THEATRE GOSSIP #509: Broadway Burnoff Edition

Just to kick things off: What a terrible thread title!

Worst thread title in history!

OP should burn in a playbill fire!

Now that that's out of the way, can we just get on to the gossip?

I'm in London this week. I'll try to pick up some West End gossip.

Does West End even have any gossip?

Try to pick up some West End boys too.

Does West End even have any hot chorus boys?

They're all hot, they just can't dance.

Is Ginger still the (buttered) toast of the West End?

No comment on the "Death of a Salesman" incident. I just came here to read the comments... I am attaching a link that includes two videos of the incident.

West End is awesome—musicals are often the same productions as on Bway but tickets are $100 for center orchestra— and no ticket fees online!!

It was actually cheaper to fly to London to see Hamilton than to go to Hamilton on Bway

Ginger seems shell-shocked and shiny in those videos.

Oh Playbill trying to be clever—

[Quote] It seems some audience members are more interested in claiming the spotlight for themselves than paying attention to Willy Loman.

But then, oh dear—-

[Quote] To his credit, Pierce did his best to diffuse the situation

Does DL Fave Casey Garvin have any nudes out there?

[quote]Ginger seems shell-shocked and shiny in those videos.

As I said, r10, the (buttered) toast of the West End. Powder, Ginge...powder.

Casey Garvin is a beautiful man

We are all too busy filling up the Some like it Hot thread

Kudos to Wendell Pierce for handling that situation as best anyone could. And I hope they ban those assholes from attending a Broadway show ever again.

Can a show recover from an interruption like that? Will it affect the second act?

It’s sadly quite rare to see a man live onstage so breathtaking and masculine in a matinee idol way, so Casey is obv perfect for SLIH given the period. Perhaps offstage it’s not the same, but he definitely fills his role - and his skin tight trousers - to perfection. And also Respek to him for getting in super ripped shape during covid as opposed to basically everyone else.

What exact role is he playing?

“Only Hot Masc Guy” in sexless, woke, flop (?) SLIH…

Pictorial & pectoral evidence…

That’s what you trolls are slobbering all over? Go touch grass. 🙄

R21, does he live in a prison or in a shitty apartment because that bathroom is gross

SLIH grossed $543,368 the week leading up to Christmas. Brand new 'big old fashioned' singing and dancing Broadway musical comedy. That can't be good. What will happen to them in January.

Did everyone get their Mark MacKillop 2023 calendars yet?

WHO?

Mark MacKillop is probably the biggest superstar to ever hit Broadway!

Remember the ‘wokeness-social justice’ schtick isn’t just racial diversity. All women must now have ‘agency.’ Can’t have a ditzy or stupid woman although dumb men are allowed. Plus there must be couple of heavy girls in the ensemble. (There’s a new ‘thicc’ queen in Six, and Little Red is a fattie in this revival.). So nothing is allowed to be mindless. Teaching teaching teaching. Kale in your dessert isn’t fun.

So what are the actually funny parts in SLIH? I haven’t seen it.

Sorry meant to post this in the slih thread

R28 don’t forget the ideal woman is Lizzo but the ideal man is a gym bunny with a six pack.

Rumor is the SLIH producers (The Shubert) are taking out a huge priority loan to float the show through. With that in place, the investors will never see a dime.

[quote]Can a show recover from an interruption like that? Will it affect the second act?

Apparently, it began at the beginning of Act Two, so there was time to recover. I was at a Stratford Festival performance of " The Tempest" with the wonderful Christopher Plummer playing Prospero. As he was delivering his powerful closing speech, a phone rang. The woman was too embarrassed to reach into her purse to turn it off, so she just let it ring. Plummer just stopped and bowed his head. Finally, someone in the audience shouted, "Turn off your damn phone. " She did, but the moment had been ruined. After he finished the show, she took a lot of verbal abuse from audience members leaving the theater.

Is Mark the guy who was with DL icon Brian Sims?

[quote]Plummer just stopped and bowed his head.

AMATEUR!

[quote]Rumor is the SLIH producers (The Shubert) are taking out a huge priority loan to float the show through.

Through to what? The only prayer it has is that it can win the Tony for Best Musical, but such a win is far from a lock. And four to five months is an awful long time to float a big show that's losing money week after week. I think KIMBERLY AKIMBO has a far better chance for long-term survival, as it's a much smaller show that could be floated till it likely wins the Best Musical Tony.

What did the woman say at Death of a Salesman? There also seems to have been a man with her who followed her up to the stage

She said "JUSTICE FOR BEANIE!"

R33 yes, what’s the story with BS?

Mark MacKillop is the best actor to EVER be on Broadway and he should have 10 Tonys!

She was upset that her husband got her the mini IPad for Christmas without Retina display!

[quote] Mark MacKillop is the best actor to EVER be on Broadway and he should have 10 Tonys!

When did Mark hire Jason Dottley to be his PR agent?

Mark MacKillop is no Casey Garvin!

Mark and Casey are no Clairborne Elder!

Yasssssss Kweens!!!! Yasssssss!!!! Werk beetches!!!

Is Mark MacKillop the handsome man ever on earth?

*most* handsome

r12 Yes.

[quote]Mark and Casey are no Clairborne Elder!

But are they a CLAYBOURNE Elder?

They are a Claybourne Clary.

Who ever is at R47 is fat with a tiny dick. Again, go touch grass.

R50 no one anywhere in the known universe thinks you're clever. Shhh....grown folks are talking.

Wow, you block one person on this thread and half of it disappears. The fat tiny dicked “actor’s” fan needs to be redtagged and banned. Muriel?

anyway....

r49 = Cloris

Since I besmirched NYTW on the previous thread for the Merrily cancellation, I need to praise them in this one. They took time to think of a good response and they came up with one.

Most important, they offered rescheduling through the rest of the run, providing a form for to denote your availability. They apologized for how long they made the audience wait. And they offered comps to their next show and priority access to Broadway.

That’s a class act.

R14, Unfortunately, when he speaks, purses come flying out of his mouth one after the other.

[quote]when he speaks, purses come flying out of his mouth one after the other.

Anything in a vintage Leiber clutch, r56?

Garvin doesn't sound all that gay, just young. And compared to Paul Wontorek, who is combining gayspeak, vocal fry and a throwback to Valley Girl, how can you single out anyone else?

R58, He’s more feminine than Arlene Dahl during that interview.

He doesn't have Arlene's complexion, r59.

R56, he has a very unique look. I think it’s sexy but others may think his eyes are too big

OMG. Less than 65 posts in and OP is already red-tagged.

This thread is doomed. Start another.

I guess Casey Garvin is okay if you like fatties.

[quote]No comment on the "Death of a Salesman"

City on fire! City on fire!

Mischief! Mischief! Mischief!

Not red-tagged for me, r62.

Any insiders have word on the advance for Sweeney Todd? I'm genuinely grateful that the producers have chosen to go 'big' on this one and have the full orchestra. But, I have to imagine this is not going to be a cheap production and unless it sets the box office on fire, it either won't last or they'll start taking steps to reduce costs. I have to imagine reducing the size of the orchestra would be a the top of that list. I know Groban has his fans, but I think they may be overestimating his pull.

And, yes, I know they're using the large size of the orchestra in the marketing, but so did the On the Town revival, which, at the time had the largest orchestra on Broadway, but half-way through the run, they reduced the size of the orchestra to keep the production going, too.

With regard to Groban, I keep hoping he has some Audra in Lady Day surprise up his sleeve and can, somehow, sing with a much deeper, more resonant tone than we're used to hearing from him. I know the likelihood is slim and, instead, we're now going to get this romantic tenor/high baritone tone as the new expectation for Sweeney. Ugh.

[quote]surprise up his sleeve and can, somehow, sing with a much deeper, more resonant tone than we're used to hearing from him.

You won't even notice with the freewheeling patio number happening behind him, r66.

They’ve talked big orchestra at Sweeney but we haven’t heard anything re set design or scale. I’m worried. Kail isn’t that good

Cheap sets and costumes will make up for the cost of the orchestra. You'll see.

No fucking lasagna!

That's interesting, the Sweeney website doesn't list a lot of the creatives who, presumably, would have been hired a long time ago. Do we know who's doing sets, lighting, costumes? That might give us a clue to scale as well.

Also, while not a big Groban fan, I have to admit that he always comes across as pretty charming, down to earth and self-aware. So, his bio on the Sweeney site is making me chuckle. I'm sure he had no hand in writing it, but, goodness, they make him sound like the second coming. Don't get me wrong, I don't like bios that are literally just a list of credits, but this is... something...

[quote]Tony, Emmy, and four-time Grammy Award–nominated singer, songwriter, actor, and philanthropist Josh Groban possesses one of the most outstanding and instantly recognizable voices in music. Moreover, he continues to captivate fans everywhere as both a powerhouse vocalist and dynamic Renaissance man. He has sold over 35 million albums worldwide, headlined legendary venues on multiple continents, and entertained audiences with acclaimed film and television appearances. His catalog spans a series of chart-topping blockbuster albums, including Josh Groban (5x platinum); Closer (6x platinum); Noël (6x platinum); Awake (2x platinum); Illumination; All That Echoes (gold); Stages (gold); his first UK #1 album, Bridges; and his most recent release, Harmony. Along the way, he has packed arenas throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

[quote]Extending his repertoire, Groban made his Broadway debut in 2016 with a starring role in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. He garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Musical. He has expanded his presence with appearances on “Glee,” “The Simpsons,” “The Office,” “CSI: NY,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and “The Crazy Ones,” as well as in the feature films Coffee Town, Muppets Most Wanted, and Crazy, Stupid, Love. In addition, he starred in the Netflix series “The Good Cop” in 2018.

[quote]Groban maintains his position as the consummate American showman in 2022 and beyond. This year, he returned to the hallowed stage of Radio City Music Hall for his Great Big Radio City Show residency and launched a nationwide live tour. He remains an active arts-education philanthropist and advocate, and his Find Your Light Foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through arts, education, and cultural awareness.

Sounds like a throat slitter to me.

I guess we also don't know the size of the ensemble yet either. Perhaps it will be smaller than the original production. That seems likely. According to IBDB, there were 18 "Members of the Company" in the original production of Sweeney. That was 18 cast members on top of all of the named principal and supporting roles.

[quote]Moreover, he continues to captivate fans everywhere as ... a dynamic Renaissance man.

Does this mean he takes it up the chocolate speedway?

From Popbitch - Darius was a pop singer

[quote]Usually if a star name goes to the trouble of getting leaving gifts for their supporting cast at the end of a West End run, they'll get a job lot of one thing and then dish out the same gift to everyone on the payroll. Not Darius though.

[quote]On the last night of his run as Billy Flynn in Chicago, he handed out unique individual presents to every last member of the cast and crew. They were all so touched by this gesture that they chose to overlook the fact that some of the gifts still had handwritten tags attached to them – addressed to Darius and signed by his adoring fans...

Well this thread is already a shitshow.

Sweeney Todd will be profitable from selling meat pies at intermission.

[quote] Sweeney Todd will be profitable from selling meat pies at intermission.

They probably won’t even use actual shepherd on top of the shepherd’s pie

They could use Franklin Shepard.

Broadway Superstar Mark MacKillop is now doing Cameos for all your special event needs.

ONLY $40!!!

Who would pay .01 cent for this nobody?

And who would buy his milquetoast generic calendar?

And who would spend $100 on an autographed version?

Talk about high key chorus boy delusions.

R81 how very dare you!? To be so rude about International Broadway Superstar & Musical Theatre Legend Mark MacKillop is uncalled for, Patti Lupone isn’t fit to shine his show.

Well, I see *some* of us aren't in the season of giving anymore. Why the doldrums? The holidays aren't quite finished.

Hugh Jackman is hinting that The Music Man will not close after all, and his replacement will be Ryan Reynolds.

Legit, or just more of that tedious flirt-friendship between the two?

Here's the tweet:

Ryan Reynolds lacks the talent to portray Harold Hill on a Broadway stage.

R87, disagree. Ryan Reynolds can sing, is handsome, and pulls off con artist very well. I think he's better casting for Harold Hill than Hugh himself.

R88 = Blake Lively

[quote] Ryan Reynolds can sing, is handsome, and pulls off con artist very well. I think he's better casting for Harold Hill than Hugh himself.

How much theater has he done? Eight shows a week is a lot different than shooting a movie.

R90, I don't know Ryan's theatre background. He may not be very reliable, but that doesn't mean he's not talented enough.

If he’s not talented enough to do eight (or even six) shows a week, he’s not talented enough to play Harold Hill on Broadway.

Hugh started in theater. Ryan started in television. As far as I can tell, Ryan’s never done theater.

[quote]As far as I can tell, Ryan’s never done theater.

It looks like all he has done live is standup comedy, and that was long ago.

R91, He’s NOT talented enough.

Ryan CANNOT sing. Here he is as a competitor on Korea's " King of the Masked Singer," which is the model for the American version.

The unmasking.

[quote] With regard to Groban, I keep hoping he has some Audra in Lady Day surprise up his sleeve and can, somehow, sing with a much deeper, more resonant tone than we're used to hearing from him. I know the likelihood is slim and, instead, we're now going to get this romantic tenor/high baritone tone as the new expectation for Sweeney. Ugh.

Lol, you think Josh Groban is going to change into a bass? That’s never going to happen. He’s a light operetta like baritenor. He will never have the vocal gravitas to pull off Sweeney. I don’t care what they attempt to do to his voice at the sound board, it will never work. He could be outsung by any mediocre incoming freshman classical conservatory baritone. Sweeney will also not be cast as a romantic tenor in the future. This is a one off that may very well end up as a Beanie moment if he’s not very very careful.

r87/r90/r91/r92/r94

I think Hugh just means another actor from another show in that dressing room. A show can't really announce a new star with less than 2 weeks' notice, they need to have sold some tickets. It doesn't happen instantly.

although nothing in announced to the WG is there?

Hasn't BACK TO THE FUTURE been announced for the Winter Garden after a substantial reno to accommodate the sets?

You know who would be a perfect replacement for Hugh…?

Mark MacKillop

Is someone murdering a cat?

Oh, wait, that's just the singer in R102's video.

This Sweeney revival will most likely be a disaster. Maybe it'll kill Broadway dead.

Kail directed Hamilton, In the Heights, Lombardi, Magic/Bird, and Freestyle Love Supreme. Doesn't give me confidence, but I'm willing to wait and see (as if we have a choice) - but the character, drama, tone and style that Sweeney needs is a tall order.

It's a good thing Mark looks good naked.

Mark MacKillop is giving trustfund baby vibes.

R106 is that how he gets his roles?

Much has been made about the failure of shows such as K-Pop. As someone who respects the dancing of the K-pop genre, I can tell you that the show was pretty bad, an insult to the entire genre. Sloppy dancing and singing will not draw audiences. Producers were banking on the popularity of the entire K-Pop phenomenon, while fans who saw the show hated it for its bad imitation. Just compare and you can see why it flopped. Let's just compare the men's number at 1:39 to Enhypen, a group of teenagers, who are new on the scene.

Enhypen dance practice.

Everyone seems a tad too young in this upcoming Sweeney Todd.

Getting back to Casey Garvin's cock (and thanks R47 for the link) the hard cock that Casey is showing off in the first pic looks nothing like the much longer cock in the other pics. Are the other pics a stunt cock?

Ryan Reynolds seems to have a pleasant enough voice. I wouldn't say Wolverine has an amazing voice either.

Ryan Reynolds lives in Westchester, I believe, so it'll be an easy trip for him to get to and from the theatre.

The real issue is that Bway audiences just love love love when any Hollywood actor comes to NYC to star in a show--even B-list actors are welcomed with open arms

Oh here we go with r112, always has to be one insisting they must be fake

I thought the pic at R47 was the Mark M. idiot some lunatic keeps posting about, not Casey Garvin.

Who is Mark M.?

R116, refer to the off-key braying sound at R102.

To me, Ryan Reynolds has always come across as gay. He has one of the worst cases of gay voice of any apparently/supposedly straight actor I can think of, another example being Peter Sarsgaard. So I'm not sure how well that's going to work with the plot of THE MUSIC MAN, aside from every other reason why I would be wary of such casting.

Reynolds and Jackman met on Grindr.

R114 Geez simmer down. I didn't say the other shots were fake. They just look about 3-4" longer than the other body shot photo. I happen to think he looks quite nice with his shorter, stubby cock. And good for him if his cock can vary that much when it's hard.

Reynolds sounds perfectly fine in the musical numbers in Spirited on Apple TV +. Unlike Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer who are embarrassing.

What ever happened to the mediocre Aladdin replacement?

Does Mark M have a McGillin sized endowment?

How did Telly ever land the lead in Aladdin? 👂🏽🎧🙉🙀🎤

[quote]Everyone seems a tad too young in this upcoming Sweeney Todd.

Then you don't really understand the story or the characters.

And no, Sweeney Todd is not a "bass" role. It's a baritone role that requires the singer to sing in his lowest register at a few key moments.

R122, I know nothing of his talent, but he sure has a bangin' bod. Too bad about that ridiculous tattoo, though.

My bf ate Casey G’s ass once. He gave it high marks.

The tattoo actually looks great

R126 looks like he went a little off course during COVID, started on a mental health “journey” and got tatted up big time. Too sad.

R128 are you joking?

Even if he can squeak out a tune, performing 8 shows a week is a talent unto itself.

If Ryan has this talent, he has yet to show any evidence of it.

These tattoos look great, R128 ?

Not r128, but yeah, I think they look just fine.

Geez, have some standards, ladies.

R132, yikes, but those aren't the one back tattoo in R122.

KPOP looks like just another “we have a pre-sold title, so let’s just throw any crap on stage and take the paycheck” show. An insult to real K-POP (and I’m not even a fan).

We’ve seen this before, from Good Vibrations to Tootsie. We have a title that’ll bring ‘em in, so fuck the creative process.

This is what will kill Broadway. Not wokeness, but laziness.

R135 yeah I didn’t even see the back tat, it’s all too much

R136 no, it’ll be a combo of the two.

[quote]Not [R128], but yeah, I think they look just fine.

Then you are part of the problem. When it comes to people permanently decorating -- i.e., defacing -- their bodies, I'd rather have a functioning brain than an "open mind"

Hiss!

HISSSSSSSSSSS!!

R140 has bad taste and is trashy

Quick, let’s talk about Follies!

R142 those tats are quite the folly

I dislike tattoos, R141.

But I dislike persnickety cunts even more.

Buddy would probably have tattoos.

Using the word persnickety is persnickety in itself. Have fun with your butterfly ankle tat.

I actually like tattoos, because they’re like big tangible red flags.

Um, would Kristin Chenoweth make a good Sally? Would she win another Sally Tony?

R146 bathes with a rag on a stick.

R149 I borrow it from you.

Buck would never have gotten tattoos.

*

No R125. The role is actually quite low in several places, requiring several sustained low passages. Notes Groban does not have. It’s really a bass baritone role. It requires a depth of sound that Groban doesn’t have.

r152 I did it better.

Having been involved in a couple of misguided big Broadway flop musicals, I can testify that it's really not fair to accuse the creators of laziness. It's simply a lack of talent and skill. And taste. There's a difference there.

[quote]I actually like tattoos, because they’re like big tangible red flags.

Well, that is a good point!

[quote]No [R125]. The role is actually quite low in several places, requiring several sustained low passages. Notes Groban does not have. It’s really a bass baritone role. It requires a depth of sound that Groban doesn’t have.

A bass-baritone role is not a bass role. And do you know for sure that Groban doesn't have those notes -- not even with the current level of Broadway amplification -- or do you just assume so? I wouldn't have thought that Michael Cerveris had those notes before he played Sweeney, but it turned out to be no problem for him.

Lea is out for the matinee today (unscheduled absence).

I rewatched the Groban CHESS concert a few weeks ago. He seriously cannot act. What are they thinking that he can pull off SWEENEY?

Tats are downright trashy. I agree with Dustin Hoffman who called them “the vandalization of the body.”

The singing in 'Sweeney' will sound like a bunch of honking and screeching drowned out by a giant orchestra.

That Aladdin guy was pretty hot before the frontal tat work

R157, She’s returning Christmas gifts for store credit.

Ryan R must have a pad in Manhattan too. He's been spotted with Bradley Cooper in the West Village and I believe both have a kid at the same school.

Let me know when they're sharing a bed and not just a school.

“Having” the notes doesn’t mean they should be sung on a stage R156. I have a high sustained B flat and B in a practice room. That doesn’t mean I’m a tenor. We’ve already had one total vocal catastrophe with Beanie ruining a show that was meant for a singer. We don’t need another lightweight trying to sing something well beyond their ability and capacity.

Harold Hill doesn't have to sing very well.

*

[Quote] Having been involved in a couple of misguided big Broadway flop musicals, I can testify that it's really not fair to accuse the creators of laziness. It's simply a lack of talent and skill. And taste. There's a difference there.

I [Italic] thought [/italic] I recognized you from the Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public merch stand!

r165 So your answer to r156's question is "no" then

[quote][R157], She’s returning Christmas gifts for store credit.

She had to have Beanie's checked out by the bomb squad.

[quote] Everyone seems a tad too young in this upcoming Sweeney Todd.

Sweeney spends 15 years in bloody Australia. He was probably early twenties when the judge shipped him off. So he’s pushing forty.

Groban is 41

Yes, R53. ANYWAY. Now fuck right off.

ha! ha!

Sweeney doesn’t necessarily have to act well! Or sing for that matter!

Did anyone see The Pirate Queen? I meant to see it but never got around to it.

What it terrible?

What it is.

R176, LOL

I watched a bootleg recording, R175. I vaguely remember the Pirate Queen giving birth during a sword fight aboard a ship.

Thank you, R175, for attempting to resuscitate this dying, anemic thread. Sadly, your topic of choice is equally inane.

R178, It was supposed to be Stephanie J. Block’s star making vehicle.

The fetus popped its tiny hand out of SJB's pussy and grabbed the sword.

I just listened to a podcast about The Pirate Queen. It didn’t seem like a life that would make a good musical.

And yes, she gave birth and then her ship got attacked. Apparently she jumped out of bed and started to fight.

I've said it before, but I don't think it's a crime if a theatre gossip thread lingers a bit. It's better than having 400 posts of "You suck!" "No, you suck!" in a four-hour span.

[quote]Did anyone see The Pirate Queen? I meant to see it but never got around to it.

It wasn't Carrie level "so bad it's good", r175, but it's close. Here is a decent boot.

Nick Adams, whose biceps would later threaten Marto Lopez's fragile ego in the A Chorus Line revival, is in the ensemble.

[quote]And yes, she gave birth and then her ship got attacked. Apparently she jumped out of bed and started to fight.

Not exactly, r182. The birth occurs onstage, spread legs and all (mercifully facing upstage in dim light). Block has time to sing a sweet song to her newborn son, before their ship is attacked. She asks for her sword and literally CRAWLS across the stage to kill the leader of the band who had boarded the ship, turning the tide of the battle. Then she collapses.

It was hilarious.

Yes yes yes to r183. (But is it ‘gossip’ to bemoan this gosh-darn new jukebox musical phenomenon or say producers are capitalists or say ‘Beanie!’ or ‘go woke go broke’ or ‘some like my twat’ Tourette’s-like whenever there’s lull?

The Pirate Queen was famous for meeting with Queen Elizabeth I to plead for the British ambassador to give her son back

I saw the Pirate Queen. She was riding on a boat with other queens.

2023 predictions? "Downstate" opens on broadway and wins Best Play and Best Featured Actor for K. Todd Freeman, Susanna Guzman for Featured Actress. Stephen McKinley Henderson grabs Best Actor for BRAC. "Camelot" is such a disaster, it only gets a nomination for Philippa Soo. "Kimberley Akimbo" wins Best Musical, Vicky Clark wins Best Actress in a Musical. "Some Like It Hot" doesn't last until June and gets a nom for Best Book but not Best Score. Ghee wins Best Actor in a Musical. "Leopoldstadt" gets the most nominations but leaves empty-handed. Jodie Comer wins Best Actress in a Play, "Man Of No Importance" wins Best Revival. "Ohio State Murders" wins Best Revival of a Play. Featured Actor in a Musical goes to Kevin Del Aguila, Featured Actress to Bonnie Milligan.

Kimberly Akimbo was cute but a stretch for Best Musical. It didn’t have much of a message really.

I think Kimberly's best chance is a Best Actress win for Victoria.

So "Here Lies Love" wins Best Musical?

R191, yikes, I hope not. Saw it off Bway—meh

Watching Sondheim’s Old Friends on BBC2 at my airbnb in The Netherlands. Jealous, bitches? Haha.

There’s already too much Clive Rowe in this. Uggh.

Fattie Michael Ball did a nice rendition of “Loving You.”

The big guns like Dame Judi don’t show up until Act 2.

[quote]Is it ‘gossip’ to bemoan this gosh-darn new jukebox musical phenomenon or say producers are capitalists or say ‘Beanie!’ or ‘go woke go broke’ or ‘some like my twat’ Tourette’s-like whenever there’s lull?

Maybe you somehow haven't noticed, but I would say an extremely small percentage of posts in the "Theatre Gossip" threads could really be described as gossip. Mostly, these threads are about sharing opinions.

So far Sondheim’s Old Friends is smooth and slick but typical West End performances as opposed to Broadway-fully professional but somewhat bland and lacking any dynamism.

Damien Lewis was a fun Mr. Wolf, though.

[quote]Mostly, these threads are about sharing opinions.

Sharing?

Maria Friedman ain’t no Angie on “Worst Pies in London.” She’s performing it like it’s part of a Vegas act.

Dame Judi made me cry with “Send in the Clowns.”

[quote]She’s performing it like it’s part of a Vegas act.

Sequins and plumes?

Unless there's something really surprising in the wings (like Bad Cinderella turning out to be amazing), and now that Some Like It Hot turned out to be underwhelming, I think New York, New York now has the best shot at winning Best Musical.

R199, how can you say that when so much about the show is still unknown?

Michael Ball’s really impressive on “A Little Priest”-Maria Friedman less so.

These pasty white boys playing the Jets in this WSS segment are awful.

I was at the NYTW Merrily performance that was cancelled. Someone upthread mentioned the theater had made a statement--I can't find it online. Could you post it please?

Petula Clark isn’t the best choice to perform “I’m Still Here.”

“I’m Still Here” should never be sung with a Brit accent. The song was written for an American broad.

R205, do you think there are no older British musical theater women who have experienced the idea of that stupid song from whatever minor show for which it was written?

Michael Ball’s the MVP of this thing. He was great in the Sweeney Todd segment and his performance of “How Could I Leave You?” was surprisingly powerful. I wonder if Sondheim would approve of the new gay twist to it.

Jesus, Gary Wilmot is bland as shit.

R188 I demand justice! Erasure!

Damn, Bernadette’s “Losing My Mind” was rough.

Oh gawd, Imelda’s on now, hitting her Rs real hard and still pronouncing “everything” as “ev-ruh-thing.”

[quote] Michael Ball’s the MVP of this thing. He was great in the Sweeney Todd segment and his performance of “How Could I Leave You?” was surprisingly powerful. I wonder if Sondheim would approve of the new gay twist to it.

He seemed to like it when David Kernan did it in 1985

Sorry, “1976”, not “1985”

How could Man of No Importance win Best Revival if it doesn't open on Broadway?

[quote]Petula Clark isn’t the best choice to perform “I’m Still Here.”

It would've been worse if they'd chosen someone who wasn't "still here" by the time the show was broadcast.

[Quote] Mostly, these threads are about sharing opinions.

My point exactly

That woulda been good, r214.

[quote] I wonder if Sondheim would approve of the new gay twist to it.

Pssst. Sondheim's dead.

[Quote] How could Man of No Importance win Best Revival if it doesn't open on Broadway?

Cue Maggie Smith withering eye-roll GIF troll.

I would love to see Bernadette’s Losing My Mind. I know her voice is GONE but I’d still love to see it

R203, that was me. I had member tickets and, on re-reading the email, the offer to reschedule was only for members at that performance. Unfortunately, I have no idea what they did with non-member tickets.

Kimberly Akimbo is a lock on Best Musical. Everyone loves it. I know three Tony voters, and they all went on about how great it is.

Based on seeing Groban in COMET, he can not act. And yes, Sweeney Todd requires someone who can act. Speaking of people who can not act who’ve played Sweeney, did anyone see Michael Ball with DL’s favorite shrill shrew Imelda Staunton?

Sounds like an easy to tour show, r221.

Only a matter of time before this landed on YT:

...oh.

Bernadette sounds rough is the understatement of the year....

Julia (and friends) again.

[Quote] Based on seeing Groban in COMET, he can not act. And yes, Sweeney Todd requires someone who can act.

It’s been a long time (at least a decade, right?). Maybe he’s taken some acting lessons

[quote]Maybe he’s taken some acting lessons

They were included with his lessons in poise and charm

Josh Groban IS "The Wedding Singer". Really....he is...

Steve, Lee Remick, Peter Lawford, and Audrey Meadows.

GO WOKE, GO BROKE.

Why?

R213-You'd have to ask Tom Kirdahy.

I just watched the Spring Awakening reunion documentary. John Gallagher came off as very sweet and unassuming. Lea and Groff were annoying.

I've worked with all 3, r235. I'd say that's an accurate assessment. Gallagher is a genuinely sweet and very kind guy,

Michael Ball was fine in Sweeney Todd. He’s a better singer than an actor, but as he sang the role beautifully - and still could, I’d wager - it didn’t really matter that his take on the role was not particularly exciting or revelatory. I also think starring opposite Imelda helped, as she was fucking great in it. Probably one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in a musical.

Groban will similarly be fine, I expect. Sweeney Todd is a show that can still work be with a merely adequately-acted Sweeney - it’s when your Mrs Lovett is only adequate that things begin to fall apart. Annaleigh Ashford is a great talent, though - I hope she storms it.

FWIW, I thought Old Friends was a dreadful hot mess. Old being the operative word - was it that hard to cast a commemorative concert with people who could actually still sing the songs? I’m a huge, huge fan of Bernadette, but this made me sad. And Maria Friedman seems unable to direct a song lyric that contains a verb without needing the replicate the action. The whole thing felt funereal and oddly private - having them sing Not a Day Goes By while staring up at a slideshow was just weird.

Maria Friedman just have an interview for The NY Times where she said she felt this was “my time” and she was going to really re-invest in her career.

If Old Friends is indicative of her current talent and technique, I think she’s going to be sorely disappointed in the results

That’s interesting, R236. I’ve always heard that Groff is a sweetheart. Maybe his personality changes when he’s around Lea?

From my experiences, I would say that that is a reasonable assumption, r239. Some people can tend to feel that they have been given permission to behave badly when others behave badly (think mean girls). Others remain true to their nature.

Those people are maybe better grounded, less seeking of approval.

Regarding the video at R224: It only goes to show, despite producers constantly trying to bring West End productions over here, the talent does not translate. The only person on that stage to generate any thrill was Bernadette -- and maybe Helena B.C. for recognition. The other old ladies are all just a wash. But that British audience sure went nuts for them.

The "great" Maria Friedman? Corny snoozefest.

Who was the old dame with the high kicks?

Janie Dee did a great job with “The Boy From…”

....

[quote]Maria Friedman just have an interview for The NY Times where she said she felt this was “my time” and she was going to really re-invest in her career.

Yeah, she definitely came across as very full of herself in that interview, and she seems to be feeding into the narrative that her genius direction has "saved" MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, when the reality is that the show is not very well directed, and the current production is a huge hit mostly because of timing and because of the leads. Also because it's playing in a theater with only about one-sixth the seating capacity of a mid-size Broadway theater.

r242 Arlene Phillips

Ugh, no, brain fart, that was Bonnie Langford

Just saw the new movie version of Matilda, the Bway musical (on Netflix). It’s excellent! One of the best movie musicals I’ve seen and way better than the stage version.

The stage version was overly long and the kids got annoying. Much better on film.

Clips of the Sondheim celebration are popping up on YouTube. I hope someone is kind enough to post the entire thing. I know. I'm a greedy bitch.

r249

I've seen broadway baby and not a day... are there others?

Here's Dench's Clowns

R249, assuming you're not in the UK, all you need to do is download the free Hola.org extension for Chrome (it's a free VPN extension for your browser) which 'tricks' websites into thinking your connection is originating elsewhere. You select the UK as your location, register for a BBC.com account (you'll just need an email address and use a UK postal code), then you can use the BBC iPlayer on BBC.com and you can watch the whole thing (plus anything else that's available to watch on BBC.com)

That said, the show is terrible. I'm glad Sondheim isn't here to see it.

That’s one of the loveliest filmed Send in the Clowns I’ve seen. Thanks for posting.

Amusing how the Americans here are so precious about Sondheim and the sanctity of American performers on Broadway. I’m reminded of Homer Simpson’s USA! USA! USA!

[quote]The rest of the world quietly smirking

Quietly? I don't think so.

R254 - I can't speak for others, but that's certainly not behind my views on the topic. I've had the good fortune to visit London many times over the past 30 years and seen some fine British productions of American musicals, but every British production of a Sondheim work I saw was really lacking. Maybe it's partly that, even when not set in contemporary (at the time) New York, there is this knowing Manhattan'esque wryness to a lot of his work that British musical theatre actors don't seem to have in their wheelhouse. Maybe it's something more intangible than that, but, more often than not, whether a concert or a full production, I've watched British musical theatre actors either indicate with literal gesturing, overact or just not connect with the meaning and intent of the music and lyrics in the way that their American counterparts do.

[quote]The show is terrible. I'm glad Sondheim isn't here to see it.

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm not at all surprised to hear that, considering who conceived and produced it.

Well Maria Friedman was involved and she is to blame for most travesties.

Are there any clips of Patti LuPone's full appearance on Andy and Anderson's AA-Presents CNN's New Year's Eve? Apparently she dropped the F-bomb live on air and had some other fun moments.

Who advises Bernadette on her clothing? She dresses like a 30-year-old.

R260, me!!

r256 really just proving r254's point. 'Only New Yorkers are smart enough to really get Sondheim'.

from BBW Getting married today

Losing my mind

Children will listen

send in the clowns

being alive

Uh, we were all well aware of Sondheim's achievements and songs....didn't know we needed a My Little Baby's Fisher-Price Overview of Sondheim's Oeuvre.

"Being Alive" is a weird and terrible choice of song to do as a group number. Again, not surprised, as this not-so-brilliant idea was probably "conceived" by CM.

Bernadette did a wonderful job croaking through her songs.

R256=What most British productions of Sondheim shows don't fully capture is the cynicism. They get the quips and the humor, but never the cynicism.

[quote] Just saw the new movie version of Matilda, the Bway musical (on Netflix). It’s excellent! One of the best movie musicals I’ve seen and way better than the stage version. The stage version was overly long and the kids got annoying. Much better on film.

There's a thread on it, but it never got much traction. I guess no one's interested. I sort of enjoyed it, but it was awfully "busy," for lack of a better word.

r271 The British being so well known for their optimism

It really is odd to me that Mackintosh and Sondheim were friends at all, given Mackintosh has the completely opposite views on musical theatre as Sondheim. Was he just that grateful for Side by Side?

Patti on NYE

Thanks, R275. And, I here's the first part!

Sondheim is quintessentially NY, and his shows always feel like NY, even though several aren’t set there. What the Brits don’t get is NY, and they never will. You could see it in the Angels In America revival, a NY show if ever there was one. NY is practically a character. Not a single actor had a damned clue what a NY’er is. They just don’t get it.

Anachronistic isn't the term for this, but I'm sure someone can tell me what it is. Maybe it's just because Len Cariou and George Hearn were EVERYone's introduction to Sweeney, but their vocal performances (not their glorious singing, but their spoken dialogue in the book scenes) never felt out of place to me in Sweeney Todd despite the fact that neither of them was attempting a British accent. In fact, I find it jarring when I hear a Sweeney speak with a distinct British accent.

The fact is Jonny Depp's cockney from the film or Michael Ball's accent from the more recent UK revival are probably closer to what a London barber who'd been shipped to Australia would sound like. But, for some reason, the booming, stentorian (but American) sound of Cariou and Hearn feels right for Sweeney.

Of course, by contrast, a Mrs. Lovett without a cockney accent would seem completely wrong.

Anyone else feel this way or am I macadamia?

One thing that I have to admit is almost

[quote]One thing I have to admit is almost

Sorry ignore my last sentence above. A copy + paste issue from another post.

r277 I guess that explains all those wildly successful Sondheim shows and revivals on Broadway

[quote]It really is odd to me that Mackintosh and Sondheim were friends at all, given Mackintosh has the completely opposite views on musical theatre as Sondheim. Was he just that grateful for Side by Side?

I've had similar thoughts, but I guess the bottom line was that Sondheim was ALWAYS grateful for new productions of his shows, and in his mind, that seemed to trump everything else. This was true even in a case like the London FOLLIES, where he agreed to write several new songs and cut some old ones, in addition to changing the ending -- all of which was done much to the show's detriment, in order to confirm with Mackintosh's stupid concept of what the show should be.

Were Sondheim and Mackintosh FBs? That would explain alot

r281 But even then, it's just Side by Side and Follies. It's not like Mackintosh was bankrolling a series of revivals or anything. Maybe he just really wanted a London theatre named after him, because god Cameron held that one over his head for absolutely ages. We were meant to have the Sondheim Studio between the Gielgud and Queen's, then it was going to be the Ambassador's, and then finally the Queen's.

R278, I understand your feelings, but yes, I would guess the main reason why you feel that way is because, when you first experienced SWEENEY in the performances of Cariou and Hearn, it was without a Brit accent, so you got used to hearing it that way. FWIW, Sondheim said in an interview that wasn't really important for Sweeney to have a particular accent because "the accents in the show have to do with the class system, and in a sense, Sweeney is classless, here's merely a victim of the class system," whereas Mrs. L. "is a member of the class system." (I don't agree with this, but it's what he said.)

[quote]"the accents in the show have to do with the class system, and in a sense, Sweeney is classless, here's merely a victim of the class system,"

He could bullshit when he needed to, couldn't he?

[quote]But even then, it's just Side by Side and Follies. It's not like Mackintosh was bankrolling a series of revivals or anything.

Nevertheless, Mackintosh was of course an incredibly powerful man of the theater, so above and beyond Sondheim's loyalty and gratitude to him for producing that (silly) revue and that (misguided) FOLLIES, one can certainly understand why SS would want to stay on the man's good side, partly in hopes of more productions in future.

O/T. but I looked up who played Mag Wildwood in the movie. Dorothy Whitney...two IMDB entries and she died in '77 at 44 in Reno of acute alcoholism.

[quote]He could bullshit when he needed to, couldn't he?

Yes, indeed. Of course, Sondheim said lots of brilliant things, but sometimes I think he just said whatever came into his head without thinking it through, perhaps forgetting that some people would take every word he utters as an infallible statement from God.

r286 No, I get that, but it's one thing to stay on his good side, but quite another to be as good friends as they seemed to be. He even agreed to be interviewed for that hagiography Cameron made for himself.

Also, just did occur to me - Mackintosh funded the chair at Oxford that let Steve cosplay as an Oxford don for a while.

So that's one more answer to your own question, R289 :-)

The Tonight Quintet with musical theatre kids who just raided The Gap made me think of Martin's "especially gangs that dance!" from Frasier

Sad...

I think both Sondheim and Mackintosh would have found each other far too old to be FBs.

Another thing about Cameron and Steve, you have to remember that Cameron, when he was quite young and first met Steve, was quite dishy.

[quote]Cameron, when he was quite young and first met Steve, was quite dishy.

Hmmm

Well, not in THAT photo, R295 :-)

Who is the young guy with the big man bun in the Sondheim tribute?

[quote]Who is the young guy with the big man bun in the Sondheim tribute?

Zombie Julie Wilson

r297 Bradley Jaden. Current Javert in the London Les Mis.

Actually, no, not current, he left in September. This is their current Valjean though. The old person make up they put on the Valjean for the last part of the second act looked ridiculous back when they were actually casting older actors, I can't imagine how clownish it looks now

Whenever any group is devoid of new ideas, they always stage on a "Sondheim tribute," with the same songs, then pat themselves on the back for being so creative.

I think Broadway is ready for a revival of Smokey Joe’s Café. A jukebox musical, yes, but well-staged and appealing to the international tourist trade.

Well, I for one enjoyed watching the BBC Sondheim tribute. Very emotional by the end, for sure.

[Quote] Well, I for one enjoyed

Get the fuck out

Has Steve’s widower participated in any of these postmortem tributes?

R302 didn't the one at Stage42 Little Shubert a few years back lose its money? There was controversy around a review criticizing the costuming of Umphress.

Mackintosh was a hottie when younger.

I loved Smokey Joes Cafe! The voices were incredible and the audience left the show dancing

I heard that "Someone in a Tree"and "With So Little to Be Sure Of" were the only song performed at the SS Memorial. Can anyone confirm?

How does one watch the Sondheim Old Friends show if I don’t live in England? I’ve read people say links have popped up on the sites, but what sites? LOL

R310 VPN or R252 advice

r310 Who knows how long it'll last, and the audio isn't great, but there's this

Why doesn’t Bernadette’s face look like Neanderthal man?

R313 Bernadette’s face went from soft and dewy to hard and shiny.

[quote] There was controversy around a review criticizing the costuming of Umphress.

Did the Big Apple Circus sue for theft of their tent?

R312. Thank you! The audio is just fine.

Maria Friedman really is as bad as everyone said.

It's like she based her entire performance around the "..and always arrives overdone" joke in A Little Priest

Let’s talk set design . Why does everything look the same? Is it because producers have given the money only the lighting designers rather than making actual scenery? When’s the last time a show’s desig had actual wot, expensive or not

can you see images from Six, K-pop, & Juliet, and they all look the same. More serious shows have some wooden slats.

Actual wit that is

I remember really liking the sets in 'War Paint' but can't think of anything memorable since then.

r318 - I think Brits just like their musical theatre performed broadly and to the back row of the balcony (of a theatre in another county.) How else to explain the revered place Imelda holds there now, too?

Maybe it's all that pantomime and Carry On films and Mrs. Brown style sitcoms. It is a bit puzzling given how brilliant they are at plays/drama (classical and contemporary.)

Maybe some things you have to have in your bones.

That said, have to admit, unsubtle Sondheim performances are not limited to Brits. Here is a recent Tony Award winning actress making an absolute mess of the Witch's big Act II moment. It's shockingly amateurish -- was she even directed or did the stage manager just rehearse one weekend with her? It actually makes me miss Patina Miller's imperfect Witch.

Yikes, r323. Not the role for her.

I have tickets to see Into the Woods next week. I pray to God she is better live…that was not good

[r312] You are amazing! Thank you!!

That shit wouldn’t have happened if SS were still alive.

r322 Nah, I'm British and thought it was awful, likewise Mrs Brown's Boys. Perhaps I'm in a minority.

Though maybe there is something in the idea that performers don't treat musical theatre as seriously as plays, and so think they can get away with that kind of performance. And given how much of the West End audience is from overseas, maybe they can.

Little Red on the ITW revival cast recording is dreadful. Deadpan Danielle Ferland was so very good. This one goes in the opposite direction and pounces on everything. Sara B is divine.

There is plenty of variety and wit in Broadway set design, often better than the writing in the shows. Hadestown, Beetlejuice, Groundhog Day, Oklahoma!, Come From Away - these shows look nothing like each other.

I mostly disagree, r330.

Those sets you mention certainly show great variety and some interesting design but there's simply no wit of the kind Broadway used to see by designers like Tony Walton (Chicago, Pippin, Forum, She Loves Me), Robin Wagner (On the 20th Century, 42nd St, Promises, Promises), Oliver Smith (Camelot, Dolly, WSS), Robert Randolph (How to Succeed), William and Jean Eckart (Mame, Pajama Game), Boris Aronson (ALNM, Follies)and others.

And what I mean by wit is a more personal point of view about the material, a genuine affection and warmth for the subject matter. Everything today is very cold and cynical and mostly very over-designed.

r312 -- Thanks--that was very enjoyable. MARY! me all you want, but I teared up a few times. So many nice surprises. I wish they'd identified all of the performers individually--I was familiar with a lot of them from British TV, but there were also many I didn't know. It was great to see vets like Sian Phillips, Dame Judi, Bernadette, Petula, Julia, and Imelda. I had no idea Haydn Gwynne could sing, but she was great in both of her big numbers. And I never expected to see Damien Lewis singing either.

Who was the guy who did "Buddy's Blues?" I'd never seen it performed like that, with Buddy doing the female voices as well. And I'd also never seen "Leave You" performed by a man with no gender change in the lyrics.

The worst part of the whole show was Julian Ovenden's horrendous haircut.

r332 Here's a list of who sang what. That was Gary Wilmot who sang Buddy's Blues

Seems odd to me they had Rosalie Craig and Jenna Russell and just treated them as part of the chorus. Guess they aren't amongst Cameron's favourites. Meanwhile little Charlie Stemp had to be found a spot.

Also, the segment with the photos made me realise that if they ever, for some reason, made a biopic of Sondheim, Nick Kroll needs to play the pre-beard Steve

Who is Anna-Jane Casey? She was prominently featured in Not Getting Married, You Could Drive a Person Crazy, You Gotta Have a Gimmick and a couple others.

r333 Thanks. Gotta love this credit:

[quote]Company – "Company" from Company

Anna-Jane Casey's haircut was the female equivalent of Julian Ovenden's.

I thought it was interesting that they used the term "intermission." I thought the Brits always called it the "interval."

I think Damien Lewis is terrible. Also, Michael Ball's 2 solos were songs written for women characters. He was terrible anyway, can't actually sing.

Bernadette delivered.

Also Judi Dench, and Janie Dee.

Imelda? Meh.

[quote]Just saw the new movie version of Matilda, the Bway musical (on Netflix). It’s excellent! One of the best movie musicals I’ve seen and way better than the stage version.

I would agree, withe ONE EXCEPTION. I had to turn the English subtitles feature on to finally understand it. Turns out Matilda has great lyrics and a fun book, just a bit heavy in the accents for me.

imho

The Burn It Down lady is....absolutely NOT burning it up.

R332, I did not recognize Julian until he began singing.

What's most admirable about the MATILDA movie is that Warchus was honest about what was sluggish in the show and cut it all from the film -- the brother, the stupid dance competition guy, the gangsters at the end. All very smart cuts (he should go back and cut them from the show too). Also admired how the film was stronger in connecting Matilda to her stories to Ms. Honey and all that....Made much more sense.

[quote] There is plenty of variety and wit in Broadway set design, often better than the writing in the shows. Hadestown, Beetlejuice, Groundhog Day, Oklahoma!, Come From Away - these shows look nothing like each other.

None of the designs you cite had wit as r331 describes it so well. The two of them that thought they were witty – groundhog and Beetlejuice – were heavy, loud, and lumpy ( not unlike a certain failed Fanny), generally compensating for charm and smarts with just…more.

Wow, Kalukango is fucking HORRIBLE in that clip. I thought she was awful on the Tony awards, too. She was doing a screamy, low rent Tonya Pinkins and now that I've seen this I know she has zero technique and cannot act for shit. Another wasted Tony thanks to WSYWAT.

I'm guessing she succeeds with the Witch's rap.

Only a matter of time before DL's Broadway Klan Grannies make an appearance over Joaquina. Looking at you R345 & R346.

[quote]I had to turn the English subtitles feature on to finally understand it. Turns out Matilda has great lyrics and a fun book, just a bit heavy in the accents for me.

Thank god for subtitles. I can only imagine how many of those lyrics were missed in the theater.

Loved the film. Luli Mitchell was amazing.

Janie Dee sounds a lot like Glynis Johns in “A Weekend in the Country.”

I wonder who serviced Julian Ovenden in the dressing room? Maybe that was little Charlie’s reward? He did a bit part and he did a big part?

Almost all the lyrics for Matilda were impossible to understand when I saw it on Broadway. The movie is indeed great and thank goodness for subtitles.

r256 rather underlining my point with preening self regard and a crushing case of pretentiousness.

R335, Anna Jane Casey, among other things probably, was the original Dot in the Menier revival of Sunday and was very good, especially in the 2nd act with Children and Art.

Jenna Russell did the B’way transfer and was also Mary in Friedman’s Merrily which transferred to the West End for a time.

R277 and The Inheritance.

Shame on all you non-license fee paying scammers making up fake BBC accounts to access the iPlayer!!

Surely there’s a torrent of this someplace.

And speaking of Shirley:

Sheridan Smith is doing a West End revival of Shirley Valentine!! She’s not that old!

Crikey, that’ll tour up North for the rest of her natural life.

Sheridan Smith must have friends in influential places.

[Quote] Only a matter of time before DL's Broadway Klan Grannies make an appearance over Joaquina. Looking at you [R345] & [R346].

1: do you think that performance is good?

2: if you can cite their posts, didn’t they already the appearance you foretell?

Sheridan Smith has moved on to older character roles. I just saw her in a TV thing where she played the mum of a murdered young man in his 20s. So she’s fine for Shirley Valentine.

Janie Dee might have sounded like Glynis Johns in "A Weekend in the Country" but she sang the role of The Countess.

No songs from Pacific Overtures in the concert. What, they couldn’t have flown over Lea Salonga to sing “There Is No Other Way”?

I’ll tell ya what pisses me off! It’s been two days into 2023 and NOT one of you have mentioned my brilliant Kurstirca movie I was in. AND not a word about my good friend Marlon Brando!

r360

no someone in a tree? that's weird

It was weird that there was nothing included from either Pacific Overtures or Assassins or Bounce (was that one ever done in the UK?).

The Burn It Down singer affirms that the role of The Witch, which was once a role that could be played with a certain charm and humor, has now become an excuse for over-dramatic caterwauling and undisciplined histrionics. Can't believe that SS would have approved.

[quote]It was weird that there was nothing included from either Pacific Overtures or Assassins or Bounce (was that one ever done in the UK?).

When have you ever heard any of the million Sondheim tributes which didn't exclusively feature the exact same songs?

R364 and the audiences eat it up which is even sadder.

Review of "Old Friends."

Twats On Stage

The Menier Chocolate Factory did a production of Bounce several years ago with David Bedelia. I saw it and it was better than any version I saw in NYC.

There’s a reason Bounce never went anywhere. Leave it dead and buried

[quote]Leave it dead and buried

With a name like...Bounce?

[quote]The Menier Chocolate Factory did a production of Bounce several years ago with David Bedelia. I saw it and it was better than any version I saw in NYC.

Talk about damning with faint praise.

Did anyone ever see Urban Cowboy?

I did!

[quote] Janie Dee might have sounded like Glynis Johns in "A Weekend in the Country" but she sang the role of The Countess.

Yes, I’m aware of that. I was commenting on what she sounded like, and she sounded like Glynis Johns, not Patricia Elliot. It was almost like she was giving a taste of what Johns might’ve sounded like had she played Charlotte instead of Desiree.

Janie Dee was Phyllis in the NT’s Follies and was FANTASTIC.

When Menier did Bounce it was called Road Show. David Bedella was great.

I saw Road Show in NYC. It’s like Sondheim took every one of his cliches, mixed them up and a bag, and let it explode all over the stage

As I remember, that John Doyle-directed Public Theatre version of Road Show or Bounce or whatever it was called then was riddled with all the actors in some awful white costumes with road maps drawn all over them.

But it was the first time I ever saw Clayborne Elder, so there was that.

Wasn’t Bounce the name of a static remover product?

Wasn’t Bounce supposed to be Jane Powell’s Broadway resurgence?

I heard the Hal Prince-directed version of BOUNCE was at least somewhat interesting.

I saw ROAD SHOW at the Public, and it cemented my lifelong hatred of just about anything John Doyle touches. He HATES the conventions of musical theater and comedy, so he drains all pizzazz and flair from anything that calls for it. ROAD SHOW is supposed be somewhat like a daffy adventure comedy, a vaudeville, at least originally. Doyle's gross misuse of the chorus was particularly grating.

r382

I saw it in DC and I remember NOTHING from it except a guy who looks like Gavin Creel would not be with Richard Kind

Return, r381. It's not like Jane Powell at 75 was going to have a "resurgence".

Oh crap, Jane Powell flared up again!

I saw what was the first preview of Urban Cowboy (had tickets for the second preview but the first was cancelled).

I remember VERY little: Matt Cavenaugh's flawless body, Jenn Colella had lots of charm and a bed that malfunctioned and kept spinning around on stage.

Take your Doan's, r385.

Agreed, R382. Doyle's approach can work well for certain shows like THE COLOR PURPLE and A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, but not others, including ROAD SHOW.

Bounce / Wise Guys / Gold / Road Show always seemed to have failed. But, I do think this was a lovely late Sondheim song. No doubt buoyed by Tunick's orchestration.

As an admitted mama's boy, this one always touched me.

Dang, Robert Burr was HAWT.

Matt Cavenaugh has left the business.

Because of his WSS experience ?

R392, More precisely, his Arthur Laurents experience.

I too have heard that Matt C. left the business because of his experience with Arthur Laurents, but I would hope he wouldn't have given up his entire career if it was only that Arthur was leching after him and maybe even harassed him sexually. My guess is that MC came to realize his own complicity in the situation, that he maybe flirted with AL and encouraged his attentions in order to get a part that he was all wrong for. Also, MC may have finally realized that his acting was quite poor and his future career would be limited without that talent, especially as he got older and his looks began to fade.

[quote] Dang, Robert Burr was HAWT.

Robert Burr was also Nancy Dussault’s leading man in the iconic DL fave Bajour!

....

FUN FACT: Jenny Powers is the granddaughter of Dave Powers, JFK’s right hand man and “pimp” for many years.

That’s a lot of supposition R394. You don’t know anything about what motivated his decision, though I’m sure most would imagine that some of it would be the miserable experience of working with that creep Laurents.

Alright queens, I’m flying into NY today for a quick trip.

Patti LuPone at 54 below tonight. I hope she sings Evita (I guess she rarely does for this show)

Into the Woods tomorrow. I hope the Witch is better in person than she was in the Broadwayworld clip.

I’m also hoping to get a cancellation ticket to Merrily We Roll along. Of the three, me getting a cancellation ticket seems as likely as Faye Dunaway being satisfied at the reaction to the Kurstirica movie

R399, A hat is passed among the audience with 43 song titles in it, so there’s a 1 in 43 chance you’ll hear “Evita”.

R399, be careful, don't take the subway, carry mace or a gun, don't get stabbed, be wary of crowds, and hope that your performances are not interrupted by crazed audience members. Have fun.

These wusses who are terrified of big cities are the same morons who accused us of living in fear because we wore masks, aren’t they?

[quote]R398, there's a difference between a supposition and a guess. I clearly stated that I was guessing at why MC left the business, not supposing. (And I was aware that he and his wife have opened that theater, so he hasn't entirely left the business, he just stopped doing the Broadway thing.)

So nice to see Grammy winner Oak working again.

[quote] So nice to see Grammy winner Oak working again.

It is?

That's "Poison Oak," thank you very much.

Nobody wants to see that fucking shitshow with Chastain. They may as well put Porky and Ariel Sta'chel in it.

Tony Award winning writer/director Frank Galati has died.

Matt Cavenaugh seemed to play Tony in WSS as a gay man. Was that Laurents' idea?

R396, wow, Cavanaugh looks positively middle-aged now.

[quote]wow, Cavanaugh looks positively middle-aged now.

Arkansas will do that to you.

Matt C must not have had the endowment to back up his looks....or properly work the casting couch.

Staying a Bway actor is a tough career. Maybe Matt and his wife just wanted to leave NYC and try their luck in a smaller town. It's totally understandable actually.

But, r413....,Arkansas???

Isn't that where either Matt or his wife is originally from?

R415 yes, Matt is from there.

I LOL'd - found this when I searched for his birthplace.

[quote]Staying a Bway actor is a tough career. Maybe Matt and his wife just wanted to leave NYC and try their luck in a smaller town. It's totally understandable actually.

Absolutely true, but Matt was very young to leave Broadway when he did, especially since his career was going fairly well until WSS. That's probably why some of us are speculating that he left partly because of that very bad experience.

Having known Frank Galati as his student, as a director, and as a friend at Northwestern, I'm crushed by the news of his death. He directed my doctoral dissertation and was inspirational in so many other ways. Truly a class act and one of the most generous and brilliant of mentors. RIP, Frank. You changed lives.

[quote]Alright queens, I’m flying into NY today for a quick trip.

Remember -- your machete needs to go into your checked baggage.

[quote]Alright queens, I’m flying into NY today for a quick trip.

May I have your stuff? When's your funeral?

Frank Galati seems to have been a uniformly liked/loved man and professional. May he rest in peace.

R421, Will there be any grooming/molestation stories surfacing?

[quote]Frank Galati seems to have been a uniformly liked/loved man and professional

Does that make me the Anti-Galati?

And you still don’t know anything R403, but you still manage to spew a lot of inane claptrap.

Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones obit of Galati. (part one)

Frank Galati, a pivotal figure over five decades in Chicago theater, a Tony Award-winning Broadway director, a beloved longtime teacher at Northwestern University, an ensemble member at both the Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatres and a pioneer in the adaptation of novels and other narrative sources into exciting drama, died Monday night at 79 years old.

His death was announced by his husband Peter Amster.

Galati had retired to Florida with Amster, but he had hardly paused a career that argued he was perhaps the most influential Chicago theater artist the city has ever seen. And, as it was widely noted Tuesday, perhaps the most generous of spirit.

There was an Academy Award nomination (shared with Lawrence Kasdan) for a 1989 screenplay for “The Accidental Tourist.” Galati’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” — featuring actors Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and many others — originated at Steppenwolf in 1988 and went on to Broadway. It won Galati a Tony Award in 1990, and arguably did more that any other single production to tell the world about the explosive talents in the Chicago theater of the era. “An epic achievement,” New York Times critic Frank Rich wrote at the time.

Galati directed “Ragtime” on Broadway in 1998 — his original production of Terrence McNally’s adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s multifaceted novel about economic progress and social struggle became the definitive internationally known translation of the Chicago tradition of story theater.

Taken as a whole, the Galati oeuvre had two main strands. One was an emotional, optimistic, sweeping, desperately inclusive romanticism. The other was a quirky, contrarian obsession with form, a preoccupation that led him to experiment with writers such as Gertrude Stein and even anonymous medieval scribes throughout his creative life.

His long list of hugely successful Chicago productions includes “As I Lay Dying” in 1995, “After the Quake” in 2005, Doctorow’s “The March” in 2012, “The Herd” in 2015, as well as the woefully underestimated world premiere of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “The Visit” at the Goodman in 2001. Galati’s 1987 production of Wallace Shawn’s terrifying “Aunt Dan and Lemon” matched the actress Molly Regan with a young actress, then named Martha Lavey Greene, who played her meek and malleable niece. Lavey, another Galati mentee, would become Steppenwolf’s artistic director.

He also cowrote “Boss,” a musical satire about Richard J. Daley based on the book by the late Tribune columnist Mike Royko, and directed both “Seussical the Musical” and “The Pirate Queen” on Broadway (neither were hits). His well-received final show, produced at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida, was a new musical, “Knoxville,” penned by his friends and longtime collaborators Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the team behind “Ragtime.”

In 2009, the director Tina Landau aptly cast Galati as Prospero in “The Tempest,” Steppenwolf’s first Shakespeare production.

But beyond these individual productions, which numbered among the best Chicago has produced before or since, Galati’s work on so-called story theater at Northwestern (he was himself a graduate) further blossomed in the work of his former students — most notably the directors Daniel Fish, Eric Rosen, Mary Zimmerman and the artists of the Lookingglass Theatre, who met and formed their ensemble at that Evanston university.

“He was a huge influence,” Fish told the Tribune recently. “I remember in one class he gave everybody the first page of a short story and said, “stage it and you can’t cut a word.” But he didn’t say how the words had to be represented, so all of your assumptions were challenged. That was incredibly freeing for me.” Over the years, Zimmerman has said often that so many of Chicago’s most innovative theater artists had emerged from “Frank Galati’s overcoat.”

(part two)

Galati was born in 1943 in Highland Park, the son of a trainer of show dogs. He graduated from Glenbrook High School in Northbrook in 1961 and spent a year at Western Illinois before transferring to Northwestern, where he studied with the chamber theater pioneer Robert Breen and his degrees included a Ph.D. in Speech. He joined the university’s faculty in 1972.

He became an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre in 1985 and an associate director at the Goodman in 1986. In essence, Galati expanded what material was available for the American theater by coming up with ways to adapt complex novels in dramatic form, bringing to life characters and dialogue that hitherto has existed only on the pages of a book.

In 2015, he told the Tribune of his pleasure in returning to Chicago to direct “East of Eden” at Steppenwolf. “If ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ is epic then ‘East of Eden’ is mythic,” he said, describing how much “East of Eden” reminded him of Eugene O’Neill. “The nature of ‘East of Eden’ is very tied up in Steinbeck’s personal quest. He is writing about his own moral center, his center of gravity, his love of family. Half of the characters in the book are actual friends and family members of the Steinbecks. The Biblical template, obviously, is much more present in ‘East of Eden.’ It’s a version of the Cain and Abel story, the story of the one son who is loved above the other son who longs all the more for his father’s affection.”

Such was Galati’s ability to dig deep into the myths that inform human consciousness and bring them to life on a Chicago stage. Even at a relatively young age, he resembled Santa Claus.

“His death was announced by his husband Peter Amster.”

Fag?

Here's the couple in happier times

[quote] These wusses who are terrified of big cities are the same morons who accused us of living in fear because we wore masks, aren’t they?

They're the same, but they're not terrified of big cities, they just like lambasting them because they're elite dens of libs. They love citing the public safety failures. Helps their law & order pitch.

I adored Frank Galati. As a super young gayling, I assisted him during the shooting of The Grapes of Wrath for American Playhouse and he was as wonderful and generous and kind as everyone has said. I was just starting college and he looked at my writing work and gave notes (without being asked) and really encouraged me. I'm sorry I was so dopey and naive back then to not try and stay in touch with him and learn a little more. I thought his production of The Glass Menagerie with Julie Harris and Calista Flockhart was one of the best (if not the best) I've ever seen.

[quote] They may as well put Porky and Ariel Sta'chel in it.

What’s wrong with Ariel Sta’chel?

Ask everyone at the Public.

This is a long article Galati wrote ten years ago about his remarkable careers, directing and teaching.

RIP

Does anyone know why Frank Galati did not direct THE VISIT on Broadway after what (I'm assuming) was a successful run in Chicago? I believe Chita Rivera starred in both productions. And wasn't there an earlier version in which Angela Lansbury was involved? I wonder if Frank was involved in that one.

As for Matt Cavenaugh, and this is only my guess, perhaps he felt after creating roles in a couple of important new Broadway musicals (Grey Gardens and A Catered Affair), as well as playing Tony in a major Broadway revival of WSS, and not feeling very satisfied, he realized Broadway and New York just weren't for him. Sometimes it takes major accomplishments to make someone realize that kind of success will not bring them happiness. I've known a few other successful people on Broadway like that.

Be careful what you wish for.

Matt was one of those performers that screamed Gay Gayerson of Gaysville, Gaysylvania and it's surprising to see him married to a woman, with a child.

His personal story - what made him leave the industry - is more compelling than his career achievements. (Sounds rude, don't mean it to be, but it is.)

[quote]Does anyone know why Frank Galati did not direct THE VISIT on Broadway after what (I'm assuming) was a successful run in Chicago? I believe Chita Rivera starred in both productions. And wasn't there an earlier version in which Angela Lansbury was involved? I wonder if Frank was involved in that one.

Galati also directed the version of THE VISIT that was done at the Signature Theatre in the D.C. area, and that production was far better than the Doyle version that was first done at Williamstown and later came to Broadway. My best guess is that the Doyle version was probably less expensive, and that's why he unfortunately got the nod.

Lansbury had been originally slated to create the central role in THE VISIT but that didn't happen. I don't know if Galati was signed on as director at that early date, but I'm thinking not.

R436, I inadvertently encountered Matt and Jenny’s wedding reception.

I was meeting a friend for lunch at a Boston hotel and saw a sign outside a function room that read Cavenaugh-Powers, so I surreptitiously peeked in and observed the goings on for a bit.

And......r438?

Galati did a fine job with Ragtime (the Tony that year went to Taymor) but maybe wasn't exactly meant for Broadway. His great work in Chicago was largely experimental and based on works by the likes of Gertrude Stein and Murakami. At Northwestern the same thing. The Broadway Grapes of Wrath (a Steppenwolf production) was staging prose, which was also his forte. His Suessical was a bust. Don't know what happened with The Visit, but perhaps it was felt that it wouldn't be a good fit for Broadway.

R418 If you're who I think you are, I remember Frank's production of The Dick Gibson Show in the tiny, forlorn auditorium at Kendall College (the Interpretation Department at the time didn't even have its own on-campus performance space!) and it was a revelation--I think I saw at least two of the performances, maybe all three. What Frank was able to achieve in that space with gifted primarily undergraduate students (and some fine grad students) was a full lesson in directing and creativity in one evening. I was friends with one of the undergrads who was in the show--he said Frank would begin rehearsals by saying something like, "Ladies and gentlemen--the stage is yours." I hope his "Knoxville" has a future--its poetic language seemed like such a good match for the man who did a legendary performance of Stevens' "Sunday Morning." I did not work with him much and only managed to take one class (by the time I was a grad student, he was teaching the classes I'd had as an undergrad with Robert Breen, whom I found equally extraordinary as teacher-scholar-director-performer), but he was always genial and warm. I remember seeing him play Pastor Manders opposite Lilla Heston's Mrs. Alving in Wallace Bacon's final production of Ibsen's "Ghosts," with Breen as Engstrand--and two undergraduates as Oswald (Allison Burnett) and Regina (Jodie Markell). "Great reckonings in little rooms," indeed.

Sean Hayes TRANSFORMS

(i.e., get a haircut)

r431 He was meant to do The Visit at the Public. He started raising issues he had over representation of his character - and even though the creative team agreed to the changes he wanted made, and delayed previews to enable those changes, he still quit after a couple of previews.

He was also meant to be in the Olivia Wilde film Don't Worry Darling, but his scenes were cut. Which he then went on social media and said was due to racism.

So will we ever see another Tom Kitt musical on Broadway. What a string of flops...

r443, do not confuse THE VISIT with THE VISITOR.

Pretty impressive considering Lea only played five of the nine performances.

It’s interesting that Lea really has pulled off a miracle, turning that mediocre-at-best production into a solid Broadway hit. How does the cast feel? Is everything all right now that they’re in a hit as opposed to an embarrassing mess?

[quote]Pretty impressive considering Lea only played five of the nine performances.

Bitch didn't even give 75% and you complain about ME?

r445 Too late! Sorry about that

Lea and the production owe all of its success to Beanie. Her miscasting and the subsequent publicity about her and then Lea ( riding in like Jesus into Jerusalem) was the perfect storm. Lea could have farted through the entire show, but all of the publicity made audiences want to see the show. Also, the dismal competition from other shows added to the flocking. The other shows are pretty sad.

Has there been any more murmurs and farts about somehow nominating Lea as a "special" something or another for FG?

So does EDDDDDDDDWWWWWWIIIIIIINNNNNNN work for DDDDDDAAAAAATTTaallloooouuunnngge?

The lead producers have been out campaigning colleagues for Lea to get a special Tony. I hope they'll only agree to this ridiculousness if Beanie presents it.

Not sure if this is what r450 is actually saying but I'd agree that Lea really benefited from the shitstorm that preceded her at FG.

In comparison, and with an admittedly beautifully sung performance, and all that incredible free publicity, she could only be a huge improvement. Had she opened in the show, what with the utter mediocrity everywhere around her from the hackneyed direction to the cheap and ugly designs to the lame choreography and underpowered orchestra to most of the supporting performances, I don't think FG would be doing as well now as it is.

Thank you, Beanie!

The only thing Beanie broke was the furniture.

[quote]The only thing Beanie broke was the furniture.

And wind.

How close are they to recouping at FG after all these great weeks? Have any "new" shows (that opened post-COVID shutdown) announced recoupment?

Is Matt Cavanaugh’s asshole still sore after he offered it up?

Tom Kitt really missed his true calling writing music for theme parks & cruise ships.

On another chat board that shall remain nameless, someone was complaining that they went online to look for tickets for THE MUSIC MAN and the cheapest seats they could find were in the $700-$800 range. Someone else patiently explained that those tickets were being sold by middlemen at an huge markup. To which some idiot responded:

[quote]Not sure what you mean by middlemen but these prices were at the Broadway.com site.

Truly, some people's level of stupidity is beyond comprehension.

[quote]Not sure if this is what [R450] is actually saying but I'd agree that Lea really benefited from the shitstorm that preceded her at FG.

Yes, and of course, its impossible to know how big a hit the show would or wouldn't have been, and how great Lea's reviews would or wouldn't have been, if she had opened this production.

Broadway.com is the biggest rip off of this century. They have convinced the general audience/stupid public that they are legitimate ticket site and not a reseller. They've made millions on insane ticketing charges, but no on calls them on it because they are also Broadway Across America. All the producers have no choice but to keep their mouths shut. The feds should prosecute.

I only now just realized that Sonia Friedman and Maria Friedman are two different people. Meh.

But they're sisters. Sisters.

Not to be confused with . . .

[Quote] Yes, and of course, its impossible to know how big a hit the show would or wouldn't have been, and how great Lea's reviews would or wouldn't have been, if she had opened this production.

It feels like the production and the book would’ve gotten the same crappy reviews It got the first time. Lea benefited from being the one shiny new element in the dross around her.

fucking hate these shows citing their box office records. Just proof they're jacking up prices. Sure it means they're selling well - but also fucking the public every chance they get. What goes around comes around, fuckers. Karma is a bitch.

or when they use the # from a jacked-up 9-performance week. Congratulating themselves on

Am I just being stubbornly .traditionalist, or is this self-indulgent crap?

Why is Sally white?

You're just being stubbornly traditionalist r469.

I vote for the latter, r469. It's trying way too hard. When it comes to Broadway, will it be with a British cast or will be get Ben Platt and Lea Michele?

"Come to the Circus Freak Show, chump!"

I really enjoyed the current West End Cabaret, and was not at all a fan of the Mendes revival. There was a quote somewhere that the current production goes for an aesthetic that feels very Berlin 1929/1930 and I think it succeeds in that. It's more strange, sinister and a little less sledgehammer-ish in its approach - like a George Grosz painting come to life. When taken out of context and onto television, it probably just seems hard sell and overwrought, but in the environment they've created, it works really well. The new production also delivers a more sophisticated ending, without the foolish Holocaust 101 finale of the Mendes production. Cabaret's brilliance for me is about how fascism rises within a civilized society, and not the end result of that action, so I was grateful for director Rebecca Frecknall's headier approach.

Great answer r474. Thanks.

Kulakango looks like she thinks she’s still burning it down. Isn’t the director there to say You’re in a different show and Garth isn’t here. You’re safe. Chill, hon.

r474 Did you see with with Redmayne? Was his performance as OTT as it is on the cast recording?

Anyone who thinks that the current CABARET revival looks like a George Grosz painting come to life has never seen a George Grosz painting.

Thanks, R478, but I've studied Grosz's work a lot, am of German-Austrian parents and that's how I felt. It goes much further than the (also brilliant) design of Hal Prince's original production. The atmosphere is created from the moment you enter the venue (which is through a winding path through the basement of the Playhouse Theatre), through various strange performances taking place in all corners. The costuming for the on-stage numbers becomes increasingly surreal and grotesque.

R477, I saw Fra Fee and Amy Lennox, the second cast, both of whom I liked a lot. Not having seen Eddie but having listened a bit to the cast recording, Eddie strikes me as pushing it harder than Fra did.

Frecknall's new production of A Streetcar Named Desire, currently in extended previews at London's Almeida, is pretty terrific.

Paul Mescal in his underwear also helps.

Mescal seems a bit lightweight for Stanley. So he's good?

The fact Paul Mescal is actually considered attractive really does show marketing triumphs over fact every single time.

Boxers or briefs?

Julie Benko did four of the nine performances. Monday matinee and her usual Thursday Eve were scheduled. Lea was ill and out for both shows on Friday. No show Saturday but Lea was back for Jan 1 matinee.

[quote]Boxers or briefs?

a lacy thong

Would love to see an image form that current CABARET that truly evokes Grosz. And not Barnum & Bailey.

Is George Grosz Terry’s brother?

[quote] Would love to see an image form that current CABARET that truly evokes Grosz. And not Barnum & Bailey.

Here's an article from the Evening Standard where Cabaret production designer Tom Scutt cites the "lurid colors" of George Grosz and Otto Dix as influence for his design. In another article in House and Garden, he also includes Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Francis Bacon as influences.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't need the theater to be decked out to reflect the show. I don't need "environmental." It just seems like a cheap thrill.

r489 It's mainly an excuse for the theatre to be able to sell pre-show meals and cocktails anyway

Dolls I wanted to give u an update of my trip! I posted earlier about my little vacay to NYC.

Patti LuPone at 54 below was amazing!! The only real show songs though was As Long As He Needs Me and Wonderful Guy

I actually got a cancellation ticket to Merrily! Color me surprised! I guess Faye Dunaway was indeed happy about the reaction to the Kurstirica movie. It was, after all, a hit at Cannes.

Tonight is Into the Woods

Spamalot sucked. I just had to say that.

It was just a regurgitation of the movie. All the straight white old men around me were laughing their heads offs.

R492. And we hate seeing straight old white men having a good time. They should be sound asleep at A Strange Loop instead.

R493, it’s the “I was once a cool frat boy” laugh. I detest that

I saw Spamalot a few years ago at the Shubert theater and I hated every second of it. But the two straight people I was with seem to love it.

Uh...what?

I saw the West End Cabaret a couple of nights ago. I loved it with the whole mise en scene.

The ending was very different than one usually sees but makes its own salient points.

[quote] Lea benefited from being the one shiny new element in the dross around her.

The ONE shiny new element? Fuck you, r466.

The shine left you years ago, Tovah.

Have you even SEEN my ass r499?

Sorry, Tovah, I hurt my neck and can't look down.

Tovah, you stole my 1979 Tony nomination.

Which do you all prefer: hating a show, loathing a show, or detesting a show?

Not surprising, but still.... Broadway’s ‘Ohio State Murders’ Starring Audra McDonald Announces Closing, a month before scheduled.

Dolls! My NY trip is over. I loved Into the Woods! Stephanie J Block was amazing and I was very impressed with her acting choices. The witch was better than the Broadwayworld clip…but I still preferred Heather Headley in the role.

I loved Merrily, but I will say Groff’s excessive spitting was a distraction. I think Mendez will definitely get a nomination.

R505, No one spit more while singing than Angela Lansbury.

Sitting in the Orchestra front row at Sweeney Todd, we all could have used umbrellas.

Oh, please, R506. Al Pacino could spit rings around Angie.

R507, When did Al Pacino ever sing on a Broadway stage?

[quote] Broadway’s ‘Ohio State Murders’ Starring Audra McDonald Announces Closing, a month before scheduled.

Got rush tickets to see it tomorrow. Figure I must pay homage to Audra

R509-Camp out in front of her building, then. Anything would be preferable to sitting through that tedious POS.

R510, How much longer will hubby Will Swenson’s Neil Diamond show run?

Vulva Toadstool lied AGAIN today that she’s the first Jewish actress to play Mrs. Brice on Broadway.

Liar, liar, panties on fire!

She did it on GM3 earlier. Someone needs to inform her that Fritzi Burr, who was also a replacement, was a Russian Jew.

Will Broadway theaters need to mark certain rows of seats as being in the "splash zone"?

[Quote] How much longer will hubby Will Swenson’s Neil Diamond show run?

I’m sure Audra and Will will spending much time together at home in the Spring

R496 that was an odd arrangement, but you have to love Helen. She kept herself beautiful from her start as a "girl singer" with big bands in the 30s to the end of her career in the 80s, and she knew how to deliver the hell out of a song. She's got a studio version of Witchcraft that's decidedly less bizarre.

I remember Helen O'Connell as the hostess of the telecast of the Miss America pageant for many years.

My favorite...

R516, When Helen toured in 4 Girls 4 with Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting and Rose Marie, none of them could stand Helen.

I think it was Margaret who said she wanted to tear out all of Helen's fingernails LOL. Helen was an unhappy alcoholic so I'm sure she was unpleasant, but in their joint Merv Griffin (I think) interview, the ladies joked that Helen was the oldest and the prettiest, so I do wonder if any jealousy was involved.

[quote] Rosemary Clooney, Margaret Whiting and Rose Marie

They all strike me as broads more than Helen does.

[quote]How much longer will hubby Will Swenson’s Neil Diamond show run?

I thought I had heard that it was selling really well right after it opened. Was that true, and then did sales drop off precipitously right after the holidays?

R521, Helen and Joe Garagiola did not get along when they both appeared on the Today Show together.

"1776" tour will hit several cities which will be so receptive to see the potpourri cast portraying the Founding Fathers.

Helen was a *lady*.

No Porkalob?? No dice!

[quote]Helen was a *lady*.

So was Du Barry.

Excuse me, r527, ex-c-u-u-s-e me. This is a *Theatre* thread.

In Des Moines, we demand performers give 100% or we won't support them. New York can keep Porkolab; she's more like them.

In Des Moines, people think "porkalob" is something they can add to their pad thai dish.

Into the Woods is my favorite show revival in many years. I've seen it 6 times (including Encores!).

R531, holy crap. How much have you spent??

C of A

[quote]I really enjoyed the current West End Cabaret, and was not at all a fan of the Mendes revival. There was a quote somewhere that the current production goes for an aesthetic that feels very Berlin 1929/1930 and I think it succeeds in that. It's more strange, sinister and a little less sledgehammer-ish in its approach - like a George Grosz painting come to life. When taken out of context and onto television, it probably just seems hard sell and overwrought, but in the environment they've created, it works really well. The new production also delivers a more sophisticated ending, without the foolish Holocaust 101 finale of the Mendes production. Cabaret's brilliance for me is about how fascism rises within a civilized society, and not the end result of that action, so I was grateful for director Rebecca Frecknall's headier approach.

R474 - totally hear you on some musical theatre excerpts just not working on a TV chat show. But you're saying this show is LESS "sledgehammer-ish" than the Mendes revival? I mean... the woman playing Sally here is growling and grunting most her lines. She barely SINGS the song until the very end. And the actress who performed the title song on the Olivier awards (I think that was a different actress?) all but disemboweled herself. I have to assume that's down to the direction. I'd still jump at a chance to see this production if it transferred, but everything that's been previewed to us "home audiences" thus far has felt VERY 'sledgehammer-ish"

I will make every effort to replace Sara on the "1776" tour!

the original

Watching that British Cabaret clip was the first time I wanted to shoot Sally Bowles on sight.

It seems almost every modern production of 'Cabaret' tries to intimidate the audience with cartoonishly gruff women.

[quote]It seems almost every modern production of 'Cabaret' tries to intimidate the audience with cartoonishly gruff women.

Fosse set the bar when he cast local Munich prostitutes as extras in the movie.

So now every damn new production has to out-sleaze the priors. Whips! Bestiality! Tittyfucking! Aggressive genderfluidity!

Has anyone else who saw Merrily as impressed with Lindsay Mendez as Mary? I admit, when she was announced I was disappointed in her casting, but I must say she really was as good as “they” say.

Well, anyone is a step up from Jenna Russell.

These productions seem to forget that the numbers performed in the Kit Kat Club were meant to be enjoyable, not to torture the audience.

No reason given. Audience found out when they arrived.

[quote]These productions seem to forget that the numbers performed in the Kit Kat Club were meant to be enjoyable, not to torture the audience.

Exactly. And there's supposed to be a progression. "Wilkommen," for example, should be thoroughly enjoyable and, yes, welcoming, so that by the time we get to "If You Could See Her," the line about how "she wouldn't look Jewish at all" in reference to the Gorilla is a real shocker. Hard for that line to have its full effect when you've already seen every possible depravity played on on stage, including simulated fist fucking :-)

R543, a five people in the audience?

Is there anyone in 2023 who is shocked by "If you could see her"?

In context - the Holocaust was closer in time to the original production of Cabaret than 9/11 is to today. The gorilla number and line would have had an impact on an audience then it's not capable of having now.

I don't understand your comment, R546. People who produce shows, even revivals, should always assume there will be some people in the audience who are seeing the show for the first time, and the show should be directed accordingly. It's as if someone directed THE SOUND OF MUSIC and decided to have the Nazis invade the Abbey at the top of the show. But maybe you'd love that....

[quote]In context - the Holocaust was closer in time to the original production of Cabaret than 9/11 is to today. The gorilla number and line would have had an impact on an audience then it's not capable of having now.

What are you talking about? First of all, the gorilla number is about anti-Semitism in general, not specifically about the Holocaust. Are you saying that if someone were to see CABARET for the first time, not knowing anything about it, you think they would NOT be shocked and appalled by that line when it came out of the MC's mouth?

Leopoldstadt - is this a must see? Or is it one of those plays that gets great reviews but a year or so later you can't remember anything about it or if you actually saw it?

r533 I've been saying for years that "City of Angels" is a show that really deserves a revival. But please don't "woke" it.

Jesus Christ, isn’t that price of shit closed yet R543? Just go the fuck away already, and take everyone involved in it with you.

City of Angels is a show with a great score. The book is not that bad and would just take a skilled director to fix it up. I liked the original production, and the score gets around any staging and book problems. It’s an overlooked show that shouldn’t be.

[quote] In context - the Holocaust was closer in time to the original production of Cabaret than 9/11 is to today. The gorilla number and line would have had an impact on an audience then it's not capable of having now.

Ive seen Cabaret a number of time and that gorilla number still has great impact to drive home the hatred and stigmatizing.

[quote] City of Angels is a show with a great score. The book is not that bad and would just take a skilled director to fix it up. I liked the original production, and the score gets around any staging and book problems. It’s an overlooked show that shouldn’t be.

The original started out like gangbusters but sort of fizzled out by the end of the show.

I saw it on Bway during an amazing college Spring Break in NYC. I went to shows every night--standing room for all of them because it was all I could afford (about $10 each). I stayed with a friend in Bay Ridge--all the way at the bottom of Brooklyn. Getting back late each night was a long trek--often subway lines would close, adding another hour to the trip. After all these years, those days were among my favorite memories.

City of Angels has a stupid ending

City of Angels is the kind of "static"musical that is really hard for contemporary audiences. You have to listen -- a lot. There's not much action.

Someday the backstage stories at STRANGE LOOP will become a Ryan Murphy mini-series. A whole new level of ugliness and bitchiness.

A Broadway documentary that showed the behind the scenes of :

A Strange Loop

Funny Girl

1776

And special segment on Tonya Pinkins’s Raisin in the Sun.

Narrated by Faye Dunaway

R559, I would pay good money to see that.

The other problem with City of Angels is that the score is inventive and jazzy until the act finales. Then they have to revert to traditional Broadway because they didn’t trust their jazz anymore.

Inventive show with unfixable flaws.

"A Strange Loop" had everyone bamboozled. It's pure crap. The sound design is staggeringly bad. You cannot understand the lyrics. (Actually, that might be a plus). It should have been gone after a month.

Well, R562, I wouldn't say it has everyone bamboozled. There were some negative reviews along with the raves, and needless to say, the show has not been selling well AT ALL.

Jennifer Hudson is gonna have to re-up with Weight Watchers in order to make up her losses from A Strange Loop.

R564, Or pray that her horrible talk show is renewed.

R564. Hudson got a Tony and is now an EGOT winner. That's what she paid for.

How do you give someone a talk show who can't talk?

[quote] Hudson got a Tony and is now an EGOT winner. That's what she paid for.

We don't acknowledge people who win Daytime Emmys and who buy Tonys.

All the celebrity co-producers didn't invest a dime. They were there for marketing, of which they did none. (Mindy Kalling, anyone?)

No one buys that they didn't squeeze money out of the celeb names to keep that thing running for months on end. There's no way it wouldn't have closed otherwise.

CITY OF ANGELS got a 2020 West End revival that was quickly closed down by the pandemic before it barely began performances. It starred Vanessa Williams and DL fave Theo James. I've a feeling it wasn't very good or might have tried a comeback.

[quote]I've a feeling it wasn't very good or might have tried a comeback.

I'd assume Vanessa wasn't the problem, r571, sounds like a good fit for her.

[Quote] Someday the backstage stories at STRANGE LOOP will become a Ryan Murphy mini-series. A whole new level of ugliness and bitchiness.

Give us some details!!

I thought A Strange Loop was excellent—edgy, dangerous—definitely deserving of its Best Musical Tony,

The problem is the general public doesn’t want to see a show about a gay black man’s life, including a scene in which he has anal sex.

Theo James can sing?

R575, many people would argue that that is not the only problem with the show, though certainly it's a big part of it. Some shows are just not appropriate for Broadway because they don't have the kind of general appeal necessary to sell all those tickets.

Any show that has a "GOD HATES FAGS" sing along is not a show for me.

I think the sing-along in the show is "AIDS is God's punishment," though "God hates fags" may be in there, too. I blocked out a lot of it.

A Strange Loop is Broadway's Punishment

Whiny, myopic, fat Michael R. Jackson (who no one wants to fuck)writes a musical about a whiny, fat, myopic guy who no one wants to fuck. Why am I interested?! Even Theo James couldn’t save this one.

I wanted to see it, but every time I went to the box office, Spivey was out and I didn’t feel like paying close to $200 to see one of his understudies (though I gather a number of people they were better than he was).

I suspect many would like to fuck Theo James r580.

New thread

I don't understand Strange Loop's raves when the damn show is cancelled half the time

[quote] Whiny, myopic, fat Michael R. Jackson (who no one wants to fuck)writes a musical about a whiny, fat, myopic guy who no one wants to fuck. Why am I interested?! Even Theo James couldn’t save this one.

Tell me you're a needlessly bitter, closed-minded, obtuse, socially inert gay white male prick without telling me you're a needlessly bitter, closed-minded, obtuse, socially inert gay white male prick.

MARY!

Theo James should have been Jesse's replacement in Take Me Out.

eyes

hair

mouth

figure

dress

voice

style

[quote] Tell me you're a needlessly bitter, closed-minded, obtuse, socially inert gay white male prick without telling me you're a needlessly bitter, closed-minded, obtuse, socially inert gay white male prick.

Except he never mentioned race at all. YOU did.

movement

BAJOUR?

BAJOUR!

remember - new thread is here

Burrrrrnnnnn it downnnnnnnn!

WHOOP-UP!

[quote]I don't understand Strange Loop's raves when the damn show is cancelled half the time.

Well, obviously the show wasn't cancelled on the nights when the people who wrote the raves saw it, so I'm not sure what you don't understand.

But....yes, I agree with you that this has pretty much turned into a shit show.

bye...

Re: Today, audiences would take offense at the Gorilla number because many would think it's racist and not bother listening to the last line before going apeshit on social media.