THEATRE GOSSIP #529: The Randy Rainbow vs. the Widow Sondheim Edition

Previous thread:

Hard to believe it’s going to be another full year before more Tony award funzies

YAWN

thread title = meh

Did anyone see Harmony off Broadway?

Did Aaron Rodgers enjoy the Tonys?

There's a lack of harmony on Broadway these days...

You pee melody, r7.

R7, Hey Dick, Shirley Jones claimed in her autobiography that you tried to fuck her, but she rebuffed you.

Shame on you!

Hey Dick, next time bring Vaseline.

WTF was Rodgers doing at the Tonys of all shows???

r11 - cruising

R11, He brought another Jets player as his plus one.

I think we have to assume that it's at least possible that r517 made up his "tea."

I think it's more that the other player brought Rodgers as his plus one (making nice with the new QB?) CJ Uzomah was one of the producers of Ain't No Mo, and a Best Play nominee.

Two men attending the Tonys= Gay as pink ink

Sigh....we had a brief window of opportunity right after the TONYs to title a new TG thread THE FAGGOT WITH A TONY Edition.

But now that window has closed, alas.

A hint of bulge from Korins, and what looks like a nice ass at the end...but yeah, he moves like a straight guy.

Korins is a talented stage designer, but am I the only one not understanding this onslaught of random DL fanboy lust?

Really AWG, IMHO. Just saying.

Post-Tony boredom? There doesn't seem like a wealth of other things to talk about.

R21, Until another Broadway dick pic leaks.

Does anyone care about Here lies love

Let's talk Summer Stock!

Remember back when a handful of TG queens could not stop gushing about how hawt Christian Borle is? Repeatedly.

Christian Borle, who closely resembles Don Knotts--on a good day, IMHO. Then and now.

Mind you., this was at least 6 or 7 years ago.

If anyone wants to produce any videos of Michael Berresse in Broadway Bares back in the 90s (or hell, anyone else. Or Berresse anytime.) that was mentioned at the end of the last thread, happy to talk about that.

[quote]Korins is a talented stage designer, but am I the only one not understanding this onslaught of random DL fanboy lust? Really AWG, IMHO. Just saying.

I'm sure it's a combination of factors... He's not a model, but he's handsome. He's in good shape for a middle-aged guy; he obviously works out, but doesn't show off his body much, so he's a tease. He's successful in the industry and nakedly ambitious which suggests there may be a little cockiness there. That, plus the BDF imply he might throw a mean fuck or that he "doesn't mind" getting head from the dozens of gays he encounters every day given how busy his schedule is.

Does Broadway Bares stream live anywhere?

R25 - don't think Borle is conventionally attractive, but it was kind of hot when he started working out in the Something Rotten days.

He was never hot, not even in the Spamalot days.

r28, no, you have to attend in person. They did a livestream with past routines during the pandemic, but it's back to the in-person event.

[quote]If anyone wants to produce any videos of Michael Berresse in Broadway Bares back in the 90s (or hell, anyone else. Or Berresse anytime.) that was mentioned at the end of the last thread, happy to talk about that.

It seems to have vanished from the internet, r26. It isn't even on the Broadway Bares dvd that year. It was a sight to see. In this interview, he talks about being born with a hip problem, and at 1:45, the camera dips down to his crotch. Berresse, surprised, says "Welcome to my hips!".

Nice guy. Funny, too.

I guess this is relatively on topic. Here's the opening number from the pandemic Bares two years ago, featuring Jay Armstrong Johnson, who most identified as the Jay who Michael Arden thanked in his acceptance speech last week (sparking numerous questions about whether they're in a threesome since both have partners).

Johnson gets naked at the end. Looks great.

Thanks, r32. That's a shame...but certainly nice to think about.

Just saw Days of Wine and Roses. Kelli O’Hara shows astonishing range and skill, but this story is too dated in its treatment of addiction. Guettel has an approach that is reminiscent of the parts you don’t like about Floyd Collins and Light in the Piazza. There are many people running around and saying things, but only O’Hara and D’Arcy James sing (with a few bits from their daughter). After surviving Shucked and Fat Ham this weekend, I had higher hopes for this. I think it will have the same fate as Far from Heaven.

The Jay Arden referred to wasn't JAJ, it was the hottie sitting next to his husband, Andy Mientus, whom nobody has yet identified.

Days Of Wine And Roses will probably make the move to Broadway, but it will be a very costly mistake.

I liked Days of Wine & Roses (and esp the lead performances). But I cannot imagine they will move it. If Kimberly Akimbo is a tough sell, Days would be impossible.

BB memories last for all of 20 minutes after the show…then you can head over to a video store on 8th ave. & get your ya-yas out. The scent of ball sweat does NOT linger at BB.

[quote]I think it will have the same fate as Far from Heaven.

Thus completing Kelli O'Hara's snoozefest trilogy of film-to-stage adaptations—Far From Heaven, The Bridges of Madison County, Days of Wine and Roses.

Vicki was out of KA today and J Harrison Ghee missed a few SLIH performances this week. Were they too busy working on their Broadway Bares routines to show up and give their Tony winning performances?

David Rockwell is another gay man who pretends to be straight. But no one wants to see him dancing.

He’s no longer with his wife, he is now with Jane Krakowski

R41, Whatever happened to professionalism?

I liked GREY HOUSE. just creepy fun..good acting by Metcalf. Should have opened in the Fall.

Does anybody care about the Britney Spears musical?

Does anybody care about back to the future?

I know he's not hot (an understatement), but what's the general vibe on Harvey Fierstein in the industry? Few can claim such longevity in the industry. Is he well liked? A monster?

He's certainly professional.

Harvey is not the teddy bear many people imagine him to be.

But he's smart (and nothing like an Ivy League grad) and works hard and seems pretty practical, for someone who started off in the downtown scene. That is how and why he's lasted this long.

I've always imagined Harvey to be a no bullshit kind of person. Not necessarily mean for the sake of mean, but more than capable of holding his own in a tough situation.

I guess he must be to have worked with Arthur Laurents.

Did Back to the Future open yet? I have no idea

Jane Krakowski and David Rockwell? Ooh gurrrrl you could do so much better!

I'm sure most DLers will agree with me: how the fuck did Some Like it Hot end up on Broadway?

I didn't dislike the number they did on the Tonys, but it all felt so second-rate I thought I was missing something. Well I listened to the entire cast recording, watched their other TV performances, and I am simply dumbfounded. There is not a distinguished melody anywhere, and most of the songs sound identical. I think Shaiman and Whitman are going for a Cole Porter type of style, but if I want mediocre Cole Porter I could just watch Judy sing "Mack the Black," and not have to leave the comfort of my own home.

Maybe it's just me, but if Some Like it Hot was the best old fashioned musical comedy of this last season, then I'm ready to just renounce being a fan of musicals and retire to my Rodgers and Hammerstein records.

Has it run longer than Sugar?

Couldn't agree with you more, r55, but that's the state of Broadway musicals in the 2020s. It'll be interesting to see the box office figures on Tuesday, which will be the first week of the Tonys' possible effect.

I'd venture to say that HAIRSPRAY (and a couple of songs on SMASH) remain the best work from Shaiman and Witman.

And HAIRSPRAY was 21 years ago.

I like their commercial, poppy sensibility but they cannot seem to land a decent song anymore. It's too bad.

commercial, CAMPY, poppy sensibility ^

Is Stephen Schwartz an asshole?

Interesting comments from Mark Rylance. I feel like he may be right about this.

In my limited encounters with Stephen Schwartz, he is a polite and gentle man. Not outgoing but not unfriendly.

I was very impressed to see him in the audience for a teeny-tiny off-Bway revival of The Bakers Wife. (It wasn't especially good or well performed, but Schwartz was respectful and kind throughout the whole ordeal.)

The only tea I can spill is that he was much more vocal about Sondheim being the critics' darling at the expense of other writers during the early 80s.Sometime afterwards he had his enormous successes at Disney and then eventually triumphed with Wicked. Never heard him mention Sondheim again during that time.

I'll re-post this Bette interview in this thread. Speaking of unconventional talents...

R55, Catch Me If You Csn had a better score than Some Like It Hot, especially the version that previewed in Seattle before they ruined it for Broadway.

Days of Wine and Roses is so bleak, it makes Far From Heaven seem like a lighthearted romp.

r36, thanks for the clarification. Didn't see him so was going by all the commentary on here and on other boards.

r46, I was before I saw it. Wasn't expecting art but thought it could be fun. It was too dumb to really be fun.

Based on the box office numbers, looks like interest is minimal.

The best (only good?) part was Jennifer Simard singing Toxic (at 1:35:20). And Ryan Steele being adorable.

R67 - probably a mistake to bring that show in now. It feels like it will be directly competing for audiences with & Juliet and perhaps even with Moulin Rouge.

[quote]So she's retarded as a result of the pony kick.

But it was a musical theater pony kick

Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...

Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...

Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...

Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Right!

[quote]I hope their are plans to put Adrianna DeBlasio and Julie Ann Huff in Chicago as the new Roxy and Velma.

You think Barry's going to pay them worth their while?

Spelling Julianne Hough as Julie Ann Huff is endlessly hilarious.

Saw Michael Berresse in Chicago and Kiss Me Kate. A very attractive man. I had not realised he sounded quite so nelly. Dragged and screaming by his mom to the YMCA as a kid? Sure Jan.

Out of all the rancid junk that has played Broadway, and you wanna question how SLIH made it to Broadway? Haha. Yea ok. Christian Borle and the girl playing Sugar are bad casting choices but other than that the show itself is perfectly fine. I don't get the hate.

I was interested in the Britney Spears musical. Thought it could be silly fun until I saw the cast list. Who in their right mind is still casting Justin Guarini in ANYTHING. This isn't 2002.

David Rockwell and Jane Krakowski? Who approved this ?

Also, by the way, Randy Rainbow was at the Spunk party at THE MONSTER drunk off his ass looking old with a roped off VIP area and took home a big latin papi stripper. They were all around him. It was fascinating to watch. Haha.

Randy Rainbow has a roped off VIP area?

R76 he did that night. Haha. They do it for other people too. It's very small. And if you know THE MONSTER you know how cheap that shit is. But it was funny watching him trip and stumble around the bar and settling on some hot papi trade. Very crazy look on his face too. Wide crazy eyes.

R73, the fact Justin comes from the era of Peak Britney is what makes him a smart casting choice. And he actually pulls off the role quite well.

Thankfully he's almost over and he'll never be on Broadway.

R78 hahaha. NO. No one wanted to watch and listen to him then and they most certainly don't now. He's ugly, fake, and as boring as it gets. Oh and he's old.

He's the Dr. Pepper clown for Pete's sake. Get real. Haha.

[quote] He's ugly, fake, and as boring as it gets. Oh and he's old.

Look at the second coming of Brooks Atkinson over here at R80 with that brilliant criticism.

I'm not sure if Rockwell and Krakowski prove or negate Rockwell's sexuality.

As a Jet fan I'd like to petition to rename the team as the Broadway Jets.

r73 over on Reddit they are also puzzled about the SLIH hate. I do think that the three leads need to be better cast. I don't think they work especially Borle. They just don't have the right chemistry with each other.

Some people like dime store Cole Porter, some people don't.

The movie Some Like It Hot is all about sex. The Broadway musical SLIH is never about sex.

There's the biggest problem.

I didn't like SLIH either, but also find it a bit confusing anyone could really hate it. It wasn't terrible, just deeply mediocre. Far worse things have made it to Broadway. It's just such a nothing.

Thought Borle was fine, if too old, and can't really blame the lead actress since most of the problems are at the script level. They stripped any personality or humor from the character and made her a victim with slow, sad, boring songs. Don't know how much anyone could do with that.

[quote] I didn't like SLIH either, but also find it a bit confusing anyone could really hate it.

Allow me to explain…

R73, Justin was well reviewed and quite good in this.

[quote] They stripped any personality or humor from the character and made her a victim with slow, sad, boring songs.

Present day Broadway in a nutshell .

Some Like It Hot is so desperate not to offend anyone that all of the loud vulgar fun of a great Broadway musical comedy is squeezed out of it. For a show embracing prohibition drinking, gangsters, cross dressing, and hot hook-ups, it's really mirthless and sexless, for all of its professionalism. I think its biggest problem are the indifferent, personality-free lyrics. The songs have a premise and then spend 3-4 minutes saying nothing. You watch and clap dutifully, but nothing delights. Shaiman and Wittman managed a difficult feat of writing 60s pop pastiche songs in Hairspray that still somehow worked as character songs. But they've had much less success with everything else since and in Some Like It Hot, the lyrics are just words killing time.

Justin Guarini does a truly spectacular version of "I Talk to the Trees" and a couple of other songs on the Encores PAINT YOUR WAGON. Worth a listen.

When Some Like It Hot won several of the earlier awarded Tonys, many must have thought it was going to be a bonanza evening for the show.

[quote] Christian Borle and the girl playing Sugar are bad casting choices but other than that the show itself is perfectly fine.

I support color blind casting, really don't care who they cast in parts but if you are adapting a classic and have an iconic character, they should at least honor it. Marilyn is "Sugar" and should be cast as such. Doesn't have to be a carbon copy but close to her.

Who hates Justin Guarini? He seems like a good sport

The Britney musical wasn't good, but Guarini was one of the better aspects. Had a lot of charisma and pulled off the choreography in all his dance numbers with ease. I thought the choreography was a frantic mess and kind of stupid, but that's a separate issue.

Justin Guarini has, like Corbin Bleu (another refugee from bad early aughts television), proven his worth on the stage over the years. I would say anyone casting him today is doing so because of his talent more so than any fleeting name recognition.

Yeah Guarini's been doing musical theatre for over 20 years, he's not exactly some tiktok schmuck from reality tv.

Like this song and the choreography made no sense in the context of the story (the fairy tale characters go on strike...and do this to kick off Act II. But why? Presumably they're driving the prince and the narrator crazy, so why aren't they singing the song? How are the fairy tale princesses being driven crazy?). And the hand gestures at 1:20 are just bizarre.

R26 I saw the Berresse video way back when. I don't remember the song, but it was fun and he looked hot.

My favorite part was the end when he turned his back and pulled off his dance belt, then exited with the strap of it stuck in his butt and waving in the breeze as we walked off.

Sorry the video has disappeared.

Does Britney Spears even know about her new musical?

Supposedly. I'm sure the producers knew they had to cover themselves to avoid pissing off her fans.

The poster above is right - hairspray was all about sex - SLIH has zero

Michael Berresse was an excellent Billy Flynn and I'm surprised Chicago has never asked him back. Or maybe he didn't want to go back. Anyway, he was one of the best Billy's I've ever seen.

Berresse is a good triple-threat performer: a decent actor as well as dancer (outstanding) and singer (he's fine). ( thought he was very good in the Encores MACK & MABLE.) He was pursuing film and TV work more aggressively back in the day but with mixed results.

Those rehearsals show off the dancer’s technical training very well, and I get it in the context of a jukebox musical. Yet, it all seems so stale and dated….and as if the producers asked AI Chat to channel Bob Fosse through MTV with a TikTok twist.

Here I was, just thinking to myself, you know what would make a great musical?

THE THIRD MAN!

Menier Chocolate Factory is also doing this. I am so here for it.

Has anyone done a musical of The Fourth Man? I would go to that.

*

I never miss a Graham Greene musical.

R105, Michael Berresse and Beth Leavel stopped the show at No, No, Nanette/Encores!.

A bunch of Justin Guarini shrills? 😭🤣 OR someone liking all his OWN comments. lmao. Who knew.

You guys are still brain dead..haha..

Beath Leavel was no Helen Gallagher.

^Beth

R113 = Kelly Clarkson in full dom mode

R114 has bad Beath.

r113, yes, just a bunch of "shrills."

Oh, dear.

[quote]You guys are still brain dead..haha..

Well, r113, you liked Grey House, so...

R119 exactly..so what now?...R118 Do you nut everytime you say or type "oh dear*? Haha. Must be the only time you time you nut. 🤭

You'll all think less of me but I will confess: I went into Once Upon a One More Time with my arms dutifully folded, and around the time Jennifer Simard and the stepsisters launched into "Work Bitch," I surrendered to it and had fun. It's not a world beater, it's deranged and stupid, but I had a better time at it than at &Juliet.

They seem to have the same black actress in the leads of SOME LIKE IT HOT, NEW YORK, NEW YORK and & JULIET, but only the later didn't come off as generic. Guess that's why she got the nomination.

Do you nut every time you type Haha, r120?

R121 At least you can admit it in some form, but that's also disturbing because they're both lousy shows. And proof no one should be questioning a lengthy and successful run for shows like SLIH, SHUCKED, and KIMMY AKIMBO. R122 YUP R123 oh you're so brilliant. 👋👋👋 Bravi, Bravi, bravissimi..

Some Like It Hot is sad, inept trash.

Pics of all this nutting please.

I knew an old boyfriend of Rockwell who remained friendly with him and his first wife.

Rockwell started out as a designer for restaurant chains.

Then he converted to a different kind of design and a different sexuality.

David Korins used to be a total pussyhound. Ask all those cheerleaders in BRING IT ON.

I never cease to be unamused by the “ I never miss a [insert name here] musical” troll.

[quote]I didn't like SLIH either, but also find it a bit confusing anyone could really hate it. It wasn't terrible, just deeply mediocre.

What's confusing? I think the show is terrible insofar as the book and the overall concept make zero sense because they tried to graft contemporary sensibilities about race, gender identity, etc. onto a story that's still set in 1929, and the result is a tremendous, ridiculous mess.

I never miss an R129 post.

[quote]Michael Berresse was an excellent Billy Flynn and I'm surprised Chicago has never asked him back. Or maybe he didn't want to go back. Anyway, he was one of the best Billy's I've ever seen.

Charles Isherwood agrees with you, r104. In a New York Times article on replacement casts, he says this:

[quote]Michael Berresse, a journeyman Broadway hoofer when I caught him in the show, was the best Billy Flynn of the good half-dozen I saw over the years.

I also loved Tom Hewitt as Flynn and was happy to see that he has taken over the role of Hades in Hadestown. Hewitt is another good actor who I always felt should have had more success.

[quote]Berresse is a good triple-threat performer: a decent actor as well as dancer (outstanding) and singer (he's fine). ( thought he was very good in the Encores MACK & MABLE.) He was pursuing film and TV work more aggressively back in the day but with mixed results.

There was a short period of time where he was being typecast as an assassin, r105 - in one of the Law & Orders, The Bourne Legacy, and State of Play. He is more prominent in SoP's trailer than his fellow actors are, albeit in fleeting glimpses and as a shadowy figure.

I agree with your assessment of his talents, and every point can be seen in this clip. Can you imagine doing this 8 times a week?

Tom Hewitt should be a big Broadway star.

Can someone clever than me link Justin Guarini's "I Talk to the Trees" to please to show r113 what an ass-wipe he is?

R94, on the contrary, Monroe is such a huge iconic presence that it would be hard for any actress to not be overshadowed by her as Sugar. Any waify vulnerable blond in the role, however good, would be seen as a poor substitute for Monroe.

They had to make the character unlike Monroe for any actress to have a chance with it. Making her black was an obvious move. However, that is not enough. The creators of the production never bothered to give Sugar any character qualities that would make her a compelling character,

r134, why bother? It's not like he'd bother watching it. He's too busy hunting for "shrills."

For those wondering how on earth Adam Godley ended up the Britney Spears musical, nice article about him and his partner, who wrote the show. They sound like a nice couple...even though the book is the worst thing about the show.

[quote]Can you imagine doing this 8 times a week?

Nope, r132, absolutely not.

Would Baresse's Bianca dance be considered a Coup de théâtre? I think so.

Oh for chrissakes...

[quote]Would Baresse's Bianca dance be considered a Coup de théâtre?

It would be considered...gymnastics.

Speaking of Graham Greene, I wonder if Travels With My Aunt has ever been considered for musicalization.

Rockwell still does lots of hospitality work. It's very much his bread and butter, so to speak.

I have a friend who knew him when who says DR was absolutely gay as a young man. Has Krakowski bearded for other closet cases?

R134 R136 hi Justin. You dizzy fag..

The historian Walter Lord wrote lyrics for Anton Karas' popular "Third Man Theme." It will be hard for the musical's composer George Fenton to top that unforgettable zither score from the movie.

From zither to yawn.

R142 They did it at Chichester in 2016.

Awww, Patricia Hodge.

R137 - thanks for the article. I had no idea Godley had that kind of connection to the production and sat through Once Upon a One More Time, feeling sorry for his career falling off a cliff after a (presumably) more prestigious role in The Lehman Trilogy.

Justin Guarini singing "Another Autumn"

Thanks, r147. Had no idea.

[quote]I support color blind casting, really don't care who they cast in parts but if you are adapting a classic and have an iconic character, they should at least honor it. Marilyn is "Sugar" and should be cast as such. Doesn't have to be a carbon copy but close to her.

I agree!

[quote]I'm sure most DLers will agree with me: how the fuck did Some Like it Hot end up on Broadway?

Quite a provocative statement R55 for someone who apparently DID NOT SEE THE SHOW!!!

Not since Roger Rees did Addams Family

[quote]I think the show is terrible insofar as the book and the overall concept make zero sense because they tried to graft contemporary sensibilities about race, gender identity, etc. onto a story that's still set in 1929, and the result is a tremendous, ridiculous mess.

They did the same thing with the recent KING KONG musical, which still took place in the 1930s. 🙄

Here is audio of Justin Guarini singing "I Talk to the Trees" very beautifully.

[quote]hi Justin. You dizzy fag..

Are you, ya know, mental?

[quote]I support color blind casting, really don't care who they cast in parts but if you are adapting a classic and have an iconic character, they should at least honor it.

So it doesn't work for you if they don't "honor" an iconic FICTIONAL character, but you're okay with it if the role of historical figures who were white are cast with POC? Or if characters who are supposed to be members of the same biological family are cast with actors of various races? Or if characters who would never, ever have been POC in real life, like a sheriff in a small southern town in the 1950s, are cast with POC? And so on and so on?

Justin Guarini sounds lovely on those Paint Your Wagon tracks.

I went down a Lerner & Loewe Wikipedia rabbit hole because, beyond My Fair Lady and Gigi, I don't really know their work. Was said to read that, at the end of his life, Lerner owed the IRS $1 million and couldn't even afford his lung cancer treatment.

R159 you could have been on Jeopardy! ;)

Couldn't Loewe lend him the money?

I still can't believe someone named a thread after Randy Rainbow.

I just subjected myself to Randy Rainbow's podcast because I saw that Berndette was his guest and I figured a theatre person wouldn't ask her the same boring 5 questions she gets in every interview. Meh. It was moderately interesting. I mean, where else would you hear Bernadette talking about The Goodbye Girl? But, I feel like he could have actually prepared more and done some deeper dive questions that only true theatre fans would care about.

R159, Alan Jay Lerner was married eight times, with the alimony he had to pay the first seven leaving him in deep debt.

For chrissakes, r163, didn't he ask her about Betty Hutton???

I would agree with the poster above who said 'Catch Me If You Can' was Shaiman/Wittman's 2nd best score to 'Hairspray' -- particularly the pre-Broadway version which had that delightful Sinatra pastiche '50 Checks' that Wopat sang. The whole show had a stronger feeling of the Rat Pack era before they went in with a hacksaw and sucked the mojo out of it on Broadway. Shaiman clearly loves that 50s and 60s big band swing sound...but unlike 'Catch Me', there's no 'edge' to 'SLIH' that they could play into. Those pop standards of that era all had a little cheeky 'glint in the eye' to them. 'Some Like It Hot' plays it far too earnestly for any of this to be played into.

Of course, a lot of the blame can also be placed on uninspired book writing and a general feeling that the creators LOATHED the original source material (or at least wanted to telegraph they do for woke points!) There's also the problem of underwhelming casting in the central 3 roles. Borle and Ghee are simply proficient. There's no star quality or SPARK to any of those performances. And 'Sugar' herself is the weakest, least charismatic link.

You can argue they're given very little to work with, but we've all seen no shortage of 'star turns' in lesser vehicles that make us forget we're watching a shlockfest (Nathan Lane in 'Addams Family' anyone?). This was also true 50-60 years ago with the Mermans, Martins and countless other stars that would elevate B and C-grade material.

R157 No, but you definitely are. Liking your own comments and listening to Justin Guarini. Lmao. Loser.

And now - the fabulous Olga San Juan in Paint Your Wagon! Take that, Justin Guarini!

Just found this on YouTube. One of my favorite shows!

RIP Paxton Whitehead. Truly one of a kind.

I worked with the wonderful Marcia Gilford, may she rest in peace. She started out in the ensemble of the Betty Hutton tour but moved into the Tessie Tura role when Marian Mercer left. She said Bernadette was lovely but could not say anything good or bad about Hutton. Whenever asked she just shook her head. I've heard from others that she was an absolute nightmare but Marcia had too much class to say anything negative so she said nothing at all.

Randy Rainbow did ask Bernadette if she was friends with Barbra Streisand. She answered they are friendly but not friends.

I think her only show business friends are Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore.

I don’t think she is “friends” with anyone else in the business

If the Seattle try out of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN was so great, why were all those bad changes made?

And does anyone know why the fabulous Bob Mackie, who designed the costumes for the try out, parted with the production and was replaced by William Ivey Long (at his most careless) for Broadway? It must have been a huge expense to have to replace all the costumes, as well as a new designer fee.

I know Aaron Tveit gets a lot of grief here but I'd always been a big fan.....until seeing him in CMIYC, in which he was a sexless cipher with no sense of danger.

Aaron Tveit's role in NEXT TO NORMAL exploited his few strengths, but every major role he has had since then has only displayed his severe limitations.

R165 - Ha. No, he did not. But, anyway, thank you for linking to that blog! I read the entire (very long) post you linked to and found if fascinating. Bernadette always seems so guarded and cautious in interviews that I kind of assumed her life was kind of boring and that, unlike Patti, perhaps she didn't need a memoir. But, it seems, occasionally, she's let that guard down, based upon some of those quotes in the blog post. That story she recalls about being at the bottom of a swimming pool and not knowing if she was drowning or not and that off-handed quip about shooting herself if she hadn't discovered show business suggest a darker and more complex... sense of humor. Interestingly, when Randy asked her about manifesting success and then asked her about whether she was an innately positive or optimistic person, she said she was not.

I get the impression she'd never do it, but I think she could have a very interesting memoir... especially if she were very candid and open in the writing.

[quote]I think her only show business friends are Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore.

Hasn't anyone told her that Mary's no longer with us?

R173, I believe there was a concerted effort to beef up Norbert’s role prior to advancing from Seattle to Broadway, which was basically a featured role in Seattle.

It won Norbert a Best Actor Tony, but the show was nowhere near as good as it had been in previews.

There’s an excellent quality boot in circulation of the Seattle version that proves my point.

R172, Bernadette and Steve Sondheim were besties.

[quote]Alan Jay Lerner was married eight times, with the alimony he had to pay the first seven leaving him in deep debt.

Lerner's eight wives included actress Nancy Olson, who was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in "Sunset Boulevard." Olson is still alive and will turn 95 in July.

R179, He also had an affair with Jean Kennedy Smith, JFK’s sister.

They planned to both leave their spouses, but AJL backed out of the agreement, humiliating Jean.

AJL was MESSY

I saw an interview with Nancy Olson once about Sunset Boulevard. She said for the scene where she had to kiss William Holden, Wilder told them before the shoot that he wanted them to hold the kiss. He said it would be for much longer than they expected because of some trick he wanted to do with the camera, but they shouldn't stop until he said "Cut!"

However, they stopped before that because someone else yelled "Cut!" It was Mrs Holden.

Bernadette was left completely broken-hearted by Steve Martin and refuses to discuss anything about him.

R183 what did he do?

He smeared peanut butter on his asshole and had her collie lick it off.

R184, They were a couple for years in the late 1970s/early 1980s.

It did not end well.

She spoke about him to Randy Rainbow. Well... not about their romantic life, but about The Jerk and Pennies from Heaven.

Bernadette told Randy that she and Steve Martin are on friendly terms. I do think it’s interesting that she said she’s not naturally an optimist.

I do feel like the tragedy is she and Patti could have been friends with all of their shared history.

They could have gone the Mary Martin / Ethel Merman route. But alas, twas not to be!

I get the feeling that Bernadette is not all that bright. Do we know anything about her romantic life after the death of her husband?

[quote]I get the feeling that Bernadette is not all that bright

How do you mean?

R190 - I actually get the opposite impression; that's she's brighter and more interesting and complex than she lets on. I think she takes a bit of the Dolly Parton approach of keeping her private life and views well guarded while remaining a consumate entertainer.

When Randy asked her if they could potentially collaborate again in the future she said she'd love to if the topic/timing was right... and wanted to know right away what the subject matter would be. Randy quickly interjected that it would never be anything she wasn't comfortable with. Unlike Patti one doesn't get the impression that Bernadette wishes to get overly political... publicly.

....and speaking of Randy, we still haven't had an explanation of that poster's statement that he and the Widow have fallen out.

would anyone have cared about a Petti. & Bermadettte one-night-only akin to Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall? Angie & Bernie? Or are those simpler times behind us, much like Michael Baresse is behind Jeff Bowen

Whoever wrote that Tumblr piece about Bernadette should never write another word (and buy a good dictionary).

R184 Just being his sexy cute self. He dicked her down with his big dick and made her laugh too. Then moved on to some new tail. Leaving her broken hearted.

Lot of 12 year olds posting this morning.....

R194, it wasn't a simpler time, just a different time. When Ethel Merman and Mary Martin did that special evening concert at the Shubert they were doing it for their fans, and I'm pretty confident when I say most of them are dead.

If Patti and Bernadette did something similar they would easily sell out, but solid 25% of the audience would be DLers.

Very awkward reunion when Steve Martin attended the opening of The Goodbye Girl to cheer on his friend Martin Short. Like poor Bernie wasn't miserable enough playing a dancing french fry.

I didn't see SLIH.....but if they'd gotten Megan Hilty - Broadway's premiere Marilyn Monroe - to play Sugar, do you think it would have helped the show and the cast chemistry?

The video I saw of her doing Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was terrific thanks to her performance....

I admire Steve Martin's talent--the longevity of his career speaks for itself.

But he seems like a disaster personally. I know nothing of Anne, his current wife of 16 years. His ex, Victoria Tennant, once described him as "depressive and incredibly dull." I get the impression he's narcissistic and competitive and not as nice as he seems. A bit like Jerry Lewis, but masquerading as a goofy, lovable clown.

Just my two cents. A lot of funny straight men I've encountered are really fucked up, more so than funny women.

R200 they could have publicized that she played Marilyn on that TV series SMASH.

I like Megan Hilty but at 42, she is aging out of Sugar/ingenue roles.

r201, I worked with Steve Martin and while I can't say I got to know him very well, your assessment of him is spot-on from what I observed.

In other news, the shark is broken.

WHET that Jaws musical, BRUCE (I think)?

This was just after “Good Will Hunting” was released, he was most likely back in Cambridge for Christmas.

The Harvest was the restaurant, not sure if it’s even there anymore.

^Sorry about that.

The right way to cast Sugar in SLIH is not to emulate Marilyn's looks, nor to run from them.

Marilyn was already a star and a sex symbol before she was cast in SLIH. What you want today, for a musical, is a pop or rock star who is already celebrated for being sexy. Madonna would have been perfect in the 1980s. It's not a role that requires huge acting chops, just a lot of charisma and the capacity to be playful. I don't know what's out there today, but that's what they should be looking for. There are probably a few pop stars who would be delighted to be in a prestigious Broadway musical and be in one spot for a whole season.

R205, Colin Donnell and his mini-cock?

Justine Guarini is a pleasant singer but so bland.

I would never be able to pick out his voice from a line-up

She prob wouldn't commit to a long Bway run, R208, but Adriana Grande would have been a good pick for Sugar.

Whatever DL thinks of her or her voice, Grande would have packed the theatre with her fans--mostly young, mostly female, mostly unfamiliar with the classic movie. For whatever reason, this seems to be the demographic of choice for current Bway producers.

I think SLIH should definitely have gone for recognizable names.

Was Marc Blitzstein the only Broadway composer to be murdered?

I do remember Sondheim saying in an interview that his husband and Rainbow were friends. One assumes the hint being given here is that after Sondheim died (or maybe even before), Rainbow and Romley were an ITEM, and now that's over.

Well, there have certainly many who have wanted to kill Frank Wildhorn.

Did Sondheim ever comment on Randy Rainbow's songwriting (or "songwriting") ability?

I think Romley was a producer/manager for Rainbow's live shows.

I seem to remember Sondheim raving about Rainbow's schtick.

I love Stephen and revere his work but sometimes his taste was shit.

He loved Randy Rainbow and the Tim Burton version of "Sweeney."

See below

Coffee and Andy!

R218, good catch. Interesting that Romley was a producer the first three years, but not the most recent one...

R215 [Quote]He has also caught the eye and ear of musical theater giants who applaud his clever concoctions. Broadway composers including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Schwartz have communicated their fandom directly. Stephen Sondheim, arguably the god of Broadway musical theater, spends a half-hour on the phone telling me that Rainbow’s lyrics are “brilliant” and “as good as anyone writing today.”[/quote]

And yet Sondheim's lifelong contemporary, lyricist Fred Ebb famously said that Sondheim deigned to address him exactly once to give him (grudging) praise on one of his lyrics.

Wow.

[quote]One assumes

Not this one, r213...

The Steve Martin discussion overlooked his brief relationship with Anne Heche, as well. Which apparently also did not end well.

He was a gorgeous man in his prime, though. And seriously packing.

Sondheim could be bitchy.

I recall an interviewer asking him if he was ever resentful that his shows were not as financially successful as those of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Sondheim replied, “Well, I would like to compose scores that I could be proud of”.

Ouch!

Justin Guarini is talented and is supposedly well-hung.

R225 In fact, Heche inexplicably hooked up with Ellen DeGeneres shortly after her breakup with Martin.

R226 - According to Harvey Fierstein, John Bucchino told him he was once at Sondheim's townhouse and Sondheim opened his utility bill (presumably it was either winter or summer when utilities would be higher) in front of Bucchino and yelled "who the fuck do they think I am, Jerry Herman??"

She had a type, R228.

She liked depressive, morose, self-involved comics with interesting hair.

[quote]And yet Sondheim's lifelong contemporary, lyricist Fred Ebb famously said that Sondheim deigned to address him exactly once to give him (grudging) praise on one of his lyrics.

That makes sense, seeing as there was probably professional jealousy at play—more people know Cabaret, Chicago, and the theme from New York New York than know anything by Sondheim. Randy Rainbow posed no threat. I don't think artists are ever really able to see their contemporaneous rivals with completely clear eyes.

Are we sure that's all true? I thought Sondheim and Kander were good friends?

And, yes, I know Kander and Ebb were two different men and just because Sondheim was friends with one, it didn't mean he was with the other, but, still...

[quote]Justine Guarini is a pleasant singer but so bland. I would never be able to pick out his voice from a line-up.

If you think that rendition of "I Talk to the Tress" is "bland," then in my opinion, you have no taste. And if you typed "Justine" because you were trying to be funny, you did not succeed.

Justin Guarini was terrific in Paint Your Wagon at Encores, also was good in Women on the Verge as well.

One of the Kander/Ebb songs, "Home," was on Sondheim's 50 Songs I Wish I Had Written . . So is that "grudging praise"?

R235, I saw Justin in "Paint Your Wagon" as well - he really was wonderful. I only knew him as an American Idol contestant - he seriously impressed me on stage.

HOWEVER, I've seen him on TV, hosting PBS pledge breaks and he's just not good. I can't figure out why, but he's just not good.

[quote]HOWEVER, I've seen him on TV, hosting PBS pledge breaks and he's just not good. I can't figure out why, but he's just not good.

Well, ByJupiter, not everyone is cut out to be a PBS pledge break host.

[quote]Steve Martin's ex, Victoria Tennant, once described him as "depressive and incredibly dull."

At least he shines on screen, unlike Victoria...

Who else is that in the photo of Sondheim at r224? I recognize Mia Farrow, Jack O'Brian and Marsha Mason but none of the others. Can anyone ID them all?

I had the major hots for Steve Martin as a kid.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE came out when I was 11 and I fell in love.

Afterward, I watched every movie he was in.

At the time, I had a close female friend who pined for Anthony Hopkins.

We were strange. 😂

So at this point is it safe to assume that the musicians hired by "Here Lies Love" are no-shows aka walkers?

R242, I have read and heard otherwise.

That's good to hear, R243! Thanks. I was just working under the assumption that if they were using them, they would have publicized that but I guess I was wrong.

[quote]FATHER OF THE BRIDE came out when I was 11 and I fell in love.

Honey, you were well past 11 when the ORIGINAL "Father of the Bride" came out.

[quote]Was Marc Blitzstein the only Broadway composer to be murdered?

Not if you consider what the critics did to ALW after Bad Cinderella opened.

R245 Ha! I wouldn't have minded Spencer Tracy, either. 😂

[quote] Not if you consider what the critics did to ALW after Bad Cinderella opened.

That was a mercy killing

The picture at r224 looks to be taken on Sondheim’s last day. He died during the night after Thanksgiving dinner.

How did he die?

Bungee jumping, Rose.

Kimberly Akimbo had its highest-grossing week post-Tonys—$695,405.

Any guesses on its weekly running costs?

R249, Is his widow in that photo?

Third from the left, r253.

Mia smothered him.

Of all shows, Life of Pi was the first one after the Tonys to announce its closure. I wonder if the Gerald Schoenfeld (or "G. Scho," as we in the know call it) has a fall tenant to soon be announced?

Magazines used to do articles like "The Last Days of _______" Wonder if one on SS is forthcoming.

The grosses for GREY HOUSE are... gross:

total : $368,707.61 57.80% capacity

This is the only thing scary about GREY HOUSE.

Justin will always be remembered as being a distant second to Kelly Clarkson

Understudies on for Arthur and Lancelot tonite and three cast members of KA including Vicki are MIA.

R259, They also dated for a while after she won AI.

It doesn’t help that Laurie Metcalf swings between looking like a boiled potato and a slapped ass.

It doesn't help that the play is shit.

[quote]Who else is that in the photo of Sondheim at [R224]? I recognize Mia Farrow, Jack O'Brian and Marsha Mason but none of the others. Can anyone ID them all?

Presumably other invitees of the orgy.

Good advice from a casting director to Jane Krakowski that she still references to this day

It’s very jarring to hear Jane pronounce the word camera correctly.

I love Jane. She's so old school musical theater song & dance girl.

Love her, too. And, there's a touch of the vaudevillian in her. She's also one of those performers who just glows on stage. She's perfectly pretty on camera, but she is TRULY beautiful on stage. I found that the both times I've seen her -- Nine on Broadway and Guys & Dolls in London. The camera doesn't *quite* capture it. You have to see her on stage to get it.

I’ve saw KA for the second time on Sunday with Colleen Fitzpatrick on for Clark. I actually liked Fitzpatrick better (and I had liked Clark).

And like Bernadette, r268, she started early.

also pictured Lindsay Law former head of American Playhouse and Fox Searchlight

Just back from the dress of Light in the Piazza. Pretty wonerful. Josh Grobin was in the audience. Didn't he have a show tonight?

R272 - Sweeney does 7 performances/week (no Tuesdays.) Which makes their grosses even more impressive. They'd be well over $2 million/wk if they did 8 performances.

[quote]I’ve saw KA for the second time on Sunday with Colleen Fitzpatrick on for Clark. I actually liked Fitzpatrick better (and I had liked Clark).

Colleen Fitzpatrick of the "Amber von Tussle" from "Hairspray" Colleen Fitzpatricks?

R261 don't forget this famous doozy:

I kinda love that Colin Donnell still has a career after his dick and bating vids got leaked online.

I guess when you're mostly Bway, no one cares?

Doubt he'll get more TV or film roles tho..

Obviously, the fundraising is what matters and this is a great organization, but has Broadway Bares ever been sexy? This looks... deeply unsexy.

Eldergays, any of you catch this one? Poor Charles Strouse has not had much of a career since Annie.

[quote]I kinda love that Colin Donnell still has a career after his dick and bating vids got leaked online.

Oh Grampa, Kim Kardashian has a billion dollar industry, Colin Farrelll was just nominated for an Oscar, it's 2023 not 1985, no one cares anymore.

Man, at one time I found Colin Donnell interesting... enjoyed the videos I saw of him as Billy Crocker and his short time on the TV show Arrow.

But now I think the guy needs help... the cock vids (was he high? Drunk?), the appearance of many tats... someone went a bit off the rails.

Agree. Nudes and sex vids can only help you now. Whatever goes viral and ups that follower count. R277 Never been sexy or entertaining for that matter. I've seen almost all Broadway Bares (I own the DVDs) and have enjoyed maybe 4 or 5 numbers out of all it's existence.

[quote] no one cares anymore.

For now. Don't be so shortsighted. The world changes a lot in 10-20 years.

Perhaps in 30 years' time, many young people now will be haunted and blackballed by their nude/oversexualized images, if society has swung far-right as a result.

The century is just beginning.

For instance, Hollywood was rather liberal during the silent film era, and the content got increasingly dark and daring with the advent of sound in the late 1920s..

This short period (c. 1927-1934) is known as Pre-Code Hollywood and scandalized society, which is why/how conservatives seized control in the 1930s via the Motion Picture Production Code (aka Hays Code) and reigned supreme for the next three decades.

I don't see that happening. That was the 20th century. They didn't have all the technology and social media we have. It's not going back there. There will always be conservatives but Gen crazy does not care. And neither do millennials. We rage against the machine. I can tell you're out of the loop.

R261, Did they actually date or was that manufactured to push the stupid movie they were in together?

R285, They have both publicly admitted that they dated.

R285 . . .

R276, those photos and videos leaked years ago, and he's booked several film and TV gigs since then, including a Peacock series he was the lead of last year and several Hallmark movies. He's not a big enough name for them to have spread that widely, so only a small group on the internet knows about them.

He must know about they're out there by now, but unlike a lot of actors who rush to get that stuff pulled, he's never seemed to bother. He must not care, or they're not harming him any.

From the link to Angela Lansbury's house at r279:

[quote]It should be torn down its very unattractive and bland and all those ugly tile floors are hideous he could build a modern home outdoors area that would liven it up, I was disappointed to see this house thinking her home would be more refined and elegant so anything to improve this lot would be better

Is this what the phrase MARY! was invented for?

r249, why do you think that photo was taken on Thanksgiving?

r281 perhaps people act out like this when they are unhappy? Maybe life with Pattie Murrin is not what he hoped for? Maybe he needs to marry me?

R288, Well, he’s “harmed” in having the world know that he was not blessed below the belt.

What did Colin Farrell do?

R290, They’re all wearing fall/winter clothing?

R293

Colin F made a sex tape with a black model years ago while filming the Daredevil movie and it leaked. He had an awful haircut/shaved head look in the film and in the video, which is unfortunate.

To his credit, he's owned it and discussed it when asked on talk shows. But obviously its different for a man, especially one in good shape with a nice appendage. No clue who the model was or how this affected her life.

David Boreanaz has had a video and pics leak which definitely harmed his public persona as he's beloved from Buffy and Angel and now seen as a letch and cheater.

As a married man, I'm surprised Colin D hasn't faced similar scorn. Didn't he basically lose his Arrow gig following this?

r295, no, he was killed off in 2014 after the first season, long before the leaks came out, and they brought him back several times as a recurring character in the later seasons, long after they came out.

The insistence around here that he should and will face career damage from his is kind of creepy. He's a nobody, and nobody cares about the pics/videos.

Anyone curious about the new English version of Rebecca that'll be debuting in England later this year? I hope they come up with better lyrics than some of these....

If you betray her her revenge will be ferocious!!

Oh no!!

No escape!! You can't win!!

***correction, Donnell's Arrow character was killed off in 2013, so yes, well before the leaks.

R296

I'm not saying he should face career damage at all. It's idiotic to vilify people for having a naked body. But it's also naive to think he'd ever be embraced by Hollywood in a bigger way now. Movie roles that might have been possible once are now surely off the table.

He's talented and I like him but as a performer you have to be an easy choice from a PR standpoint. Can he do voice over for Disney now? I'd guess no. Can he do Oscar bait films? Also no.

Doors do slam shut.

R295 the model with Collin Farrell was a playboy playmate so everyone already saw her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She didn't give a fuck..

Oh. Okay. That explains his reputation taking no hits.

I'm amazed Rob Lowe recovered from his video but he's not Bway so never mind.

Cheyenne Jackson seems pretty cancelled right now.

Colin Donnell is Broadway sexy but not Hollywood sexy. He really should have stuck to doing musicals, where all his talents could be truly appreciated.

Justin Guarini encapsulates how I see many of the B or C listers on Broadway, as well as so many contestants on Idol or the like.

They have pleasant and perhaps technically capable voices. But there is no "there" there. There's no persona, no personality. Whatever the magic stardust is that makes a person a STAR - or at the very minimum a personality that's compelling to watch - they come up empty.

Fine for a cruise ship, or the chorus.

R303 EXACTLY

All these people who aren't stars sure are generating a lot of conversation today. I'd hate to see how much people would talk about them if they were stars.

[quote]Cheyenne Jackson seems pretty cancelled right now.

He just came off three seasons of the Mayim Bialik show which probably have been renewed if Leslie Jordan hadn't kicked the bucket and taken viewers with him.

Colin [italic] just [/italic] did a 10-episode run as the lead of a new Peacock series.

Does any of you use the internet for anything but your own opinions?

Just saw Roger Bart on the street. He's heavyset. No, portly. No, fat. And he's got the crazy hair more than ever, only now it's badly dyed and jammed up with way too much American Crew Fiber or some such matte glop

[quote] Nudes and sex vids can only help you now.

He cood efen liff in Vite Howce.

[quote] Does any of you

Oh, dear.

[quote] Leslie Jordan hadn't kicked the bucket

He didn't kick the bucket.

He ran that bucket into the side of a brick wall.....

In the sex thread JAJ's ass at Broadway Bares is being discussed, but only subscribers can post to the thread. He shared a view videos in his stories that he was tagged in, and apparently spent much of the night in a jock strap, and yeah, his ass looks great.

I don't know that BB is all that sexy, but it certainly can be. It's less the routines than the performers themselves. That video of Norm Lewis at Bares a decade ago is still a thing of beauty. The routine was fine; he was sexy as hell.

[quote] Just saw Roger Bart on the street. He's heavyset. No, portly. No, fat.

How fat is he?

He's sooooo fat that only the first 5 or so inches of his dick are visible now.

***a few videos

Sheesh. What happened there?

Well aren’t you the little scold r307! Italics and snark - there really is no beginning to your talents.

JAJ is always showing his ass at Broadway Bares. That is nothing new. That's his biggest ad campaign every year.

No one said it was new. Just that it looked great.

Seems reductive. And more proof nudity can only help your career.

Someone in the last thread asked WHET DL fave AKB. He booked a new gig.

We've seen AKB's junk, haven't we?

[quote]I kinda love that Colin Donnell still has a career after his dick and bating vids got leaked online.

I think he's the sort of person whose career can only be helped by something like this, as I've always felt he was mainly prized for his looks and his sex appeal, rather than for his acting and singing talents, which are average at best. Have any of you heard that album Donnell made with his wife? Not very good work on his part.

I know it's hated round these parts, and I'm very, very late to the party but I finally saw the Daniel Fish Oklahoma! last night in London. Reader, I loved every fucking thing about it. An extraordinary, eviscerating deconstruction of both a form and of a musical.

I also saw A Strange Loop on Tuesday, currently previewing in London. I found a lot to like about it, but also felt that it's a concept musical that wishes it were a book musical. It wants to have its conceptual cake and eat it, and doesn't quite pull it off. Previews seem to be selling well, but I still think a 12-week summer season at the Barbican is a crazy idea. Anything Goes it ain't.

Meet Patty!

Let's pat her collie.

The Ben Rimalower podcast (“Giants in the Sky”) on the making of Into the Woods is interesting despite some technical and editing shortcomings. Jack O’Brien talks about how he couldn’t host Thanksgiving because he had moved, so it was at Marsha Mason’s house. Sondheim left in good spirits at 9 pm and died at 1 a.m.

Re: R323--nothing against Rhea Perlman, but what exactly is Lincoln Center Theatre doing producing this play? I though LCT3 was about developing experimental work. This looks like something Manhattan Theatre Club might have done 20 years ago for an audience of elderly uptown ladies in furs.

r320, yes. (Speaking of someone who gets things pulled from the internet whenever they appear.)

R295-When Boreanaz was a bouncer on the Upper East Side many moons ago, he was known to pick up a different party girl every night, take her home and fuck her. He was a nasty piece of work with a quick temper and no real personality.

I wonder whatever became of Jim Stein, who snorted his way out of the Che role after he succeeded Mandy in Evita. At one performance, he fell backwards off a set piece. Major blow habit. He's not even listed in the IBDB database anymore. He killed his own career.

r310 It sounds wrong, but it's actually grammatically correct. "Any" is the same as "anyone," and in this case is singular, so "does" is the appropriate verb.

R299, When Chris Evans inadvertently leaked a dick pic, he owned it the next day and even went on Tamron Hall’s show and did a mea culpa.

thank you, r329

[quote]I know it's hated round these parts, and I'm very, very late to the party but I finally saw the Daniel Fish Oklahoma! last night in London. Reader, I loved every fucking thing about it. An extraordinary, eviscerating deconstruction of both a form and of a musical.

And apparently, you were also so very, very late to the counter on the day they handed out brains and good taste that none were left for you. That production was not a "deconstruction" of anything, it was a masturbatory exercise by a talent-free hack of a "director" who had no respect for the show he was directing and therefore trashed it.

Miss R332 Has Stated Her Boundaries!

Colin Donnell is very average on the Anything Goes album.

Eileen...isn't.

[quote] Cheyenne Jackson seems pretty cancelled right now.

Despite having very little charisma for someone so beautiful, I'm sure Jackson can snap his fingers and get a Bway gig.

He, instead, wanted a more lucrative TV/ film career, which doesn't seem to be panning out for him. I don't think it has anything to do with his leaked video--he's not famous enough for anyone to care.

[quote] When Chris Evans inadvertently leaked a dick pic, he owned it the next day and even went on Tamron Hall’s show and did a mea culpa

Makes it seem more like a publicity stunt

somebody please turn up the thermostat at Mme Tussaud's

The Oklahoma revisal def seems to be more warmly acclaimed in London - I wonder if the casting has any impact?

Oklahoma is a dated bore. I no longer believe the "I saw a great production of Oklahoma!" I always fall for the hype, go see it, and am bored out of my mind.

If I never see another Rodgers and Hammerstein show, it will still be too soon.

The fact that Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! causes some people to lose their minds (see: R332) makes me love it even more. "My heavens! That awful man has sullied the sweet soul of that poor innocent musical!"

How did they cast the fat tranny and wheelchair lass in London?

So, let me get this straight r342. It’s not the work you like, just the fact that it annoys others.

[quote]The fact that Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! causes some people to lose their minds (see: [R332]) makes me love it even more. "My heavens! That awful man has sullied the sweet soul of that poor innocent musical!"

Oh, really? Well suppose, for example, you decided to write a show that was a love letter to New York City, and then, 50 or 60 or 70 years from now, someone "reinterpreted" the show in such a way as to subvert all of that and depict NYC out as a hell-hole. Or.....suppose the opposite happened. How would you feel about THAT, genius?

The point, which you fail to comprehend, is that it's contemptible for someone to completely betray the vision of an author, or team of authors, just because he doesn't agree with that vision and/or thinks it doesn't play well in the present day. And if Fish wanted to direct a show that's all about the dark side of America, he should have written his own goddamn show. But, OF COURSE, he doesn't have the talent for that, so instead, we all had to suffer through an interpretation of OKLAHOMA! that smelled of rotting Fish throughout.

[quote] smelled of rotting Fish

Clever.

The heirs of the Oklahoma authors obviously didn't have a problem with the 'betrayal' of the vision, so why are you being such a queen about it?

London has always been and continues to be far more welcoming of smart and daring theatre. I can barely contend with seeing shows on Broadway any more, everything is mediocre to awful (except for the London imports), yet I revel in most everything I see on my theatre trips to the UK, where even the flawed works are fascinating and intellectually challenging in some way.

r348, can't wait to hear your response to Back to the Future: the Musical, that smart and daring piece of UK theatre soon to be imported to Broadway.

R347 They sold the rights.

And let's not forget Bad Cinderella, that import straight from London!

Ted Chapin, who oversaw the catalog for four decades, endorsed the Fish production on behalf of the estates. Keep up, cunt.

Yes, it's completely strange and unbelievable that people who didn't create material but stand to profit from it would have endorse its use in any way that would put money in their bank accounts.

[Quote] London has always been and continues to be far more welcoming of smart and daring theatre.

Smart and daring?? Are you kidding?

Too many times have I seen productions that are lauded in London and then seem like dreck when they get to NYC. Londoners have horrible taste

Ted Chapin also allowed the fucked-up FLOWER DRUM SONG and the abysmal animated THE KING AND I.

Cut to the chase...how $ucce$$ful did Wokelahoma end up being? *That's* all that matters.

You seem peculiarly invested in this r345.

Here's the thing about London theatre: Yes, there's awful dreck like Bad Cinderella and Back to the Future (mostly created by Americans) but it's more than balanced by (to mention just the recent) fabulous productions of Rebecca Frecknall's incredible reimaginings of Streetcar and Cabaret, the joyous and exuberant Guys & Dolls revival at The Bridge, the hilarious Operation Mincemeat, Soho Place's Medea with Ben Daniels and Sophie Okenado followed by the new musical version of Brokeback Mountain, The National's The Motive and the Cue about the Burton Hamlet, Tom Hollander in Patriots at The Almeida, and on and and on....

NY theatre cannot compare.

It is so much less expensive to produce in London. Why?

Brokeback is a play with music. It’s not a musical. The characters don’t actually sing.

The Cottage looks like such summer stock!

16 Weeks Only! If we're lucky...

R350 READ up! You clearly don’t know how the R&H theatrical rights actually work.

Why does that sketch look like Eric McCormack?

That ad for THE COTTAGE (terrible title btw) has stinky bomb written all over it.

JAJ has a great body but the face is like fetal alcohol syndrome. Honest question--What dies he (and other guys like him--Nick Adam etc) do for a living? they sporadically have a theatre gig--dont have any movie or tv work--do they all have alt. Only Fans accounts? Rich boyfriends? I see a lot of guys in the business that have been around for years but dont seem to work all that much

Beautiful Noise actually did worse the week after the Tony performance.

JAJ is in Parade and has been in 5 other Broadway shows. That's a lot for someone his age.

r365, it feels like JAJ works a lot, to a surprising degree (I don't have anything against him; he just always seems like he's in stuff). In the years before the pandemic, he did a year and a half in Phantom, then did Scotland, PA and Darling Grenadine, two off-Broadway Roundabout shows. (And he had multiple Broadway and off-Broadway shows before Phantom.) Last spring he was in that play about a bunch of bitchy gays (specific, I know) at Second Stage, then he moved into the Encores Parade, which turned into the Broadway transfer. I don't know what he does when he's not in a show, but those times seem few and far between. (Is he really that good? I don't know. I think I've only seen him in Darling Grenadine, which I hated.)

Yeah, the West End these days is Broadway stuff plus really bad theater that even we won't want here. You have to check the off-West End stuff, like the Bridge for anything worthwhile.

I presume some of these performers teach on the side.

Oh, I guess I saw JAJ in Hands on a Hardbody, but I don't remember anything about that.

[Quote] London has always been and continues to be far more welcoming of smart and daring theatre.

They also love shows that make America look terrible. Hence, the success of this, Oklahoma.

[Quote] Why does that sketch look like Eric McCormack?

Because it is, dumb fuck

Dolls, Mandy Patinkin and I did a duo concert. Why would I want to team up with Bernadette who always sings those maudlin, weepy, clutch-throat songs?

So rumor has it Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells are going to announce tomorrow that they're going to be doing Gutenberg! the Musical on Broadway. I was looking at the videos Gad's been posted on his Instagram all day...and I had no idea he was that popular? He has 1.2 million followers, twice what Rannells has. (I've always found him really grating. The videos haven't changed that. But good for him finding his audience.)

Eldergays, does anyone remember back around 1980ish, there was a maniac that was throwing bricks off the roof of Broadway theaters?

I informed my Drivers Ed class that one of the theaters was where Lauren Bacall was performing. None of my classmates seemed as concerned as I was.

Anyhoo, did they ever catch the guy who was doing that?

R376. It was Juliette Binoche who was throwing the bricks.

Who wouldn't want to throw a brick at Lauren Bacall?

[quote]they're going to be doing Gutenberg! the Musical on Broadway.

Is this another Jesus musical like Kathie Lee Gifford’s musical about Amy Semple McPherson?

r376, it was The Fan.

[quote] Who wouldn't want to throw a brick at Lauren Bacall?

There was a long line of people. Bacall was a real “see you next Tuesday.”

r379, no.

I think Guttenberg is a 2 hander. probably cheapish and easy(ish) to throw together quickly for a short/limited run given the WGA strike

Gutenberg the Musical... for when you can't afford four cast members to perform (title of show).

It's a great idea. Very inexpensive to produce, both guys have big followings, Rannells is hilarious, and it's quite a funny show.

Next up...Daveed Diggs in "Herringbone"

Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein in “6 Rms Riv Vu: The Musical”

R385, Despite the rumors, Rannells and Tuc Watkins are still together.

There are photos on Tuc’s Instagram of them spending Father’s Day together in Hawaii.

R387, Reinforce the furniture.

[quote]I was looking at the videos Gad's been posted on his Instagram all day...and I had no idea he was that popular? He has 1.2 million followers, twice what Rannells has.

Olaf—the most merchandised Disney character since Mickey himself.

Huh. It never would have occurred to me than fondness for a cartoon character would carry over to the voice actor, at least not to that degree. Guess I really am old and out of touch.

I saw JAJ in On the Town. He was pretty charming as Chip, much more than Jesse Tyler Ferguson in the last revival in 99(?).

He also was on that short lived show on ABC, Quantico. I think he wasn’t a regular but appeared in all three seasons.

Didn't JAJ have a tempestuous affair with Russell Tovey on QUANTICO?

JAJ was adorably delicious in ON THE TOWN. Lots of clips with him as Chip in his Stars & Stripes boxers on youtube. He's probably working a lot more than many other young actors in NYC, whether on or off-Broadway.

Not to mention the delightful JAJ threesome video!

Cheyenne Jackson had a leak? Was it a... solo performance, duet or group number?

JAJ is forgettable in everything he does. Not bad. Just forgettable.

Also, you guys won't care but the lead girl in SHUCKED is missing a lot of shows.

R394, It’s brief, but hot.

R395, A solo of him jerking off to climax and then you see his face as he says “I miss my boyfriend”.

Don't forget to describe how lucky his dick is. Haha.

*UGLY his dick is. I meant. And he said, "clearly I need my boyfriend here". Haha. It was gross.

[quote] Also, you guys won't care but the lead girl in SHUCKED is missing a lot of shows.

Alex Newell? Didn’t she just win a Tony for that role?

R381 All in all, it’s another brick in Bacall….

R379 will Rannells okay Steve Guttenberg?

That would be play not okay.

r401, I think r396 was referring to the actress who plays Maizy, the lead role. (Newell plays Lulu and is considered a featured role, which is what they won for.) Her understudy posted photos from Sunday when she was on (and Sarah Jessica Parker and Gayle King were in the audience and visited the cast afterward) and posted that she was on for today's matinee as well.

[quote]Hunter Arnold, one of the show’s lead producers, said Spears signed the contract herself after the conservatorship was terminated and that no one else in Spears’s camp currently has a deal to receive profits.

[quote]A representative for Spears did not make her available for an interview but confirmed the timing of the most recent deal and added that the singer had provided notes in response to videos of the Madrids’ choreography.

....

[quote]Initially, production papers from late 2019 listed a company called Shiloh Standing, Inc., which was started by Spears’s father shortly after the creation of the conservatorship, as being entitled to 7.5 percent of the production’s net profits, according to documents filed with New York State’s attorney general’s office. Larry Rudolph, Spears’s former manager, was also slated to receive funds, including a $30,000 executive producer fee, plus $1,500 per week.

[quote]But plans for a short run in Chicago in 2020, followed by a Broadway transfer, were scuttled by the pandemic, the show was put on hold and, in that time, Spears’s world was transformed. Leslie Papa, a spokeswoman for the show, said that Spears’s contract was negotiated and signed in 2022, after the termination of the conservatorship, and provides all compensation directly to her.

[quote]Arnold said Spears has a stake in the show’s royalties through music licensing proceeds, in addition to an underlying rights deal, which he said was carved out in recognition of her role in popularizing the music, even if other lyricists and music producers own much of the rights to the songs. He declined to specify the exact payment structure for Spears, and it is not included in government filings thus far.

[quote]According to a copy of a 2022 budget for the Broadway musical that was shared with The New York Times by someone who was not authorized to discuss the production, the advance payment for the underlying rights deal associated with the show was $80,000. Arnold noted that with successful Broadway shows, royalties often quickly outpace initial advances.

Laugh me off the internet, but if she was lucid, I would kill to see Britney in even just a reading of Nuts.

Hearts not diamonds! Roses not bricks!!

[quote]Is he really that good? I don't know. I think I've only seen him in Darling Grenadine, which I hated

Jay Armstrong Johnson was, IMHO, the best thing in SCOTLAND PA, a not-great show with a few winning moments and a couple of great songs. I happened to like DARLING GRENADINE a lot. I thought it had a lot of heart and some of the music was terrific. Cast was all solid.

I've prob seen him in about 10 different shows, including the PARADE revival and ON THE TOWN. I've never seen him less than good, and sometimes stellar.

[Quote] Newell plays Lulu

I hope Newell doesn't riff too much on "To Sir With Love."

The JAJ sex video was a boot.

Jay Armstrong Johnson was hilarious in SCOTLAND, PA. A really wonderful performance.

The JAJ sex video was a hoot.

[Quote] There are photos on Tuc’s Instagram of them spending Father’s Day together in Hawaii.

More like Daddy’s Day

R414, Tuc’s father is also in the pics.

I've only seen JAJ in On the Town. He was very good. Well, that whole damn cast was. That may be my favorite musical revival I've ever seen.

His "Diamonds" was about as interesting as Aaron Tveit's efforts.

I'll third (or fourth) my admiration for JAJ in SCOTLAND, PA as the slacker dude. I actually loved that show and was shocked it didn't get a better reception. And JAJ was so different from ON THE TOWN's innocent rube sailor Chip.

r417, that's pretty good. He sounds a lot better than in the Phantom clips I tried watching to see his take on Raoul. He just seemed stiff and uncomfortable. Same goes for the big kiss.

[quote]I think Guttenberg is a 2 hander.

Much like Roger Bart's dick.

[quote] Ted Chapin also allowed the fucked-up FLOWER DRUM SONG and the abysmal animated THE KING AND I.

Ted Chaplin said the cartoon version of King And I was the worst mistake he ever made. It’s an interesting hate watch.

[quote]The heirs of the Oklahoma authors obviously didn't have a problem with the 'betrayal' of the vision, so why are you being such a queen about it?

See R350, but if you weren't so ignorant, you would know without having to be told that the heirs no longer have ANY say about productions of the R&H shows.

R342, I'm still waiting for an honest answer to my question at R345.

I think JAJ has officially taken over this thread.

I was watching an old "Gunsmoke" yesterday and Michael Cristofer was in it. The episode was from 1974, so it was just about three years before he'd win the Pulitzer and the Tony for his play "The Shadow Box." He was very handsome back then. Has anyone here ever worked with him? Despite his success in the theater, I don't think you really hear that much about him.

Tonys Boost Box Office For ‘Kimberly Akimbo’, ‘Leopoldstadt’, ‘Shucked’; ‘Here Lies Love’ Sells Out First Preview:

The King And I cartoon is for children. It's weird because it's for kids! Haha. Duh. I know children who grew up on it. So how is it a mistake if it reaches a whole different audience and they love it? Get over yourselves. Especially you Ted Chapin.

The King and I animated film was a box office bomb. It's poorly done and looks incredibly cheap and ugly. So what if some kids enjoyed it? (And based on the reviews at IMDB, where it currently has a rating of 4.3 out of 10, plenty did not.) Kids like a lot of shit. That shouldn't be considered a standard of anything.

I thought this site only did clips from actual movies, but r395, if you search for his name here, it's there.

On a less sketchy note, Tovey and Johnson in Quantico.

R428, A victim of the Marty Vidnovic curse.

I remember that JAJ was a very good Candide at City Center some years back. With DL fave Linda Lavin.

I saw Scotland, PA and remember absolutely nothing about it.

A friend is in London and saw The Play That Goes Wrong and Guys & Dolls......raves for both shows.

The Play That Goes Wrong is a funny premise that goes on too long. And they’ve done so many shows with that premise that they are quickly outliving their 15 minutes of fame.

R435, Damn, motherhood has really aged Chasten.

I couldn't stand more than 20 minutes of The Play That Goes Wrong. But, I felt that way about One Man Two Guv's, too. And I love plenty of British humor (both high and lowbrow British humor,) but the appeal of both of those shows is a mystery to me.

I liked Scotland PA but need to see it performed again because I also don't remember much. I do remember liking the song about football.

Is the Marriott Marquis Theater destined to be the dumping ground of all the garbage shows? I can't recall the last decent show that was playing there.

That's what they asked about The Gershwin, r440.

Why the photo, r435? And who are those other people? (I recognize Mayor Pete, the Widow and the Dearly Departed)

r442, on the far left is composer Benj Pasek (Dear Evan Hanson, The Greatest Showman, etc.). Next to him is his boyfriend/partner at the time Kevin Sobieski (I don't know if they're still together. Pasek hasn't posted any photos of him on Instagram in a while and appears to no longer follow him.)

Maybe the presence of the Widow Sondheim was reason enough for r435 to post it?

Thanks, r443

R440 haha. That is so true. I love that theater but I'm never there because nothing good is ever playing there.

[quote]R342, I'm still waiting for an honest answer to my question at R345.

I’d imagine I’d be thrilled my show was still inspiring someone to the point of production and revelation.

If a show has been around for 50 or 60 or 70 years and it is still being produced, then I think it’s safe to say that most people who go to the theater would know the show pretty well and it has entered classic territory (that is certainly the case for Oklahoma!)—so I don’t think the author’s vision is betrayed. Rather, it has already been communicated so well that it has entered the cultural bloodstream. Once that has happened, classic plays are given new interpretations all the time to see what else might be lying dormant in the text, waiting to be roused, and no one seems to lose their cool when this happens the way they do when a classic musical gets the same treatment.

That seems to suggest that the classic plays are sturdy and robust and can withstand the shock of something new, but that classic musicals are flimsy and weak and need to be protected from the same kind of treatment. That is pretty offensive to the author’s of classic musicals, if you ask me, because it suggests that their work should be approached with kid’s gloves while Ibsen and Shakespeare and Chekov can handle the real excavation.

Brilliant articulate post, r446. Thank you.

R428 I agree the cartoon is complete shit and awkward and weird. But it was made for children so what can you really expect. I remember when it came out and I saw the trailer. I was like what the hell. Haha. You could tell it was crap and a stupid idea but if it introduces young children to Rodgers and Hammerstein and musical theater then it's a win in my book .

Also, IMDB scores mean nothing. Especially if you know how they're calculated. That's not really a measure of anything. For instance, Ryan Murphy's fantasy series POSE sits at an 8.7 rating. Completely insane. That is higher than what most classic superior films and TV shows have. Because dumb asses write reviews and vote up. Children aren't writing reviews on IMDB honey. Haha.

Sondheim, Pasek, Romley, Buttigieg . . . doesn't get much gayer than that!

Which Ethan Mordden books are his best?

The Marquis is cursed because they tore down some lovely theaters to build that ugly, soulless monstrosity.

Broadway musicals don’t enjoy the same advantage as opera.

In opera, the classics are continually in rotation, so if you see a bad, experimental production, it’s only a few years until the opera will rotate around again with a beautifully produced classical production.

This is what bothers me about The Public’s Shakespeare in the Park. Every production now has to have some twist. They no longer produce a simple, classical version. The last time I saw Romeo & Juliet there, everybody was walking through water. These gimmick productions dilute the beauty of the language.

Gad and Rannells in Gutenberg! the Musical confirmed. 20 weeks at the James Earl Jones.

[quote] Gad and Rannells in Gutenberg! the Musical confirmed. 20 weeks at the James Earl Jones.

Guaranteed to keep a line at TKTS.

Still waiting for the tea on Romley and Rainbow. Just another poster blowing smoke, I guess.

Operas also don't play eight shows a week for a year, r452.

I'm sure this will be a hot ticket.

But I didn't ask for it, frankly.

[quote]If a show has been around for 50 or 60 or 70 years and it is still being produced, then I think it’s safe to say that most people who go to the theater would know the show pretty well and it has entered classic territory (that is certainly the case for Oklahoma!)—so I don’t think the author’s vision is betrayed. Rather, it has already been communicated so well that it has entered the cultural bloodstream.

That's all well and good, but aside from everything else, I'm sure that quite a high percentage of people who saw the Fish OKLAHOMA! had never seen the property in any previous production, including the movie. And so they would naturally assume that all of that dark shit had been written by Rodgers & Hammerstein, which of course is not the case

[quote]Once that has happened, classic plays are given new interpretations all the time to see what else might be lying dormant in the text, waiting to be roused, and no one seems to lose their cool when this happens the way they do when a classic musical gets the same treatment.

Other than Shakespeare and other ancient classics, it doesn't seem to me that old plays tend to be drastically and radically "reinterpreted" in quite the same way as musicals, for whatever reason. The current A DOLL'S HOUSE on Broadway is a case in point. It's newly interpreted in that it's very minimalist, the costumes are modern, etc., but there was no attempt to rewrite the meaning of the play as Fish did with OKLAHOMA! Another case in point was that rather odd Broadway revival of ALL MY SONS,.

[quote]That seems to suggest that the classic plays are sturdy and robust and can withstand the shock of something new, but that classic musicals are flimsy and weak and need to be protected from the same kind of treatment. That is pretty offensive to the author’s of classic musicals, if you ask me, because it suggests that their work should be approached with kid’s gloves while Ibsen and Shakespeare and Chekov can handle the real excavation.

Again, I can't speak for other people, but I for one make no distinction between plays and musicals when I feel the author's original vision is being betrayed through "reinterpretation." And I would NOT describe it as "excavation," because that word has a very different meaning.

One woman shows making a comeback a la Jodie comer? Oh boy. Haha

LOVE Snook in Succession, but I really don't enjoy one-person shows. I understand the appeal (for producers).

[quote] Broadway musicals don’t enjoy the same advantage as opera. In opera, the classics are continually in rotation, so if you see a bad, experimental production, it’s only a few years until the opera will rotate around again with a beautifully produced classical production.

But an experimental version of a classic musical will close, never to be seen again, if everyone hates it. Opera productions keep coming back year after year.

So we will never see West Side Story again?

[quote]One woman shows making a comeback a la Jodie comer? Oh boy. Haha

They never really went away. But the actress has to be strong to keep the audience engaged.

Fleabag

Shirley Valentine

The Belle of Amherst

Lillian

And Holland Taylor as Ann Richards.

[quote]And Holland Taylor as Ann Richards.

Which was a bore!

[quote]But an experimental version of a classic musical will close, never to be seen again, if everyone hates it. Opera productions keep coming back year after year.

Not always, R461. The Met Opera replaced the Franco Zeffirelli TOSCA with a production so despised that it only lasted a few seasons before being replaced with a more conventional one.

[quote]So we will never see West Side Story again?

R462, that's not what R461 wrote. Quite the opposite. Read it again.

Anyone see Martin Short in The Producers? I adore Marty, but he seems like he'd be wasted as Leo. His energy is much more "Max". Is there anything in the script that says Max has to be 'the fat one'?

Yes, there are lines in the script that describe Max as "fat," but it's arguable whether that's essential to the character.

I could eat something.

So you're saying a skinny guy couldn't play a fat guy? It's ACTING. Haven't you ever heard of weight blind casting?....

41 Musicals That Brought LGBTQIA+ Experiences to the Stage

Playbill.com just sent me an email that was a gigantic ad shilling for the ACLU to send them money to help the trannys. Before I deleted it, I unsubscribed from Playbill.com.

Know your audience, assholes.

Oh...my...GOD, r473, how GHASTLY!

You know, I enjoyed NPH as Tonys host, but I really didn't like it when he commented on Angela Lansbury's bust.

[quote]"Angela Lansbury! Are those real?"

I saw JAJ as Jack in Newsies, and he was the best of them all, including the robotic Jeremy Jordan.

[quote] I saw Scotland, PA and remember absolutely nothing about it.

Honestly, though, do you remember much of anything these days?

The last decent production (actually, much better than decent) of Shakespeare the Public Theater did was THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with Al Pacino and Lily Rabe 10 years ago and it justifiably moved from the Park to Broadway and sold out. Except for updating it to 1900 Venice, it was a "traditional" production. Why doesn't Oskar Eustis realize that's how to garner bigger audiences and critical acclaim.

JAJ threw the first brick at Splash Musical Mondays

No, R479, that was Alex Newell.

I've always had mixed feelings about JAJ. On the one hand, you can view him as an out gay performer who's obviously not afraid of displaying his sexual orientation or his sexuality in terms of nudity and sexual situations on stage, all of which is good. The thing is, he displays his body in sexual situations on stage SO OFTEN that it can seem exploitative and he comes across as slutty.

R457 That Sydney Theater Company production of Dorian Gray is just stupid. Ivo Von Hove done even worse than he does it.

20 weeks for Gutenberg no matter how cheap the weekly costs are seems like a stretch. probably would have been better playing the summer. Are these guys a draw? Gad has the Frozen connection and has a movie career--Rannell is a working actor but dont know that he sells tickets on his name

Will the Oceangate saga boost Titanique's numbers?

Gutenberg maybe should have announced them for 10 weeks and given themselves the option to bring in two new guys

[quote] 20 weeks for Gutenberg no matter how cheap the weekly costs are seems like a stretch. probably would have been better playing the summer.

That’s much smarter. Advertise for 10 weeks and then say, “Held over by popular demand.” But maybe those two wouldn’t sign for less than a 20 week paycheck. And maybe they don’t mind performing to an audience of 25.

[quote] 41 Musicals That Brought LGBTQIA+ Experiences to the Stage

The intern forgot several musicals.

Aspects of Love (the title is a clue) has a lesbian kiss.

Lesbians don't count in today's LGBTAlphabetSoup

[quote]Are these guys a draw? Gad has the Frozen connection and has a movie career--Rannell is a working actor but dont know that he sells tickets on his name

The language in the press release praising the talents of Gad and Rannells is over-the-top -- especially, IMHO, as applied to Rannells. "Two of the most gifted comedic actors of their generation" is what the release says. Okay.....

I'd rather Gad do Sideshow with Jenifer Lewis.

Gad & Rannells-2 Cis White men on stage together. it's practically unheard of! WHERES THE DIVERSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get out the pitchforks!

a Times rave for Piazza. So is this the new formula? anything thats thrown together in a couple of weeks (Into the Woods, parade, Piazza) is sublime after two week of of rehearsal and a few previews--moves to Bway and has a nice run/subsequent tour--and everything else that does reading after workshop after regional production ad nauseam either dies instantly after opening or never comes in. producers should just skip all the developmental incarnations save money and time and open cold like in the old days.

[quote]producers should just skip all the developmental incarnations save money and time and open cold like in the old days.

When did shows open cold?

R492, incredible as this may seem, you apparently don't realize the HUGE difference here is that the Encores! productions are all REVIVALS of known-quantity shows, all of which presumably had readings, workshops and/or regional productions the first time out. Sorry, but that's rather idiotic of you.

Yeah, developmental 'incarnations' are for new, unproven musicals, idiot.

[quote]The thing is, he displays his body in sexual situations on stage SO OFTEN that it can seem exploitative and he comes across as slutty.

I like that in a man.

r493

Sweeney Todd opened cold

Speaking of London theatre, did anyone else see the National's recent Phaedra with Janet McTeer? I watched it on National Theatre At Home, and it was a LOT, performances, set, sound, everything.

shows in the 60s/70s/80's. for the most part opened cold. (outside of London transfers etc). Of course NY NY opened cold and see what that got you--but probably wouldn't have been significantly better with a bunch of developmental incarnations. there was no reason for it to exist

Hit the Sky opened out of town to raves.

Aged in Wood opened cold a was a big hit for Margo Channing

How long did Moose Murders play out of town?

No previews, r497?

[quote]shows in the 60s/70s/80's. for the most part opened cold.

Are you saying "opening cold" is *with* previews, r499?

R468 -- I saw Marty in The Producers in LA and he was phenomenal. Of course, he was Mel's original choice for Bloom opposite Lane before settling on Broderick when Short turned it down (he didn't want to relocate his young family at the time). He really stole the show from Jason Alexander's proficient (but ultimately toothless) Max and even with all the shtick, he gave the part a lot of heart. He reminded me far more of Wilder than Broderick ever did (though I did love Broderick opposite Nathan).

Nathan and Marty would've made for a hell of a duo on Broadway. Akin to Nathan and his old pal Lee Evans, who was also dynamite casting in London. I'm actually surprised they didn't try and grab Marty for NYC at some point before the show's closure. Your point, however, that Marty is more a Max energy than Leo, is spot on. And having seen Marty replace Nathan in "It's Only A Play", he absolutely could've destroyed as Bialystock and likely given us a wildly NOT-Nathan take on the part.

Of course Stro's militant stage management would likely have never allowed such a thing (but that's a whole other kettle of fish!) Interestingly, I believe Short was in the running for replacing Lane in the '96 FORUM before it ultimately went to Whoopi. He would've killed!

R498 As bad as the Helen Mirren production?

R504. yes with a few previews

[quote]Sweeney Todd opened cold

And it was one of the rare exceptions to the rule.

Sweeney had 16 previews.

More Bares, more JAJ.

Re: Andrew Rannells. The FALSETTOS revival (which I mostly liked) proved that neither Rannells nor Christian Borle are the mega-stars that some believe, especially when it comes to box office.

And yes, lots of people know Gad from FROZEN, but will that sell tickets? I'm not sure.

I think it’s stretching to call that review a rave - it’s actually fairly unenthusiastic about everything except Miles

There's never been such a cluster of less sexier photos than at R510

R513 Amen.

Looks like some cracked out production of Godspell.

I'm thinking the FROZEN fanbase could care less about Gutenberg.

Let it go, r515.

Come to think of it, Marty Short would be stellar in a revival of FORUM. Phil Silvers did it when he was 61 and *destroyed* by everyone's account. Yes, Short is 73, but 61 might as well have been 73 in 1972!

With his renewed profile with 'Murders in the Building', I bet he'd be a huge draw too. Way more so than that cunt Corden! And like Lane, Short's one of the few guys left who really understands how to play that kind of old school comedy.

I saw the Janet McTeer PHAEDRA at The National in March and found it fascinating, if somewhat flawed. First of all, it wasn't really an adaptation of Phaedra. Though it was the story of an older married woman falling in love with a younger man, there were really no other parallels to the classic play except for the tragic end. And nobody was named Phaedra. It was indeed highly theatrical and often very funny in its wildly changing tones, all played out in chic modern clothes within a huge revolving glass box. The glass was invisible until lots of blood was shockingly smeared on it in the final scene. I can't imagine it could come off well in a filmed version but it was electric onstage.

I'm the poster upthread who rambled on about how far superior London theater is to NY and this production, IMHO, even with all its flawed craziness is proof of that. This sort of bold production would never be initiated in NY either commercially or at a non-profit....and that's sad. And in that same week I also saw Guys & Dolls at The Bridge, Streetcar with Paul Mescal, A Little Life with James Norton, Medea with Sophie Okenado and Ben Daniels, the immersive Cabaret, a new play (not very good) at The Almeida and the American play Marjorie Prime with dear Anne Reid at The Menier Chocolate Factory.

Safe to say ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME got the only review that matters. Britney has spoken.

That's rather brief for a Britney caption...

Britney didn't write that. It actually makes sense.

R28 she does, sweetie, she does

[quote]Gad & Rannells-2 Cis White men on stage together. it's practically unheard of! WHERES THE DIVERSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - !!! Get out the pitchforks!

Sara Porkalob will be understudying both roles.

I recently worked with a young actress who didn't know what a playwright does. The director very politely told her the playwright is the person who writes the play. This girl was a theatre major in college. I sometimes worry about these youngins and what kind of an education they're getting.

Expecting me to understudy two roles is extremely insensitive. I am quite willing and able to understudy 3/4 of one of the roles, but no more than that.

R450: You might be happiest with the most recent one, Gays on Broadway.

It's very funny but also a serious history, with drag queens, playwrights, actors, Tallulah Bankhead, La Cage aux Folles, Marlon Brando's bare torso, off-Broadway nude shows, Eva Le Gallienne, Bell, Book and Candle (they're really gays, not witches), and a funny rant about how people today don't know what a musical's book is. And Gore Vidal snarks Tennessee Williams.

r505 - thanks for that post. I'm the one who asked about Marty. This is probably too much, but what if Marty and Jason had done what Laura and Cynthia did with the Little Foxes and alternated the lead roles. I could very clearly envision a fantastic Max from Marty and I could see Jason channel some of the nervous George Costanza energy into Leo. Being a bit portly could add to the reasons he has such anxiety, too. Anyway, that's ancient history at this time.

R517 - I'd love to see Marty in any musical comedy, but I do wonder if he'd want to make that kind of commitment at this stage of his life. Right now, I'd settle for him and Steve co-hosting the Oscars, Emmys or Tonys.

Has he ever been offered Buddy in FOLLIES?

R528 - ALWAYS a way to bring it back to Follies. LOL

[quote]Has he ever been offered Buddy in FOLLIES?

He avoids being a part of flops.

Are we pretending his movie career never happened then?

r527, did you not see Marty on Broadway in FAME BECOMES ME? It was a lot of fun and he generously showcased his supporting cast Mary Birdsong, Nicole Parker, Brooks Ashmanskas and Capathia Jenkins.

I was lucky enough to see Martin Short as Chuck Baxter in PROMISES, PROMISES at Encores! years ago. That was an excellent production overall, and he was GREAT in it, even though it's not the sort of role in which he usually scores.

Being an infrequently working Broadway composer with one giant hit four decades ago must be so frustrating. I wonder how someone like Henry Krieger fills the years.

[quote] I wonder how someone like Henry Krieger fills the years.

You'd be surprised how busy one can get being a full time bitter cunt.

[quote]ALWAYS a way to bring it back to Follies.

Did we ever leave it?

Claybourne Elder's playing Gaston in BATB at the Muny and I'm loving how much they have his crotch padded. It's looking huge, more so than in the blue briefs in Company.

And that's hot little Tommy Bracco with Claybourne though the costumer seems to have made poor Tommy has sexless as possible.

[quote]I was lucky enough to see Martin Short as Chuck Baxter in PROMISES, PROMISES at Encores! years ago. That was an excellent production overall, and he was GREAT in it, even though it's not the sort of role in which he usually scores.

Short and Baranski

[quote]And that's hot little Tommy Bracco with Claybourne though the costumer seems to have made poor Tommy has sexless as possible.

Two queens just sitting and talking.

Sheldon Harnick is dead to me. 99. Good run.

He had a flat ass and he couldn’t live forever.

R524 Who's Pearl Harbor?

Who will be getting all those FIDDLER royalties now?

R513. of all those guys, Id pick Jerry Mitchell-who actually has all his clothes on-and probably the sex would be better Dont understand how all of those other guys basically have the exact same body--like its standard issue. (props though to Josh Drake--hes pretty fine)

some amazing longevity amongst the theatre professionals of the greatest generation-Harnick, kinder, Strouse, Grey, Marilyn Maye, Lansbury, JE Jones, Mel Brooks, carl Reiner, Norman Lear, Laurents etc. maybe its the creative spirit or because they have a lot of money (or both)

Re the animated KING AND I: One thing it got right that the various stage/film adaptations of the real story never did was that they rightly made Tuptim and Crown Prince Chulanlongkorn lovers with a happy ending -- instead of the fictional doomed romance between Tuptim and Lun Tha, who doesn't even appear in that movie.

In reality, Tuptim was one of the wives of Chulanlongkorn (and not King Mongkut) and she lived a pretty happy and long life..

At any rate, the cartoon has one of my favorite renditions of "I Have Dreamed":

And....how many of them are Jewish, r546?

[quote]those other guys basically have the exact same body--like its standard issue

I seem to have missed the day those were issued.

R549. Out of Stock. (supply chain issues-blame Covid)

Speaking of one-person plays coming out of Australia (the reason is that non-musical theatre here is poor as church mice and we just had some of the world's longest lockdowns) -- Suzi Miller's latest hit was a one-woman play about RBG. You can probably bet on seeing that in London and New York in coming months.

When is Lillias White done with Hadestown? What about Reeve?

Harnick was the greatest lyricist (after SS and Hammerstein) in the latter half of the20th c. IMHO. They damn well better dim those lights!

R534- Krieger probably fills his time convincing hubby Robert Joy he was never heterosexual and married to a woman.

R551 yea… because Australians / Brits have such a sensitive and nuanced understanding of the American legal system, history of political theory and U.S. constitutional law, and the inner workings of SCOTUS. Next…🥴

It helps that Suzie Miller was a lawyer, R555.

Since he's in the title of this thread, Randy R is replacing MTM as a co-host of Broadway Barks with Bernie.

r543...

R556 Objection! Assumes facts not in evidence. And, lack of relevance.

Marty is great but he's a little old for 8 shows a week, I think.

A FORUM revival is really needed. Such a funny show. There was a Christopher Fitzgerald one in the works years ago--some DLers will have more facts on that, I'm sure. That would be great--he's fantastic.

I have a theory that CAMELOT will be LCT's last Golden Age musical revival for a while and they'll pivot to Sondheim. Very high-end productions for their subscriber base. NIGHT MUSIC is an obvious choice, but I think FORUM could be great there--they could do the full Roman deal. And cheap costumes!

I hear rumors Andre Bishop may retire soon, and I wonder if that means Bart Sher would move on, maybe an artistic revamping over there with a pivot away from Kern, Porter, Rodgers, so forth.

Thanks for that clip, R547. That's David Burnham's beautiful voice singing "I Have Dreamed." Of course, one other thing the animated film got right was including that gorgeous song, which was very unfortunately cut from the 1956 film.

[quote]A FORUM revival is really needed. Such a funny show. There was a Christopher Fitzgerald one in the works years ago--some DLers will have more facts on that, I'm sure. That would be great--he's fantastic.

I had never heard of a FORUM revival being planned about Christopher Fitzgerald, and that's surprising if true, because although he'd be very good as Pseudolus, I don't think he has enough of a ticket-selling name that any producers would be on board for that. Of course, there were plans for a revival with James Corden, but that project fell apart when he got the late-night TV gig. (See link below)

[quote]I have a theory that CAMELOT will be LCT's last Golden Age musical revival for a while and they'll pivot to Sondheim. Very high-end productions for their subscriber base. NIGHT MUSIC is an obvious choice, but I think FORUM could be great there--they could do the full Roman deal. And cheap costumes!

LCT may well pivot to Sondheim at some point in the near future, but as of now, several sources have reported that the next musical revival in the Beaumont will be Adam Guettel's FLOYD COLLINS, which would be that show's first Broadway production.

[quote]several sources have reported that the next musical revival in the Beaumont will be Adam Guettel's FLOYD COLLINS, which would be that show's first Broadway production.

I wonder if that has anything to do with the surging interest in John Edward Jones (26-year-old married father of 2 and medical student) who in 2009 went spelunking with his brother for old time's sake the day before Thanksgiving and wound up stuck upside down over 100 feet below and eventually suffocated to death after a whole day despite every effort to extract him. What's more, unlike Floyd Collins, his body was never recovered and remains there to this day.

Anyway, I have noticed many YouTube/TikTok videos retelling the tragic case, which is how I now know about it.

So if he had lived, Floyd would have “explored” the Titanic and ended up as sclurm? …just closing the loop here.

R564, Yes, I would.

[quote]Sheldon Harnick is dead to me.

This just never gets old.

At a recent party, I heard that someone was"fixing"Floyd Collins. Maybe in anticipation of LCT? But what's to fix?

If Pizza moves, and Wine and Roses transfers, and Collins is at the Beaumont, will it be a Guettelpaloozai in the future?

R567, I seem to recall hearing that maybe Guettel himself has made some revisions to FLOYD COLLINS since the original, but even if that's true, I don't think that's viewed as fixing something that's broken.

R569, The Audiobook version of Mary Rodgers’ memoir, read by Christine Baranski, is being released on August 1st.

I'd blow Adam Guettel.

Who's reading Jesse Green's footnotes?

The woman at the nail salon doing his pedicure.

Oh Floyd Collins--interesting. That feels like a good fit for LCT. Guettel has that UWS vibe, etc. I don't know the show, is it good? I like bluegrass music a lot. And Stravinsky.

I just wonder if the Beaumont is too big for FLOYD COLLINS.

Andre Bishop cannot retire too soon. I wonder if his job will be offered to Bart Sher. But maybe not after that CAMELOT disaster. There don't seem to be any other obvious candidates though.....

I have it on good authority that the role of Fanny in the Funny Girl national tour will be played by a young complete unknown. I'd offer her name if I could remember it. It'll be interesting to see if the show sells on the road starless (though maybe the supporting roles will have some names).

The Cottage sounds like a play Paul Lynde would have toured in on the Kenley circuit back in the summer of '73.

The talk earlier about how Martin Short is one of the few performers who still knows how to play it old school made me think of Bill Irwin. Obviously, he wouldn't be right for Pseudolus, but maybe as Erronius?

No matter who you cast. Forum will go over like a lead weight with contemporary audiences. Take your pick: Elliot Page, Martin Short, Alex Newell, Ruthie Ann Miles. It won’t matter. This humor is from an era that passed long ago.

And then there's the sexism, R579.

[quote] I seem to recall hearing that maybe Guettel himself has made some revisions to FLOYD COLLINS since the original, but even if that's true, I don't think that's viewed as fixing something that's broken.

Floyd will now be played by a non-binary woman of color.

No, r581, no he won't.

No, R581, no they won't.

Forum outdated??? No prob! I'll fix it.

[quote] Forum outdated??? No prob! I'll ruin it!

FIFY

And collect awards and a paycheck along the way!

R560, the Fitzgerald “Forum” revival was all male. Directed by his Tony-nominated wife Jessica Stone. And David (“offer ONLY!”) Turner as Hysterium.

What happened to THAT guy? For all I know, he’s the star of a Paramount Plus show, but…. He gave an interview when he was one half of ‘Daisy Gamble’ in the GODAWFUL “On a Clear Day” revival where he said, “Barbara Harris was a bunch of Second City ‘tics…’ I think I bring more to the table, frankly…”

And of course Brooks was in there somewhere, at some point.

Like Roscoe at the Weismann Follies, “as always…”

And “naturist” Kevin Chamberlin.

Maybe NOW it would work, with all the courtesans being non-binary and Harvey as Domina.

And of course, Dylan Mulvaney as Philia.

Forget what I just wrote.

New thread when needed (soon) after this is full

We still don't know if Randy R was chained in the Sondheim dungeon.....

David Turner works regularly.Think he was in the Into the Woods at Encores, right? He' salso incredibly wealthy, flies his own airplane, and supposedly does good deeds with it.

I have to say I liked David Turner in Clear Day. He was the bright spot for me. The only bright spot.

Something spirited...

[quote]Floyd will now be played by a non-binary woman of color.

Probably not, BUT in all honesty and with all kidding aside, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they cast a black guy as Floyd. Which may or may not mean that the rest of his family will have to be black as well.

What is the source of David Turner's "incredible wealth"?

Why, r593, can you use any money today?

Todd Haimes (RIP) offered to bring that all-male FORUM with Christopher Fitzgerald (which had been done at Williamstown and 2 River in NJ) to the Roundabout but only if the director Jessica Stone recast it with a star instead of her husband Fitzgerald. She admirably (IMHO) turned him down.

Now that Todd (RIP) is out of the way, the Roundabout would be smart to get the show with Fitzgerald. It would certainly pick up their non-season.

R594 - today and....

Have to get some Judy in here...

R595, that's a great idea. And Haimes was stupid to insist on Fitzgerald being replaced by a star. While it's true that Fitzgerald's name alone doesn't sell tickets, that was an excellent production of ....FORUM (I saw it at Two River in Jersey), and it would probably have gotten great reviews in New York and easily sold well throughout a limited run for Roundabout.

And ...

we're ...

done.