THEATRE GOSSIP Gala #300: “Only You, You're the Only One I See - Tony! Tony!” Edition

Sleeping.

Just sleeping, for now

Marry Me a Little Me

So what 'me too' scandal is going to explode right before the Tony Awards ? What is in David Yazbek's closet (besides his agent who was already fired from one agency for sexual harassment)

going back to R592 , I saw T Scott Cunningham in his last show, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo, which closed about 2 months before he died. He didn't look sick at all, if that means anything. I didn't know much about him and did some Googling myself. His partner at the time of his death, Harry Bouvy, is now married to Sean Allen Krill, whose own previous long-time partner died of colon cancer at age 41.

My Fair Lady in the Dark.

Me and My Girl Crazy

The Day Before Spring Awakening.

A Doll's the Life

South Pacific Overtures

Call Me Mister President

The King and I Can Get it For You Wholesale

Little Me and Juliet

The Sound of Music Is

Tell Me On A Sunday in the Park With George

Surprised Lane would let himself be put into featured - it must be true that he's mellowing

What Makes Sammy Run On Your Toes On the Town?

Either Lane has mellowed or he just wants to win. He'll probably win in featured and had no chance as a lead.

Ohhh R14 upped the game by combining three. Nice job!

Can you please stop with the lame show combining thing? Start a thread that you can pollute with that nonsense.

We should be sending love out to Jeanie Tesori who just recently suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and spent 10 days in a hospital!

NO r17

Over Here's Where I Belong

Lolita My Love Match

Dance a Little Closer Than Ever

Okay, now we can stop.

Guess Ms. Tesori’s music now will be more atonal...

Previously, composer Elliott Goldenthal, husband of Julie Taymor, leaned back in a chair in his kitchen, fell down, and hit his head, resulting in brain damage. That was some years ago, and he’s composing again, but not very much.

The original challenge in thread 299 was to join two FLOP musicals to make a successful musical.

Better than decomposing, one supposes.

The combining the musicals thing has been run into the ground. Some people just have no sense of timing, and overkill everything.

Bar Mitzvah Boy Meets Boy

Boy Meets Boy wasn't a flop. It was a big hit, both off-Broadway here and also in Los Angeles with the NY company.

Joe Barrett, one of the stars, was gorgeous. I heard that he was in a threesome with the director and the other star. They're all dead now.

Joe Barrett and the other lead, David Gallegly.

My bad. Joe Barrett isn't dead, and also, apparently, isn't gay.

This shit combining show titles is so fucking dumb, and gay, the saddest eldergay gayermcgaygay, please stop it.

I went to college with David Yazbek, and he's straight, as far as I know.

I hate combining titles on Twitter and I certainly hate it here.

Nathan is desperate for that third TONY and had himself put in the Best Featured category just so he'd get it.

Hint-He's up against fierce competition from Colm Meany in ICEMAN.

[quote] going back to [R592] , I saw T Scott Cunningham in his last show, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo, which closed about 2 months before he died. He didn't look sick at all, if that means anything. I didn't know much about him and did some Googling myself. His partner at the time of his death, Harry Bouvy, is now married to Sean Allen Krill, whose own previous long-time partner died of colon cancer at age 41.

Thanks. I hate to assume pneumonia=AIDS, but at 47 in an otherwise healthy (looking), fit person... well, any way you slice it, it's odd. And there are still people out there dying from the disease who are covering it up (or whose families are covering it up) out of shame.

I always wondered if Gerry Gutierrez died from an AIDS related disease. I worked with him on a show, but never really got to know him too well. He had a lot of energy, so I was surprised to hear he'd died from the same thing Cunningham did. nd he was only in his 50s.

The actor who really deserves that Best Featured Actor is Seth Numrich in Travesties and I do hope he's justly rewarded come Tony time.

And, added bonus, he's also gorgeous to look at.

I knew a healthy-as-a-horse gym bunny in his 40s who died of sepsis. Sometimes people get sick and die, even from your garden variety flu & pneumonia. To assume it was AIDS-related when stated otherwise is 1) homophobic; 2) completely useless.

What do we think about this "Tonys for Ensemble and Chorus" nonsense? Does everybody need an award? Isn't a paycheck enough? They're not going to give an entire cast Tonys, are they? It'll just dilute their dwindling significance even more.

So what was that rumor about Denise and Lee in AiA?

I think they should pass out participation ribbons at this year’s Tony ceremony. Everyone is great!

An ensemble Tony is also unnecessary in that the competition for chorus jobs is so dense that every ensemble is totally first class, unless the person doing the casting is an idiot.

They might give out the award for the ensemble that has the most to do. But then it's not Best ensemble but rather Hardest-worked ensemble.

[quote]So what was that rumor about Denise and Lee in AiA?

She was the woman who turned him straight!

[quote] I knew a healthy-as-a-horse gym bunny in his 40s who died of sepsis. Sometimes people get sick and die, even from your garden variety flu & pneumonia. To assume it was AIDS-related when stated otherwise is 1) homophobic; 2) completely useless.

Fuck you. You can shove your accusation of homophobia up your ass, you cunt. Clearly young, healthy gay men are still sero-converting and even dying of the disease 37 years later. You can look no further than Michael Friedman to see that. So my question about T. Scott Cunningham is neither homophobic nor useless. I'm interested to know if the theatrical community is still dying from this and if we're still being robbed of talent because of this disease. If all you want to know about is which chorus boys are fucking, well, good for you. Then shut the fuck up and mind your own business when someone brings up real life.

To be told the cause of death is one thing but to assume it was AIDS-related is the definition of homophobia.

I didn't assume. I asked a question.

You do understand that for the first decade of the disease, cause of death was swept under the carpet and hidden out of some feeling of shame, and I see it still happening and I find it infuriating and upsetting. (I find that people are still dying from it more upsetting.) But please, go shove your head further up your ass so you can see only what you want to see.

R39 She needs to update her history then, he dated a woman in 2016.

I'm carrying myself over from the last thread, bitches!

And now I'd like to do a DL anthem. I hope you like it and feel free to sing along!

Ethel's still got her health and is in the pink......

Wow, Paige was VERY attractive!

And I'm gonna live until I die, r47!

I think this choreography would best be described as "fun".

Thank you Janis Paige fan for all the great clips!!

Did anyone make better cinematic use of her fabulous derriere than Janis Paige? The perfect 1950s hourglass figure.

Interesting to see her dance with Astaire. I always assumed she was tall and statuesque but there she is in 2" heels and still a couple of inches shorter than 5'7" Fred.

T. Scott Cunningham did die of AIDS. It was common knowledge at the time.

Song And Dance A Little Closer

Seth Numrich, looking like a vintage movie star in "Sweet Bird of Youth" with DL fave Kim Cattrall

Those Boys Back East dancers were fantastic and gorgeous. Hard to believe how well some drug addicts can dance.

That SWEET BIRD was really good --- didn't get the attention it deserved at the time. KC was terrific and Seth even better.

That CUNT Janis Paige stole MY song! The same one that Ethel Merman made them cut after opening night in Panama Hattie because "the second act was just too long, Betty"!

All I've Got to Get Now is My REVENGE!

Just 4 1/2 years till I join the centenarians' club, bitches!

Janis had verve.....

Janis Paige is still alive? Well who the fuck am I thinking of?

Oh, wait. Sheree North. I don't know why but I get them mixed up.

The author and composer of "Boy meets Boy" is selling headsets at "Margaritaville". Just saw him there last week.

[quote] T. Scott Cunningham did die of AIDS. It was common knowledge at the time.

If this is the case, then it's upsetting that someone felt it was necessary to scrub that from any of the death notices or bios or anything, whether it be Cunningham's family or Cunningham himself.

Sorry, Ms. Band’s Visit. The Tony is going to Lauren Ambrose. Just back from MFL, and she’s wonderful.

Agreed. Ambrose will win.

DL Patti Murin has gotten consistent raves for Frozen. The vote could clearly split with Cassie Levy but I think our Patti has a shot for Best Actress.

Wow, what an honor- A Tony because there's no one else to give it to. Big whoop.

[quote] DL Patti Murin has gotten consistent raves for Frozen. The vote could clearly split with Cassie Levy but I think our Patti has a shot for Best Actress.

Calling her "Our Patti" suggests we actually feel something for her other than annoyance. Plus, we already have an "Our Patti." And she ain't goin' nowhere.

Lutiebelle Cornpone Patti beats Morass Murrain Patti all the time!

Seth Numrich is very sexy and very deserving of the Tony.

He got naked in some play a while back. Did anyone see it?

Ambrose certainly acquits herself, particularly in Act Two. But it wasn't a star-making performance....

[quote] Those Boys Back East dancers were fantastic and gorgeous. Hard to believe how well some drug addicts can dance.

Drug addicts, r54? Randy Wojcik, Scott Fowler, Michael Berresse, Joey Pizza and Randy Bettis? I know for sure that at least one of them isn't. Which ones are, and what drugs?

Michael Berresse was into your basic party drugs back when he was in Chicago, but that’s a long time ago. He’s been drugless for at least fifteen years.

Michael Berresse back in the day.

[quote]Michael Berresse was into your basic party drugs back when he was in Chicago, but that’s a long time ago.

Hard to believe, r72, but as you say, that was a long time ago.

Anyone have his Broadways Bares striptease?

The question is, though, is Seth Numrich's performance worth sitting through a Tom Stoppard play that isn't The Real Thing?

Seth is excellent in the role

Travesties is great fun, even though the play is highly intellectual and not always easy to follow. As someone on ATC said: "It's like watching a hilarious farce in a foreign language."

But Seth is truly dazzling. Like a young Kevin Kline.

Don't know firsthand but I heard that at least 2 of the Boys were into drugs. One consistantly missed performances in shows he was in because of benders from meth. One was always on marijuana.

Wasn't Scott Fowler scooped up by someone like David Geffen?

Seth Numrich is great in TRAVESTIES. I'd vote for him. And I loved the production as well. The actors in ICEMAN are great actors who are not doing their best work, cause they've not been directed.

And now, let's talk HARRY POTTER.

Damn, it was an overlong snooze. Shockingly dull at times. Mediocre acting, mediocre-to-bad writing, so-so sets. Lighting, sound and special effects were, of course, first-rate. But the rest... What a major disappointment.

Seth Numrich appeared on Broadway in consecutive seasons starting in 2010 in The Merchant of Venice, War Horse, and Golden Boy, the last two as the lead. He seemed to be building a stage career. Then nothing until this year. Did he leave NYC to go to LA in the meantime or something?

Numrich got smoke blown up his ass after Golden Boy and went to LA. But he did get cast in the AMC show Turn and was on that for three seasons, I think.

Anyone know what Seth is like as a person? I remember reading something negative here a while back about him and hope it’s not true. It had something to do with his behavior during War Horse but I can’t remember specifics. I’m definitely a fan of his after seeing his performance in Travesties.

T. Scott Cunningham, once and for all, did not die from AIDS.

EMMY AWARD WINNING Frank DiLella

More about Tyce Green! Did he or didn't he? Will he resume his career as the #1 voice teacher to Broadway hopefuls? Can he ever get a real Broadway credit?

Seth did two plays back to back in London -- SWEET BIRD and then FATHERS & SONS at the Donmar, as Bazarov. I met him twice during his time in the UK and he was charming on both occasions.

R84, and that proves....?

R503 from #299 wrote:

[quote]Jeff Whitty is going off on Facebook again. ooh poppa Rooney we got us a loony.

On looking through his page Whitty doesn't seem unreasonable given the circumstances. He acknowledges that he went nearly crazy in prior months as his work was commandeered -- by others in his former talent agency, I am just now noticing -- but that feels more like a refreshing candor on his part than "looniness."

Whitty even kicked off a GoFundMe account this week to help out a friend in the trans community who lost nearly all of her possessions in a fire, which has raised almost ten grand in a few days.

It's almost as though somebody is trying to paint a picture of Whitty as being crazy. Somebody who stands to profit from that description. Almost like R503 is somebody from his former talent agency who otherwise has some major egg on his face and is trying desperately to do what he can to cover up a rather grievous crime. In which case this person should really leave the rhymy catchphrases ("ooh Poppa Rooney we got us a loony") to the award-winning lyricists in his stable, and focus his energies on representing his clients instead of exploiting them when they create a hit property whose major flaw was that it did not have enough of his clients aboard it.

But I am just guessing, you know, piecing this together now as a total outsider to the situation, mind you. For I am anonymous. And we can say just about anything we want 'round these parts, heaven knows.

[quote] Whitty even kicked off a GoFundMe account this week to help out a friend in the trans community who lost nearly all of her possessions in a fire, which has raised almost ten grand in a few days.

Why the fuck should anyone give money to some random tranny just because it was probably smoking meth and passed out and set the place on fire? Jesus, they really do think the world should hand them everything.

You exude class, sophistication and humanity with your every delicious syllable, R90.

[quote]Ambrose certainly acquits herself, particularly in Act Two. But it wasn't a star-making performance....

I disagree. Maybe she amped it up a bit more because it was a critics' performance on Sunday, but I thought she was thrilling. And I've seen a lot of big-star performances over the years, including Verdon and Rivera in Chicago and Lansbury in Gypsy. No, she wasn't in the same league as them, but I thought she was wonderful.

Don't know Seth Numrich very well but I found him to be a lovely guy when we worked together several years ago. I found his performance in Travesties quite astonishing as I hadn't realized from War Horse and Merchant of Venice that he could be so physically and vocally flamboyant and hilarious. And look so thoroughly sexy while doing it.

Tristan Tzara is a showy role and this will bring him a lot of new attention. He even steals the show away from Tom Hollander who is also fabulous.

T Scott Cunningham did die from complications from AIDS. He lived in my building and I agree with whoever said it was common knowledge at that time.

Will Andy Randells be off script by the time he takes over the role of Jigger in Carousel?

Laurie Metcalf and Mercedes Ruehl both dodged a bullet that they're not competing against each other this year

I believe the “we got us a looney” line is from the film “Hairspray” and was written by John Waters. Who is John Water’s agent? Is he picking on little Whitty?

What drugs does Whitty take and why did he drop out of two Elton John musicals?

And how do you get a show stolen from you?

Glenda and Laurie both deserve to win.

Just caught up w/ the revival of Falsettos. Pee-YEW! Whatever was going on on that stage, I have to hand it to Brandon Uranowitz and Stephanie Block for ignoring what they were told and finding characters and humanity, because that was a mess. Borle sang beautifully, but I'm not sure anything registered with him. Butterface Rannells- hot bod, nice bulge, that's it. And the less said about the lesbians, the better. The kid did the best he could, but he came off more as 10 instead of 13, but that wasn't a major problem. The entire first act fell completely flat outside of what Uranowitz and Block were doing, but they couldn't save it. Act Two fared better because you'd have to be a stone not to feel at least a little something (though you should be feeling and caring way more). I guess this Falsettos was for the gay community who looks at AIDS as a quaint disease from yesteryear.

Thanks for the hot breaking news, r99

Excuse me, WHAT ????? Zizi jeanmaire is ALIVE ???????

Scott Fowler was apparently pursued by David Geffen when he was in the short lived Ain’t Broadway Grand but he turned Geffen down.

[quote] Thanks for the hot breaking news, [R99]

I'm sorry. I know it wasn't the astute and groundbreaking observation of

[quote] Laurie Metcalf and Mercedes Ruehl both dodged a bullet that they're not competing against each other this year

but we do the best with what we have.

Whitty has taken off all of his rants from Facebook

With turncoat frenemies like Jason Moore and Jeff Marx, plus dirtbag producers like Kevin McCollum, it's a wonder Whitty can still work at all. He was drug addicted and in recovery for a long time, but there are still people taking advantage of him because they think he's lost his sense of reason. He hasn't. He's being fucked over by opportunists. And he's fighting back with the only way he knows. His writing.

I dont know if any of that is true R105.

But the beautiful way you expressed it makes me believe it just might be.

Thank you for that. Jeff has a friend in you. I hope he reads that as well!!

What is Jeff Marx doing these days besides counting his AVENUE Q money??

R105 What's Kevin McCollum done to earn him the title of "dirtbag?"

R90 speaks the truth.

R107, I think he’s hanging out with Jeff Whitty. He also makes a fortune from Book Of Mormon, even though he dropped out.

Did Jason Moore get paid for Book of Mormon after being fired?

He didn't drop out he was forced out for pulling some seriously fucked up shit

My PBS station had a couple of hours to fill yesterday and reran the NY Philharmonic concert production of Showboat. Which begs the question, WHET Julian Ovenden (he sang Gay Ravenel)?

Re Seth Numrich: He gave a lovely performance in the indie film Private Romeo and played gay to boot.

[quote]pulling some seriously fucked up shit

Such as? Or don't you really know? Oh, right--you're being discreet. By accusing him of "seriously fucked up shit."

So, r94, what you're saying is that in 2009, people felt the need to lie about Cunningham and deny it was AIDS? I don't buy it.

I would also add that Cunningham worked on stage up until a couple months before he died, and he certainly did not have the wasted and ravaged look people with AIDS unfortunately have, especially before they die.

That is a good question

How do you have a show that is yours taken without your consent?

And what was the other Elton John show

I know about Tammy Faye

Christ on a cracker, the twats at ATC are beating the ending of My Fair Lady to death, blathering on about "Shaw's intentions" and "Eliza's search for freedom." Just end the show after the Embassy Ball and cut the rest of the endless second act.

[quote]Just end the show after the Embassy Ball and cut the rest of the endless second act.

How is that advice any more hare-brained than the discussion on ATC?

I don't know, I thought some of the ATC posters were making some intelligent and thoughtful observations. That said, there's always the potential for shitshows when you start getting into the creators' "intention." Anyone remember the giant flap over the ART revival of Porgy in which the creative team (and Audra) claimed to have knowledge that the Gershwins intended to rewrite the story?

[quote]Anyone remember the giant flap over the ART revival of Porgy in which the creative team (and Audra) claimed to have knowledge that the Gershwins intended to rewrite the story?

No. Please share.

Julian Ovenden is a Brit. He works all the time in London, doing concerts, West End, movies, et al.

It would be a good year, given the MFL revival, for Julie Andrews to get a special Tony.

Yeah, but Julian Ovenden seemed destined for greater international stardom. The same with James Purefoy.

And they both (very much) still have their looks.

After Death Takes a Holiday it was pretty clear that Julian Overdone was just a reliable leading man, not an international star.

R120, when ART began staging its revival of Porgy & Bess (creatives were Diane Paulus and Suzan-Lori Parks; Audra McD to play Bess), they discussed in an interview their jointly held belief that the Gershwins would have revised the book had George not died; specifically, they would have provided more backstory for the characters (particularly fleshing out the two leads' backgrounds) and changing the ending to provide a more "hopeful" dramatic conclusion in which Bess asks Porgy to accompany her to NY to begin a new life, he refuses and then reconsiders and starts out after her--no longer such a cripple, he starts walking, using a cane. Sondheim sent a very angry letter to the NYT castigating the creative team for presuming to know what was on the Gershwins' minds. No matter what side you come down on, the letter's a pretty amazing read (googling ART Porgy & Bess Sondheim) will take you to it pretty quickly. Much righteous indignation from the creatives (radio silence from SS) and a subsequent interview with the NYT in which they claimed that they'd abandoned most of their revisions before the SS letter was even published, so there. In an act of real maturity, they refused in the interview to call SS by his name.

Yea that ART production of P&B was a low point as far as revisals. They didn't wind up making the most severe changes, but there was enough rewriting and reinterpretation to practically destroy the piece. Shockingly, it still got some good reviews and I think it was selling lots of tickets and only closed because Audra started missing A LOT.

Kevin McCollum is simply not nice, not gracious, and extremely arrogant. McCollum and Jeffrey Seller were a case of vile and “vileiererer”, and woe the actor who wanted to stand up for themselves with that gem of vipers, The Producing Office, real patrons of talent those two are NOT! Of course they are rich as Midus now, so they care little of opinions, but McCollum does despise that Jeffrey has that HAMILTON gold.

Although Sondheim was critical of some of the specific changes (principally having Porgy walk off into the sunset leaning on his cane--"fetch my goat" becomes a pretty useless piece of dialog in the circumstances) what really infuriated him was the creative team's arrogance in not only substituting its judgment for the Gershwins but declaring that they knew what the Gershwins' intent was. They really were insufferable.

I saw Pteradactyls 3x with Cunningham. He and the play were terrific. Handsome man. Too young to die of whatever he had.

Were Cunningham and Beane lovers at one time? They were together a lot before “”as bees”

[quote] So, [R94], what you're saying is that in 2009, people felt the need to lie about Cunningham and deny it was AIDS? I don't buy it.

It is, sadly, entirely possible. I know of a couple people who died of it just a few years before Cunningham died ('05 and '06) and the families made sure there wasn't a trace of the real cause in any obits. And I'd like to know- do you (the person suffering) keep quiet about it because you're ashamed or is there something more? Perhaps not wanting to promote the idea that people still die from this? I feel very saddened by what happened to Michael Friedman, but I seriously hope his death sunk in to at least one person who, for whatever reason, didn't think this was still a fatal disease.

[quote]principally having Porgy walk off into the sunset leaning on his cane

Gasp! Porgy was a lesbian?

Hello my gays! Make sure to catch me, along with your fave Jonny Groff on "Live From Lincoln Center" this week!

Kisses!

r132, I'm sure that as last as the period you mention, people died of AIDS without it being mentioned as AIDS. But in this case, both Cunningham and his partner Harry Bouvey were a known theatre couple, completely out as gay men and together 14 years, and successful send respected artists. They had a large community of family, both in theatre and their actual blood families, all of whom seemed to be very close to one another. It makes no sense there would be any subterfuge.

Regardless,I don't believe it was AIDS due to the fact that Cunningham looked quite healthy a few months before he died--not emaciated, ravaged, etc. And the suddenness of his death was a real shock to people who knew them. So no, I don't believe it was AIDS.

Re Jeff WHitty. I think someone is trying to make him into a loon. I read his facebook posts, and, yes, he is angry and rants about what happened to his GoGos show, but who wouldn't be? From what I can gather, his talent agency did not represent his music supervisor, and they wanted to replace her with someone they did. There were also a few other spots they wanted to fill using people they represented. Whitty was loyal, and would not let them fire his music supervisor, so they removed him from the project, so now the entire creative team is represented by one agency and they all have the same lawyer. It sounds like the hard nosed tactics that CAA did in their heyday. Would I be upset if that happened to me? I sure would be! Would I rant and rave about it? Absolutely. But, someone is trying to paint Whitty as a madman, when his anger is completely justifiable. His only problem is he tends to write rather long-winded posts that might strike some as being odd, but he's a writer and has a sometimes purple way of writing, but the gist of what he writes about is valid.

*as late as the period

**successful and respected artists

I just read on ATC that mlop isn't MIA, she's just been very busy.

[quote] Regardless,I don't believe it was AIDS due to the fact that Cunningham looked quite healthy a few months before he died--not emaciated, ravaged, etc. And the suddenness of his death was a real shock to people who knew them. So no, I don't believe it was AIDS.

But neither of those things you mentioned have much to do with AIDS these days. You don't necessarily have that emaciated, ravaged look anymore with the drugs they have. And you can be relatively healthy (and healthy looking) but if a nasty infection takes root, things can go downhill very quickly and it can be sudden and shocking because the body isn't necessarily strong enough to fight it off.

Healthy adults can get pneumonia. And, if they develop sepsis and ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome), they can die. It isn't common, but it happens. HIV has nothing to do with it.

Will Brantley go crazy over MFL and Ambrose?

[quote]WHET Julian Ovenden

He played dishy Michael Kitchen's sexy son in "Foyle's War." He was in Seasons 4 & 5 of "Downton Abbey". And he played JFK in the tv musical series "Smash" starring Big Balls Borle. He just played Bobby Kennedy in "The Crown" in that crappy Kennedy episode.

When did Theatre Gossip turn into WebMD? Who cares about how someone died unless it's lurid.

Ovenden was a woefully miscast Captain Von Trapp in the UK live version of The Sound of Music. He was way too short and had zero chemistry with the gal playing Maria.

Was he as short as Glenda in Three Not-So-Tall Women?

(He looked great TOUT NU in the Donmar revival of My Night With Reg)

I saw Ovendon as the Baron in Grand Hotel at the Donmar. Swishiest, gayest performance I’ve ever seen. I feared the whole of the Seven Dials was going to go up in flames. Imagine my surprise when I found out he was straight.

Whitty chose to leave the Elton John projects-anyone involved will attest. It was not acrimonious.

As for "how does someone get a musical stolen out from under them:" one's creative property is no shit to a working artist. You earn it. He did.

But when your law firm reps several producers, Gwyneth Paltrow and five Go-Go's, and you are suddenly dropped by them with no defense (because you hired them to defend you), and they begin an assault to grab your creative control - as your agent screams at you in front of producers when you object the firing of your collaborators to make room for his people, disparaging your work as he and the law firm spread the lie that you refused to change anything in order to make you seem unreasonable (how else can they justify their actions?) -

That is how you get a musical stolen out from under you. Artists have a personal connection to their work. When it wrecked for suspect reasons and put before the public while you are shunned and disparaged is rough emotionally. And if the "revised" work is of lesser quality, it is the theft a working artist's income. By people you trusted.

The producers demanded his name remain on the work. His Tony was valuable for the marketing. They bled his finances dry from legal fees until he cried uncle.

He quit and wasn't fired. He could not redo all of that work he did with his original music supervisor, who was dumped with barely a "thank you" to her - more theft from a working artist.

And the threats he received from strangers sound very peculiar.

It's enough to send anybody downhill.

Jesus.

Yeah, now it’s getting shilly.

[quote] Who cares about how someone died unless it's lurid.

It’s the fraus, who do still think dying from AIDS is “lurid”.

I think Jeff Whitty is posting in here. Or a Russian troll on a samovar break. The question does remain un answered. If its yours, you wrote you own it. Just say go away and do something else with your Go Go tunes. Why was that not done?

Ovenden can be gay for the right offer.

Is Broadway afraid of Scott Rudin the way that Hollywood was afraid of Harvey Weinstein? Cross them and they will cut you.

Hell, r153. Helen friggin' Lawson is afraid of Scott Rudin!

Kevin McCollum is a walk in the park compared to Rudin.

By the way, one of the things that infuriated Sondheim was renaming it to, “The Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess”, when in fact the lion’s share of the text was by DuBose Heyward. Ira Gershwin only wrote a handful of song lyrics In Porgy, and Sondheim never liked his lyrics anyway.

My prediction for featured actor in a play nominations:

Nathan Lane (winner)

James McArdle

Seth Numrich

Lee Pace

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett

So, no one from Iceman?

I don't think there would be 4 nominees from the same show. Although this season sucks so there's not a whole lot of other options. Anthony Boyle from Harry Potter won the Olivier and will probably get nominated, as well as Colm Meaney from Iceman. Lee Pace and either McArdle or Stewart-Jarrett will be left out.

They'll be handing Glenda her Tony already engraved.

Scott Cunningham came down with a bad flu. Since he was immuno-suppressed (with HIV), the flu went into pneumonia, and that was that. His system didn’t have the strength to fight it.

It wasn’t a total shock to friends and family, because his health had taken an “iffy” turn a couple of months before,

Julian Ovenden looked spectacular totally naked in My Night With Reg. Lucious, big cock on that boy.

r160, having HIV isn't the same as dying of AIDS, which is what others (maybe you) have said regarding Cunningham's death.

Anthony Boyle is one of the very few acting highlights from HARRY POTTER. It's insane that they brought British actors over to play those roles.

As for possible Tony nominees... Don't forget LOBBY HERO.

[quote] [R160], having HIV isn't the same as dying of AIDS, which is what others (maybe you) have said regarding Cunningham's death.

Really? Because I know a whole lot of men who died from the same cause, "pneumonia," in the 80s and 90s and you're not going to tell me that being HIV+ didn't play a large role in it. It's not like he was HIV+, slipped on a banana peel and fell off a cliff.

What's the deal with cutie James McArdle? Gay?

Supposedly straight, r165, though there’s no proof one way or another.

James McArdle is very ambidextrous. And getting more so.

Has anyone seen Kathleen Turner's cabaret act, now in London?

I was lucky enough to see "My Night with Reg" at the Apollo (I believe), after the transfer. And I got a rush ticket (first row). And yes, Ovenden's dick was delicious. Thick and pretty long. Beautiful bush. Bigger than average balls. I would have spent hours on that dick. I have to add that I think he is a beautiful man. The young(er) man, Lewis Reeves, had a humongous dick. There were a couple of gasps, followed by giggling, when he unveiled that piece of meat.

Thank you R137 and R147

THAT is what these threads are for IMO.

And in regards to Jeff-

some one of those currently involved in the HOH mess had once been where Jeff is now and should know better.

that was R136 and R147 above^

Julian Ovenden and Lewis Reeves about to show us their delicious dicks in "My Night With Reg"

The "My Night With Reg" cast displaying their asses for all to see. Lewis Reeves center top, Julian Ovenden directly below him and slightly left of center.

Who's worse- Scott Rudin or John Buzzetti?

Richard Cant has a pretty nice ass for an old guy.

Who was responsible for [title of show]—Kevin McCollum or Jeffrey Seller?

Whoever it was, r176, the man should be drummed out of Broadway!

That paisley dressing gown and hairdo on Ovenden are a dick downer if I ever saw one. And I don't believe that's Julian is in the the full cast full ass photo.

With that dressing gown, Ovenden could lead an all-naked revival of PRESENT LAUGHTER -- anyone remember the gratuitous nudity in the Scott Elliott-directed one, years ago?

Anyone word on Katharine McPhee in Waitress? Was pleasantly surprised by the bootleg audio, but has she learnt to act since Smash?

Also is she shtupping around still or exclusive with David Foster?

I ask out of concern of course!

Michael Berresse back on Broadway in THE CHER SHOW, playing Bob Mackie.

Whitty is cray. No one stole “his” show; he refused to rewrite and participate with new team. That is the producer’s prerogative. Whitty wasn’t a producer, he works for them...

I don't know any details of the Whitty/HOH situation, but I just looked up James Magruder, the guy who replaced Whitty as book writer, and his two previous Broadway credtis are -- wait for it -- TRIUMPH OF LOVE and that horrible 2009 revisal of GUYS AND DOLLS. So, there you have it.

How do we know Whitty refused to participate and rewrite? Given that Avenue Q was rewritten -- and very revised for the Las Vegas production -- he has demonstrated that he is willing to do it. Perhaps he dug in his heels because he was loyal to the other members of the creative team that the producers wanted to replace? We don't know the story, and there are probably too many sides to the issue for the truth to ever be known. He is not without talent and imagination, so, for his and the producer's sake, I hope the show is a huge hit, and everyone makes money off it. Even though they are of my time, I was never a GoGos or Belinda Carlisle fan, so the music holds no appeal to me.

God, that Cher things sounds like a shit show. Like a mashup of Summer and Beautiful. Sounds like a new douche product.

Charlie Williams in Cher show- i hope he gets a nude scene.

Are you stoned, r185?

How can you have possibly formed an opinion of a show that hasn't had a single performance yet?

r185, thanks. I didn't notice Charlie was in the Cher show. I'm ok with Berresse having nude scene as well.

I meant, thanks, r186

Rolling Stone on The Cher Show

D E A D

What do Cher, The Go Gos, Donna Summer, The Temptations, Jimmy Buffet, and Tina Turner all have in common?

ANSWER: They are all nails in the Broadway coffin of musical theater.

RIP . It is officially dead, like the drama which died years ago.

The Cher Show will be magnificent theatre! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo to them all!

It is dead to all except gays (Cher), disco leftovers (Donna Summer), African Americans (The Temptations), Baby Boomers (Jimmy Buffet) and the #MeToo crowd (Tina Turner).

Who the hell the GoGos will bring in is a mystery to me.

Michael Campayno as Rob Camilletti in The Cher Show is GREAT casting.

You know what would save Broadway?

An all female version of Yank! starring Stephanie J Brock and DL favorite, Patti Murin.

(Sarcasm aside, the Zellnik brothers do write some beautiful songs and Yank! should have happened...)

r191 and r193 BUFFETT, not Buffet.

[quote] Are you stoned, [R185]? How can you have possibly formed an opinion of a show that hasn't had a single performance yet?

Hmmmm. Because I've been going to Broadway for 30 years.

[quote]Because I've been going to Broadway for 30 years.

Only 30?

[quote]Because I've been going to Broadway for 30 years.

Then why bother seeing anything?

I was a Floradora Girl.

R200, No you weren't.

Did McCollum and Seller part ways before "Hamilton" or because of "Hamilton"?

They parted ways because Seller decided he wanted to leave producing and become a director... and then Hamilton fell into Seller's lap

[quote] Then why bother seeing anything?

That's quite the leap from me looking at a crassly commercial cash grab like The Cher Show (which, let's face it, you queens all know will suck, but god forbid anyone disses one of your goddesses) and turning up my nose at it, to "why bother seeing anything?"

Does anyone here actually think The Cher Show is going to be good theater? You're lying if you do, or you have terrible taste. And it clearly isn't even going to offer a well constructed main character, the way Beautiful, itself a fairly terrible show but with some character merit, did because you've got three actresses playing Cher. It's a fucking Vegas revue. And that's where it belongs. But please keep pretending this thing is going to put quality first. It's amusing.

I remember THE BLACK CROOK like it was yesterday!

I was a Chu Chin Chow girl with Mame Dennis and Vera Charles!

r206 I was never in the chorus.

I went to the opening night of “A Trip to Chinatown”

Yanks is terrible. I can't find a single song on it that is really quality.

Julian Ovenden in one of the handful of performances he actually was in in "Death Takes a Holiday." He sounds fine here - what is it exactly that happened to his voice that made him have to withdraw?

Oops, the link

[quote]I remember THE BLACK CROOK like it was yesterday!

"The Black Crook" was soooo derivative of earlier musicals, R205. I left at intermission.

"The Black Crook" wasn't nearly as good as the original play, "The Black Cock."

I made my debut as Polly Peachum in the original Beggar's Opera. Just goes to show you can't hold back talent and guts.

Norm Lewis was great in The Black Cock. Delicious.

Norm Lewis is obese

He definitely has one body part which is very fat.

r207 Miss Charles, I've just got to tell you how I adored you in Mary of Scotland!

Great excitement at 42nd Street tonight in London. Those in attendance will know why.

Will they dim the lights of Broadway for Barbara Bush? Wasn’t she in the chorus of The Black Crook?

Ashley split his pants?

R219, will they announce during the curtain calls the director has died?

[quote]Great excitement at 42nd Street tonight in London. Those in attendance will know why.

Oh FFS, just say it.

Rev. Wanda was on for Lulu?

R210 I saw Ovendon in "Death Takes A Holiday". It sounded look a very good voice, but with a very problematic technique. I didn't think he would last that long the way he was singing, and he was very soon thereafter. Hopefully he found a better singing teacher.

He as out of the show soon thereafter - damn, can't edit.

If The Boy From Oz, with an outstanding performance by Hugh was a dud, the Cher Show won't be a classic. His music and story was much more interesting. There will be laughs at the guy playing Sonny with a ridiculous wig.

Did anyone know June Lockhart has a Tony? "Most Promising Newcomer," 1948. The award is no longer given.

I'm no singing teacher but I've always found Ovenden's singing very affected. I can never relax and enjoy him. I've seen him in concert a few times. Something off about his placement, I think.

Funny how Steph Block played Liza and now Cher...

There's nothing flamboyant about Block, though, is there?

Do you mean to the left when to the right would be more appropriate, r229?

With all those former Elphabas playing Cher, will there be a lot of screaming in the show?

Aw shit R198 I saw PAL JOEY. The first one!

No R199, the definition of a fat opinionated fairy.

[quote] I can never relax and enjoy him

There are plenty of men in London who’ve been able to relax and enjoy Julian Ovenden in spite of his placement.

But - shh! - don’t tell his wife!

Block ain’t much of a thespian.

The Zellniks ain’t much, either.

The London company had a different Emory?

Tina, the Tina Turner show, opened to great reviews in London tonight. Adrienne Warren, who was Tony nominated for Shuffle Along, is apparently fantastic.

Great!- more money for the untalented director Phyllidia Lloyd who brought us Mama Mia!

I want to hear about the My Night With Reg Actor with the huge dick, Lewis Reeves. Who’s had him?

[quote] Did anyone know June Lockhart has a Tony? "Most Promising Newcomer," 1948. The award is no longer given.

Why the fuck NOT?

I recently watched the BBC film of My Night w/ Reg on my free week of Broadway HD (not sure if I'll keep it). I was bored silly and didn't make it past the first act. Does it get any better (besides all the cock)?

Hey, bitches!! My Night with Reg was done in NYC and no one came to see it.

I tried to watch the Reg TV recording a few years ago too. I ended up fast forwading to the nudity. The nudity didn't much impress either.

R243 Besides Max Caulfied, Sam Trammell was also totally naked in it, but then again Trammell has been naked in lots of things.

So what was the great surprise 42nd Street audiences had tonight in London?

[quote]So what was the great surprise 42nd Street audiences had tonight in London?

First time all the Brits got the dance steps executed correctly.

I saw the original production of My Night With Reg in London when I was in grad school.

Can't remember anything about it, really. Just another one of those gay plays that used to bring in the boys and men so they could see themselves represented on stage. I was shocked when it was brought to NYC, and even more surprised to see it recently revived.

I've now heard from three people that SUMMER is appalling. Anyone here seen it?

Also, no one has mentioned the shade that the Lortel Awards gave to Martin McDonagh. The one big Off-Broadway play hit of the season was overlooked for every award except scene design. And HANGMEN is going to transfer in the fall.

Kevin McCollum was the lead producer who pushed [title of show] to Broadway.

He is also an investor in HAMILTON, just not one of the producers. Sellers wanted that all to himself. There's a wonderful NYTimes magazine article that details all that.

IF THERE IS A GOD I N HELL, WE WONT HAVE TO SUFFER THRU A NATHAN LANE SPEECH, WITH HIS LAME ASS HUMOR.

ARGHHHHHH

his chat show appearances are humiliating.

ROCKTOPIA!

A delightful evening with an enthusiastic yet respectful audience.

Go figure.

r236: What are the Zellniks doing?

[quote]That's quite the leap from me looking at a crassly commercial cash grab like The Cher Show (which, let's face it, you queens all know will suck, but god forbid anyone disses one of your goddesses) and turning up my nose at it, to "why bother seeing anything?"

Everyone thought "'Jersey Boys" would be gone in six months when announced. It can happen again.

But Jersey Boys sucked

[quote]But Jersey Boys sucked

Yeah with 4680 performances on Broadway, 8 Tony nominations with 4 wins including Best Musical. A current Off Broadway production and playing all over the word is what every show dreams to be. But you didnt like it. OK then.

So what was the great surprise 42nd Street audiences had tonight in London?

The British orchestra managed to play the right tempo during “Lullaby of Broadway” for the first time?

I never liked Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and really expected to hate Jersey Boys. I didn't. I loved it. I think part of the reason, though, was because it was well-written and hit all the right notes in the right places, and the cast was just so charming and energetic. It was extremely well-executed.

[quote]So what was the great surprise 42nd Street audiences had tonight in London?

Did Robbie propose to Ashley after the curtain call?

Just got an email from Equity stating that this is the last year that the Gypsy Robe ceremony will be called that, as "Gypsy" has a negative commotation for the Romani population. You can't make this stuff up! They haven't chosen a new name yet. Any suggestions? (Not to mention a new title for the musical!)

My partner just suggested NOMADIC PERSON OF NO DISTINGUISHABLE HERITAGE OF THE YEAR.

r259: That's ridiculous. How about "Whore"?

Well, Robbie Fairchild is definitely in London. He posted a pick with Leanne Cope of his reunion with ihis “partner in crime.” (Ashley Day was the first person who liked it). Maybe he is going to propose onstage?

But who will play Mama Rose in the next annual production of NOMADIC PERSON OF NO DISTINGUISHABLE HERITAGE?

I'm surprised no one's asked: how will CHER, the musical, portray Chastity / Chaz?

Will s/he have a song?

[quote]Cher herself will be portrayed by three different actresses representing her at different points in her life: in the 1960s, the '70s and the '80s and onward. And all three Chers will be onstage at the same time, often giving each other advice about Cher's love life and career.

THREE TALL CHERS!

Does Glenda Jackson sing?

Well, she had that tricky obligato in.....

Glenda yo-ho-hos........

Well with this Gypsy robe shit happening the cast of The Cher Show should definitely refuse to perform at the Oriental Theater in Chicago where the show is scheduled to have its premiere.

Glenda could easily have done Coco or Applause. Or Tovarich!

Or Sarava!

Have they axed "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" from the Cher show score?

I played Bob Dylan so I'm sure I could pull off Cher.

They just hum where the Gypsies should be.

Gypsy will be retitled Rose!

Patti Murin’s mental health day. It’s like data lounge is writing the world now.

They sing "Censored, Tramps and Thieves, we hear it from the people of the town, they call us Censored, Tramps and Thieves..."

And if it wasn't for me, Miss beep-beep Rose Lee!

And why pray tell, did Miss Patti Murin tell the world she didn't go to work for one night because of an anxiety attack? Was that really necessary?

Princess Patti's tweet

Patti Murin sounds like a fat girl’s name.

Elaine Stritch would have had a field day with Patti Murin. Carol Channing too.

So no follow up on the 42nd street news? Why say that and then not say what it was?

We are at the half way mark of Bernadette’s turn. Who’s next?

So during Patti's anxiety attack did she rip to shreds BroadwayWorld again? Those poor teenagers didn't know what hit them the first time.

And if it wasn't for me, then where would you be, Miss Roma Rose Lee?

Well, it fits, anyway.

The expunging of Gypsy was a plot by Mr. Stephen Sondheim to derail Miss Barbra Streisand's ambitions to bring that musical to the screen.

[quote]Yeah with 4680 performances on Broadway, 8 Tony nominations with 4 wins including Best Musical. A current Off Broadway production and playing all over the word is what every show dreams to be. But you didnt like it. OK then.

Fox & Friends is the #1 morning show on cable, but that doesn’t mean it’s any good.

The degeneration and perversion of the English language continues unchecked.

We're living 1984, peoples!

Laugh me off the internet, but what about calling it the fairy robe, or the pixie robe? All the lighthearted connotation of what "gypsy robe" meant minus the offensive word.

R285, shhhh! You’re going to upset the writer. He posts here. Jersey Boys is his whole life!

Bernadette's finest hour!

With her crowning glory away from her face, Bernadette... could play Angela Lansbury.

The cast of Spring Awakening went to Florida to guest-direct a rehearsal of the show by the Parkland kids. The best part of this story is that Gideon Glick organized the trip and they ALLEGEDLY all stayed together in an Airbnb.

In what world would Lea Michele a) still speak to Gideon Glick, b) not demand her own hotel room and refuse to sleep anywhere near the Poors?

Couldn't they just watch "Rise" instead?

Looks like Gideon actually did wrangle most of the original cast to go. Whatever happened to the blonde guy who played Hänchen? Did he entirely quit the business?

NO ONE is watching RISE, R292.

I'm the person who thinks the Cher Show will be a shit show. I thought Jersey Boys was a fairly strong show. I took my mom for her birthday about three months after it opened, so while I wasn't dragged to it, it wouldn't have been my first choice since it was a bit after my time, music wise. But I thought the production was well directed and the book was surprisingly strong. I didn't quite understand, nor could I join in on, the post-menopausal squealing of the majority of the audience since the music meant nothing to me, but I thought the show's success was warranted.

I thought Beautiful was a train wreck that was saved 100% by the performances of Jessie Mueller, (and to a lesser degree) Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector. I couldn't even imagine having to sit through it without Mueller.

Andy Cohen was in the audience of both parts of ‘The Inheritance’ at the Young Vic in London yesterday.

Which was kind of appropriate, as ‘The Inheritance’ is as much of a contrived melodramatic mess as any episode of Real Housewives.

love you R296----I like a tough critic!

Gideon Glick has a lot of time on his hands

[quote]I love you [R296]-----I like a tough critic!

I do, too, e297, but r296 is critiquing The Cher Show , a show no one has seen yet.

There goes that revival of Bajour.

Is it just me? When I see old photos of Bernadette, it looks like she must have had her chin and jawline shaved down because she used to look just like Joan Sutherland and now she doesn't. THe changover must have happened sometime in the 70s.

What will Laura Linney do now with her revival? Will it just be called “Some People Ain’t Me?”

Being "taught" by Lea Michele? Haven't the Parkland kids been through enough?

You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear.

[quote]A poll is open to Equity members to suggest new names for the robe; options include the Baum Bradley Robe, the Legacy Robe, and the Chorus Robe.

Who the fuck is Baum Bradley?

NOMADIC PERSON OF NO DISTINGUISHABLE HERITAGE ROBE!

I laugh at the people who think there can be an intelligent, nuanced discussion of the word “gypsy” once one side has decided that their starting position is “it’s an ethnic slur!”

The Tramp Robe

The “Anderson Cooper is Gooch” robe!

DRAMA LEAGUE NOMINATIONS. DISCUSS!

Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play: Hangmen … Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Parts One and Two … In the Body of the World … Is God Is … Meteor Shower … Oedipus El Rey … School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play … Until the Flood

Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play: Angels in America … Children of a Lesser God … Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo … Hamlet … The Iceman Cometh … Lobby Hero … Saint Joan … Three Tall Women … Torch Song … Travesties … Yerma

Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical: The Band’s Visit … Bella: An American Tall Tale … Frozen … Hundred Days … KPOP … Mean Girls … SpongeBob SquarePants … Summer: The Donna Summer Musical … Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie

Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical: Carousel … My Fair Lady … Once On This Island … Pacific Overtures

[quote]DRAMA LEAGUE NOMINATIONS. DISCUSS!

Apparently every show that opened this season.

[quote]Apparently every show that opened this season.

And several that not only haven't opened yet, but could be really different by the time they do.

.....it wouldn't have been my first choice since it was a bit after my time, music wise."

That would make you post-post menopausal r295, mais oui?

R313- you are absolutely correct. Of course I meant to say before my time. Whoops! I'm heading toward menopausal today, but 12 years ago, I assure you my imaginary reproductive system was flashing on all cylinders!

The Equity letter was so fucking condescending. I wanted to write back-

I'd like to vote for The "You may as well shove the robe up your cunt now that you've ruined a harmless tradition that no one was complaining about" robe, but they'd already made the choices for us and there was no write-in slot..

Did Patti Murin's handsome husband cure her of anxiety by fucking the shit out of her?

How does she pull such hot guys? One after the other. She's not much to look at, and she sounds like a fucking nightmare. She must suck some mean dick, but that doesn't mean you have to marry her.

You made me laugh R309.

[r317] gay men everywhere

Jersey Boys is a very entertaining show, probably the best of the jukebox musicals (a low bar, I know). Best Musical? No.

[quote]Jersey Boys is a very entertaining show, probably the best of the jukebox musicals

I think it's great out of the jukebox musicals that create a storyline. "Ain't Misbehavin'" "Smokey Joe's Café" and "Swinging On A Star" are all excellent. But they don't present a storyline, it's just good song after good song. On the other end of the scale is the execrable "Always Patsy Cline". What rubbish that was and I enjoy Patsy's music.

Would it kill someone to mount a well-cast revival of Ain't Misbehavin'? I saw the last preview of the original cast, and it was fantastic.

[r322] who would the cast be? I’d love to see Brian Stokes, Billy Porter, Audra Ann, and Tonya Pinkins do it as an older cast.

r322, I make do with this.

Audra Ann would play it even whiter than this.

It's the Drama League play nominations that are fascinating. Far from everything was chosen. Considering all the new plays that were Off-Broadway, and the few that were on Broadway, only 2 of the nods went to B'way shows (Meteor Shower!), and some of the OB choices are bizarre: Oedipus El Rey?! Obviously Juan Castano's gorgeous cock deserves accolades, but this?

I'm going to see Yerma tonight. Will I survive?

R327,

Yes! It's excellent. Billie Piper is delivering a staggering performance. And the design of the play is fascinating. Not the easiest of evenings, but definitely worthwhile.

Thank you, R327. I'm on my way...(to dinner first).

No Drama League nomination for 'Carousel'? How racist

The Patti Murin tweet is getting a ridiculous amount of coverage for a tweet- it's getting NBC coverage right now. Clearly Disney press is pushing it. Insanity!

The tweet was a front page story for the US page of The Guardian.

What the heck is the Murin tweet about? And why does anyone care?

All this media coverage over an actress' calling out sick because of anxiety will now make it okay for school girls and fraus to use this as an excuse for skipping school and work. No nomination for her!!!!! She is a trouble maker.

Since Patti just lost her chance, does this mean I win?

"Ain't Misbehavin'" Audra, Amber Riley, Anika Noni Rose, Billy Porter, Corbin Bleu & Alex Newell (if he wears a suit)

I think London’s Company gathered for the first time. Saw some short interviews of LuPone and the rest of the cast.

Audra doesn't really fill the type needed for either the Nell or Charlayne roles. And she sure ain't gonna play Armelia.

[quote]Audra doesn't really fill the type needed for either the Nell or Charlayne roles. And she sure ain't gonna play Armelia.

Oh that's right Datalounge theater queens demand exact recreations of an original show right down to look & soundalikes.

Why does anyone humor that true loon Patti Murin? She’s a nut, a drunk, a mean human and a “meh” personality as a performer? Her hold on press and media is a puzzlement.

a drunk?

I'm watching more of those Sophisticated Ladies clips. How the fuck did Phyllis Hyman NOT win the Tony, especially against Marilyn "I'll sing one half a number, but nothing more" Cooper. Hyman was amazing. Did she do any further theater? There was nothing on IBDB or the Lortel archive (though that one is far from comprehensive).

Any thoughts on this bit of news?

Anyone have any info on Tally Sessions?

Anyone have any info on Tally Beatty?

I have info on Talley's Folly.

[quote]Any thoughts on this bit of news?

All the A listers said "No!"

I would have expected Denzel to step up and host.

What a surprise. Patti Murin is a diagnosed mentally ill nutbag. Why is this complete mediocrity working?

Patti Murin is magnificent! Brava! Brava!

Patti Murin can shoot a basketball better than any of the other Galindas or Andrew Rannells.

The press basically covers every single thing that Kristen Bell puts on instagram and I think it was decided very recently that Patti Murin's social media might deserve the Kristen Bell treatment. She is Broadway's Princess Anna after all and it isn't like she posted something about anal worms.

Don’t count on it, bitch.

[quote]What the heck is the Murin tweet about? And why does anyone care?

Because she discusses her husband Colin Donnell’s big dick at length.

THR reviews "My Fair Lady":

Variety:

Tony winner Lauren Ambrose

[quote]it isn't like she posted something about anal worms.

Thanks for the idea, r350!

“It’s a triumph of acting that this non-singer manages to sing like a trouper. But the strain shows” isn’t the kind of review comment a winner of Best Actress in a Musical should be getting,

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I'm already feeling moist from all the drooling and dribbling Ben Brantley must be doing right about now.

The headline for #301 should definitely have Patti Murin in there somewhere.

R277 for the win!

r344: Tally sessions: A sweetheart, hot body, straight.

Tally: ho?

Sweet Gesu, spare me the horrible gobbledy-goo of politically correct reviews!

[quote]Who the fuck is Baum Bradley?

Bill Bradley and Florence Baum, r305.

"The tradition of the Gypsy Robe dates back to 1950, when Bill Bradley, a chorus member of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” borrowed a dressing gown from fellow chorus member Florence Baum. He then sent that robe to Arthur Partington, a chorus member in “Call Me Madam,” with the joke that it was worn by some of the Ziegfeld Follies. Partington added a rose from a gown worn by his show’s star, Ethel Merman, and sent it to a chorus member in “Guys and Dolls,” setting up the current tradition."

The article this quote came from (linked below) has at least one error: the membership of AEA were not asked to vote on this. It was decided for them. It's a bullshit, kneejerk, meaningless, "look at all the good we do" move.

Tom Viola has nixed any idea of changing the BC/EFA's Gypsy of the Year name. Good for him.

Sad to see The Actors Company Theater is closing its doors. Remarkably consistently excellent performances and productions. Ill never forget that excellent revival of Brian Friel's "Lovers" and really liked "lost in Yonkers"

DATALOUNGE sleuths, how is my tour selling? Am I close to Bernadette numbers or is Rudin facing horrible regret headaches?

Sad, sad, sad, r343.

Pickled Princess Patti Posts Plotzed!

Instead of Ben Brantley, it's Jesse Green who's slobbering all over "My Fair Lady." He gives it Bart Sher a total blowjob, down to excusing Lauren Ambrose's voice as more "intimate" because of being weaker.

whats new pussycat?

Has anyone seen Kathleen Turner's cabaret act in London? She seems to be styling herself as the next Elaine Stritch (and, indeed, would be a great Claire in A DELICATE BALANCE)

So the new Dolly after Bernadette is ...

Bette Midler. She comes back for six weeks (along with David Hyde Pierce) in late July and then the show will close.

[quote]DATALOUNGE sleuths, how is my tour selling?

It's doing great, Betty Lynn! They've sold at least fifty tickets to most of the stops already!

So what (Scott Rudin produciton) going into the Shubert after Dolly closes?

Tally is very talented. Nice guy. Huge balls.

I love how people like R365 call the move to change the name of the "Gypsy Robe" kneejerk and act like this is something sudden.

When I got my first job in 1982, I was given a short list of derogatory words to avoid in any context. Gypsy was on the list. This was always a bit dicey and the surprising thing is that it took Equity so long to get to the place where other businesses arrived at a long, long time ago.

Hmmm I wonder what happened with Audra? Didn’t Reidel leak she was being wooed to close Dolly?

Patti Murin gets to bed Colin Donnell and she’s having panic attacks? What a cunt.

Weird - why would Rudin close this instead of running forever with replacement Dollys like Chicago ... and like the original

I suppose Rudin could keep the Dolly tour going for a long time with B and C list former TV stars. Perhaps that's his plan.

My impression is that those original Gypsy Robes were laden with memorabilia from many musicals before a new robe was started. Now it looks like each robe just gets a painted or embroidered panel of the show's poster logo and is finished after about a dozen turns.

Where do all those old Gypsy Robes go when they're retired? Are they on display somewhere?

Will Andy Randells be off script by the time he goes in to MFL as the replacement Freddie Eynsmore Hills?

[quote]It’s a triumph of acting that this non-singer manages to sing like a trouper.

What a moronic comment. Obviously Lauren Ambrose is not a "non-singer." Next review, please.

For anyone who missed these classic Broadawy threads of yore, I am posting them. New to DL spent the last hour devouring them.

part 2 to the old nastiest person on Broadway thread

Well, I guess the film version of Tale of the Allergist’s Wife starring Bette and Sharon Stone will postpone shooting until the fall at the earliest.

They want equity members to suggest a new name for the Gypsy Robe. How about the Bajour Robe? I swear people in this country, both on the right and left, have lost their minds.

Jesus will I never be fucked over?

So, Lauren Ambrose can’t sing in a musical role who’s basic requirement is that you must be able to sing. Okay. So both leads now speak everything? Why call it a musical then?

I had a 50 year musical theatre career and I could NEVER sing.

Um, who has said she can't sing??? FAKE NEWS ! She sings beautifully and H H-P sings much better than most Higginses ever have !

r390 WTF are you talking about? You sound like a delusional Trump acolyte.

Will someone spoil the end of MFL that the Times alluded to? There were a number of joke responses in the last thread, but I'm hoping someone has seen it and will post how it really ends. Thanks.

Thanks, r384. And r392. The show is extremely well sung by everyone, including Freddy.

And altho I generally like Jesse Green's review, he credits Chris Gattelli with Doolittle being carried out of his second-act song as a corpse. An idea used in the film version, if not elsewhere. Boo boo.

Lauren Ambrose does sing beautifully, which is why I said the critic who called her a "non-singer" in her review had her head up her ass.

Several, if not all reviews have noted Lauren Ambrose has a weak voice, is a non-singer, or they’re being nice by saying things like “eccentric casting.” All have noted in some way that she’s a weak or non singer.

The ending is she exits through the audience, R394. It’s weak and doesn’t really resolve anything or the many uncomfortable questions raised theoughout the show.

If Lauren Ambrose has a weak voice, why was she thinking about a revival of Funny Girl? Maybe that's why it got cancelled? Because people realized she didn't have the power to belt "People" eight shows a week?

They've changed the ending for My Fair Lady.

Now as Eliza exits through the theater, Higgins yells out, "Eliza, move yer bloomin' arse."

There’s video of Ambrose singing Don’t Rain On My Parade with a jazz band on YouTube. It’s... okay. It’s not clear that she would have been able to sustain the show eight times a week.

Oh, Lauren, don't worry. Glenn Close could never sing Sunset Boulevard, and yet there she was doing a revival of it. People will pay to hear bad singing if you are a STAR!

I'm wondering how many of those who call her a non-singer actually saw the show.

My Fair Lady was written for a true soprano with excellent vocal technique. How long until Ambrose wreaks her voice and starts calling in sick.

[quote]They want equity members to suggest a new name for the Gypsy Robe. How about the Bajour Robe? I swear people in this country, both on the right and left, have lost their minds.

How about The Bernard B. Jacobs Robe?

Glenn Close could never sing Sunset Boulevard and Tyne Daly could never sing Gypsy. And both won Tony Awards for it. Go figure.

See also: Michael Crawford.

One critic said about Glenn Close's original run in Sunset Boulevard: She only hits 2 out of every 7 notes.

Hits, r408? She barely slapped them.

The American Airlines Robe

The Coke Zero With Lime Robe

The Trojan BareSkin Condoms Robe

[quote]And altho I generally like Jesse Green's review, he credits Chris Gattelli with Doolittle being carried out of his second-act song as a corpse. An idea used in the film version, if not elsewhere. Boo boo.

I did a double-take this morning when I read that review also, as I thought I clearly remembered Stanley Holloway being carried off as if he were dead.

But since I had to hurry and finish my coffee and get to work, I didn't have time to verify it. Thanks for reassuring me that I'm not losing what's left of my mind.

Only a loon would call Lauren Ambrose a non-singer. But it has already become a DL trope that we will now see repeated endlessly.

I wish Bartlett Sher had used Lauren in South Pacific and The King and I.

Read the other MFL reviews. It's obvious we weren't in the minority hating this lame-assed production.

r413=Victoria Clark

"It’s weak and doesn’t really resolve anything or the many uncomfortable questions raised theoughout the show."

It's certainly weak, but there's nothing to be resolved in the original. The ending has always been beautifully ambiguous, but allowing for a sympathy and understanding between the two characters...as the authors intended. This production takes the sledgehammer of political correctness to it and ruins it. A sad blemish on an otherwise excellent revival.

AGREED AND BEAUTIFULLY SAID R416

So, what will we be doing about the next revival of GYPSY? Will we be changing the name to ROSE? It'd certainly make more sense. Let's face it, no one these days even knows who Gypsy Rose Lee is in the first place. It's not like it has name recognition anymore.

The next revival will be called "LOUISE! A Daughter's Fable."

I propose: "Havoc!". You can use it if you scrap the second act for Marathon '33.

No r420, just........no.

When Gypsy Rose Lee made her deal with Merrick and Hayward for the rights to her memoirs, she said the authors could do anything they wanted as long as the show's title was Gypsy.

If that was written into the contract (instead of simply being a word-of-honor understanding), then any revival of the show will have to bear the original title.

DL fav and Broadway cast off, Jen Cody, is REALLY fighting hard for those aggrieved “gypsys” who are upset at that “vile” robe that brings the performers such joy during the ceremonies. Shouldn’t she be still fighting the good fights against film stars intruding on her Great White Way? Oh wait, she’s too busy directing Urinetown in a middle school basement in Iowa!

Can we just stop talking about the ridiculous Gypsy thing? It's not even worth chatting about

Is Barrett Wilbert Weed going to be this generation's Idina Menzel? She went from misunderstood misanthrope in Heathers to 'the lesbian one' in Mean Girls and has a rabid teen girl following. She belts and is pretty damned incomprehensible.

(Also, even if she is too old she would make a better Elphaba for the movie than Lea Michele.)

The big drawback to me is that you can't Adele Dazeem a name like Wilbert Weed. It is already there.

Leave Jen Cody alone, she is one of the good guys.

Wait, Cuddles is the one behind the name change for the Gypsy robe?

That has-been cunt.

Javier Munoz is having to move because of Trump, or something. I'd have more sympathy but him saying this is the subject of an "informal investigation" by police makes it sound like something you'd read on a crazy person's Facebook.

I'm going to be in NY for a long weekend in May. Going to squeeze in 2-3 shows. Which would you drop from this list?

My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, Carousel, Three Tall Women

Carousel

Ditto.

WTF is up with Javier, is he as fucking mad as he constantly sounds or is something real going on?

Javier is insane. (And he's a rabid SJW, which I suppose is redundant.) A little while back he posted something that basically told his followers- If you're only going to "like" my posts that aren't about anything important and ignore the ones I'm passionate about (the social justice ones) then stop following me. They weren't doing anything other than liking his Broadway posts or career posts or personal fun posts, which - by the way- HE posted himself.

It actually sounds as if something real is going on. We live in scary-as-shit times and there's a reason why everyone here hides behind the cloak of anonymity. Actors are not so lucky alas.

Is there a tl;dr version of that Javier tweet?

What does tl;dr mean???

Too long; didn't read

WTF?? Never heard that abbreviation before. Or should I say: nhtab ....

R435 He says he'd been getting harassed on social media since Pence went to Hamilton, then this went up to threats at the theatre, and then finally a letter which contained threats left on the doorstep of his building. This letter is the subject of an "informal investigation" by police who've determined it's a local threat, so he's moving. He also says this explains his behaviour on social media the past few months.

OK - it SOUNDS as if the Trumpettes went rabid on him after the Pence episode and the hate speech leveled up to some credible threats. He continued to be kind of crazy on social media and got into some sort of fight online after which a fan asked 'how are you?' or something similar and he had a meltdown and went on a social media delete spree. It appears likely that what the fan innocently said echoed something that has been part of the real world threats/hate speech he has been dealing with in real life.

[quote]WTF?? Never heard that abbreviation before. Or should I say: nhtab ....

tl;dr has been around as long as the internet.

Brandon Dixon was the one who was harassed after the Pence appearance, not Javier. Javier got maybe 1/100th of that Brandon got. Remember how the Trump folks brought up the 'st patricks day' tweets from Brandon? Brandon is doing fine.

No one is harassing Javier. He's a mess and it's very sad. I hope he gets the help he desperately needs.

But what was Javier's beef with Chris Peterson, that ugly slug who thinks he's Broadway's Moral Compass? They had some kind of run-in about a week or so ago.

Oh, please, nobody cares about any of this twit nonsense.

its all part of the story

Thanks for the Tally Sessions info. Saw his cabaret show with Jeff Kready in KC. Both seem like really good guys. Any info about Jeff? I know he's married to Nikki Renee Daniels from Book of Mormon, Porgy, and others.

Saw Ryan Vona in The Happy Time at 54th Below. I mean he's OK if you like body hair and talent and looks. ZOWEE!

The Lyric on 42nd is gorgeous. "Renovation" gives the impression of a slap of paint and maybe some new seats but this was a total auditorium gut and reconstruction. Garth Drabinsky may have gone to jail for for money shenanigans but building this barn was his real crime. Wonderful that it has been corrected and The Tonys should come back to Broadway from Radio City.

Today is DL fave’s Patti LuPone’s Birthday. Should I send her my GLOWING broadway Sunset Blvd reviews as a gift?

Anyone seen or any word on Harry Potter in NYC yet?

Well R450, the theater is beautiful, the production professional, the acting various levels of fine to atrocious and the story sucks. Tada!

NEWS FLASH! The only reason that conniving dwarf Jen Cody is kicking up such a fuss and pissing on years of tradition regarding the Gypsy Robe is because she wants to energize her sympathy warrior vote for the upcoming Equity elections.

[quote]Today is DL fave’s Patti LuPone’s Birthday.

We're too busy celebrating the birth of someone much more important: HRH Queen Elizabeth II

[quote] NEWS FLASH! The only reason that conniving dwarf Jen Cody is kicking up such a fuss and pissing on years of tradition regarding the Gypsy Robe is because she wants to energize her sympathy warrior vote for the upcoming Equity elections.

Then she goofed, because most of the equity members I know are pissed off about the name change.

[quote] Today is DL fave’s Patti LuPone’s Birthday.

[quote] We're too busy celebrating the birth of someone much more important: HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Oh, I didn't know they were twins!

I am so sick of these women ruining EVERYTHING. Specifically white women. And y'all men just let them.

r164, in your experience with men who died of AIDS-related illnesses, were they very fit and even a little chubby right before they died?

Maybe this change of name for the robe at Equity has to do with the hiring of someone as an advocate for non-traditional casting who is now over-reaching into other areas? Looking for ways to be offended since maybe no Equity member has complained about i.e. the Gypsy robe.

I am offended by the name Jerry because it's offensive slang for a German person.

I want all Jerrys removed from Broadway immediately. Their names must be scrubbed from time immemorial.

These idiots pretending not to understand the "gypsy" issue are getting pretty tiresome.

The board didn't even raise this issue at an Equity meeting for a discussion before taking action. The NY Times articles says a lot of Equity members are pissed basically.

A lot of drama queens are up in arms over the name change. Boo-hoo. Everyone else stopped using the word 'gypsy" but Equity is the last bastion against barbarism.

There is no reason not to change the robe's name, so they start saying that the musical is next, etc.

The whole thing is pretty pathetic. If anyone cared about the robe, the name would have been changed 20 years ago.

"Carmen" and "Il Trovatore" haven't.

Actors are gypsies. Constantly moving around for gigs. What is the problem? I am confusion. What is offensive about it?

R457-Why don't you do a little research if you're so fucking curious. You millennials who have no idea what it was like to survive the 80's are an entitled, arrogant bunch of clueless assholes. Go fuck yourselves. And don't forget your PREP.

It will now be called "The Travellers Robe".

Stagehands are n*ggers. Working long hours like they were on the plantation. What is the problem with calling them that? I am confusion. What is offensive about it?

Hey R462, you precious little cunt you, go tell Chita to stop using the word “gypsy” when explaining her joy and pride at having a lifetime in the theater, but I guess your six weeks on the non-Equity The Producers tour matched with your manic diversity virus trumps that, you toothless bitches are what’s wrong with the industry! CUNT!

Like being a gypsy is a bad thing? I don't get it. People are so weird.

They are now requesting that the term “hit show” be changed because the word “hit” is negative, especially when a woman is assaulted by a male partner or abuser.

Men in Broadway shows can't be named John since they may be consorted with prostitutes.

"These idiots pretending not to understand the "gypsy" issue are getting pretty tiresome."

Because there IS no issue. And r468's brilliant post has the last word on the subject.

Everyone I know in real life who is mad about the name change is over 50 years old. I think it's a generational thing. Older people are more entrenched in their biases and bigotries, no matter how benign.

Give it a rest, R 467.

R473, I wonder just how connected you are to the theater. I know a lot of people under 40 who are upset about the name change. Some are upset because it was done unilaterally (the general consensus is that if it was put to a membership vote, it never would have passed.) . Some are upset because they think the reasoning is silly. Some because they really find the reasoning offensive. They identify as a Gypsy. They feel it similar to someone dictating another person's self-identified gender. Some are upset because Equity tends to roll over on almost any issue, but this a battle that they choose to fight.

Calling it a traveller's robe kind of raises another issue with having ever called it the Gypsy Robe -- which is that it goes to the chorus member who has been in the most BROADWAY productions. It literally goes to the busiest person who has not traveled outside of a few block radius for work.

This whole gypsy debate is very complicated.

Gypsy never seemed to me to be a derogatory slur, in the same way that redskin never seemed derogatory. Why would a macho baseball team name themselves anything connoting weakness or hate?

Call me crazy but both names seemed to have a sort of bravura kind of luster. Yet I do understand why yellowskin as a slur against an Asian would be insulting. It's complicated.

R477,the issue is that the word "gypsy" gave us the word "gypped", which is derogatory. The problem is that the current argument is about like getting rid of the word "Jew" because it is used as a verb meaning to barter down to a lower price.

What, pray tell, will they call gypsy cabs now?

[quote]Gypsy never seemed to me to be a derogatory slur, in the same way that redskin never seemed derogatory. Why would a macho baseball team name themselves anything connoting weakness or hate?

You think the Redskins are a BASEBALL team? You really ARE gay.

You whores better not raise a fuss about the word clitoris because I’m NOT changing the name of my cock!

It’s not a problem that Lauren Ambrose can’t sing because she’s playing a Cockney flower girl who isn’t supposed to have a gorgeous soprano voice. This was the same argument used to justify Natasha Richardson’s painful caterwauling as Sally in Cabaret and she won the Tony.

R451 tells it like it is. HARRY POTTER on The Broadway is a dull, over-long slog of a play that is professionally done, mostly decently acted (though Equity should be ashamed for letting so many cast members transfer from the UK) and has great special effects. And yes, the theatre overhaul is a marvel, a sensational renovation.

Mika is not well.

Team Nicolle here.

R451 R483 Thanks guys, Have never been a fan of Potter so the whole enterprise leaves me cold, mainly because Rowling is such a shitty writer

R484, ummm, who? And who? My sympathies, of course.

[quote]Calling it a traveller's robe kind of raises another issue with having ever called it the Gypsy Robe

Travellers in Britain and Ireland are sort of like gypsies. They move about in camper vans and never settle in one place.

Um R484 Team Nicolle here too, but you’re in the wrong thread.

Well, now I'm curious. Which thread does r484's post belong in?

You know who was enchanted with Harry Potter on Broadway? Teacher64 on ATC. I presume that means there are children in the cast.

Don't you worry, r477. The Redskins play football like they're a baseball team.

As someone who’s into scat, I find the team name Cleveland Browns to be highly offensive!

The producers of shows should be renamed gypsies. They rip off and steal from people much more than dancers in shows!

[quote]Gypsy never seemed to me to be a derogatory slur, in the same way that redskin never seemed derogatory

Redskin is awful because it makes the color of their skin n issue. Surprised you find yellowfin offensive but not redskin. They’re the same thing.

Not “gypsy,” though. That name isn’t reducing the Romany to a physical characteristic.

I think red skin is beautiful. Oh well. It is what it is. Rest in peace gypsy robe. Can we still say "the great white way"?

Saying “the great white way” triggers me.

#MeToo

[quote]It’s not a problem that Lauren Ambrose can’t sing because she’s playing a Cockney flower girl who isn’t supposed to have a gorgeous soprano voice.

The tiresome "Lauren Ambrose is a non-singer" troll needs to give it a rest. She sings beautifully.

Yes, but how does she feel about the Gypsy robe issue,r498? That’s what’s crucial here.

The tiresome Lauren Ambrose sings beautifully troll needs to give it a rest. She can’t sing.

Girls, girls! You’re both tiresome.

From the comments in The NY Times pieceon the robe:

“Since the Romany people object to this label applied to them and most have stopped using it, why can't the people who call themselves gypsies in a non-ethnic, non-judgmental, proud and joyous way have custody of the word?”

R399 dear,People is not a song you belt. Cut the jargon. You are not in the business.

The uproar over changing the name of the Gypsy Robe is the exact same as the uproar over the movement to change the name of the Washington Redskins or to get rid of the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo logo.

I cannot imagine there are many people here who would defend using the name Redskins or the racism of Chief Wahoo—so why the defense of the Gypsy Robe? If you actually don't see the problem with the Redskins or Wahoo, then you're beyond help.

I understand that there is an emotional attachment, but there's also an emotional attachment for Redskins and Indians fans. You get over it and move forward. That's progress. Otherwise, you're just a deplorable by another name—dignifying bigotries because it is what makes you feel good.

Anyone watch the Sutton concert on PBS? Thoughts?

R504 Except the two are nothing alike. The sports examples you gave in the way they are used are terms directly linked to Native Americans. Whereas the use of gypsy for the chorus isn't directly linked to the Romani people at all. Which you know, of course, and so you added your last paragraph of trying to shut down discussion by insisting anyone who doesn't agree with you is racist. The fact you needed to pre-emptively build that strawman is a pretty obvious sign that you know your argument is weak.

[quote]Whereas the use of gypsy for the chorus isn't directly linked to the Romani people at all.

How is it not? You are a gypsy who travels from show to show. It stems directly from the stereotype of the Romani—travelers, unrooted. You think that term was just pulled out of thin air? Maybe it's not as aggressively racist as Redskins, but it's absolutely in the same arena. It's using a stereotype of an ethnic class of people to describe a group of people who by and large do not share that ethnic background—for the purpose of entertainment and solidarity.

Pretty sure R507 would object to “thick as thieves” as a slur against Incarcerated Americans.

But they largely are travellers, it's not some ghastly caricature. And besides, the offensiveness of the term gypsy has nothing to do with stereotypes. It's because gypsy was a name given to them by Brits who mistakenly thought the Romanis had come from Egypt.

[quote]As someone who’s into scat, I find the team name Cleveland Browns to be highly offensive!

That's odd, r93, I would think that their name delights you and inspires fantasies.

[quote]Pretty sure [R507] would object to “thick as thieves” as a slur against Incarcerated Americans.

Thief is not an ethnicity—it is an occupation. Occupational stereotypes are not the issue here, as you know.

What a wetched pwedicament!

[quote]As someone who’s into scat, I find the team name Cleveland Browns to be highly offensive!

Would you prefer the Cleveland Steamers?

R505 i watched. It was weak. She sounded pitchy and flat sometimes. It was very boring. Jonathan groff looked a little chubby. No?

Jonathan Groff did look a little chubby but he provided the only charm of the evening. Sutton has a very thin, uninteresting voice.

I don't understand it: I can see that she has talent, and yet I find her bland and uncompelling. Always have.

She'd be a very competent chorus girl. Broadway is dead.

The musical version of An Officer and a Gentleman doesn’t seem to be slaying ‘em over in the UK:

Here's the thing: As that photo of Marlene Dietrich shows, gypsies throughout entertainment history (whether it be vaudeville, opera, legit theater, films and TV) have always been portrayed as gloriously sexy (and macho for the men)...... a proud and colorfully brazen people.

Whether that cliche is really true or not, it's not the kind of denigrating stereotype that Jewish, Japanese, Chines, Mexican and Native American people have dealt with. For many people, "gypsy" never seemed to be a negative term.

Does anyone here know anyone of Romani origins?

[quote]For many people, "gypsy" never seemed to be a negative term.

Only in your dreams, r519. Cher's song "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" illustrates how they were thought of in a negative light.

R520 Bwahahahahahahaha Cher? You are the gayest of the gay

Robbie Fairchild and Ashley Day unfollowed each other again on Instagram. These guys are constantly breaking up.

You’re sick, r522. Get help.

Who the fuck on Broadway is Romani?! Who gives a shit what they think?? They cheat on palm readings, this is all that caustic liliputian Jen Cody’s fault! Hey JEN focus on your husband’s impotence you shrill one-note cunt!

I always get Jen Cody and Jen Collela confused.

The only sweet one is Jenn Gambatese.

Jen Cody is scat

Why can't Sutton Foster be more like Debbie Shapiro Gravitte, the Life of the Party?

I'm almost finished reading William Goldman's The Season, and he talks about "ice," the practice of people who have access to tickets and house seats for shows selling them to scalpers, who then charge extra for the coveted shows. I know that computerizing ticket sales reduced a great deal of this illegal activity, but what about the house seats? Someone in the cast of, say, Hamilton, could conceivably reserve their allotted house seats, and sell them at a huge market to a reseller. Does this practice of "ice" still go on?

So, who gets house seats? Obviously the main producers and director and above the title star. But, does the entire cast? Or, do the smaller names just get a set number? And, many shows have many producers...do they all get house seats or only some of them?

R517-truer words....

[quote]So, who gets house seats? Obviously the main producers and director and above the title star. But, does the entire cast? Or, do the smaller names just get a set number? And, many shows have many producers...do they all get house seats or only some of them?

What do you mean "get"? There is a set amount of "house seats" so if a cast member wants them (and they are not free) and they are available, they can request them. No one is guaranteed any, basically first come first served. If they are not taken, they are released to the box office for general sale.

Are the Romany in an uproar over this, or just people taking up a pretend cause for the Romany? If the name is changed to the Romany Robe, which group would get more upset?

Company members have to put in a request for house seats. Frequently they have to provide a couple of options for dates for a very popular show. Once they get approved, the tickets have to be paid for - in rare instances, a company member can "guarantee" the house seats, which means if their friend doesn't show up, the company member will have to pay. But mostly it's payment up front.

It would be highly unlikely for a company member to request house seats for a scalper and then for the scalper to turn around and sell the seats. And whatever the company member might pocket from the transaction wouldn't be worth the potential of losing their job if it were found out, and these days, it probably would.

R534, exactly, there are several protocols to secure them, all involve payment upfront and immediately.

At what price are the house seats sold to the company member? Do they get an employee discount?

I thought Sutton’s outfit was horrible. This is a nationally televised program. Spend more than thirty seconds choosing your clothes.

She’s certainly talented, but she doesn’t have that spark that most Broadway leading ladies have.

Is Sutton the first of the "template" leading actors? Others have mentioned in other threads how actors these days come out of school and have zero personality. So can we dub Sutton as the first of the whitewashed actors?

R538, she’s definitely deserving of that title. I recently attended a workshop reading of a potential musical project, the usual creative suspects, the cast were all talented, but each was exactly the same in skill and temperament. Not an actor in the bunch who stood out or surprised you, and visually they all looked like a Gap ad from 2004. It was depressing.

back to r447 who dat?

R447, how was that 54 Below THE HAPPY TIME? There were some good people performing.

[quote]At what price are the house seats sold to the company member?

No discounts. They go for whatever the top price is (but not the premium price). House seats for Bette's Dolly were $275 each.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE BERNADETTE PETERS STAR IN AN ORIGINAL MUSICAL.

Totally agree about Sutton. That lank, dank hair and that generic voice are so very dull. I know she has done a solo album or two, but she isn't unique in any way.

Well r543, you gotcher SITPWG DVD.....

That came out before I was born, R545. I want her to have a new role—written just for her! Why is no one writing her a new role??

because there is not the talent to

Oh, chalk the comment up to r546's immaturity.

R547 nails it. Who's going to write for her? Pasek and Paul?

Actually, David Yazbeck might be able to come up with something for her, but he's just about the only one with enough talent to.

Does no one write for stars these days?? We only have her for another decade or two. Why is she starring in a revival of "Hello Dolly" when she would have her own brand new iconic role??

anyone who wants to read the Harry Potter and the Golden Egg (or wetf its called) can. It is published and it is beyond dreadful. Written alternately with a sledge hammer and a crayon, it is barely literate. The production itself is visually quite spectacular but the story itself is somewhat weak and all the performers are restrained. I saw it in London (where it was slightly less boring) and then had to see it recently in America for business reasons.

I am astonished they were permitted to bring so many actors over for it. There are some excellent Americans in a few roles ( people like Byron Jennings) but the writing and story are so weak, it literally wouldn't matter who they cast it with.

When the show was casting in America, they had actors audition 5/ 6 times (mostly for roles ultimately given to Brits who originated them) and the majority of the auditions were theater games of one sort or another. I knew an actress who audtioned 4 times and said in all that time she did about 6 minutes of acting and 3 + hours of doing theater games. Basically many of the actors just move set pieces. I think she said they were being asked to sign a near 2 year contract.

Its really quite strange, but it will run for years. I feel kind of sorry for the actors constrained by this but at least they are raking in the cash.

Glenda Jackson is the thing to see on Broadawy right now..

Yazbecks ego seems to be a bit large recently

And with good reason. He's written consistently excellent scores for several years now. The one that should have won him a Tony, The Full Monty, came up against the juggernaut that was The Producers.

thats all very true but not the kind of large Im talking about

You mean he's fat? Or that he's hung?

I do wonder—how would Patrick Wilson's career have been different if he had won the Tony for "The Full Monty"?

He might have been up for a role in something with Kevin Spacey and end up getting stalked by him.

Bernadette Peters is 70. With the amount of time it takes to get a new musical produced, I'd be writing for someone younger (and no that's not a Sutton pun).

But then that begs the question—why does it take so long to get a musical produced? I think the pipeline is broken.

[quote] House seats for Bette's Dolly were $275 each.

Really, because I paid $225 for my Dolly house seat last year.

This makes me smile.....

Creating a brand new role is very difficult. Material is changed, discarded, added. Creating a brand new character from scratch with new material is a difficult job. Bernadette may not want to take on that difficulty at this point in her career.

Mrs. Patmore as Miss Hannigan in Toronto. I always thought her voice was too wispy to be a theater actress, but maybe they can mike her well enough.

Oh please, R562—it's just musical theatre!! It's not the Treaty of Ghent!!

R564 = someone who has never created a new musical on Broadway.

Musicals taking long to put together must be done by retards. Makes no sense to me. It's just musical theatre. Most of it is bad anyway.

Sutton is coming up in a week or 2 as a guest star on Alan Cumming's "Instinct".

R566, you are making yourself appear stupid.

The article says Mrs Patmore has done several musicals. Did you not read it?

[quote][R534], exactly, there are several protocols to secure them, all involve payment upfront and immediately.

Not necessariy, r535. A cast or crew member can request and be granted house seats without any payment. If it isn't paid for 24 to 48 hours before the show, (depending on the theater) those seats go to the box office for sale, which is why, on somes shows, you might be able to snag good seats 24 to 48 hours in advance.

I recently saw Lesley (Mrs. Patmore) Nicol at The Donmar in The Yorkshire Realist as the naive mother of a shy gay farm laborer (who has an ongoing affair with a London gay).

She had a lovely but very modest stage presence in that small sweet play, but I can't imagine her letting loose as Hannigan. If she hadn't been familiar to me from Downton Abbey, I'm not sure she would have registered at all.

But brava to her for putting herself up there and I'd love to be proven wrong.

I just heard some audio clips of Lauren Ambrose from My Fair Lady and she sounds absolutely lovely. I'm also glad they got an actress with a little personality for this role. I'm sure if some of you folks had your way, ol' blander than bland Kelli O'Hara would have played the role.

One of the reasons that it takes so long to get a musical going is that nobody uses the formula anymore. They are literally re-inventing the wheel with each show. Most of the old musicals, whether classic or not, followed a very specific formula or framework. Romantic couple, comic couple, sometimes dance couple. Songs followed a very specific pattern as to style and placement. Basically, the heavy lifting was done for you, you just had to fill in the details (Granted, the details could make or break you.) If I remember, the book Writing the Broadway Musical by Aaron Frankel (1977) is all about following this formula.

Please. Yazbek's scores are mostly pop dopiness, hardly excellent.

Ambrose can sing...but unlike Julie Andrews, not virtuosically.

No doubt the cunning linguists who find "gypsy" objectionable think the adjective "niggardly" ("stingy") is an ethnic slur and that the town of Fishkill (Anglicized Dutch for "school of fish") is hostile to our piscine brethren (old post).

As someone who creates new musicals, I can tell you it's the most difficult job I've EVER done. Not the writing---you can have a first draft knocked out in 9 months...or should, if it's the right project with the right collaborators. It's on the development end things get SO frustrating....the endless "workshops" because producers constantly hedge their bets, or subscribe to the latest trend in pop culture dopiness., or think they are doing you a favor by doing yet another pointless reading with very little rehearsal time, where you learn NOTHING, or which only serves to fulfill some grant requirement by a theatre or organization, or these "festivals" where the author has to self-produce (I'M the writer, I did my job, now it's time for you to do YOURS, Mister PRODUCER), the YEARS it takes to get on a theater's calendar....the petty nickel-and-diming that happens EVERY step of the way: authors are asked to make concessions left and right, yet it never seems to happen on the producer's end....I could go on and on but I'd like to enjoy the rest of my Sunday without getting too depressed.

Groff was the best part of Sutton's PBS special. He needs a musical to headline ASAP.

Sutton is s boring as a dishrag. Bland beyond belief with a grating voice. A soccer mom for the community theater crowd. She'd be their very own Ethel Merman.

Lauren Ambrose is lovely in My Fair Lady. Does she have Andrews" vocal ability. Who does? (Not even Julie these days.) But I sure prefer her to Kelli in the role, and I like Kelli a lot.

Lauren Ambrose has a darker voice than the typical Eliza sound. She sounds a little shakey at times in the recording.

I don't enjoy Andrews' performance on either cast album. I like her Dinah Shore performance of it, which is apparently in a higher key.

*the recording I've heard.

R570, it’s very much what the production dictates, I can tell you that anything Really Useful does those tickets must be paid for in advance. Some companies are much more flexible.

Thank you, R574.

I'm also in these trenches, and I triple dare the asshat who thinks it's easy to write a musical and get it done to do so.

Such smug ignorance!

There are no real producers out there. Really. None. Why do you think there are musicals like MARGARITAVILLE, SPONGEBOB, SUMMER, etc. taking over Broadway? Briefly, I might add, for these shows shall not last long nor make any real impact.

And the development process... Heaven help us all...

It's all so damn expensive. And the more expensive it is, the fewer risks taken and fewer opportunities made available.

This Broadway season has been so depressing in terms of new work. THE BAND'S VISIT will have no competition for Best Musical, cause nothing else comes close, and despite for dull and long HARRY POTTER is, the eligible plays are even worse, and they're not going to give it to a solo show (John Lithgow, John Leguizamo) or a small British import (THE CHILDREN), though those are infinitely better.

Just listened to Lauren's '...Danced All Night'. Yes, definitely a darker or deeper timbre (if that's the right term) to her voice than other Eliza's, but she sounds very good. I have no idea when the clip I heard was recorded, but it certainly didn't sound timid or tentative to me as I've heard some describe her performance of the song.

I'd like to add that another problem with those interminable workshops is they're never really able to deal with all of the physical aspects of a new script.

So, if and when a show actually gets a production, it's at the mercy of the set design, which if it causes problems for the pacing, is rarely able to be fixed because it's too expensive to make changes once the set is in place.

I've seen new work premiere at Arts festivals with youth theatre casts, directed by professionals. Why isn't that done more often, insteads of labs/workshops?

Try everything out in London (somewhere like The Other Palace or the Finborough or the Almeida or the Hampstead)! You get a more supportive environment, nicer critics, more attentive audiences -- and men with bigger cocks.

[quote] When the show was casting in America, they had actors audition 5/ 6 times (mostly for roles ultimately given to Brits who originated them) and the majority of the auditions were theater games of one sort or another. I knew an actress who audtioned 4 times and said in all that time she did about 6 minutes of acting and 3 + hours of doing theater games. Basically many of the actors just move set pieces.

Brits usually don't get run of the show contracts, so those that auditioned here will probably get cast in six months.

[quote] It is published and it is beyond dreadful. Written alternately with a sledge hammer and a crayon, it is barely literate.

The entire Harry Potter series including this is written for eight years. Are you eight years old?

Just stop with the sturm and drang about all the effort required to mount a musical. Eisenhower used less energy planning D-Day.

R503, hmmm, lets think....experienced professionals vs. amateur teens playing roles outside their experience, then there are the demands of adult material and the revisions, changes and cuts made to new material.

I really cannot see why anyone would not opt for youth theater workshops

R586 speaks the truth.

Weren't only like half the songs in "Follies" written when they started rehearsals? Different times, I suppose.

Same was true for ALNM, but I don't think anyone was particularly happy about it.

Both Sunday in the Park and Into the Woods went into production with only the first acts written. And it shows.

But it shows how in the old days, scores could be written and tailored for the very unique stars (and sometimes their limitations) who would be singing them.

Everything is all homogenized today.

Both Sunday in the Park and Into the Woods continue to be performed with only the first acts written.

R537 I see your point, though the productions I've seen had college age actors with training. I wasn't implying that the next "Follies" type show should test out the material with such performers.

Season's getting closer to completion. Harry Potter tonight, then Summer, Travesties, Saint Joan and Iceman. Sometimes I wish they'd put a quota on revivals.

Inability to get shows produced is tied to quality of product.

Um, no, r596.

Bajour! Oh wait, that one's not acceptable anymore, is it?

High Spirits!

Number 301!

Buttrio Square!