THEATRE GOSSIP #462 - The Name On Everybody's Lips is...Pam! (and Crazy-ass Mamet)

Previous Thread:

Mamet had a sex tape with Jeremy Piven but nobody wanted it.

I read the Times' review for "Harmony." Congrats to Barry Manilow and others involved.

Dolly stuff...

Was it just my reading of it or was Vincentelli's NY Times review of HARMONY rather reserved and begrudging in spite of the Critic's Pick?

Don't forget, Vincentelli was a critic for The New York Post.

Vincentelli is a terrible reviewer and a dour lesbian twat.

[quote] Mamet had a sex tape with Jeremy Piven but nobody wanted it.

....Because Piven left halfway through it.

High mercury levels can make it difficult to...perform... r8.

R8, I love you :-)

The German movie about the Comedian Harmonists was quite good.

For the poster on the previous thread who believes Richard Kline has departed, he is alive and well and turns 78 in two weeks.

I saw Harmony in LA six or seven years ago.

I hope this time they’ve actually hired actors who can harmonize.

I saw what was, as of this moment, the last performance of Paradise Square. Two of the leads were out unexpectedly, days after the opening, so it was obvious they had Covid and that Covid would soon be making its way through the company. But that was two weeks ago! The show can hardly afford this break.

The Skin of Our Teeth... Amazing sets and puppets. Interesting play. Needed a name or two to get people in the house.

[quote] I saw what was, as of this moment, the last performance of Paradise Square. Two of the leads were out unexpectedly, days after the opening, so it was obvious they had Covid and that Covid would soon be making its way through the company. But that was two weeks ago! The show can hardly afford this break.

The last performance was April 6, evening. If that was the start of COVID rolling through the company, 10 days of isolation, as required for all actors performing with a mask brings you to April 16. Which is what the show had recently announced as its return date, until it was announced yesterday that they would return on April 19, due to additional cases. Nothing about it seems untoward.

Performing *without* a mask.

[quote]The last performance was April 6, evening. If that was the start of COVID rolling through the company, 10 days of isolation, as required for all actors performing with[out] a mask brings you to April 16. Which is what the show had recently announced as its return date, until it was announced yesterday that they would return on April 19, due to additional cases. Nothing about it seems untoward.

It's exactly as r15 says. Paradise Square was heavily hit by Covid. This is fallout from that.

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1992, a revival of "Guys and Dolls" starring Peter Gallagher, Nathan Lane, Faith Prince, and J.K. Simmons opened at the Martin Beck Theatre.

[quote]too bad the others are dead. John Ritter or Richard Kline as Billy. Norman Fell is Mr Cellophane. Audra as Mama. Genius.

I don't know if that's what this poster intended to imply, but just for the record, Richard Kline is still amongst the living.

R19, Seriously?

A note from Richard Kline.........

Suzanne Somers *IS* Roxie Hart

Thank you, R14, for informing us that Thornton Wilder’s classic, Pulitzer Prize-winning play, The Skin of Our Teeth, is an “interesting” play. Without you, we wouid’ve never known.

R18, let’s just add now, TOM’W IN BROADWAY HISTORY: The New York Times runs a photo of Faith Prince as Miss Adelaide on the front page, above the gatefold if I remember, heralding the arrival of a new Broadway star in Jerry Zaks’ sparkling revival of Guys and Dolls.

Congrats, OP, for further irritating us with multiple threads. People are still posting in the other #461 and it was far enough along that we could have just finished it off before starting a new one. But I suppose we could not be denied your amazing wit.

Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth is really a star magnet part. Tallulah Bankhead, Lizabeth Scott, Miriam Hopkins, Mary Martin, Vivien Leigh, Bebe Neuwirth (fired from the musical).

[quote]R24 The New York Times runs a photo of Faith Prince as Miss Adelaide on the front page, heralding the arrival of a new Broadway star in Jerry Zaks’ sparkling revival of Guys and Dolls.

Notice it wasn’t of that cunt Josie DeGuzman.

Why so pissy, r25? Are you the OP of that other, inferior thread?

Did anyone see Carolyn Mignini in G&D?

I saw Elizabeth Ashley as Sabina.

I just don't like two threads going at the same time and I know others don't, as well. I was perfectly happy to abandon one of the 461s at the beginning, but once they start filling up, people get used to posting on them and it's just a pain in the ass.

[quote]R31 I just don't like two threads going at the same time and I know others don't, as well.

[bold]#Justice4R31

Whatever

[quote] Did anyone see Carolyn Mignini in G&D?

Yes. I barely remember but she was good, just wrong for the rest of the production. There was a real young energy and I get how they may have expected her Sarah to play as an old soul but it didn't fit. I don't know how much older than the others she was but she just seemed older and more traditional, and it seemed like it was the actress not just the character

The current gossip on "Paradise" was the additional two day extension was a cover for Garth to raise more money to run the show. Some people think they are done.

Woo-hoo, J.K....givin' it his all!

[quote] The current gossip on "Paradise" was the additional two day extension was a cover for Garth to raise more money to run the show. Some people think they are done.

More ticket sales for us!

I want to see JK in Death of a Salesman

[quote]The current gossip on "Paradise" was the additional two day extension was a cover for Garth to raise more money to run the show. Some people think they are done.

Given that the production was reportedly having money problems before opening, and then it opened to mixed to negative reviews, and THEN they had to shut down for two weeks due to COVID, I can't imagine where any more money would be coming from. I guess that ex-con is finding it somewhere, maybe to keep the show running just long enough so that the producers' rights will be vested.

r25/r31, I'm sorry. I genuinely forgot about the other thread because I stopped following it once it got bogged down in all the Merrily We Roll Along talk, and I assumed it was dead because it hadn't popped up in a while when I checked the site. I see there hadn't been a post in over six hours when I started this one.

I know this title isn't great, or as witty as "Merrily We Go to Hell," but I was trying to come up with something that seemed relevant to this week and it's all that came to mind in the moment. I did forget to add the Edition at the end.

If anyone would like to comment on the other thread instead, here it is:

Vanity Fair posted a Funny Girl puff piece today, and reading it made me feel like I'm living in an alternate universe.

"As Beanie Feldstein became one of young Hollywood’s most celebrated stars..."

She did? When?

"...her wit and winsome attitude drew plenty of comparisons to icon of the stage and screen Barbra Streisand."

Her what? And when?

R41 you have too much class for this place

Darren Criss made an Instagram post celebrating the opening night of American Buffalo a couple hours ago, then less than an hour later posted about his child being born, which he had to know would overshadow the first post. Seems odd....? Why not post about the baby earlier in the day? Or doing what's required of him for AB while hoping people won't pay much attention due to the Mamet thing?

Why is Sam Rockwell wearing clown shoes in American Buffalo?

R40 Why would Barbra have Stephen Colbert deliver the letter to Beanie?

Oh… I fluttered away from my keyboard for a bit… this should be up closer to the Carolyn Mignini chat : (

I remember they kept trying different color wigs on Mignini over several previews but then just fired her.

POTUS

There’s a Broadway Remembered thread on Facebook that closed off all negative comments about Beanie Feldstein. Given the line of business she’s in it seems an overly precious response on the part of the administrators. I’m guessing critics may have views on her suitability for the role both in singing and acting ability which these administrators might think harsh.

[quote]R48 I remember they kept trying different color wigs on Mignini over several previews but then just fired her.

OMG - different colored wigs each night? That would have been the death knell. Can you imagine what a horrible week that must have been for her??

Faye would have slapped them silly, and just got fired for that.

I am one of the minority who never got the praise heaped upon the '92 Guys & Dolls or Faith Prince's performance. It's my least favorite Loesser.

It’s a show I saw once and have no desire to ever see again. And the movie’s horrible.

Faith Prince was ok; Nathan Lane was imitating Jackie Gleason. But the best G&D duo I saw was Julia McKenzie as Adelaide and Bob Hoskins as Nathan at the National.

I would have rather seen Faith get the Tony for Featured Actress for her role in Nick & Nora. She was fucking brilliant in that, and to be brilliant in that piece of shit is a greater feat than doing fine in Guys & Dolls.

Lucy Ricardo as Roxie, Ethel Mertz as Velma, Ricky Ricardo as Billy, Fred Mertz as Amos, Mrs. Trumbull as Mary Sunshine (her I Love You Truly makes her perfect for A little bit Of Good) and Mrs. Macgillicuddy/Minnie Finch as Matron. Barbara Eden as Go To Hell Kitty and Teensy and Weensy could join the showgirls of 1927 as the six Merry Murderesses.

The reviews for Faith Prince were so incredible that you started wondering how much was PR. In retrospect, it all was.

Ethel is definitely a Mama Morton, not a Velma. I would say Lucy could do (and would insist on) both Roxie and Velma. She could play Velma in the guise of the vamp that tried to seduce Cousin Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Lordy, I am old if it’s been 30 years since that revival of Guys & Dolls opened. It opened on a Tuesday and I went to the Wednesday matinee. There was a line down the block with people waiting to buy tickets. You could tell who was involved in the production - they were all hanging around outside hugging each other. I loved that production, you left the theater walking on air.

Dear Beanie !

Your parents generous donation to my charity is much appreciated. As requested here´s my note to you.

Beanie? There´s a poison named Beanie?

Best Wishes

B.

But the supporting cast of Guys and Dolls in 1992 was superb: Walter Bobbie, J.K. Simmons, Ernie Sabella, and Victoria Clark were all a part.

[quote] you started wondering how much was PR. In retrospect, it all was.

What does that even [italic] mean [/italic] ?

I saw Guys and Dolls at a Saturday matinee maybe midway through the run. Faith lived up to the hype and was fantastic. Jonathan Hadary was Nathan and, well, maybe it just wasn’t a good role for him. Burke Moses was sex on a stick and Josie was lovely. Not a big fan of the show itself but I loved that production.

Saw How I learned to Drive. Lots of eldergays in attendance.

Mary Louise was great. Crazy she’s close to 60.

Wait - did he really name his daughter Bluesy Belle?

[quote]Ethel is definitely a Mama Morton, not a Velma.

Old Viv, yes. But young Viv definitely had a Velma in her.

I loved the Jerry Zaks "Guys & Dolls" revival, it just hit the spot.

Only a few will remember the DataLounge fave who got superb reviews playing Adelaide on the road in the national tour of that production ....Anybody?

Linda Lavin?

R67, wasn't it Lorna Luft?

Suzanne?

Well, this may be the first time in my life the words "superb" and "Walter Bobbie" have ever been uttered together.

Oh please, r60. Barbra is thrilled that her legendary imprint on the role is safe. Had they found a *new* Barbra to cast who was a singular powerhouse, Barbra would be feeling like Ethel when Angie took on the role.

^ Rose, of course.

Adelorna

Wow they practically made her do an exact impression of Faith’s performance

It says Lorna Lufts award winning tour performance. What awards does a tour performer exactly win? The Cleveland Regional Theatre Players award for Best Actress?

When was the last time someone threw a Sarah Siddons *your* way, r76?

That makes me think, when I see drugstore brand ice cream (like at RiteAid) labeled “award winning,” I think, “WHERE??”

Yes, r78, everything *must* be a contest.

I never won a trophy

Go into advertising and win a Clio, Bobby.

I like blue ribbons.

Why must everything be a [italic]contest?

THR reviews "American Buffalo":

Deuxmoi dropped a blind item today that points to Jonathan Groff joining Daniel Radcliffe in the NYTW Merrily production later this year.

Lorna had chops, she sounds pretty great in those clips.

R14,

Kindly fuck off, asshat.

Given its requirements, The Skin of our Teeth is rarely done, so yes, many who don't know otherwise (and that would be most people, unless they've read the play) might think it's like Our Town. I know many folks in the business who've never seen the show and are glad for this opportunity.

Lewis J. Stadlen did a nice job channeling Sam Levene (and also Groucho...) opposite Luft in the national tour. He was far more successful in the role than Jonathan Hadary, Jamie Farr or David Garrison (who would replace Stadlen in the road company). I believe Jeff Brooks was one of the last Nathan Detroits before it shuttered in '95?

Fun fact: Nathan and Lewis are old pals and it was actually Lane that suggested Stadlen replace him on Broadway. But Stadlen insisted he be considered for the road company instead -- mainly so he'd have his own rehearsal period with Zaks and a totally new company of actors to play off of.

Interestingly, Stadlen followed similar wisdom when Lane suggested he replace him in The Producers in 2002, instead choosing to lead the 1st National Tour while poor Henry Goodman (a very fine actor) floundered back in New York.

You’d have to be pretty anti-magnetic not to have chemistry with a pussy hound like Peter Gallagher. This Mignini woman - was she into men?

[quote]Interestingly, Stadlen followed similar wisdom when Lane suggested he replace him in The Producers in 2002, instead choosing to lead the 1st National Tour while poor Henry Goodman (a very fine actor) floundered back in New York.

Goodman was a fine Max, r88. Lane went out of his way to trash him though, one time while on stage. One night shortly before he left, one of Nathan's tried and true bits didn't work. Angry, he said "Wait until that Englishman gets here and see how fucking funny he is".

Love Stadlen.

[quote]This Mignini woman - was she into men?

Carolyn Mignini doesn't dine on muff. She's been married to Steve Vinovich for decades.

The problem, as stated earlier, was that the show had a youthful vibe, with all the roles being played younger than they had been previously. Lane, Prince, and Gallagher were 35, 36, & 37. Carolyn Mignini was 45. If she and Gallagher had sparked, the older woman Sarah could have been very sexy. Personally, they were cordial, but there was just no stage heat between them at all..

It's early here on the east coast, but the Times and other publications will have reviews out for "American Buffalo" and "Cyrano"... I read both reviews, both shows well-received. I do wish I was in the city with the disposable income to see them.

[quote]Well, this may be the first time in my life the words "superb" and "Walter Bobbie" have ever been uttered together.

Whaddya talk? I use those words together quite often.

My God 30 years ago! I remember that GUYS AND DOLLS publicity. Nee York was emerging from a particularly lifeless period, and either Frank Rich in the Times or someone ar New York Magazine (it got the cover) said something like it was the show that made you believe New York City WOULD live again, or something equally overblown.

The production lived up to the hype, and Nathan Lane was spectacular. Faith Prince worked well with him, but she was canonized even more than Nina Ariana, Heather Headley, etc. before reality set in.

Casting Carolyn Mignini seemed to be inspired by Sophie Hayden in Most Happy Fella. Casting an older woman in the ingenue role made Most Happy Fella more poignant. And on paper, a Sarah Brown who has given up ever getting involved with a man, who gets involved with a younger man---then finds out he only went after her as part of a bet. That should have made for a more intense drama. But this was not a production where that kind of real pain would fit.

Mignini was Zaks’ cast mate in Tintypes so his intentions were good. Must’ve made her firing even harder. Sarah is an outsider in the show so it could have worked in principle.

Christ, Josie DeGuzman was genuinely awful in G&D. Soooo bad. Producers could find NO ONE else?? It’s a fucking ingenue soubrette role, easily castable with thousands of NY girls. They could have done an open call the day before opening and had a hundred girls ready to go the day of. Gallagher was also quite dull and charmless and couldn’t sing. The show was all about Nathan and Faith, and a really well cast and terrific ensemble and the staging.

agree with the comment above. Burke Moses brought real BDE to Sky. Sarah was never going to be the same after he followed her folds.

Rebecca Luker or Judy Kuhn would have been wonderful as Sarah.

[quote] And on paper, a Sarah Brown who has given up ever getting involved with a man, who gets involved with a younger man---then finds out he only went after her as part of a bet. That should have made for a more intense drama. But this was not a production where that kind of real pain would fit.

Lol, sweetie this is a musical, not Mourning Becomes Electra. G&D doesn’t need intense drama. No one wants “real pain” in Guys and Dolls.

R100, you are just repeating what R98 already said.

So why the attitude?

If you are agreeing there is no point to being a dick.

Burrow's autobio is interesting on G&D. The idea was to imitate South Pacific--a dramatic musical based on a series of short stories. The script and score were completed and it did not work.

So Burrows wrote a new script to fit the score and changed the tone of the whole thing. I would have to look back, but i think he added the bet, which did not come from Runyon but from a 1920s farce.

[quote]If you are agreeing there is no point to being a dick.

The DL can NEVER have too many dicks.

Jerry Zaks was never very good at casting ingenues.

Tintypes

I saw NeNe Leakes as Flambeana

R100 that's absurd! Wait until you see how I re-claim GUYS AND DOLLS and bring out the DRAMA!

As noted above the character of Sarah WAS an outsider and therefore must be played by a trans person of color!

R107 = Billy Porter

[quote] Gallagher was also quite dull and charmless and couldn’t sing.

I wouldn't say he couldn't sing, but it does seem that he has vocal problems from an early age, beginning around or before that time. On the cast album, and in the documentary of the recording sessions, his vibrato is sometimes so heavy that it's almost a wobble.

If that rumor about Groff as Frank in MERRILY is true, I think that would be perfect casting. You really need someone with lots of charm and personal attractiveness as Frank, because the character as written is somewhat underwritten and unsympathetic.

Aw, Trey Wilson, r105! He was such a nice guy, gone too soon.

[quote]gone too soon

As was Lynne Thigpen

[quote]Burrow's autobio is interesting on G&D. The idea was to imitate South Pacific--a dramatic musical based on a series of short stories. The script and score were completed and it did not work. So Burrows wrote a new script to fit the score and changed the tone of the whole thing.

So you're saying that, as originally written, the book was all dramatic and heavy and humorless, and the score was filled with wit and humor and energy and spirit? You make it sound like Loesser and the original book writer, Jo Swerling, weren't even talking to each other. There seems to be no doubt that Burrows improved the book greatly, but I really don't think the situation was quite as you paint it.

Annnnnnd we're "gossiping" about casting for national tours from 30 years old shows. Girls, PLEASE! Stay in THIS century! Back to it: How was the first preview of STRANGE LOOP, and who will be buying tickets for this? Is The Scottish Play truly the merdeshow its reputed to be, and is there a bootleg of the Sam Gold night? How did Erin Dilly do with Matthew? Does Garth have a dime to re-open his show, and even more, will The Shuberts end up paying for the load-out? (karma, baby...). Has Debra Messing been screaming at her agents because of her tepid reviews? Does anyone care Doubtfire is back, and can they even make it to June? The Weisslers finally admitted that the SVOG money re-opened their shows, and they're burning through it with trumped up productions that don't need to sell tickets. Hello, regulators?

TINTYPES on Bway was wonderful.

I was a kid seeing it on a school trip (my 3rd Bway show ever, I think) and even then, the cast was so special and appealing. I learned a lot about what actors bring to their roles, even in a musical revue.

The point's been made here numerous times, but worth repeating: we've lost the knack for casting and promoting real personalities in musicals.

[quote]Has Debra Messing been screaming at her agents because of her tepid reviews?

What the hell do her agents have to do with it? Did they force her to take a role that's beyond her talents?

[quote]The Weisslers finally admitted that the SVOG money re-opened their shows, and they're burning through it with trumped up productions that don't need to sell tickets. Hello, regulators?

I don't doubt you for a moment, but what "trumped-up productions that don't need to sell tickets" are you referring to? And also, what sort of production doesn't need to sell tickets, regardless of how it's funded?

I think Mary-Louise Parker will (rightfully) be the frontrunner for lead actress this year and could pull off back-to-back wins. The role of Lil Bit in How I Learned to Drive is just so good and MLP slips right back into the character like a well-used glove. There is a lot of humor in the play but as it progresses and her character’s age keeps dropping, the true shock of what has happened to her is arrested on Parker’s face. It’s an amazing performance that I honestly thought I would never be able to see. I read that play back in college in the late ‘90s!

David Morse will be nominated in lead at the very least. He was perfect. Johanna Day deserves a featured actress nomination.

Heather Headley would have made a perfect Sarah Brown ten years ago - a re-visit of the 1970’s Black Guys and Dolls would have been way more fun than the listless 2009 revival.

[quote] Girls, PLEASE! Stay in THIS century!

Stop trying to tell people what they can and cannot talk about

And fuck you. We are not girls.

[quote]MLP slips right back into the character like a well-used glove

I heard "Well Used Glove" was her nickname during 8 seasons of WEEDS.

Just sayin'.

If Cyrano were on Broadway instead of the BAM, McAvoy would be given the Tony automatically. Critics are creaming over him (with reason, I might add).

[quote]Heather Headley would have made a perfect Sarah Brown ten years ago - a re-visit of the 1970’s Black Guys and Dolls would have been way more fun than the listless 2009 revival.

HH troll, do we have any reason to believe that HH has the soprano register to sing "I'll Know" and "I've Never Been in Love Before" the way they're meant to be sung? Because if there were no contrast between those songs and "If I Were a Bell," that casting wouldn't work, as it did so fabulously with Ernestine Jackson.

Debra Messing is just so wrong for that awful play. At one point she turns into a Kate Hepburn impersonator and never looks back. Bad, boring play.

McAvoy isn't on Broadway because he wouldn't commit to a run long enough for it to make sense. They tried.

R124 I kinda admire him more.....

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 2012, "Peter and the Starcatcher" opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

[quote]R89 You’d have to be pretty anti-magnetic not to have chemistry with a pussy hound like Peter Gallagher. This Mignini woman - was she into men?

Maybe all the different colored wigs they kept throwing at her during previews were an attempt to make her attractive to him?

Yet nothing helped.

[quote]R106 I saw NeNe Leakes as Flambeana.

I saw Goody Mignini dancing with the devil!

[quote]Annnnnnd we're "gossiping" about casting for national tours from 30 years old shows. Girls, PLEASE! Stay in THIS century!

Never going to happen. Try to accept that fact and spare yourself all the aggravation of trying to be a hall monitor.

Are you new to DL R101? Lol. Shut up.

Saw STRANGE LOOP last night. I don't get it. I was in the minority opinion, I think, but I found it a bunch of sad navel-gazing. The buzz around me was that it's a sure thing for the Tony. Is this true?

[quote]If that rumor about Groff as Frank in MERRILY is true, I think that would be perfect casting. You really need someone with lots of charm and personal attractiveness as Frank, because the character as written is somewhat underwritten and unsympathetic.

Deuxmoi was the first to break the Daniel Radcliffe news, so I am betting that this is true.

If so, who will be their Mary? Is Ariana DeBose available?

Peter Gallagher can't sing? That's news to me. I've heard him sing many times and think he sounds great.

Who/what/where is a Deuxmoi?

R134 Popular Instagram gossip account that posts anonymous tips and sightings.

[quote] Who/what/where is a Deuxmoi?

It's pronounced "dumb moi," and it's what you should say since you're too dumb to use Google or DuckDuckGo and find out your own damn self.

R134 must be a Boomer.

r131, yes, A Strange Loop is very much the frontrunner and it's hard to see much overtaking it, but it's been a thin season for musicals. GoldDerby's predictors have it as the most likely to win, with Six close behind. The latter may have a shot, but ASL probably seems more important (especially after winning the Pulitzer) while Six is too much like a concert.

There's not much competition out there:

- MJ is a jukebox musical, and controversy over the subject probably kills its chances, even if it were better.

- The Girl From the North Country is a contender, but also is a flop at the box office (and was a bit divisive, with some loving and some hating).

- Doubtfire isn't good.

- Flying Over Sunset likely has some supporters, but got a very mixed reception.

- Paradise Square isn't good and is a flop.

- Word on Mr. Saturday Night is mixed. I could see it getting a nomination, but not a win.

Unless Six picks up steam, that kind of leaves a clear path to victory for ASL.

R138, and also, of course, "A Strange Loop" was created by and stars an African American, which certainly gives it an edge in the current environment.

Ah, but isn't one of the SIX creators trans? Does Black beat trans?

What a horrible situation for Broadway musicals and the future of tours. Everything will have to be revivals, because no one will want to see this shit. No wonder Beanie is getting such publicity; there's nothing new that's any good.

Carolyn Mignini is an acquaintance of mine and I've acted in class with her. She's fantastic. Never knew that about her in G&D!

I saw that G&D in 1992 when I was a senior in high school. My theater friends and I lost our minds during the "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" added rap thing and Ruth Williamson got on that stool and let out a high B-flat or whatever. Just one of my favorite memories of live theater, ever. I remember really loving the show, except De Guzman, bleah.

I saw A Strange Loop off-Broadway and remember the main character singing about having a white man’s cum up his ass. I’m sure the Midwesterners are just gonna LOVE that.

Apparently New Yorkers like having cum up their ass if it's a favorite to win the Blowme Award.

Jay Binder Dies: Prominent Broadway Casting Director Was 71:

Another fan of the original TINTYPES! Sad to think that a gorgeous little show like that could never make it on Broadway these days. But then again, it didn't really make it the first time around, in spite of the critical love. But there remains a lot of fond remembrances of the production for sure.

WHET to charming Mary Catherine Wright who played Emma Goldman (and others) on Broadway? She was such a refreshingly quirky soubrette type and I still love her rendition of "Jonah Man" on the OBC recording.

I think the voters will give ASL a lot of Tonys -- book, score, possibly a cast member -- but I think they'll give the Best Musical to SIX. It's hard to love ASL.

The Geffen Playhouse in L.A. just announced that THE INHERITANCE is scheduled to run from September 13 - November 27.

"The Inheritance reunites Geffen Playhouse alums Matthew López & Mike Donahue (The Legend of Georgia McBride, 2017) for an extended run of the celebrated Stephen Daldry production after its Olivier Award–sweeping London and Tony Award–winning Broadway runs."

No word on casting yet.

Any word on The Geffen's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf starring Calista Flockhart and Zachary Quinto as Martha and George? I can't imagine.....well, him, maybe.

I'm seeing the first preview of VW on Tuesday. I shall report back.

That G&D video at R142 makes me happy every time I see it. Amazing song, great choreography and stellar performances. And then I think about A Strange Loop maybe being the Tony front-runner, and I am filled with sadness. I saw half of ASL at Playwrights Horizons and left at intermission. I thought it was dreadful. And I even stayed for all of Metro, which was godawful but still better than ASL.

r145 And chorus boys everywhere breathe a sigh of relief

R135 You're making it sound better than it is. Anyone can send in anything and it'll likely get posted.

I saw GUYS AND DOLLS in previews with Mignini. I don't remember much about her but loved the show otherwise. I do remember being shocked that they replaced her with DeGuzman, as I thought someone like Judy Kuhn would have been perfect for it. DeGuzman just seemed so ... blah. But I never saw it again. Seeing that clip just filled me with joy, though. My friend Steve Ryan played the cop and he, sadly, died very young. A great guy and a wonderful actor.

And yes, I saw A Strange Loop off-Bwy as well, and though I stayed for the whole thing, it was not very good. Shocked that it got the Pulitzer.

Yeah. There was a brief flurry of me too-ness about Jay Binder on Facebook about two years ago. Maybe three. Several people added their experiences, but then it faded out.

Mary Catherine Wright when she was young, pre-Tintypes.

THIS is the favorite for the Tony? AYK? Of course, it will win.

I read A Strange Loop and thought it was self-indulgent nonsense and really poorly written. I can't imagine even the best cast in the world doing enough heavy lifting to make it palatable. The Pulitzer win was a complete joke.

You look at something like A Strange Loop, which got all this attention, and then something like One in Two by Donja Love, which was done just down the street around the same time at The New Group. Both plays had similar topics (of course, one was a musical) and both plays had very rough edges and were very personal stories. But the big difference is that Love has actual talent as a writer, and you can see that he could become a major voice at some point, whereas Michael Jackson doesn't have shit to say and will have no discipline or any motivation to become better, because everyone has kissed his add over this POS and told him how wonderful he is.

Mary Catherine Wright more recently

[quote]And yes, I saw A Strange Loop off-Bwy as well, and though I stayed for the whole thing, it was not very good. Shocked that it got the Pulitzer.

Are you REALLY shocked that it got the Pulitzer? I haven't seen the show yet, so I have no idea of its quality, but isn't it obvious why it won the Pulitzer even if it's not good?

Any word on who will be starring in the Barrington production of A Little Night Music this summer?

Jay Binder died. He cast a lot of hot asses but couldn’t live forever.

[quote]do we have any reason to believe that HH has the soprano register to sing "I'll Know" and "I've Never Been in Love Before" the way they're meant to be sung?

Sopranos are overrated!

R162, If he’s the person responsible for casting Travolta in Hairspray, then maybe it’s for the best.

[quote] I saw half of ASL at Playwrights Horizons and left at intermission.

Nifty trick, especially considering it's in one act.

[quote]Yes, [R78], everything *must* be a contest.

It's the American way, baby! It's what motivates us.

R164, it was no doubt director Adam Shankman’s idea to cast Travolta, not Binder who merely “advised” on casting.

Which producers are the stupidest? Is Sonia F smart?

I am definitely voting for Six over the hot mess that is A Strange Loop.

[quote]Which producers are the stupidest? Is Sonia F smart?

She invested money in Beanie Feldstein in Funny Girl. You tell me.

She's a producer not an investor, and the show, so far at least is doing well. I tell you that.

[quote]I am definitely voting for Six over the hot mess that is A Strange Loop.

But SIX is a piece of garbage. Except for MJ, any of the other possible nominees would be a better choice, as flawed as they all are.

In “How I Learned to Drive,” I found it really powerful at the very end when they had the teenage Greek chorus play Lil Bit for that scene when the abuse first started in the car when she was 11. Even though Mary Louise was incredible at playing the younger versions, something about switching over to that young actress talking and crying while having him molest Mary Louise was really intense. The audience was completely silent. It was like everyone was holding their breath.

Anyone else feel that way? The play has really stuck with me - the way it was structured was rather brilliant. I saw it years ago in a regional production but had forgotten most of it.

Hal Luftig

Was the original production of How I Learned to Drive performed like that with a younger actress as Lil Bit? Kerry O'Malley played that role and she wasn't much (or any) younger than M-L Parker.

And now she looks old enough to play MLP's mother.

Someone in the last thread, in the discussion about NPH replacing Borle in Into the Woods, mentioned Patti talking about how unprepared he was for Company; someone else asked where she talked about that and I don't think anyone ever responded. A new thread was just started with Patti's NYT interview from December. It's mentioned in there.

"Confirm or Deny

Maureen Dowd: You chided Neil Patrick Harris for not knowing what he was doing in rehearsals for your limited “Company” run at Lincoln Center in 2011.

Patti LuPone: True. We had 10 days. He came in and he didn’t know anything."

Did Patti think NPH was up to the role by the time the show opened?

Who cares what Patti thought. Did he do the job? Yes. So STFU, bitch.

Was Patti pushing for Corky to take over the role, since he was off script by the second day?

R113, I was quoting Burrows' description. I am sure the original book was funnier than he described. But the idea that South Pacific was in Swerling and Loesser's minds does ring true---even if they were not going for drama as heavy.

[quote]r180 Was Patti pushing for Corky to take over the role?

Corky would have made a WONDERFUL Bobby!

[quote]less than an hour later posted about his child being born, which he had to know would overshadow the first post. Seems odd....?

Why let a good chance at double attention whoring go to waste?

[quote]Jay Binder died. He cast a lot of hot asses but couldn’t live forever.

Jay Binder died from alcoholism. They'll say all sorts of other things, but that was the cause. I saw him about three years ago and was shocked he looked so awful. The hospitalizations were not from exhaustion, trust me. A curious man, both a huge supporter of talent and a complete monster when directing shows himself. He was very bright and knew this town's talent like a phone book. Sad.

Booze is fun.

He should've changed his name to John Bender.

So, anyone here know the goss about why Natalie Mendoza who took over as Satine in Broadway's 'Moulin Rouge!' in September is leaving the show in May? Seems weird that she is leaving the production so soon.

She probably decided to no longer be “The sparkling Diamond” because of the industry’s reaction to the news about S.R.

Who/what is S.R.?

Maybe Mendoza is leaving for another project. Lana Gordon just took over from Amber Grey in Hadestown but left to rejoin Chicago as Velma which may have been a smart move since the show is hot again thanks to Pam.

r189, Rudin of course. r188 is referencing Olivo claiming she was bailing on Moulin after the Rudin stories because "Social justice is more important than being the sparkling diamond."

Steve Vinovich went into Waitress, didn't he, and then was out again almost immediately ... what happened there?

R191 thanks! I can't keep up with all of the acronyms/initialisms.

Word is the SKIN OF OUR TEETH is a train wreck playing to a half-empty theatre. Someone I know, who never leaves at intermission, fled at this one. Embarrassing obvious contemporary references made everything worse. Of course we expected nothing less from Lileana Blain-Cruz.

Has Christian Hoff been blackballed on Broadway since Pal Joey?

What a shame, it's such an...interesting play.

Broadway is currently in a sorry state because of wokeism (i.e., diversity > talent).

So folks like Don Cheadle, RuPaul, Alan Cumming, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter are listed above title as 'producers' of Strange Loop. Does anyone know, did they give a few bucks? Do they come to meetings? Did they just lend their names? Do they do anything?

Wonder if SKIN should have been in the Newhouse instead of the gigantic Beaumont.

Thanks for the warning on Skin of our Teeth, which I am cancelling and replacing with Cyrano at BAM. It’s been a rough year to be an out of town LCT member.

Anyone a Killing Eve fan who has tickets to see Jodie Comer in Prima Facie?

The celebrity as producer thing is a new CAA/WME gimmick. The shows are actually paying for those names, assuming that their followers and social media presence will help the shows. (How'd that work out for you Joe Jonas and 'Chicken and Biscuits'?). It's also a shameless grab for a Tony award, to add to their monstrous egos and help them move toward an EGOT. If SL wins the Tony, Jennifer Hudson and Mindy Kalling get Tony awards. What a joke.

EGOT is bullshit and another sign of our ever more ridiculous society

[quote] So folks like Don Cheadle, RuPaul, Alan Cumming, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter are listed above title as 'producers' of Strange Loop. Does anyone know, did they give a few bucks? Do they come to meetings? Did they just lend their names? Do they do anything?

"Look, a bandwagon! Everybody jump!!!"

Oh good, Billy Porter winning another Tony. That will allow him to completely forget that amateurish monstrosity, "The Life."

Anyone else been watching the WEWORK saga on Apple? They conveniently left out this magical moment...

I finally watched In the Heights. Fun-ish score, but absolutely relentless in its energy, and for what? two hours and 22 min to tell a 40 minute story. I felt like I had been assaulted by the end. Man, John Chu is a terrible director. All slick bullshit without an ounce of substance. I thought Corey Hawkins was awful (and completely autotuned), and the women ranged from meh to meh-adjacent. But Anthony Ramos was adorable and charismatic. That guy is a star. He's the only reason I didn't turn off the tv when we got to LMM badly playing the coco helados guy with his cart, coming in like Apu in Oh, Streetcar. What was the point of his character?

Anyway, more Ramos, less LMM.

a bit OT

priceless quote from NYT article about jonathan baily of Bridgerton and Cock

"The pair[Cock director Elliott & Jon] first worked together on a gender-swapped production of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Company,” which won Bailey an Olivier award in 2019.

Sondheim, Elliott said, was enamored with Bailey.

Three days before he died last year, Elliott told Sondheim that Bailey would be starring in “Cock.” Sondheim “literally stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, put his hand on his chest and said, ‘Be still my beating heart,’” Elliott said.

Oh Steven, you will live forever in our hearts, (and loins)

Over on LPSG, someone has been describing the naked actors in Take Me Out. Here are three of them:

Patrick J. Adams Beautiful hairy dad bod type Chest hair that connected all the way down through his stomach to his pubes Definitely fluffed before his seen as his head pops out (uncircumcised) Head was pretty round and a purplish pink I color - it almost looked if it was squeezed out of the shaft by him to give some more length Fairly small but very cute on him probably around 2/3 inches when he first strips down and hovers around 3/3.5 after some presumed fluffing His face is the money maker here he is so cute and hot at the same time Butt is nice and round at the body and all the juiciness ends there

Hiram Delgado He was the most hard out of all of them - I would almost 3/4th full erect It hang pretty high from his balls and have a very obvious curve to the right The curve was almost 90 degrees I would say and very pretty to look at especially cause it was basically hard Beautifully dark and uncircumcised - had two visible veins bulging the bottom which gave away how he might have fluffed too much Bounced quit stiffly each time he moved around

Julian Chi Beautiful pecs and abs - but the pecs were really something to see Probably did some push ups before going on cause his pecs looked so full and perfectly round in shape Legs were muscular and thick - he also looked pretty tall Cock hung a little above average maybe 4/4.5 inches at the state I saw which looked normally soft (probably very minimal fluffing) Smooth body head to toe except a very well groomed tuft of pin straight hair above the shaft Balls hung lower than the head of his cock and were also incredibly hairless

that's just pathetic, even for gay incel standards.

[quote] Three days before he died last year, Elliott told Sondheim that Bailey would be starring in “Cock.” Sondheim “literally stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, put his hand on his chest and said, ‘Be still my beating heart,’” Elliott said.

That doesn't sound like Sondheim. She made that shit up.

Did Sondheim molest Bailey or lock him up in his dungeon?

That Elliot story is total bullshit.

The dungeon ‘jokes’ were tired decades ago

Indeed they were, r274.

And if the Marianne Elliot story is true, either she was telling a very tasteless joke, or Sondheim was joking.

[quote]And if the Marianne Elliot story is true, either she was telling a very tasteless joke, or Sondheim was joking.

Can you explain what you find so tasteless about it? Despite the title of the show, COCK features no full-frontal nudity. And even if it did, what exactly is so tasteless about someone expressing enthusiasm over seeing a very attractive person naked on stage?

I know I’m in the minority, but I found Doubtfire a lot of fun and Rob McClure very impressive. It’s not high art, but cute.

“Cute” doesn’t justify the price of a theater ticket IMO.

POTUS has to be the worst written play ever to reach Broadway. Absolutely abysmal.

R216 They're no doubt one of the self-appointed Sondheim defenders who have decided no jokes can be made about him, despite the fact Sondheim constantly encouraged Gerard Alessandrini to "be meaner" in Forbidden Broadway, so he could take a joke.

Saw Strange Loop matinee and really enjoyed it. Thought it was quite moving and the cast was fantastic. Audience went wild for it. It’s very original, very gay and has great energy.

I had the good fortune to be seated next to Gerard Allessandrini at the star-studded City Center Sondheim revue A BED AND A CHAIR: A NEW YORK LOVE AFFAIR (starring Bernadette Peters, Norm Lewis & Jeremy Jordan, among others) and we chatted about how supportive Sondheim was of Forbidden Broadway and also of the great affection Gerard has for Sondheim. It’s a real shame that production was not recorded or filmed… you’d think with that cast and material it would be a no-brainer, especially since they were all new and interesting Wynton Marsalis arrangements. Ah, well…

R219, did you see Moose Murders? Is it Moose Murders-level bad?

[quote] It’s very original, very gay and has great energy

I’d like to fix you up with my single cousin. He’s got….a really great personality

Hey, r224, it worked for Mme Pompadour!

R222. I know it’s not the same as professionally filmed but there’s an excellent bootleg out there.

NYT

It's an audience pictuh...

The only thing worse than having to sit through A STRANGE LOOP again, would be having to sit through it again from the balcony!

R187 "So, anyone here know the goss about why Natalie Mendoza who took over as Satine in Broadway's 'Moulin Rouge!' in September is leaving the show in May? Seems weird that she is leaving the production so soon."

I would imagine she had a specific 9 month long contract.

She probably has other gigs coming up and/or she doesn't like to stay in shows longer than that.

Theater life sounds fun and glamorous and "easy" until you find yourself doing the EXACT SAME THING over and over and over again for weeks/months/years.

It's hellishly monotonous.

Thanks, Kevin.

Was SJP back today?

Didn't Natalie Mendoza leave Spiderman: Turn on the Lights early because she was one of the many who got injured by Julie Taymor's poor staging?

Is Strange Loop related to Passing Strange, because they sound like companion pieces?

[quote]Is Strange Loop related to Passing Strange, because they sound like companion pieces?

They could be done in rep with Eugene O'Neill's "Strange Interlude."

A Strange Poop

does "shocktheatre" remind you of ANNyone?

Not thevwebmistress Ann. He's got to be an old obnoxious queen, so he surely posts here.

SHOCKTHEATRE seems intent on responding with an unnecessary and insipid comment on every thread at ATC. How long before he's banned?

"despite the fact Sondheim constantly encouraged Gerard Alessandrini to "be meaner" in Forbidden Broadway, so he could take a joke."

Except none of the aforementioned "creatives" have Gerard Alessandrini's sense of fun, silly wit or talent.

Young Babs....so singular.

Is shocktheatre new to ATC? I never noticed him until last week or so.

What's the deal with MockingbirdGirl? Are they considered obnoxious by most?

ATCer give his impression of "A Strange Loop":

I was hesitant about buying a ticket to this but when it came up on TDF I thought I would give it a try. I was almost instantly put off by it and my anxiety level kept rising with each succeeding number. I wasn't on an aisle and there was no intermission but I could not stop wanting to get out of that theatre as soon as possible. I was also put off by audience members hooting and hollering. Maybe it's a millennial thing.

Meanwhile this year’s Pulitzers are coming up in a few weeks. Any guesses on this year’s wokest possible choice to succeed ASL?

People forget that Strange Loop got a very mixed review in the Times, rightly do. It’s a hot mess.

Meanwhile, POTUS has smash hit possibilities.

I find ATC has gone from dotty, mildly pretentious, occasionally cringe-y theatre queens to a bunch of PC, woke, self-important mouthpieces ready to jump on one another over the slightest difference of opinion. I'm not convinced some of these new guys and gals even like theatre or understand it's purpose. It was a quaint affair 10-15 years ago. Now with people like Ryhog, Singapore/Fling and MockingbirdGirl...it's all gone to hell with every post wokesplaining how their view is correct and the offending poster's view is wrong.

[quote] I find ATC has gone from dotty, mildly pretentious, occasionally cringe-y theatre queens

Nothing like us, thank God!

shocktheater seems like an elderly queen with too much time on their hands, so will comment on every topic when not dredging up video clips from the distant past.

[Quote] an elderly queen with too much time on their hands, so will comment on every topic when not dredging up video clips from the distant past

Nothing like us, thank God!

So far only Chromolume is openly impatient with Shocktheatre, but before long I think many long-time posters will come after him. He's not a harmless old queen. Random posts, including the video clips from out of left field, can get really irritating to people who are trying to have a discussion about...whatever. A person who posts here used to regularly post on the old Sondheim message board about his adventures stalking LuPone. He was harmless, too, but eventually his long-winded posts began to annoy everyone.

[quote]his adventures stalking LuPone.

Brave soul. LuPone's the type to stalk back.

I don't follow it very closely, but I can't remember the last time someone got banned on that site. Chekky? Memblatt?

[Quote] Random posts, including the video clips from out of left field, can get really irritating to people who are trying to have a discussion

Nothing like us, thank God!

"My anxiety levels kept rising with each number..." WTF is in this show? And what is it with all this Millennial "triggering" bullshit?

Any Sondheim gossip from now on will be taken with a grain of saltpeter.

Strangely, there's been almost none since he passed. I was sure there would be tons of juicy gossip. Guess all those earlier stories were just stories.

When someone is banned from ATC it is not announced.

They simply disappear, never to be heard from again.

I think the juicy gossip about Sondheim was that he really didn’t have any. By all accounts he was happy with a mostly sexless marriage to Jeff.

Sounds about right, r259. Anything juicy is likely to be about Jeff.

How do you know it was "sexless"?

Pfft. Nobody here knows a damned thing. Particularly whether the marriage was sexless.

What's wrong with a sexless marriage? It leaves time for other.....uh.....hobbies.

As someone on DL wisely noted, five years ago, Sondheim probably got fatigued watching Jeff take his clothes off. But he was 61 when he took up with Peter Jones so that might have had some sex to it.

Mary, you said a mouthful!

If you read the Secrest biography, there was at least some sex at their first meeting.

Just watched the CBS Sunday morning piece on "Mr. Saturday Night." Anyone seen it yet. It doesn't look particularly interesting...

Will we ever see a jukebox musical about Michael Bennett? We've had Jerome Robbins Broadway and Fosse but why not Bennett? His TV work plus his stage work would likely make a great night in the theatre.

Shock Theatre and Sing/Fling are squaring off over A Strange Loop. Maybe they'll both flounce off in a self righteous huff.

[Quote] they'll both flounce off in a self righteous huff.

Nothing like us, thank God!

One more week 'til Funny Girl opens.

R206, I tried to watch the 1st episode but find it hard to take Jared Leto seriously in anything. It seemed they very quickly established that those two people were idiots and left themselves nowhere to go. Focused on The Dropout instead which is far superior.

[quote]Will we ever see a jukebox musical about Michael Bennett?

Maybe when Michael gets some Top 40 hits, r268.

[r261] I assumed since during their relationship Sondheim was 80-90 and Jeff was 30-40 that anal sex was probably out of the question.

I just don’t see Sondheim as a fudge packer, more of a jizz guzzler.

Somethings coming I don’t know what it is but it is gonna be great

70-90 and 20something-40. It can't have been sexless in the beginning.

20 goes into 80 a hell of a lot more than 80 goes into 20.

Wasn’t there a part of an old Jewish man in Funny Girl that Billy Crystal could play, he’s better in small doses, very small doses.

[quote] "My anxiety levels kept rising with each number..." WTF is in this show? And what is it with all this Millennial "triggering" bullshit?

The millennial" thing has to do with the "hooting and hollering" of the audience during the show. It has less to do with the age of the audience and more with the culture of the demographic of the audience, which is used to active participation.

Keep my balls out yo’ fucking mouth. Keep my balls out yo’ fucking mouth!

Wrong thread. Don’t even ask.

Here's the piece r267 is talking about, I love Billy Crystal he seems like a sweet man but this show feels like a miss.

I saw it. It's a semi-talented vanity project.

Strange Loop is also a semi-talented vanity project.

Is there such a thing as a Broadway show that is not a vanity project?

I know that I am in the minority here, but when I saw "Hamilton," that's the first thing that came into my mind, R286. The whole show felt like a major vanity project for Linn Manuel. He's the lead character in a musical, and everyone spends the entire show telling the audience how AMAZING his character is! I spent the whole show laughing and shaking my head at this!

Could even the Bridge and Tunnel Crowd love Mr. Saturday Night? It looks and sounds beyond dreadful.

R288, I'm sure Jesse Green already has his knives out.

But it’s Jason Robert brown!!!

Jason Robert Brown writes good scores but the shows rarely connect with the audience. What was his last hit?

Why aren’t we still talking about Jesse Williams pendulous dong?

I haven't quite recovered after seeing it yesterday.

Jason Robert Brown is regarded as the preeminent songwriter of his generation by many in musical theater. But he has never had a genuine commercial success.

He has 3 TONYs, at least, and perhaps he's quite happy with a career that resembles Sondheim's more than, say, Sir Andrew's.

[Quote] a career that resembles Sondheim's

He doesn’t have a [italic] fingernail [/italic] that resembles Sondheim’s

He’s like the less talented more Jewy writer Sondheim thought little of.

Big dick though. He has one - and is one.

I think Sondheim quite liked him.

Singapore/Fling, ryhog and Mockingbirdgirl never show themselves at ATC parties; they were discussed some years ago there by some of the participants, including one of the moderators, and Mockingbirdgirl was considered really odious and nasty back then I think ryhog and genealley were considered something of jerks back then, and S/F hadn't really started appearing too often yet. Afterwards his reverse racism agenda shit which he forces into nearly every thread, became repetitive and eminently unclickable. The problem is his posts so much, that when you don't click him, you see his red posts among the blue ones you clicked, and he has just posted so much, you almost still notice the asshat and pretty much know what he's doing.

No one wants to hear about all that chat nonsense here

No love for Frank Wildhorn?

His Bonnie and Clyde score is a favorite, glad it's being revived.

How 'bout a dance?

Jason Robert Brown is a wonderful song writer but a horrible musical dramatist. He tends to write songs that work better out of context.

R297, How do we know about JRB's dick?

[quote] He has 3 TONYs, at least, and perhaps he's quite happy with a career that resembles Sondheim's more than, say, Sir Andrew's.

Did you really just compare Jason Bobert Crown to Sondheim? I couldn’t tell you about a single Tony he’s gotten. NO ONE IN AMERICA COULD. On top of the fact that he’s throughly average and completely uninteresting or musical, the fact that you would even write his name in the same sentence as Sondheim is preposterous.

But you knew this would get a rise out of everyone here, and that’s why you shit posted like the troll you are.

And btw ATC idiots, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR LAME WEBSITE. Stop posting that shit here. You’ve been warned before. Knock it off.

Why didn't Jane Jetson do Broadway?

Deadline reviews "The Minutes":

[quote] Did you really just compare Jason Bobert Crown to Sondheim? I couldn’t tell you about a single Tony he’s gotten. NO ONE IN AMERICA COULD. On top of the fact that he’s throughly average and completely uninteresting or musical, the fact that you would even write his name in the same sentence as Sondheim is preposterous.

Wow, overreact much? He only made a comparison in terms of how JRB's career veered more towards the Sondheim trajectory that the Lloyd-Webber one.

Sondheim did like Brown initially but there's a famous story about an incident after a show after which Sondheim kept his distance. I can't remember it exactly--someone here should know.

At any rate what I remember is something like Brown invited Sondheim to one of his shows and they met afterwards. They talked but Sondheim never mentioned the show. Finally Brown chided him and told him he should be praising the show and Brown's work. Sondheim was offended.

Or something like that. Does anyone know the incident I'm talking about?

It culminated in Sondheim hitting Brown in the head with a fondue pot, r308.

Then he kicked him in the cunt bone.

Apparently Brown cheats on his wife constantly.

Yeah, this is DATALOUNGE, bitches! Not the fucking water cooler at All That Chat. Fuck off already.

The first time I saw JRB, it was a reading of one of his works with him at the piano. He was constantly taking focus from the performers by drumming on the piano and other annoying things, and it was fairly obvious that he was a attention seeking asshole. Lo these many years later, my opinion hasn't changed.

The story is somewhat right but backwards. Jason went to a Sondheim show and didn’t discuss the show with Sondheim afterwards and Sondheim was OFFENDED and read Brown the riot act about being a “good friend” and even when a show is not your taste, you still be a “good friend” and say you liked it.

Sondheim was kinda think skinned about his own stuff and at the same time loved to criticize your work!

The story about Sondheim and zbrowj is the reverse. JRB got a comp to an unspecified show and was critical of it. At any rate, they both got over it - they did a show together in 2019.

Hello, r304, with your bombast and threats to the rest of us. Are you someone we should care about?

He didn't get a comp to an unspecified show. Sondheim arranged tickets for Brown and a friend to see one of his shows and invited him to meet afterward. It didn't go very well and Hal Prince brokered a truce.

Came across this and it was a bit of a revelation. While he was playing Evan Hansen, Andrew Barth Feldman's mother and hs Head of School died. He decided to help fund the renovation of the Performing Arts Facility to be named after her. Because it had to be done virtually, he assembled young Broadway and Disney performers to appear at the fundraiser. Here is their song. It really is nicely done, but I was taken with the very weak voice of pop sensation Olivia Roderigo ( 3rd singer) whom I thought was just a hs classmate, and the rather annoying voice of Taylor Trensch.

Which show is holding off until the "Tony Nominations" to see when they'll announce their closing date.....as if it is 1988 and Tony nominations matter.

I saw that joint appearance of SS and JRB (at Town Hall) and Sondheim was pretty frail. But he did perform a JRB song and vice versa and it was sweet. Sondheim previously had lauded "I Love Betsy" from Honeymoon in Vegas as a song he admired. IIRC, Brown made it sound as if Sondheim had called it his favorite song ever.

I want to hear more about JRB's cheating big dick than any of his shows. I heard one of the biggest on Broadway, before Jesse Williams, was that handsome guy - Stephen -something who is (or was) a theater mgr.

Sondheim was unsteady physically following that fall where he tore the ligaments in his leg, so "frail" in that sense, but he was still in pretty decent shape and mentally was as sharp as ever.

R321, Bigger than Patrick Wilson? Bigger than Jason Danieley? Bigger than Daniel Reichard?

As I understand it, Sondheim was sharp as a tack right up until the end. Thank god. So many of the brightest people I know are the ones who succumb to dementia in old age and it just so especially cruel.

Bigger than Rex Smith?

Jason Danieley??

R326, Majorly hung.

Hilarious.

[quote]Which show is holding off until the "Tony Nominations" to see when they'll announce their closing date.....as if it is 1988 and Tony nominations matter.

I don't know, but I believe "Paradise Square" is scheduled to recommence performances tomorrow.

RIP Hollis Resnick. One of the greats.

A huge loss, r350

Hollis was the real deal.

Paradise Square and Company are both troubled at the box office. I expect Company will win revival but that won’t save it. Paradise will try to hold on but won’t make it either.

Here are the national tours coming to San Francisco in 2022-23, courtesy of BroadwaySF: Jagged Little Pill, Frozen, Beetlejuice, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Six and Tina. Yeesh... I'll pass, thanks.

What's the problem with that line up? If you're supposed to bring all the newest shows, that's the list! I think the only one missing is MOULIN.

Hasn't DEH pretty much toured already? Does anyone want to see another round of it?

San Francisco is a backward theatre town.

Having only read about her here, I had no idea Beanie had such a rabid fan club. Do not criticize anything about Funny Girl or you’ll get Beyhive levels of rage. If this is where Broadway is headed then so be it. Popular culture is at death’s door, anyway.

[quote]San Francisco is a backward theatre town

In what way, r337?

Those are all national tours coming to SF, so if SF's a "backward theatre town" so are all the other cities those tours are going to. All those shows, to me, seem targeted to screeching theatre kids. Where are the shows for grownups? (OK, SF did have The Band's Visit tour here recently.)

[quote]so if SF's a "backward theatre town" so are all the other cities those tours are going to

New Yorkers nodding their heads right now

Please, even LA is a backward theater town.

Did anyone else know they took that play, The Play that Goes Wrong, and made holiday specials and a TV show out of it in the UK? It seemed to do quite well on Broadway, but is was like Chinese food, fine while you were at it, but hours later no memory of it.

I feel bad for Company. It opened at the height of the pandemic Omnicron. It weathered every cast member being out sick, but will ultimately shutter. On the bright side that will free LuPone up to do more work

66 is no age.

r344 Not just the TV shows, but the same company has done six shows in the West End, all in the same vein

I want to see the Minutes, if only for Blair Brown.

R122, Headley certainly had a working soprano range when she did DO RE MI at Encores! decades ago.

Marin Mazzie…Rebecca Luker…Hollis Resnick….

Kellie? You in danger, gurl.

Austin Pendleton was my favorite part of The Minutes. He made me laugh outloud. Blair Brown was great but she barely had anything to do. Same with Jessie Mueller, And I don't think Sally Murphy even had a line.

The craziest part of The Minutes - which the NYTimes review touches on - is that the audience was laughing their asses off during the offensive reenactment of the town's battle with the Native Americans. As it was going on and the audience was hysterical (and even clapped when it was done), I was like "well damn this is crazy?" Then by the end - the play shames everyone about it - but still felt off how funny people found it in the moment. The NYTimes pointed out that if some Native Americans were in the audience they would probably be extremely disturbed, but the audience is largely white - so whatever.

Did anyone else who saw it notice that? I don't know if my night was just off - I didn't find the reenactment funny at all (not because I'm some woke SJW, but because it was stupid and obnoxious and clearly designed to be offensive). Did anyone else experience an audience who found it so funny?

Company had a decent run, 8 months, considering it's been revived plenty, had a gimmick a lot of people were not thrilled with, a leading lady who is not terribly good in the role, and the fact that anyone can rent the 2011 version and see Patti play the role from the comfort of their own homes and avoid Covid risk and watching the show with a mask on.

I'm not sure who was expecting this thing to run much longer.

Could someone who has seen THE MINUTES kindly reveal the big surprise ending, please? I don't intend to see it but, I'm sure like many others here, are curious.

TIA!

No, Hollis...you aren't.

Hollis was very nice.

[quote] Omnicron

Oh dear.

[quote] Bigger than Daniel Reichard?

Wait tell us more, always thought he was cute

R353 the town is founded on some ridiculous story about the white people beating the native americans in a battle based on the native americans capturing some white woman from her parents and they all went to go get her back and were victorious. It turns out it was the reverse (gasp) - the townspeople actually invaded the native american village for no reason and murdered all their women and children while the men were off on a hunting trip. One of the council members finds this out by finding a descendant of the native americans and reading her mother's oral history of what happened. He wants to publicly apologize and tell the real story. The other council members proceed to kick him off the council and then hide THE MINUTES of that council meeting to cover it up. But Noah Reid uncovers it all because he's all wide-eyed and curious and Jessie Mueller is a clerk who secretly kept THE MINUTES. Noah Reid threatens to expose them all and leaves but then returns because the Mayor (played by Tracy Letts) basically threatens him and his family and gives a Trumpy speech about how you need to look out for your own. The play ends with the entire council breaking into an extended tribal dance (which is extremely awkward - they are beating their chests and grunting and it goes on for quite some time) and then they pass around blood (yes blood) and smear it all over their faces. Get it? Because they are covered in the blood of the native Americans.

My row refused to stand up during curtain call but most of the theater stood.

Wait! COMPANY is closing??

R349, Headley does sing two or three notes in her soprano register in that recording from the DO-RE-MI album, and they sound fine, but hitting a few notes in isolation like that is not the same as singing "I'll Know" or "I've Never Been in Love Before" in GUYS AND DOLLS as written. I still wonder if she could sing those songs the way they're supposed to be sung, but I really have no idea, because she's almost never called upon to use her soprano register.

r358 you just saved me some $$$$

R357, God blessed him with an impressive tool....... and he's a top.

R357, Photos of him leaked a while back, including a full frontal that is easily verified by moles, chest hair, etc. Daniel has an impressive, large cock.

I need to see it!

damn. wish I'd have seen. If anyone has anything to share or suggestions on where to look....

I would also love to see the DR nudes :-)

I need Daniel inside me quite deeply.

And all the other big dicked actors listed upthread too.....

Where will those shows be in San Francisco? At the Schubert Theatre? Ah yes.....a lovely theatre untouched by the earthquake - or should I say.....fire?

[quote] damn. wish I'd have seen. If anyone has anything to share or suggestions on where to look....

ask Barrett Foa.

r359, No, Company is not closing. r352, who claimed "Company had a decent run, 8 months..." is evidently posting from the future, since Company has only been running 4 months--or 5 with previews. (A closing notice in August when it actually has been running 8 months? Maybe not too surprising. I don't see it playing this time next year, but it's not on death's door right now.)

r333 was fearmongering. Company is still clearing 800k a week (other than when Patti had Covid) with a capacity % in the 80s; Paradise Square has yet to clear $400k, with an average ticket price of less than $50. Calling them both "troubled at the box office" is like comparing someone with a cold to someone in a coma with pneumonia. Both may be unwell, but the degrees of sickness are so vastly different the comparison is ridiculous.

[quote] No, Company is not closing. [R352], who claimed "Company had a decent run, 8 months..." is evidently posting from the future, since Company has only been running 4 months--or 5 with previews.

I could have been more specific, yes, but I was responding to the person who implied it would likely close shortly after the Tony Awards, which would make it 8 months. Nov 2021-June 2022.

Can someone who saw The Minutes reveal if Noah seemed short, tall or somewhere in the middle?

Short r372

^^^ You might be able to tell from his new streaming series on Amazon Prime, OUTER RANGE.

They don't hate each other!

I would guess Reid is 5’7, maybe even 5’6

And Dan Levy is about that wide.

I’m surprised. For someone who was known for doing lots of musicals, Hollis Resnik has a very mediocre voice..

I saw her in the musical version of Wings at the Public in 1993. The show was wonderful, as was the cast. I wish it would have moved.

[quote] I saw her in the musical version of Wings at the Public in 1993. The show was wonderful, as was the cast. I wish it would have moved.

Was that based on the silent movie or the Kopit play?

The Kopit play.

The only Sondheim musical that did well was A Little Night Music with CZJ. Say what you will, but she sold that show. Sondheim was right to say that LuPone is well known in theatre but she isn’t a star.

I’m in the camp that I would rather see LuPone then Catherine, but facts are facts.

Whens Andy Randells in the Waitress show?

is he going into Waitress? As what?

I saw CZJ in previews (before the demons took over) and she was wonderful. If we’re ever cursed with another revival of Gypsy I hope she plays Rose. She could also play Phyllis if the Follies movie ever gets made.

[quote]She could also play Phyllis if the Follies movie ever gets made

Waiting for the "only as Young Phyllis" joke.

Dear r358, thank you so much for THE MINUTES spoiler. I think you've saved a lot of us some unneeded spending.

Yikes, it sounds just awful, Poor Blair Brown.

Keep waiting.

I actually think CZJ was great most nights except for Tony Award night. I don’t know if it was nerves, camera blocking, Trim Spa, a righteous pre-show fuck from Michael, but something made that performance a shitshow

Patti may not be a huge star, but she's enough of one that she's pretty much keeping the show afloat. It's pretty clear when you see how much the grosses cratered when she was out with Covid, from $792k the week before, to $515k the week she was out, to $830k when she returned. It was the lowest grossing week to date by far.

But it really would have helped if they'd gotten a bigger name in the lead, someone who's a star with a different demographic, or just in general. Because, yeah, Patti can only get them so far herself.

[quote] I don’t know if it was nerves, camera blocking, Trim Spa, a righteous pre-show fuck from Michael, but something made that performance a shitshow

The recent news that her vagina gave her husband throat cancer threw her off. It happens.

Speaking of which, Lenk is going to be on Seth Meyers' show on Thursday singing "Being Alive"...and I have to wonder if that's really going to help sell tickets. It's such a serious number, especially the way she plays it. Seems like they might have gone with something more fun? But all the sets might have made that impossible.

Uh, that "speaking of which" was meant to follow r390. I didn't mean to connect CZJ's vagina nor MD's throat cancer to KL.

Nothing is gonna help that thing sell tickets. However, they may as well get something out of Lenk to justify her salary.

Showcasing those ugly ass Company sets on Seth Myers would only keep audiences away, much like Lenk's singing.

If they want to feature Lenk on TV they should do "Barcelona" with Claybourne Elder in his tighty whities and a simple bed. That might actually sell some tickets.

If we got big-dicked Danny Reinhard to fuck Clay on TV, that would def sell some tix.

Clearly they should have cast box office draw Pam Anderson as Bobbi.

I heard a newer audio of Lenk singing Being Alive and she sounded much better than back in previews. Maybe she's pulled a Bernadette in Gypsy and gotten better throughout the run.

Reid - big dick?

I thought we were talking about cocks

[Quote] heard a newer audio of Lenk singing Being Alive and she sounded much better than back in previews.

Previews pre COVID or this year? She had 2 years to practice if you heard her in the before times

If they’re going to be on Seth Myers, they should do Getting Married Today, it’s a fun number. I know nothing about Matt Doyle’s rendition, but he’s cute and could sell some tickets. They could still bring Lenk out for a chat segment.

{quote]Where will those shows be in San Francisco? At the Schubert Theatre?

"Addison," you gave yourself away by misspelling Shubert. That was a stupid mistake, unworthy of you!

[quote]Where will those shows be in San Francisco? At the Schubert Theatre? Ah yes.....a lovely theatre untouched by the earthquake - or should I say.....fire?

The Shubert Theatre has no C. That was a stupid lie, easy to expose, not worthy of you!

Your too short for that gesture, anyway.

Speaking of All About Eve...

Aurora S. is back...

In follow-up to R375, another reunion:

R408 Hissssssssss!

[398] would you be a lamb and fill in this Sondheim fan as to where you heard the audio? I’ve checked my usual places and found Lupone’s Lunch several places but not Lenk

[r398] that is

I saw Sutton do MILLIE in LaJolla. You watched a star emerge before you. It was thrilling.

Kind of like April's butterfly monologue

[quote]I saw Sutton do MILLIE in LaJolla. You watched a star emerge before you. It was thrilling.

I saw that production, too, and I found her performance off-putting in an extremely aggressive "LOVE ME!!!!!!" way. But, apparently, some people respond very well to that.

Of course, that show was a cobbled-together mess, so I imagine it would have been difficult for anyone to be charming in the title role.

[quote] But, apparently, some people respond very well to that.

And some people dedicate their entire lives to obsessing over her career.

When will we see Andy Randells back on astage?

[quote]—Minnie M Fisk

If you knew anything about the legitimate theater, you would know it's spelled Minnie Maddern Fiske.

Man oh man. ATC's shocktheatre is being a royal cunt to everyone debating amplification on Broadway. Guess what, shock: Babs herself was mic'd in 'Funny Girl'. Yeap. In 1964! The wiring for it was actually built into the costumes.

Hell, there have been stage ('shotgun') mics in use since the 50's. Even the Merm had a boost in Gypsy (not that she needed it!) It's nothing new. Yes, Beanie might be over-amplified. Yes, her voice is still strident and cloying loud or soft. But to pretend amplification is something remotely new, is just a crock.

Someone needs to tear these new ATC kids a new one.

r418, see r300

r323 don’t forget me. Deedle deedle deedle dum,

I do not get the appeal of ATC.

The format is like a time warp back 15 years.

So clunky and awkward.

Who exactly is the audience for Strange Loop, the big-ass, queer musical of fatty self-loathing, anal sex and AIDS pageantry?

AOC

Thank you r419.

I liked some moments in A Strange Loop, but you would have to pay me to sit through it again. It’s a slog.

Yes I wouldn't sit through A Strange Loop again but I'm glad I saw it. At least it's something original and not some compilation of a pop star's music or Disney or a revival.

I heard a few excerpts on a New Yorker story and it sounds like it's one of those scores where nothing really rhymes, right - they're all "near" rhymes, supposedly more modern but really just lazy.

Daniel Reichard is not hung. He’s average. And it doesn’t matter because he’s a huge sloppy bottom. I’ve seen him getting railed by multiple guys. DL’s fantasies are always hilarious.

R428 - Stevie Wonder.

Thank you R403 & R405. I knew I should have looked it up......and not counted on Miss Caswell for the correct spelling.

But of course there is NO S[c]hubert Theatre in San Francisco - so perhaps it can be spelled either way.

r300 doesn't speak for everyone, r419/r424

r300 certainly speaks for me.

Let us know what else we're not allowed to discuss, r433.

Not a problem r434!

A Strange Loop also makes very heavy-handed knocks on white gays without ever really explaining why. The main character seems to blame white gay men for his self-loathing as much as he blames the anti-gay evangelicals. Sort of sick of that bullshit.

[quote]The DL can NEVER have too many dicks.

You're one too many, r436.

R436: He's pissed because most didn't want to fuck him. Can you blame them?!?! Time to even the score from the stage of the Lyceum.

How would you know about Danieley?

he doesn't.

[quote] I’ve seen him getting railed by multiple guys

Where was this??

[quote] Let us know what else we're not allowed to discuss

Clever comeback.

Did Broadway World delete the "Funny Girl" thread?

It was pretty long. Now, it only has two posts.

I wonder if this was done to protect the show from bad word of mouth.

NOTHING is protecting FG from bad word of mouth. Not while Twitter and FB exist.

DL should have a live review-reading party on Sunday night. Saucers of milk and Little Friskies for everyone.

I honestly expect the reviews to be softballs.

I think the reviews will be softballs, too.

Critics will be terrified of being canceled for fat-shaming.

Ramin's interview in which he praises Beanie as someone like Fanny who "pulled herself up by the bootstraps" is hilarious. Does he live in a different universe? She would be nothing without her family's money and influence. And she's NOT a movie star; she has never carried a film.

[quote] And she's NOT a movie star; she has never carried a film.

I don't disagree but why is DL or at least a vocal minority so worked up about it?

Because she's being shoved down our throats?

That’s incorrect, R448, she absolutely carried the film How to Build a Girl. It was all about her central character and she was excellent in it.

[quote] Because she's being shoved down our throats?

You never objected to that before

[quote]Did Broadway World delete the "Funny Girl" thread? It was pretty long. Now, it only has two posts.

I don't know what you're looking at R443. It's 51 pages long from what I can see.

[quote]Yes, Beanie might be over-amplified. Yes, her voice is still strident and cloying loud or soft. But to pretend amplification is something remotely new, is just a crock.

Is someone on ATC actually saying that (over) amplification on Broadway via body mics is recent, or even fairly recent? If so, what an idiot.

[quote]Ramin's interview in which he praises Beanie as someone like Fanny who "pulled herself up by the bootstraps" is hilarious. Does he live in a different universe? She would be nothing without her family's money and influence.

Yeah, well, I don't think his intelligence level has ever been considered as one of his most impressive qualities.

There is confusion over at ATC about sound amplification and sound enhancement. They are 2 different things. Posters are accusing FG of the later.

[quote] That’s incorrect, [R448], she absolutely carried the film How to Build a Girl. It was all about her central character and she was excellent in it.

Really? You didn't think her Brit accent was just this side of terrible?

Because it was.

[quote]There is confusion over at ATC about sound amplification and sound enhancement. They are 2 different things. Posters are accusing FG of the later.

In what way do they think the sound is "enhanced?" Are they saying that Beanie's singing is somehow being auto-tuned during live performance? And/or are they saying some of it is pre-recorded?

[quote]I honestly expect the reviews to be softballs.

I'm convinced that there will be some softballs, but I the think her vocal problems (including going off-key at times and sounding out of breath occasionally) are too obvious to be ignored by every critic.

R450-Fat chance.

R470, I would love it if that were the title of one of the reviews.

“FAT CHANCE: Beanie Gets Her Big Broadway Break”

R461 perhaps our next thread title?

R448/R457, her accent (terrible or not) isn’t the point. The point is you were WRONG about her never carrying a film.

I'm not the one who said it. I just made the comment about her accent.

[quote]A Strange Loop also makes very heavy-handed knocks on white gays without ever really explaining why.

Much more of the same in the Off-Broadway play "To My Girls", or whatever the fuck it's called. I read it a few months ago and its entire message is "White Is Bad". It's beyond awful...I'm seeing it tomorrow!

Re: Funny Girl- How is it that the casting of two non-white actors to portray real life white characters is "stunning & brave" on the stage, but if this were done in a film where two white actors were playing non-white real life characters, heads would explode? I'm sure Ramin Karimloo is fine, but as a Jewish White New Yorker, and the black actor Peter Francis James playing...Florenz Ziegfeld? I think they both should have declined rather than "taking jobs away" from deserving caucasian actors. I mean, come ON!

Also, R463, carrying a film really means that she was successful. That film was a bomb that almost no one saw, so she really hasn't been successful at being a movie star, which was R448's point (not to explain for you, R448). There are many people who were given lead roles in films who were not successful. Beanie is not a leading actress. She can't carry a film. Her two starring roles thus far have been flops. I actually think she can be effective in films. She was fine in Booksmart, in Lady Bird, in The Humans. For some reason, she doesn't grate on film the way she does onstage, much like Glenn Close. But Beanie has not yet proven she can successfully carry a project.

[quote]Also, [R463], carrying a film really means that she was successful. That film was a bomb that almost no one saw, so she really hasn't been successful at being a movie star, which was [R448]'s point

For what it's worth, I've literally never even heard of HOW TO BUILD A GIRL, let alone having any idea of how successful or unsuccessful it was. But I guess that sort of answers that question.

[quote]Beanie is not a leading actress. She can't carry a film. Her two starring roles thus far have been flops. I actually think she can be effective in films. She was fine in Booksmart, in Lady Bird, in The Humans. For some reason, she doesn't grate on film the way she does onstage, much like Glenn Close.

Good observation, and I think it's partly because Beanie's thin voice becomes very screechy and unpleasant when she tries to project it in a theater.

For fuck’s sake, the fact is she was HIRED TO CARRY A FILM. Her accent in it or that it didn’t make any money has nothing to do with it. Jesus, just admit you were wrong to claim she never carried a film, R448.

R468, I don't know why you're getting so upset when you and R448 are obviously arguing two different points. You are correct that Beanie was hired to carry a film -- one I've never heard of -- but R448 is pointing out that she was NOT successful in doing so.

How to Build a Girl is a Muriel’s Wedding type movie and it’s actually quite good and Beanie is very charming in it. For anyone who wNts to see FG without BF I believe her understudy will be on for a few performances next week after the opening. Not sure of the exact dates or why B will be out.

R470, if you're correct that Beanie has some scheduled absences from FUNNY GIRL the week after the opening, that's incredible. What is your source for "believing" this is going to happen?

R428, I have Daniel Reichard's naked pics, sweetie, and if that's an average size cock, then we're all in trouble.

r471, not r470, but it's not exactly insider information. It's on SeatGeek's website for April 29, April 30, and May 1.

"Casting Alert

The role of Fanny Brice will not be played by Beanie Feldstein at this performance. "

I'm not r470 but I believe the various ticket sites all announce the dates that Beanie will not be performing (when they are pre-scheduled).

Thanks, R473, but I didn't say it was "insider information," and regardless, I still find it incredible that Beanie would have THREE scheduled absences the week after opening. I mean, really incredible, and probably unprecedented.

Fanny standby Julie Benko posted the dates on her instagram. April 29-May 1st. Also Aug 26-28 if the show is still running.

Does Beanie need time off to accept some Lifetime Achievement Award?

The Funny Girl cast is doing that silly curtain call thing at every performance?

Beanie should have done a new musical version of Georgy Girl and not Funny Girl.

When is Lens Dunham taking over the roll of Fancy Brise?

Is anyone going to How I Learned to Drive tonight?

Lens is more of a Strakosh.

[quote]Thanks, [R473], but I didn't say it was "insider information," and

No, but the tone of your post was disbelief, that 473 was making it up. It was announced from the moment the tickets went on sale, so it’s pre-existing. Maybe that’s when they’re filming the next segment of Merrily We Roll Along?

[quote] Is anyone going to How I Learned to Drive tonight?

No, but I saw it over the weekend, and thought it was sensational. Mary Louise Parker, David Morse and Johanna Day are all remarkable. I would think the critics are going to rave about it.

Her voice is beautiful but god she’s irritating.

Honestly, Rachel Bloom probably would've been the next logical choice outside Lea Michele. Great pipes and solid comedy/sketch chops.

I would happily watch Reichard getting fucked by a group of guys. Although he’s married, right?

r487, Yes

If the show is a hit and Beanie doesn’t finish the run, is it possible Lea would be asked, and would agree, to come in as the replacement Fanny?

They would never ask her, r489.

She's back on Briadway!

I still think Annaleigh Ashford would have made a brilliant Fanny Brice.

[quote]For fuck’s sake, the fact is she was HIRED TO CARRY A FILM.

"Carry a film' (synonym: open a movie) means one thing and it's not 'have a lead role'.

It means "put butt$ in $eats". Well, did she?

The Beanie onslaught will not be denied!!! Resistance is futile!!! Actually, I think little Beanster is the star this era deserves.

Beanie is not box office. She has no real track record of putting butts in seats... in anything.

Lea Michele may well be the world's worst, shallowest, meanest person... but she IS box office. She still has huge name recognition and a following... namely, the younger ticket-buyers who all grew up with GLEE. (And those who saw SPRING AWAKENING.) Lea would sell tickets, even now.

For chrissakes, Liza could only get a run of 87 performances out of Flora.

[quote] Liza could only get a run of 87 performances out of Flora.

Her show was about 🥸Communists🥸

At this year’s Passover Seder, my aunt, who goes to maybe two shows a year and certainly doesn’t read All That Chat, said she had wanted to see Funny Girl but then heard that the lead was terrible. She didn’t even know her name, but she had heard through the elder Jewish grapevine that she stinks. FWIW.

The elder Jewish grapevine is to be trusted, r498.

[quote]No, but the tone of your post was disbelief, that 473 was making it up.

It was disbelief -- not in the sense that I thought R473 was making it up, but in the sense that I'm amazed that the star of a big Broadway musical has three scheduled absences the week after the opening.

The Company grosses this week are scary.

Whatever one thinks of Katrina Lenk if they had somehow gotten Anne Hathaway, it would have run for a year at least.

[quote] Lea would sell tickets, even now.

Pure supposition. Lea Michele has done nothing to prove she has any box office clout on stage or screen. And she doesn’t even have the minor film recognition that Beanie does.

Eden Happy...

Apparently the biggest surprise of last week's grosses was that MR. SATURDAY NIGHT only made $650,000.

Well, no surprise to me as I can't imagine even the alta cockers would brave the bridges and tunnels and Times Square to see Billy Crystal in an inept musical of one of his flop movies.

"My face hurts from smiling!"

Deadline reviews "How I Learned to Drive":

R490 Why wouldn’t they ask her? Lea is back in New York full time, she sang at Miscast this year and she’s currently doing publicity for the Spring Awakening documentary. She obviously is looking to find a way back into NY theater and she still seems to be in Michael Mayer’s good graces.

What better time than now for a Lea comeback? I find it wild that someone like Ansel Elgort continues to get work after he was cancelled, but Lea threatened to shit in ONE wig and she’s blacklisted.

I was the one posting Monday about how Company was doing just fine... Clearly I have to retract that. Last week's numbers weren't good at all. I'm just glad it didn't happen the weeks when the mostly understudy cast was on, so they don't get the blame. For the box office to fall that much when almost all of the regular cast was on...yikes.

I still don't think it will necessarily close right after the Tonys--it should still get a summer bump, especially with the expected wins. But unless they can stunt-cast a name as Bobbie during the summer, a Labor Day closing seems inevitable.

Being cast in the lead role in a film isn't the same as being cast because you can "carry a film".

It was a small British indy film that grossed $70k.

Beanie Feldmanstein has and had, at that time, zero clout for "putting butts in seats".

What happened to Liza's eyebrows in that clip from Flora? They're painted on half-way up her forehead, in the manner of drag queens who want to get as many shades of eyeshadow underneath as possible. She can't have had 10 facelifts by that age.

She had walked in on Peter Allen blowing a guy for the first time just before the photo was taken.

For those looking for a certain nude, you may want to read the thread linked below, starting around r151. A bunch of nudes of one performer were posted on the OMG blog, except one of them, the ninth, or next to last, doesn't match the body, or body hair, of the rest. But it does match...someone else. The detective in that thread offers convincing proof in r154 and r155.

Direct link:

(I miscounted. It's the tenth, or next to last.)

Saw “…Virginia Woolf” in LA tonight.

First preview, and it showed. There was a lot of talent on that stage, and some fine acting, but not nearly the fiery sturm und drang this play requires.

I’m sure they’ll settle into the play and make a proper actor’s feast of it

That is Daniel Reichard's cock at R513.

As the referenced thread correctly states, it was taken in his apartment, the freckle next to his navel matches other shirtless photos of him, as well as the configuration of his chest hair and especially his treasure trail.

On the referenced thread, a poster says Reichard's nipples are larger in one photo as opposed to another. Nipples do change their size and consistency, depending on temperature and the state or condition of the individual, anywhere from hard and tight to soft, smooth and larger.

And a very nice cock it is.

Thank you r513!

R516, There are face photos of Daniel on his Instagram page taken inside his apartment that match the apartment in the full frontal shot at R513 exactly.

The blue walls, white brick, white cabinet with wall mounted television above it, etc.

With that cock I think he is more of a Phyllis than a Sally

He could be my Buddy

Who is he again, what show is he in and does he get naked in it?

Oh wow. Thank you R513.

For those of you suggesting a Lea Michele comeback - shame on you Marys. Take one look at Lea’s obnoxious phony Instagram and tell me you want that bitch to have more success. She’s proven to be a raging cunt from the time she was a child actress - she wasn’t cancelled over the wig comment - she was finished because she’s a horrible shitty person whose talent never came close to compensating for her personality. Beanie might be a fat amateur, but I’ll take her nasal college production performance over anything else from Lea Michele.

PS. Thanks again R513.

Reichard is next appearing in Beck Center For The Arts Youth Theater Production BUGSY MALONE, A Musical Comedy Classic For All Ages in Lakewood Ohio

For the oldies here who missed the event when it happened, what did Lea Michele say about shitting in someone's wig?

r524,

As if there arent any other stars who are absolute assholes in real life. Fuck the Lea hate. Its childish.

I’d happily never read the phrase “stripped-down production” ever again.

[Quote] Brokaw’s stripped-down and highly-effective production

The original off-Broadway production of HILTD at the Vineyard was about as stripped down as you could get. Likewise the production years ago at the Donmar. The play is meant to be presented "stripped down".

Matt Windman is such a douchebag.

R527 seems…triggered. The work itself is written as a “stripped-down” memory play. One you clearly have never read.

Has anyone here been to the American Airlines Theatre lately? Roundabout is running a summer stock-vibe shitshow over there. The whole place feels like a junk shop after a fire. No real ushers to enforce mask rules, security people who are hapless at their jobs, the place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 2 years, and to top it all off, Debra Messing stinking up the place with an amateurish performance in a lousy play.The whole mess reeks of desperation.

Megan, when do you find the time to post?

I was Megan, but I called out sick.

SOME LIKE IT HOT is official, y'all.

A new musical adaptation of “Some Like It Hot,” a classic cross-dressing comedy that is being recalibrated for contemporary audiences, will start performances in November and open in December on Broadway, the show’s producers said Wednesday.

The musical will star Christian Borle (a two-time Tony winner, for “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Something Rotten!”) and J. Harrison Ghee (“Kinky Boots”) as two musicians fleeing the mob after witnessing a gangland massacre, and Adrianna Hicks (“Six”) as a singer they befriend. In the acclaimed 1959 film, those roles were played by Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe.

The production, first announced four years ago, has faced challenges on its path to Broadway: One of the original producers, Craig Zadan, died; the pandemic prompted the cancellation of a pre-Broadway run in Chicago; and the whole question of how jokes about men dressing as women work has become increasingly contested.

“It’s a complicated picture, bracingly ahead of its time in some ways, wincingly dated in others,” A.O. Scott, a critic at large and the co-chief film critic for The New York Times, wrote in 2020.

The job of reimagining the story, still set in Prohibition-era Chicago, falls to Matthew López, the Tony-winning writer of “The Inheritance,” and Amber Ruffin, the writer and talk show host. The songs are by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who previously wrote the Tony-winning score for “Hairspray.”

Casey Nicholaw, the Tony-winning director of “The Book of Mormon,” will direct and choreograph.

“Some Like It Hot” is being produced by the Shubert Organization and Neil Meron, along with MGM on Stage, Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander and Kenny Leon. The musical will be capitalized for up to $17.5 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The show is scheduled to begin performances Nov. 1 and to open Dec. 11 at the Shubert Theater.

Oh boy, another Christian Borle crapfest!!!

R522, please take your meds. No actor is worth that much hate. You have have issues you need to look at. Actors haven't done anything to you personally. Let it go.

SUGAR!

SKINNY & SWEET!

[quote] [R527] seems…triggered. The work itself is written as a “stripped-down” memory play. One you clearly have never read.

r538 you have issues. I wasn't "triggered," just lamenting that reducing costs to reveal the 'essence' of a work is often BS to cover cheapness. I have read the play, thanks so much, and saw it, and even fucked someone who worked on the original. So thanks for playing. Oh, and let's remember you're the piece of work who posted this on the James Snyder thread:

[quote] Grill this gash under oath.

I'm only triggered by nasty fucks who make DL and the world a crappy place.

I know what will sell tickets! An outdated idea that is now considered offensive, based on a movie that no one under the age of 50 has seen or an interest to see. Let’s star two guys that no one besides theatre people have heard of and let it be directed by a HACK!

Perfect!

[quote]even fucked someone who worked on the original

Pics please.

R493, you’re obviously not in the business. “Putting butts in seats” is NOT what carrying a film means. Try not to be so obtuse next time, dear.

[QUOTE] I wasn't "triggered," just lamenting that reducing costs to reveal the 'essence' of a work is often BS to cover cheapness.

Okay, that’s a perfectly valid point to make. However, the point was that your comment made no sense in the context of discussing a play that was always “stripped down.”

It wasn't my comment, it was in the review

but thanks for validating my comment

[QUOTE] It wasn't my comment, it was in the review

Oh, Jesus! Yes, I know the term “stripped down” was in the review! You’re not getting what I’m saying. Forget it.

R493, dear, you also seem to be confusing the term “carrying a film” with “opening a film.” The latter does refer to the performer having the ability to put butts on seats. “Carrying a film” is simply when a performer is at the center of the story and the plot entirely revolves around them. And that’s all it is. Beanie Feldstein carried the film How to Build a Girl. I’ve looked up the reviews of it in the UK and she actually got high marks for her accent which was a West Midlands one. I guess those of you who thought her accent was terrible are only used to the stereotypical UK ones, like cockney and London posh.

Umm, R548, you've been arguing with about three different people thinking they're all one and the same.

Who does Reichard play in Bugsy Malone? Isn't he a bit long in the tooth for that show, even by the "I'm 42 but look 15" standards of the DL?

[quote]Who does Reichard play in Bugsy Malone?

His name is Tallulah.

[quote]The play is meant to be presented "stripped down".

There's nothing wrong with intending a play to be stripped down.

No bitch slaps allowed at the Tonys. Thanks, Will!

Isn't this the woke production of Some Like it Hot? I heard they were turning the Jack Lemmon character into a tranny. If that's the case I'll gladly skip it.

[quote] Ruffin’s involvement, as previously reported, signals a departure from the source material, resulting in a new take that the writer calls “honestly groundbreaking.” The character of Sugar has been reworked and is now a Black woman.

[quote] “It is an exciting proposition to create a show with characters whose race is instrumental and not incidental to the story,” Lopez said in an earlier statement. “It became apparent to me that if we were to honor our commitment to tell that story with honesty and integrity, it required a Black creative voice on the team. It didn’t take long for all of us to agree that Amber was the person to approach.”

In other words, let's take a Tony winning Latino playwright and make him share book credit with a D-list talk show host who is patently unfunny and has zero experience in writing musicals simply because she's black. And yes, let's pretend we have a real reason to do it.

Wow. This thread has moved from witty barbs to just pure ugliness. It feels like a lot of Trumpers have joined this site, and they need to leave.

Reworking properties that don’t need reworking is getting tiresome. How about coming up with something new. Sorry but Company works better in its original incarnation. What’s playing on broadway now is a novelty act that never really works.

R556, take your buzzwords and go play on Twitter.

[quote] I heard they were turning the Jack Lemmon character into a tranny.

The casting would appear to indicate that.

Thank you to the person who provided the synopsis to The Minutes. It sounds just awful!

My cousin went to elementary school with Blair Brown. She mentioned it a lot when “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd” was on the air.

If I don't win a Tony, there will be slapping.

I think it's great that Amber Ruffin is co-writing the book. What could go wrong?

What's with all the cross dressing musicals in the past few years? And all of them have been attacked by the bored crazies on Twitter. Just give it up already.

R534, Why not just revive Sugar?

Samuel D. Hunter's Case for the Existence of God should be retitled:

Case for the Absence of A Dramaturg

God was it dull, with the bonus of an unexpectedly woke ending that made me loathe the overall play and experience. Bleuch.

Major cringe.

OTOH, James McAvoy is divine in Cyrano. The show overall is very good but not great. A very modern take, so classical purists should stay away.

I saw A Strange Loop at PH. Don't need to see it again. It's very good but I can't imagine it bringing in the crowds that Broadway demands.

I saw The Minutes and Hangmen in 2020 before the shutdown when both shows were in previews. So I saw Armie Hammer in the former and Dan Stevens in the latter. They're both gone, but I do need to see the shows again two years later to see their new stars? Nah. But are both worth seeing? Yes.

I found Amber to be pushed too much on us by Seth Myers on his late night show; she was not that funny and just had a lot of attitude. Doing bits like things the white guy can't say, but we can.

[quote]A new musical adaptation of “Some Like It Hot,” a classic cross-dressing comedy that is being recalibrated for contemporary audiences, will start performances in November and open in December on Broadway, the show’s producers said Wednesday.

Because today's Broadway audiences just adore musicals about men pretending to be women.

Jule Styne and Bob Merrill actually wrote some good songs for the 1st musical on that show, "Sugar". Not a fan of Elaine Joyce Van Simon nor really Tony Roberts, but Robert Morse and Cyril Ritchard must have been fun.

r568...

For all the talk about woke and diversity and that every creative team has to have people of color and casts have to have people of color, has it been “explored” that the top selling shows are old fashioned musicals with white leads?

It's the pendulum, r570. When the dust settles, what's actually selling will win out.

Isn't it time for Todd Haimes to retire? And take Andre Bishop and Lynne Meadow with him?

Have to chime in and say that after the failure of Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire, do producers really think there's an audience for another Broadway version of Some Like It Hot? People who adore the film (like me) and loved MM, Lemmon, Curtis and Joe E. Brown won't come, those who don't like the film won't come and those too young to know the film won't come. So who will that leave?

It also feels like it's bound to llok like and reek of the same issues as that Woody Allen/Susan Stroman monstrosity of several season ago, Bullets Over Broadway, tap-dancing gangsters, shrieking chorus girls etc..

I would love to see a big vulgar musical based on "Interiors."

The worst part of Bullets over Broadway was the stupid, random jukebox score.

I’m assuming SLIH will be an original score. If so, I’ll give it a chance. But I’m not sitting through another fucking movie-retread jukebox musical

The SLIH score will be original but random, if you catch my drift.....

You're assuming SLIH will be an original score? Okay, let's keep hoping for that.

R574. Vicky Clark IS Evie!

I think it's similar issues with SLIH as with Tootsie (and none with being "woke") in that if people these days come to movie adaptations at all, they want to see the movie on the stage. (And I think the argument could easily be made that no one wants to see them at all if you look at the sheer volume of movie to stage flops in the past decade.) But Tootsie (understandably) updated its storyline from soap operas to musical theater since soaps are no longer a thing. Where they fucked up was updating the story to present day, since no one in 2019 would mistake Dorothy for a biological woman. They would all assume she was trans and walk on eggshells around it or trumpet it to the highest of heavens. They could have easily made the change to musical theater but kept the time period as the early 80s. Of course no amount of jiggling timeline could help the fact that the score was terrible, the book was awful and everyone except John Behlmann was giving a somnambulant performance. How the fuck Santino won a Tony for that, let alone the book winning, if beyond me.

Tootsie (the movie) worked because cross dressing, drag queens, etc. were not in everyone's faces in 1982. You could easily believe Hoffman was a real woman with just the slightest amount of effort. By the time the topic was handled 13 years later in To Wong Foo, it didn't work, even with the three drag queens in bum fuck Kansas because by then, tabloid television had invaded. You had everyone from Maury to Springer to Ricki Lake coming into people's homes on a daily basis, and drag was a big part of that in terms of guests. And flyovers ate that shit up. They may not have condoned it, but they watched it. So there was no way those three walked into any town in 1995 and got mistaken for real women. Not dressed like that.

Yes, it's an original score, by Shaiman and Wittman. Who haven't had much luck of late--Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Catch Me If You Can... (And the terrible new Shipoopi lyrics for The Music Man.) If they ever manage to get the Smash musical up and running, I'll be up for that, but SLIH seems like a pass. (Is that why they're doing it? The only way to write for a Marilyn character in the absence of the Smash musical?)

My husband has been laughing out loud at that new Paul Ford (the rehearsal pianist, not the character actor) memoir, so much that he ordered me a copy of it (hubby reads on a Kindle, I don't). He says that Paul is just as nostalgic and bitter about the old days of Broadway as I am. I can't wait!

You can't just borrow his Kindle and read the book?

WTF, you bitches take it elsewhere. I just want to read about what's going on in the theater world.

What are you bitching about, R583?

R583 is Hall Monitor-ing.

Who could even be nominated alongside MLP in Leading Actress in a Play? Because it’s certainly not going to be Miss Debra Messing.

Does Laurie Metcalf have any offerings this season?

Looks like the main contenders (after ML Parker) are Negga (Macbeth), O'Connell (Dana H), LaChanze (Trouble in Mind), Emily Davis (Is This a Room?), and...SJ Parker?

(Some of the editors in their predictions are throwing in names from Chicken & Biscuits, The Skin of Their Teeth, and...Messing, but those seem very unlikely.)

"The Skin of OUR Teeth." Sheesh.

From what I hear about this production, The Skin of THEIR Teeth sounds more appropriate.

Updating most stories to "today" seldom works well. And, some plays don't really work because the playwright didn't place their story in a time period where it would have made more sense.

Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play by Anne Washburn is a good example. The whole framework of the show is based on society collapsing after some sort of cataclysmic event and so to entertain each other, people relay their favorite episodes of The Simpsons and eventually begin performing those episodes as a form of entertainment and solely based on how they remember the episode. It's premise is based on the shaky assumption that once the electrical grid goes down, it goes down for good and there is no way to generate electricity to power any kind of device to watch tapes/dvds of old episodes of The Simpsons....which is ridiculous because there ARE alternative ways of producing power and obviously people in a catasclysmic world would eventually figure out a way to make electricity.

Mr. Burns should have been "Lucy Ricardo, a Post Electric Play" and been set in 1962 for it to make much logical or more likely sense.

The Skin of They/Their/Them/Those Teeth would be most apt.

Lens Dunham IS Roxie Heart

More like Roxie Heart Disease

New thread for when the time comes:

A STRANGE LOOP!

What properties besides Phantom and Wild Party have two completely different musicals made from them? Not counting some that have been repurposed like Grand Hotel which recycled scores from an earlier version right?

BAJOUR!

Kill This Thread...quickly!

Stake it in the HEART!

And....

Scene.

I loved the lead actress in Clyde’s. I know she’s the actress from Orange is the New Black, but I’m too lazy to look it up.