysistrata Jones!

Let me state for the record that no copyright infringement is/was intended by posting these photos. Rather, I hope by including them, the "exposure" will help other non-New Yorker bloggers will look at Time Out New York and Next Magazine and/or their websites. Also, Lysistrata Jones could use the extra publicity.

Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.126

Broadway Boys: Mr. January 2012: David Korins

2012-01-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

Mr. Broadway January 2012

David Korins

WHY HE'S MR. BROADWAY: Sometimes the hottest guys on Broadway aren't up on the stage, but are content to do their work behind the scenes. Such is the case with Mr. January, who smoking hot (I'm so jealous of his also pretty wife, Carolyn) and is so unbelievably talented. He is a 6 time Drama Desk nominee, and I have a feeling his work on Broadway this season will be noticed come Tony time. This season, so far, he is represented by three shows, and he designs other things, too - TV commercials, public spaces and restorations throughout New York City. Just looking at photos of his work makes me get that theatrical "tingle" reserved for the very best. Handsome, talented and tingly... David Korins, set designer at the top of his game. What a great way to start 2012!

OTHER INFORMATION:

Age: 35
Family: Wife, Carolyn Cantor; Daughter, Stella
Education: University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Awards: 6 Drama Desk Nominations (1 win); 12 Hewes Design Award Nominations (2 wins); 3 Lucille Lortel Award Nominations (1 win); 2009 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Design
Featured in Articles: The New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out New York, Theatremania, Variety, American Theatre, Entertainment Design, Lighting and Sound America
Where you might have seen his work: Regional: She Stoops to Conquer (McCarter), The Diary of Anne Frank, Godspell (Paper Mill), Bring It On (Alliance; on Tour), Little Miss Sunshine (La Jolla); Off-Broadway: Why Torture is Wrong..., Farragut North, Swimming in the Shallows, When the Rain Stops Falling, Hunting and Gathering, Thom Pain (based on Nothing); TV: Commercials: McDonald's, Friendly's, Programs: The Newlywed Game (Game Show Network), Make Me a Supermodel I, II, Wishful Drinking; Broadway: Bridge and Tunnel, Passing Strange, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, Lombardi, Chinglish, Godspell, An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin
Website (CHECK THIS ONE OUT!): http://davidkorinsdesign.com/

IN PHOTOS:

RENT (Japan)

She Stoops to Conquer

Walmartopia

Little Miss Sunshine: The Musical

Godspell

Passing Strange

The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway

Lombardi

Godspell

Chinglish

(Photos: Chinglish: Michael McCabe; Lombardi: Joan Marcus; Godspell: Jeremy Daniel. Set Design photos all copyright of David Korins Design. Other images from Broadway.com, BroadwayWorld.com and Getty Images)

Suggestions for future Mr. or Ms. Broadways? Email me!

Rate this blog below and leave your comments there, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!

Jeff

3.125

Mr. and Ms. Broadway 2011

2011-12-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

WHY THEY ARE MR. AND MRS. BROADWAY OF THE YEAR: This year the people of the Broadway year represent the most important people in theatre. Without them, they shows they represent wouldn't even exist! If they do their job well, most audience members don't really think about them - they think about the actors, the scenery, the singing and dancing... But when they do the job poorly, they are they first ones to get the blame (unless they are working on a Frank Wildhorn show)! I'm talking, of course, all about the playwrights! Collectively, they have 5 Broadway shows currently on the boards - 3 musicals and two plays. It has been quite a year for all 4 of them! Yes, four!

MR. BROADWAY 2011: Douglas Carter Beane

MS. BROADWAY 2011: Lydia R. Diamond,

Katori Hall and Suzan-Lori Parks

DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE:

Work of his you might have seen before 2011: Film: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; Stage: As Bees in Honey Drown, The Little Dog Laughed (Tony nomination - Best Play), Xanadu (Tony nomination - Best Book of a Musical)

Works of his that brought him to the top in 2011: Sister Act (Tony nomination - Best Book of a Musical) and Lysistrata Jones. Nearly everyone - including producer and film star Whoopi Goldberg - loves the improvements he made to the London version of Sister Act, and it is a riot! Funnier still is his original musical Lysistrata Jones, which is silly and smart, campy and sincere, and pretty damned sexy!

Beane with Kerry Butler, the director of
Family Equality Council and Lewis Flinn

Beane and Flinn with their children

Beane (TOP, CENTER) with the writing team of
Sister Act: The Musical

Sister Act: The Musical

Lewis Flinn and Douglas Carter Beane at the
Broadway opening of Lysistrata Jones

Lysistrata Jones on Broadway

LYDIA R. DIAMOND:

Works of hers you might have seen before 2011: The Bluest Eye, Stage Black, and The Gift Horse.

Work of hers that took her to the top in 2011: Stick Fly, currently playing an acclaimed run at the Cort Theatre. She and her co-Ms. Broadways represent an important modern voice for African-American women.

Diamond at the Broadway opening
of Stick Fly

Stick Fly

KATORI HALL

Works of hers that you might have seen before 2011: Remembrance, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, Pussy Valley

Work that put her on top in 2011: The Mountaintop, which is currently having an acclaimed run on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Its limited run ends January 22. She and her co-Ms. Broadways represent an important modern voice for African-American women.

Katori Hall at the Broadway
opening of The Mountaintop

The Mountaintop

SUZAN-LORI PARKS

Works of hers you might have seen before 2011: Film: Their Eyes Are Watching God, Girl 6, The Great Debaters; Stage: Fucking A, The America Play, In the Blood, Topdog/Underdog (2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama)

Work that put her on top in 2011: The new book for The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. The controversial re-working of the book has made headlines for the show and Ms. Parks. The revival is currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway.

Parks with Diane Paules at the
A.R.T. opening of Porgy and Bess

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

(Photos from opening nights and headshots: Getty Images, Broadway.com; Sister Act & Lysistrata Jones: Joan Marcus; Stick Fly: Richard Termine; The Mountaintop: Joan Marcus; The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess: Michael Lutch, A.R.T)

2011 in Review: JK's Theatrescene Awards, Part II: The Performance Awards

2011-12-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

To see the Non-Performance Winners: 2011 JK's TheatreScene Awards, Part 1, click HERE.

The other day, I named 39 winners in 37 categories covering non-performance achievement on Broadway. Today, I will do the same (44 winners in 41 categories) in performance related achievement on Broadway. This year's awards cover all the productions I saw in 2011.

If you can think of a snazzier name for these awards or some interesting categories to consider for next year, send them in!

THE 2011 JK'S THEATRESCENE AWARDS: THE PERFORMANCE AWARDS

Best Chemistry: Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes in Bonnie and Clyde (BELOW)
Best Cast Chemistry: The Normal Heart (BELOW)

Best Rise-Above-It Moment: Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano singing from Spider-Man at the Tony Awards BEFORE it even opened.
The Grin-and-Bear-It Award (Cast): Wonderland
The Grin-and-Bear-It Award (Individual): Frank Wildhorn composer of Wonderland and Bonnie and Clyde

Best Dancing by a Non-dancer in a Musical: Norbert Leo Butz in Catch Me If You Can (BELOW)

Best New Song Written for a Broadway Musical: TIE "How 'Bout a Dance" from Bonnie and Clyde, and "Sal Tlay Ka Siti " from The Book of Mormon and "Good Bye" from Catch Me If You Can
Best Complete Score of Songs NOT Written for a Broadway Musical: Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Best Underscoring: Anything the orchestra plays during an action sequence in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

Best Understudy: Julia Mattison in Godspell. "Turn Back, O Man" was never funnier, sexier or dazzling.

Best Debut - Play: Ellen Barkin in The Normal Heart (ABOVE)
Best Debut - Musical: Rosalind Elias in Follies
Most Under-appreciated Actor: Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He's done drama with full nudity. He sings and dances like he was born to do it. Why can't Broadway recognize the Entertainer of the Year like the rest of the world? (ABOVE)
Most Under-appreciated Actress: Rose Hemingway in How to Succeed in Business. I suppose it is easy to get lost in the media frenzy when you are Harry Potter's leading lady. (ABOVE)
Most Under-appreciated Cast: The Cast of Chinglish. Don't miss this cast, people! Really!

Best Kiss - Straight: Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (BELOW)
Best Kiss - Gay: Teddy Toye and Ato Blankson-Wood in Lysistrata Jones (will Batman and Robin ever be the same again?)
Best Kiss - Period: Joey and Seth Numrich in War Horse Is there anything more touching than the bond between a boy and his ~~puppet~~ horse?

Best Strip Tease - Play: Jay Armstrong Johnson in Wild Animals You Should Know (BELOW)
Best Strip Tease - Musical: Josh Segarra in Lysistrata Jones
Best Underwear in a Play (Male): Jay Armstrong Johnson in Wild Animals You Should Know
Best Underwear in a Play (Female): Nina Arianda in Venus in Fur (BELOW)
Best Underwear in a Musical (Male): Alexander Aguilar in Lysistrata Jones (BELOW)
Best Underwear in a Musical (Female): Liz Mikel in Lysistrata Jones

Best Blocking in a Musical: The Ghosts in Follies
Worst Blocking in a Musical: Baby, It's You! (The whole show)
Best Cameo in a Musical: Darth Vader and friends in "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" in The Book of Mormon (BELOW)
Worst Cameo in a Musical: Lewis Carroll in Wonderland The most lame scene in the lamest musical in years...

The "Say a Little Prayer" Award (for too much of a good thing): Use of confetti cannons. Make it stop. Please.
The Alice Ripley Award (for acting intensity): Ellen Barkin in The Normal Heart. A living dynamo.
The Scottsboro Boys Award (for a too short run): Bonnie and Clyde
The Shirelles Award (for back up singer excellence): The 4 Cowboys in Lucky Guy (as Indians, BELOW)

The Get-the-Show-on-the-Road Award - Best Touring Cast: The Non-Equity Company of Spring Awakening (ABOVE)
The Get-the-Show-on-the-Road Award - Best Actor: Joshua Kobak as St. Jimmy in American Idiot
The Get-the-Show-on-the-Road Award - Best Actress: Courtney Markowitz as Ilse in Spring Awakening

Best Surprise Show: Lysistrata Jones.
Best "Hit" Show: War Horse
Best "Flop" Show: Catch Me If You Can
Best Challenging Show: Queen of the Mist
Best Broadway-related Web Series: Submissions Only

Rate this blog below and leave your comments there, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.123

2011 in Review: 12 Best Theatre Experiences of the Year

2011-12-29T12:01:00.000-05:00

What a year of theatre it has been! And how fun it has been to share it with you. I've had the great opportunity to travel around the East Coast to see some great shows in some of America's most historic venues. I've gotten to witness the full process of putting a show up: a tech in for a National Tour, the final performance of a favorite Broadway show, a rough preview period leading to a rocky and successful Opening Night. I've gained a new respect and love for two shows I used to really dislike. I've expanded my horizons beyond Times Square. I wanted to make it a nice, even 10 events, but I just couldn't narrow it down any more.

Who knows what delights await all of us in 2012? But for now, I'll celebrate the year that was. Here is a list of my 12 favorite/best theatre experiences in 2011:

12. Walnut Street Theatre's Aspects of Love: Maybe it was partly the experience of seeing a show at America's oldest continuously running theatres, but mostly, I am pretty sure it was the excellence of the production itself. I went in thinking I would hate it, just as I always had since I saw the original Broadway production. I left loving it.

11. Broadway's The Book of Mormon: It is all the rage, making national headlines and drawing crowds rarely seen on Broadway these days. And I was lucky to see it when it was brand-spanking new (and at a discount that won't happen again for years). I had a great time, and it so great to see veterans and "newbies" (Casey Nicholaw, Robert Lopez, Trey Parker and Matt Stone) come together, take chances and create the most conventional unconventional musical I've ever seen. For me it isn't the best musical ever - it wasn't even the best musical of the season, that was Catch Me If You Can - but there is no denying that being there at the beginning is a theatre experience of a lifetime.

10. Off Broadway's The Submission/Wild Animals You Should Know: It may surprise you that these two plays that I was so iffy on rate higher on my list than one of Broadway's biggest hits of all time. But, while the works are far from the best plays ever, the risks taken by MCC Theatre on new plays by new playwrights is the real event here. And, truth be told, I'd rather see something that isn't perfect and still makes me think and feel. These two plays have provoked heated arguments, lengthy discussions, and not too small doses of soul searching. To me, that is some powerful theatre.

9. Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark: It isn't the best musical by far; it isn't the worst musical, either. But the chance to see it evolve from the initial mess of those first previews, then at a final preview before the big shut down and overhaul, and finally to see the end result has been a rare treat in a long history of theatre-going. It is amazing to watch theatre professionals "rise above" and create stage magic under some extreme conditions. The end result may not be perfect, but the journey was the real experience for me.

8. Off-Broadway's Lysistrata Jones/Queen of the Mist: One show, a laugh riot of epic proportions, has moved on to Broadway; the other was a world premiere of a new musical by one of contemporary theatre's most prolific and risk-taking writers. Both excellently staged, and both so unlike each other it is hard to believe. But it is that range, that risk and the vision of one group to bring both to life that makes Transport Group one of the best discoveries of the year.

7. Off-Broadway's Death Takes a Holiday: Who needs Broadway when the best talent in the theatre world can come together in a smaller venue and connect with its audience like everyone involved in this gem of a show did last summer? Some of the best music of the season by Maury Yeston and a superb cast made this small, moving show a highlight of the summer and of the year.

6. Broadway's Bonnie and Clyde: Its critical reception isn't the shock here. The shock here is that this musical is so damned good, and everyone seems to know it. Shame on the producers for not making the most of a very vocal online community, and giving this exciting musical a chance to finds its audience. Thank goodness there will be a recording. And thank goodness I got the chance to see two of Broadway's biggest rising stars, Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes, hear a terrific score, and thrill to history unfolding in front of me. I am a lucky one.

5. The "Tech-in" for the 1st National Tour of American Idiot: My last theatrical experience of the year was also one of the best. Watching a young cast begin the journey of a lifetime - full of raw energy and a healthy dose of awe - is that rarest of opportunity. A chance to watch the birth of the latest chapter in the life of a show is something every theatre lover should have. And that it made me appreciate the piece itself is icing on the cake.

4. Lincoln Center Theater/National Theatre of Great Britain's War Horse: This wonderfully emotional play about a boy and his horse is the very reason why I prefer live theatre to film. Taking what, on the page, would seem impossible to create on the stage 8 times a week, comes to life because of the ingenuity of extremely creative people. Thanks, in part, to two fantastic women, Marianne Elliott (co-director) and Rae Smith (designer), along with those amazing puppets, the impossible comes to life, igniting the imagination and transporting us to a time long ago and to a timeless place of unconditional love and personal sacrifice.

3. Broadway's Follies: One of the most exhilarating evenings of theatre I have ever had, and I walked in thinking I hated the show. Instead, I was moved to tears and forced to contemplate my own hopes and dreams as I also face middle age and beyond. The star power of the cast and the triumphant masterpiece of a score are a rare combination, and I feel so lucky to have had the experience. The ghosts of the showgirls continue to haunt my fond memories...

2. Broadway's The Normal Heart: Every once in a rare while, you see a show that sends you to an emotional high. Rarer still, is the show that changes you emotionally and intellectually. But most rare of all is that show whose blend of purpose, theatricality and the mind-blowing talent of all involved that transforms you into a different person from the one who entered the theatre. The Normal Heart is that rarest of rare - an experience I will never ever forget.

1. The final performance of next to normal on Broadway: If you've never had the thrill of attending the closing performance of a popular show, I highly recommend it! The energy at the Booth Theatre on January 16, 2011 is unlike anything I've ever felt in a theater. Sure, the closing speech by the producer and the introduction of the director and writers was a great opportunity to give these people thanks, but the best thing, by far, was the love shared between the cast (for each other) and the audience and the show itself.

Rate this blog below and leave your comments here, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
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2011 in Review: Broadway's Breakout Stars

2011-12-28T12:01:00.000-05:00

The following 12 theatre artists had, in my opinion, a break out year in 2011. Sure, they've had careers before this year - it is nearly impossible to make it in the theatre THAT big your first time out. In a few cases, these stars began their journey toward 2011 glory before the year started, and in almost all cases, they will be continuing their triumphant year well into 2012. And in all cases, let's hope this is not the last we hear from any of them. They have made this year all the more extraordinary, and our theatre-going lives all the more rich.

Here are the 12 men - 6 man and 6 women - who did big things in 2011:

Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark): The biggest survivor of the year, this guy made his Broadway debut in one of the stormiest, well-publicized theatre events in history. Not only does he risk his life 6 times a week, he managed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders with a class, grace and dignity usually reserved for seasoned actors twice his age. One imagines that his final swing around the Foxwoods Theatre each evening is a victory lap for the entire company. One also can't imagine a better guy to represent them all.

Adam Chanler-Berat (next to normal, Peter and the Starcatcher, RENT): His first break out bit in 2011 occurred early in January, when he closed in next to normal as the only cast member to have been with the show from the very beginning. Not long after that, he starred as as Peter Pan in Peter and the Starcatcher, a huge departure from Henry, to be sure. Strong reviews for that show have it on the fast track to Broadway (I hope he comes with it!). And since this past summer he has filled some pretty big shoes, playing Mark in the off-Broadway revival of RENT. Most actors are lucky to have one role every couple of years. We were certainly lucky to have three very different chances to see this guy in one year!

Lewis Flinn (composer The Divine Sister, Lysistrata Jones): It's been quite a year for this guy, too! I nice off-Broadway hit about nuns - tongue-in-cheek, smart and subversive. Then came the gym. And the hunky basketball players and leggy cheerleaders. And more tongue-in-cheek, smart and subversive songs with a variety radio stations wish they had. And who would have ever guessed that small show - 2,500 years in the making - about a cheeky college girl crossing her legs until the guys win a game would end up on Broadway, earning rapturous reviews from The New York Times? I bet there are more than a few of us who have dreamed THAT dream.

Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon): people have often written and spoken of "the heart" of The Book of Mormon being so crucial to its success. I couldn't agree more. And "the heart" boils down to one amazing performance from a smallish, unassuming dynamo of a performer. She's one of those people that have "it" - the undefinable, but oh, so obvious "it." Every single second that she is on the stage of the Eugene O'Neill, her sweet performance elevates the entire piece. I really feel for whoever replaces her - talk about a tough act to follow!

David Korins (set designer Chinglish, Godspell, An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin): If you have seen Chinglish, you know the genius that is David Korins. A set that is so complex and yet moves with a precision that even The Rockettes could envy, is a show within the show. His set gives the show its movement and brisk pacing. It is a marvel, and also perfect in that you don't leave the play talking about the set, and yet you can't imagine it any other way. Would that he designed every show the plays at Circle-in-the-Square; it is design excellence and phenomenal talent that has transformed that in-the-round space into an endlessly creative play space for Jesus and friends for Godspell. Before that, I would never have imagined a pool of water (and the famous drip) AND trampolines on the same stage.

Jennifer Lim (Chinglish): If you miss Chinglish you are missing the quiet gem of the season. But even more, you are missing one hell of a performance - much of it in Mandarin Chinese! - full of guts, bravado, and sweet emotion. If she doesn't at least get nominated for a Tony, there is no justice. Like everyone on this list, she has "it" and this beautiful, talented actress brings it full throttle 8 times a week at the Longacre Theatre. See her!

Kyle Dean Massey (next to normal, Wicked, Lucky Guy): Even though right now, he is travelling the country as Fiyero in Wicked - lucky country! - he has had quite a year in New York City. He finished his acclaimed run in the closing company of next to normal, and went on to star in the short-lived off-Broadway musical, Lucky Guy. And it is a real shame that show didn't find an audience - in it he proved he could head a cast, be funny, sing like an angel, hold his own against a towering drag queen and a diminutive imp, and dance in cowboy boots. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what he does next.

Lindsay Mendez (Godspell): She gets it. She is completely on the right page. And if you've seen Godspell, you probably understand what I mean. In a show that encourages the actors to improvise, the ball of fire knows when it is her turn to shine, when to add to the mayhem, and when to let the spotlight hit someone else. A rare, ego-free skill which only adds to her natural presence, vivacious charm and considerable musical skills. Hard to believe this is the same gal in the hideous Everyday Rapture. Like all of the best ones, she is able to rise above it all.

Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones): Not only is she thoroughly charming in person (she talked to me for about 5 minutes at the Broadway Flea Market), but she is also giving a high energy, passionate performance as the title character in Lysistrata Jones. I'm not sure why people are avoiding this show - it is a riot. But the real shame is that people aren't seeing this triple-threat, award-worthy performance. And you have to admire any actor who sticks with a show as long as she has this one. (And I love that she's married to one of my favorites, Curtis Holbrook.)

Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon): He did the near-impossible. He made a small character into a sensation. And he did it in a show that could swallow you whole if you aren't careful. Yet, he made such an impression, that he was named one of the Out 100 of the year. Naturally, he didn't get that recognition for playing a closeted gay Mormon, but even more for his brave, inspiring leadership in the fight for same-sex marriage rights. A co-founder of Broadway Impact, he was there on the front lines, getting legislation legalizing same-sex marriage laws passed in New York. It worked! Today, New York, tomorrow, the World!

Condola Rashad (Stick Fly): Despite fine reviews in earlier productions, she has been largely known as "Phylicia Rashad's daughter." That was until Stick Fly opened. Now, her name is on everybody's lips - including major praise from all the top critics. Many call her the reason to see the play, and are calling her this season's Nina Arianda! High praise, indeed.

Melissa Van Der Schyff (Bonnie and Clyde): Where do I start? That she has a great voice? That she is a fine comedienne? Or that she will break your heart at the end of Bonnie and Clyde? As I said in my review of that show, "you can just hear them announce her name as a Tony Award nominee the minute she opens her mouth." Part Dolly Parton, part Angela Lansbury and 100% all her own, she's the actress this year I am betting will have a lifelong career on stage, TV and film. Let's hope her next show runs longer so that more people an see her amazing, beguiling talent for themselves.

Is there anyone you might have added to this list? Taken off? Let me know!
Rate this blog below and leave your comments, or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, or Tweet me!
Jeff
3.121

2011 in Review: JK's TheatreScene Awards, Part I: The Non-Performance Awards

2011-12-27T12:01:00.001-05:00

Over the final weeks of the year, I've been blogging about the Year in Theatre. In the days to come, I'll blog about my favorite shows, actors and actresses for the year, as well as those that disappointed me. But I thought I'd continue with some "JK's TheatreScene" Awards for 2011, mostly to recognize things not normally covered by traditional awards. For three years now, I still hate the generic name, but I can't think of anything else (feel free to offer suggestions). These awards cover theatre-going from January through December 2011. Like last year, I've divided them into two categories, Non-Performance and Performance Awards. Here are the former, in no particular order:

THE 2011 JK'S THEATRESCENE AWARDS: THE NON-PERFORMANCE AWARDS

(Winners that are a repeat from last year have an "*". Click on pictures to enlarge!)

Virgil's on 44th Street

John's Pizza on 44th Street
It used to be a church!

*Best Place to Eat Cheap and See Broadway Stars: The Cafe Edison in the Edison Hotel
*Best Place to Eat Cheap and Still Afford Broadway Shows: Dallas BBQ on 42nd Street
Best Place to Eat, Leave Full and Afford Discount Tickets to a Broadway Show: Virgil's on 44th Street, just behind ABC Studios. (ABOVE, TOP)
Best Pizza in the Theatre District: John's Pizza across from The Phantom of the Opera amazing toppings, each pizza hand made after you order it, and the best to-go wrapping (each slice separately in foil and bagged for travel) in the city. (ABOVE, BOTTOM)

Best Place to People Watch and Catch a Few Broadway Babies on the Way to Work (Daytime and Sunshine): Shubert Alley - a timeless tradition! (ABOVE)
Best Place to People Watch and Catch a Few Broadway Babies on the Way to Work (Daytime and Raining): The Marriott Marquis Breezeway - there are seats on an odd tube shaped thing, and it's fun to see who is buying tickets at the Marquis Box Office. Plus it sure beats getting wet, and when it is hot out, shade and a breeze are always welcome.
Best Place to People Watch and Catch Those Ticket Discount Hawkers (Early Evening and Post-Theatre at Night): The Times Square Pedestrian Mall - who can resist the lights of Broadway?

Best Ads/Logo - Broadway Play: Arcadia (ABOVE) - Simple and elegant.
Worst Ads/Logo - Broadway Play: Stick Fly (ABOVE) - Simple and gross. Fly paper can't really be an enticement, no matter how much it has to do with the play. Can it?
Best Ads/Logo - Broadway Musical: Bonnie and Clyde (BELOW) - It tells you the whole story of the two ill-fated lovers and their time.
Worst Ads/Logo - Broadway Musical: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (BELOW) - Huh?

Best Ads/Logo - Broadway Long-Running Revamp: TIE The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago (ABOVE) - The EXACT reason both are the longest-running and both are classics.
Worst Ads/Logo - Broadway Long-Running Revamp: Mamma Mia! (ABOVE) - The perfect wordless logo, now with words. Presumptuous and ego maniacal. Two things that show is definitely not.
Best Ads/Logo - Broadway-related: The 25th Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction (BELOW) - Colorful and exciting, just like the event.
Worst Ads/Logo - Broadway-related: Broadway Bares 21: Masterpiece (BELOW) - Yawn.

Best Show Window Card - Play: Other Desert Cities (ABOVE)
Best Show Window Card - Musical: Wonderland (ABOVE)
Best Off-Broadway Window Card: Lucky Guy (BELOW)
Best Broadway Body Part in an Ad: Any part of Brandon, Reed or Nicholas (BELOW) - Broadway Bares 21: Masterpiece - Broadway Bares Website
Worst Show Window Card - All Genres: The House of Blue Leaves (NOT PICTURED) My gift to you.

Best New Trend: Broadway filming events and showing them at local movie theaters. Company and Memphis were two of my favorite evenings out this year. And the movie theater was full both times!
Worst New Trend: Broadway not paying serious attention to social media and non-traditional media to support their shows.

Best Broadway Website: Godspell. Really cool, and easy to navigate! (click the link to the right)
Worst Broadway Website: Lincoln Center Theater. Austere. Informative. Difficult to navigate through closed eyes.
Best Broadway Commercial (Musical): Bonnie and Clyde. Just like last year's winner (The Scottsboro Boys) the ad was brilliant, but it has to run for people to notice, right?
Best Broadway Commercial (Play): The Normal Heart. So few words, so much meaning. Great play, great ad.

Best Theatre: Circle-in-the Square. Two shows in a row, Lombardi and Godspell, have proven that the space can work. And it is pretty comfortable no matter where you sit.
Best Theatre Lobby: The Foxwoods Theatre. Huge, historic and beautiful. You almost hate to leave to take your seats.

Best Merchandise for a New Musical: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Best Merchandise for a Long Running Musical: The Lion King. Nobody does it better than Disney.
Best Trend in Merchandising: Smart phone and tablet covers with show logos. Godspell did it first.
Best Souvenir Program: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. It is a stunning pictorial of the event you just saw. And the only injury you risk is a paper cut.
Best Souvenir Program That Rips Off Another: Baby, It's You! Wasn't the show enough of a crime? The producers of Million Dollar Quartet should sue for copyright infringement.

Best Show-Specific Merchandise: TIE The T-Shirts they sell at The Book of Mormon. The bullets and flasks they sell at Bonnie and Clyde. Nothing says crime spree and hard living like that!
Best Original Cast Recording Packaging: Follies. A top notch booklet and package for a top notch production.
Best Theatre Related Book: Look, I Made a Hat. It just had to be, didn't it?

And finally...

Best Broadway Farewell: The Follies Ads

(Pictures of merchandise from the Playbill Store; Foxwoods Theatre photos from FDA-Online; Follies, Lombardi photos by Joan Marcus; show logos and other images from Getty Images)

It's not too early to suggest categories for the 2012 version of these awards! Was there something I missed this year? An award (or three) that you don't agree with? Let me know! Email me at jkstheatresene@yahoo.com!

Jeff
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