Plane Crazy now has a PHOTO CALL profile on Playbill.com. Check out the article since they have included publicity photos of Faith (Allison Spratt), Janet (Jodie Langel), Holly (Hollie Howard) and Brett (Rick Todd Adams), and they look great

According to this article in Playbill:

PHOTO CALL: New Musical Plane Crazy Gets Ready for Lift-Off at NYMF

By Morgan Allen
31 Aug 2005

Plane Crazy -- a new musical by Suzy Conn -- is currently in rehearsals for its debut as part of the upcoming New York Musical Theatre Festival.

The new piece, which features direction by Jamibeth Margolis, "explores clashing values in an engaging story that follows two young [airline stewards] who are learning about love and life in the high-flying airline business circa 1965", according to press materials.

At left and below, cast members Jodie Langel, Allison Spratt, Hollie Howard and Richard Todd Adams are seen in promotional photos for the production.

Plane Crazy runs Sept. 15 at 8 pm; Sept. 17 at 4:30 & 8 pm; Sept. 19 at 4:30 pm; Sept. 21 at 1 pm; Sept. 23 at 4:30 pm; Sept. 24 at 4:30 pm; and Sept. 25 at 1 pm at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre.

All Photos by Ben Strothmann.

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Dear Diary,

Today was the official NYMF press conference! How exciting! And to top it off my fabulous husband flew in last night so he was able to attend as well!

Our first call was 10:15 am to participate in filming of a documentary for NYMF. The whole cast was there, looking fabulous, decked out in Plane Crazy t-shirts and black skirts for the gals and black pants for the guys! The cast was filmed at Dodgers Stages on the Altar Boyz Stage. First, Randy, our choreographer, re-spaced the 3-minute Plane Crazy number to fit the stage and then they ran it and filmed it a couple of times! Very cool.

Our next call was at 3:45 pm for sound check and walk through with the other shows and Kris Stewart and Isaac Horowitz from NYMF. You could feel the electricity building in the room. My hubbie and I brought down the Plane Crazy press bags (awesome Plane Crazy totes filled with important info) and gave them to Adriana from Shaffer-Coyle to distribute to the press. The press filed in around 4:30pm. I watched as they got their Plane Crazy bags, and started pulling out the poster and ooohing and ahhhing. Way to go to our graphic designer Michael Karst!

Then Kris Stewart welcomed everyone and introduced Isaac who then introduced all the numbers. Plane Crazy kicked off the whole thing! It was so cool to hear Isaac announce my name in front of the press. Then the cast and Seth, our musical director, totally nailed the Plane Crazy number. They were so polished. Great applause, and I must confess a fair bit of hooting and hollering from the Plane Crazy supporter corner!

Then the other shows did their numbers -- The Ballad of Bonny and Clyde, The Mistress Cycle, Nerds, No Boundaries, The Big Time and an improv musical featuring the music of Brian Lowdermilk and lyrics of Kait Kerrigan. It was great -- the Festival is going to be amazing!

After the show part was over we went and mingled with the press, had our picture taken by Broadwayworld.com and I got interviewed by TheaterMania and Broadway.com!

Thanks to everyone who made Plane Crazy a smash at the press conference!
And thanks to NYMF!

Back to rehearsals tomorrow!

Photograph by Ben Strothmann. Ben Strothmann has been photographing portraits and live theatre for 10 years. Since building his first darkroom in his hometown of Milwaukee WI, his portrait studio now looks out over Manhattan where he shoots headshots for actors and cd covers for musicians. Born to a famous cheesecake lady (Suzy Strothmann of Suzy's Cream Cheesecakes), Ben is also an actor and pianist. Currently he lives in Astoria and studies guitar and Icelandic. See www.benstrothmann.com for more info.

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Dear Diary,

Today was a red letter celebrity-sighting day!

As I was walking down Amsterdam (around 62nd) I heard a husky voice behind me. Thinking, 'wow that voice sounds awfully familiar', I turned around and there was Kathleen Turner, talking on her cellphone. Of course I stared (very gauche, I know) too long but then came to my senses and kept going.

Then as I was passing thourgh midtown I saw Jackie Mason standing on the corner talking to a beautiful blonde.

Then when I was at rehearsal (the Sweeney Todd meet and greet was going on right across from our room) I saw Patti Lupone walk right by me! Too cool! Rehearsing right next door to Patti! Still no sign of Sondheim...

Today I met my director down at a really neat diner at 34th and 8th called the Tick Tock diner. I had a weird craving for a tuna sandwhich which was more than satisfied! We went over Act 1 runthrough notes and chatted about that night's rehearsal.

The off to rehearsal! We spent the first couple of hours going over our "condensed" 3-minute version of Plane Crazy for the press conference, which looks really sharp!

Then we spent the last 3 hours staging the beginning of "The Mile High Club". I love Randy's groovy sixties choreography! He's been studying Hullabaloo DVDs (see my previous post) to get authentic sixties choreography worked into our show! Donna McKechnie would be proud!

Yeah, baby!

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Individual tickets for Plane Crazy are now on sale to the public!

To get your tickets, click on this link to TheaterMania, and order online. Or, you can call Theatermania at (212) 352-3101 and ask for tickets to "Plane Crazy".

DATES
Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

VENUE
The Beckett
410 West 42nd Street
South side of West 42nd Street
Between 9th & Dyer Avenues

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Dear Diary,

Whole Foods. Whole People. Whole Planet...Whole Paycheck!

That's what the actors call Whole Foods as they sit around munching delicious salads from Whole Foods! There is a great big beautiful Whole Foods at the shops at Columbus Circle, and it's true -- pricey but yummy! Who said the best things in life are free?

Today was the Act 1 Run-through (or stumble through, as it is called the first time!). Both of our producers, Michael Rubinoff and Kendra Bator were there and we ran the whole act, non-stop. Of course, our fabulous musical director Seth Weinstein had to improvise longer than normal transitional music (we had not gone over set transitions yet) and some selections included the "Charlie Brown Theme" and "Stand by Me"...

This was a great opportunity for the actors to see the flow of the first Act this early on in the process. And it was great to have Michael and Kendra there, who hadn't been at other rehearsals so they had a fresh perspective on everything.

In my unbiased perspective I thought it was fabulous! Although the actors aren't off book yet, they are really starting to add business and physical comedy. I also saw the choreography for "Mr. Right Now" and "Thirty is a Dirty Word" for the first time and it was awesome!

Then it was time for notes, notes, notes from Seth, Jamibeth, and Randy. With the cast sitting and listening intensely it reminded me of my days in Queen's Musical Theatre.

Kendra brought over the newly printed lobby card posters (designed by the great Michael Karst) and everyone was blown away! The cast eagerly took posters to put up in their local delis and coffee shops!

Next week -- Act 2!

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From our London correspondent Norm Seli:

==

REVIEW: The Philadelphia Story

Kevin Spacey is the artistic director for the Old Vic and it has not been a great season. He's rehearsing for Richard II right now and The Philadelphia Story will be done in a month or so. Too Bad. It's a fun show and it's been a considerable hit, much to the relief of the Old Vic.

We sat 8 rows in, just to the left. The set is exactly right. The costumes are great. Jennifer Ehle is Tracy Lord. Jennifer won a Tony Award (in 2000) for Stoppard's The Real Thing. I'm guessing that she was better in New York.

In fairness, she was fine -- but the first act felt very "read" -- quite a contrast to the previous As You Like It that felt completely spontaneous. I think that she was trying too hard not to be Kate Hepburn. She was good, but she just didn't blow me away.

The actor playing journalist Mike Connors was also fine, but he made me appreciate how great Jimmy Stewart was and actually how natural Frank Sinatra was playing the same role. The woman playing Liz Imbrie was channeling Celeste Holm from High Society as was the actor playing Tracy's young sister. Kevin Spacey takes his C.K. Dexter Haven from Bing Crosby more than Cary Grant. A choice that I applaud, because as much as I like The Philadelphia Story, I actually like High Society better (I know, I'm a heathen -- but come on: Louis Armstrong; Frank and Bing singing together; 9 Cole Porter songs; Celeste Holm and Grace Kelly as hot as she ever was; better pacing...)

Anyway, Spacey picks up Crosby's Dexter simply because of age I think. In the play, Dexter should be early 30s at best. Well, that was kind of out of reach for Bing in 1956 and it's kind of out of reach for Spacey in 2005 (witness By The Sea). So he's playing it smart alecky and cool, and once he hits the stage the whole production seems to relax and improve. It was a good show, a fun show, but I still miss the music.

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Dear Diary,

Happy 85th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote! On August 26, 1920, the women's suffrage movement came to an end (in the United States) with the ratification of the 19th amendment. And in 1971, President Carter designated August 26 as Women's Equality Day as a reminder of women's continuing efforts for equality.

That Was Then This Is NOW!

Today I moved two taxi's worth of Plane Crazy tote bags, mugs and vintage airline bags from my producer Kendra Bator's office to my apartment (aka "Stuffing Central"). We have a press conference coming up which I'm already stuffing for, and producer invite bags which are next on the list!

To pass the time while I was stuffing I put on one of my Hullabaloo DVDs that my fabulous husband brought me last time he came down for a visit. Hullabaoo was sort of like an early American Bandstand with lots of cool sixties dancing and cheesy guest hosts (Frankie Avalon, Michael Landon -- who knew he could sing?). A very young Donna McKechnie was one of the Hullabaloo dancers, and you can just tell by looking at her she is special and destined for big things! And one of the male dancers is none other than Michael Bennett! And one of the sponsors is TWA with a really retro looking logo...

I love this show. I don't remember watching this show as a child (one of the few I missed) but I'm sure if I did I would have desperately wanted to be on it, dancing like Donna!

Then off to rehearsal at Ripley-Grier where we finished off the staging scenes in Act 1 so we can have a full run through of the first act on Saturday! We did the choreography for "Dancing On Air" and "I'll Teach You How To Fly". I love to watch our choreographer Randy Slovacek and our assistant choreographer Kathryn Mowat Murphy dance together -- it's like poetry in motion! I can't wait to see the run through tomorrow!

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Attend the tale...or at least the rehearsal...

Well, the good news is that Sweeney Todd has settled negotiations with the musicians union to mount their production. According to Variety Online headlines:

The "Sweeney Todd" controversy has been resolved. For the upcoming Broadway revival, set to open Nov. 3, the actors will be blowing their own horn -- as well as all the other instruments -- just as they did in the acclaimed London production, directed by John Doyle, who repeats those duties in Gotham.

The other good news is that Patti Lupone and Michael Cerveris will be heading the cast As Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd, respectively.

The other good news is that Sweeney Todd has set up shop in Ripley Grier right next door to where we are rehearsing! How cool is that! So I get to hear the strains of Sweeney as I walk down the hall. And man do they sound good! I might even bump into Patti one day...

So what's the bad news? Apparently, a few people die in the show...

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My husband was down for a few days to soak up the rehearsal excitement of Plane Crazy. We had Saturday night off, so we decided to go and see a show. After a long day of rehearsal we ended up at the TKTS booth and we were able to get seats for All Shook Up! I had already seen the show in Chicago during its out-of-town try-out (see my previous post) but I wanted my hubbie to see it too.

The story is light but fun, and much more satisfyingly integrated with the songs than other jukebox musicals.

The cast appeared to be the same one I saw in Chicago, but boy -- the show had really improved! The whole thing was tighter, smoother and funnier! Especially "The Roustabout" character named "Chad", played by Cheyenne Jackson. His timing and vocals were great!

And they've made a big improvement in the "Jail House Rock" number. In Chicago, the number was sung by Alix Korey who plays the Mayor. It was more in keeping with the story (and she has a great voice), but it never really "rocked" the way you want it to, and that was frustrating. In the New York version, they've got Chad leading the song and have turned it into a wonderful big gratuitous dance number -- now it really rocks! I may be wrong, but the choreography seems greatly improved versus Chicago. Another one of my favorite performances is Dean Hyde who is played by Curtis Holbrook. Not only is he a great singer and actor, but an AMAZING dancer!

The whole cast is top notch, but other standouts (for me) are Mark Price as "Dennis" and Leah Hocking as "Miss Sandra".

From my "inside sources" I learned a couple of interesting facts about the show.

Cheyenne Jackson, who originated the role of Chad in Chicago and is currently playing on Broadway was actually the original understudy! They had originally cast Jarrod Emick in the title role, but at the last moment he asked for more money and was let go! So Cheyenne moved up into the starring role! Nice break! Also, Curtis Holbrook was also originally the understudy for Dean Hyde. When the guy playing the role got a movie, the producers auditioned the role again. But they couldn't find anyone as good as Curtis so he got moved up as well!

That's showbiz kids!

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From our London correspondent Norm Seli:

==

REVIEW: Some Girls

So, I went to see David Schwimmer the day that he closed his West End debut. I didn't think that he'd be very good. I was sort of going out of curiosity. I saw Matt Damon in "This is our Youth" for the same reason... and expected the same result.

To my pleasant surprise, I was wrong. He was pretty good... There wasn't too much demanded of him. It's a single Act play about a man about to get married. Before he marries this 23-year old (he's in his mid-30s) he flies around the US to re-visit four ex-girlfriends and make amends... or at least apologize. He never really gets the response that he expects.

The set was very clever as the center rotates beds and the curtain cuts in and out to create 4 different hotel rooms...a small act in each.

First he visits the girl that he dumped in high school; the liberated doper/slut from grad school; the married woman with whom he had an affair while an assistant professor; and finally the great love of his undergrad years. Conflict, argument and earnest conversation ensue...there was a moment of two when I expected him to blurt out, "But, we were on a break!" But these women were not Rachel and he really wasn't Ross. David is not yet the kind of actor that can or will bury himself in the role, so the part of David Schwimmer that comes out in Friends' Ross, comes out in "Some Girls" but you don't feel like you're watching the untold adventures of Ross Geller.

The original title of the play was "Some Girls that I've Fucked Over" and that really isn't Ross...but it was this guy! The first girlfriend (Catherine Tate) was eh.... okay, I guess. Awkward, but perhaps that was her way into the character. The second girlfriend (Sara Powell) was much better...but pretty standard stuff. A line about David liking to use a strap-on caught most of us off guard, but other than that -- no big surprise. If we had continued in the same vein, the show would have ground down and I would have probably begun to nap.

But woman number 3 -- the college professor -- threw curve balls, and did it convincingly. She woke me up and demanded my attention.(Lesley Manville -- married to Gary Oldman, I believe).

Saffron Burrows (Andromache in Troy; Gracie in Frida) plays the fourth woman, and she was magnificent. This woman can act and it really is a tribute to David that he could keep up with her. Fast and furious, clever and beautiful. Grabbing your heart strings one minute and crushing your...well, something manly... the next. She takes the show to the next level -- the level promised by Lesley Manville.

In short: David was better than I expected -- quite good actually -- but the show is made better by Lesley Manville and Saffron Burrows...a lot better. Worth seeing -- except that it just closed.

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Dear Diary,

Today I was in show mode all day! And what a glorious day it was -- 80 degrees and no humidity.

First off I had to fedex all our cast headshots to my husband in Toronto so he can get them up on all our sites. Boy, that's one good looking group of people!

Then off to a design meeting at 11am down at Ripley Grier. Along the way I had another t-shirt incident! I was wearing my Sleeping Beauty Disneyland T-shirt (very stylish...) and a woman came up to me and said "What a colorful t-shirt. It looks very good on you!" What is it with New Yorkers and t-shirts?

We had the whole design team together. Jason, Tony, Jesse, Elizabeth, Desiree, Noel, Jamibeth. It's like there is a whole other show going on and these are the cast members. They are working so hard behind the scenes, it's mind-boggling. I'm learning so much -- hey guys, I'll try and reduce the number of props in my next show...at least I'm not asking for a live lamb...

Then off to rehearsal. We had two rooms -- Randy was choreographing the stew zoo scene in one, and Jamibeth was working with the men in the other. Naturally, I stayed with the men!

Actually, I just didn't think I could handle watching the women be cool back-up singers in "Mr. Right Now" and not dance along. My dream is to one day be a choreographed back-up singer!

We worked on the advertising presentation scene with Clive, Sam and Larry (Kevin, William and Chris). It was great watching Jamibeth work with the actors. She really tries to paint a picture for the actors and asks them questions about their characters in the scene. She lets them play, and play off each other and the scene evolves and gets better, with stuff I'd have never predicted!

I'm not sure I'd be a great director -- I'm always tempted to say at the beginning "Just say it exactly this way!"

I love the physical comedy bits that the actors bring to the scene. By the end of the session I was having flashbacks to my days at P&G working with advertising guys!

Then we switched to the "What Do Women Want" scene with Sam, Clive, and Brett (Rick Todd Adams) which looks great.

I think the funniest moment was when the actors decided to do the scene in French...

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Virgin Atlantic has launched a campaign where they talk about "Jetrosexuals"...and reminisce about a time that is awfully familiar to me...

Maybe we should launch Venus Airlines as a real carrier. Hands up everyone who wants to fly like it's the '60s again...

Here's some of the Virgin copy: I LOVE IT...

Start at the golden dawn of commercial air travel: a time when the airplane was a majestic luxury ship that sailed through clouds, and when passengers dressed up and swilled cocktails on their way to exploring a newly accessible world. These fortunate few were the "jetsetters" of their day, and their progeny would be the jetrosexuals of a later age. They came from fast paced industries such as arts and entertainment, high technology, fashion and finance. And this new generation understood the need to leave terra firma behind each day in order to move business and culture forward. They embraced the challenge of travel. However, they did not wish to have their spirits (and other body parts) crushed in the process. They wanted and demanded a flying experience that combined the luxury and glamour of the jet set days with modern conveniences and innovative approaches.

1. Do you fly out of the country for business at least 3 times a year?
2. Do you know how to "work the airport"? (In other words, you aren't the person who is fumbling for things and holding up the security line?)
3. Do you speak some basic phrases in at least 3 different languages?
4. Do you ever worry that your passport will have too many stamps?
5. Do you have favorite hotels/restaurants in London, LA, NY, Milan, Paris, and Hong Kong?
6. Can you recall the last time you checked your luggage?
7. Do you know which of your shoes will set off the metal detector at the airport, and which ones will not?
8. Do you have a favorite airport?

(Did you answer yes to at least 5 of the above questions? You are a jetrosexual. Don't be alarmed.)

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From our London correspondent Norm Seli:

REVIEW: Death of a Salesman

Death of Salesman. Brian Dennehy... what more can you say? I had heard that he was fantastic as Willy Lohman on Broadway. I have no doubts. None. He dominates the stage with his presence...you can feel his age; his decay...you just go right downhill with him.

The jazz music setting works well, the revolving stage does everything that it's supposed to -- but in the end this is about the words and the actors -- Willy first and foremost. Clare Higgins brings a lot to the show as Willy's wife and the boys are great. But in the end, you're taken with Brian Dennehy. He works hard in this production and it is one of the best performances that I have ever seen...anywhere.

The story is a little different from Arthur Miller's original -- The Lohman's aren't Jewish -- they're just American. And Willy loses his job because he's old...which is probably more relevant today than it would have been a generation or two earlier...

In short: Breathtaking. But it doesn't exactly send you skipping out of the theatre...

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Dear Diary,

Today we had a prop meeting, with our new prop person Desiree Maurer. Wow, I never realized the detailed work involved (not to mention resourcefulness) required to assemble props for a show. It's not just a matter of going out and buying stuff. First, there is a limited budget, secondly a lot of stuff we need is vintage and has to be found and fixed up and painted. Thirdly, a lot of stuff just has to be made from scratch. And finally none of it can break! But good news -- Some of the props we had bought for our workshop last year are finally going to be used!

Then we had a full cast rehearsal on "Turbulence" which was great. Randy and Jamibeth have totally captured the scene (without any special effects!) and it looks great. Finally that big box of barf bags will come in handy...

Then we went over the opening number "Plane Crazy" and cleaned it up a bit and did some fine tuning. I love it when the women break out their character shoes for this number!

It's cooled off so it was a lovely walk home talking to my daughter who had just gotten out of her show!

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Plane Crazy is one of only THREE Next Link shows chosen to perform at The New York Musical Theatre Festival's official press conference on Tuesday August 30 from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm. This event, hosted by NYMF Executive Director Kris Stewart, is the big kick-off to the 2005 Festival.

There will be also be three invited shows and one commissioned show featured at the press conference.

The press conference will take place at Dodger Stages on 350 West 50th Street, where Altar Boyz is currently playing.

Plane Crazy will be performing a three-minute excerpt from the opening number of the show, and you guessed it, it's called "Plane Crazy"...

Kendra Bator, Associate Producer of Plane Crazy says, "...it is an honor to be one of only three Next Link shows profiled at the NYMF Press Conference. Our entire cast and creative team are thrilled to be a featured part of the event. It's a wonderful way to continue to share Plane Crazy with a broader audience and to get people humming Suzy's tunes!"

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From our Blogway Baby London correspondent, Norm Seli:

==

REVIEW: As You Like It

As You Like It -- set in 1940s Paris (well, outside in the forest mostly)...with wonderful music provided by Cello, Bass, Flute and Accordion...very Paris, 1946.

First some background: Sienna Miller (with whom Jude Law sleeps when he's not on the billiard table with the nanny) had been panned for her "wooden performance" as Celia when this production opened in spring. Then, in June, Helen McCrory collapsed between a matinee and evening performance. Sienna stepped into the role that night... having never rehearsed or prepared as understudy for the role of Rosalind. She nailed it. Great headlines and joy abounding.

Well -- I'm guessing that that was what she needed -- because having just seen the show in August, Sienna Miller is terrific. Helen McCrory is the star and she is just glorious as Rosalind -- but their scenes together are just musical and energetic. Their words seem so completely spontaneous, it's hard to imagine that they are speaking in iambic pentameter. I could find no fault in any of the performances on this evening. The sets were simple, but clever. Good use of dark and shadow. I loved the live music that carried us in and out. Provided for sung choruses and entertained.

The fools were all grand and foolish and the "All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players" soliloquy was delivered without cliche. I don't recall ever seeing better production of a Shakespearean comedy. Yes, I had shared a bottle of champagne before and during the show...but it did not dull my senses. It was my wife's favorite show of the week, and she enjoyed all the others. (Just a quick note...God Bless the English who let you drink in your seat during the show...)

Lots of faces in the cast that you would recognize from movies and BBC productions...

In short: All the World's a stage...and I saw it all go by this evening. Sienna Miller was excellent, overshadowed only by Helen McCrory. Everybody else lived up to the promise and bar set by these two terrific actors.

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Dear Diary,

Today was the photo shoot! Ah, the glamorous life of a stew! Adriana from our press agency Shaffer-Coyle set up a great photo shoot with an amazing photographer Ben Strothman down on 36th and 9th. We need some photos for the press, reviews and a million other occasions!

We did the shoot with Faith (Allison Spratt), Janet (Jodie Langel), Holly (Hollie Howard), and Brett (Richard Todd Adams), and...gulp...me!

Since we didn't have our official costumes ready yet, our fabulous costume designer Elizabeth Payne got some hot pink and teal waitress uniforms and SHORTENED them, adding wings, earings, colourful scarves, and black boots. Rick was in a pilot's uniform complete with cap! I was tastefully dressed in light blue pants and top. We even had our make up and hair done! Once the shooting started it really was amazing - it came together so well and so playfully! I had some solo shots done as well as me with the cast. Ben is such a great guy to work with! I can't wait to see the pics!

Then it was off to rehearsal for a complete read- and sing-through of the show. This was really important because it gave the whole cast a really good sense of the flow of the show. Then we worked on staging the stew zoo scene. What a great bunch of ladies we have, each of them developing their own character and a great sense of comraderie!

Finally, I went home and washed off the mascara and hairspray!

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Ah, the beauty of mid-century modern design.

From this magnificent post on BoingBoing:

Flickr Pool of mid-century illustrations
Drawn!'s Ward Jenkins has launched an excellent Flickr Group called The Retro Kid. It's a photo pool of mid-1940s through mid-1960s illustration. From Ward's blog post: The Retro Kid...focuses on children's book illustrations from the mid-'40s through the the mid-'60s, as that is one of my favorite eras for that sort of thing. But I don't want to limit it to just books, as I'm open to seeing anything that was illustrated for kids, such as textbooks, booklets, pamphlets, albums, 45s, ads, games, toys, etc. As long as it has that mid-century modern stylized look with the characters and colors, I'm down with it. Oh, and if it looks cool. Yeah. Cool.

In the description for the group, I mention some illustrators as examples that I dig -- Aurelius Battaglia, JP Miller, Art Seiden, The Provensens, Mary Blair, M. Sasek, and many more with similar styles. They were a prolific bunch, and I feel that there is not enough out there on the web about these incredibly talented artists to really get a sense of how influential they were. Thus, The Retro Kid was born. Hopefully this group will give exposure to these fantastic artists, and give credit where credit is due.

Link (via Drawn!)

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From our London Correspondent, Norm Seli:

==

REVIEW: Guys and Dolls

With heartthrob Ewan MacGregor: Hey, he's good! He moves very well, sings better than Brando. Actually, he sings very well. He delivered an on pitch, energetic "Luck Be A Lady" with great energy and grace. I don't know what more you would want from him. We sat first row balcony, and could see the whole cast working. I think with a weaker cast, Mr. MacGregor would have stood out as an even better Sky Masterson, but the truth is he fit in perfectly with an very talented cast. Martyn Ellis as Nicely Nicely Johnson was so good -- it's such a great character role, and Martyn seemed to make even more of it. His "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" was better than I've ever heard! (I really didn't think of Stubby Kaye once). The energy, the clarity, the joy...I mean, who doesn't want to just rip the top off of this song -- it's just great fun -- but after hearing and seeing Mr. Ellis do it, I might just give up the dream now that I know that I couldn't do it justice.

Jenna Russell was Sarah Brown and she makes you fall in love. You cheer for her as she gets in a bar fight in Havana. You understand how a gambler could give it all up to bang a drum and beg for change. Douglas Hodge was Nathan Detroit and he, too, nailed it. Great performance, good pipes, you couldn't ask for more (although it's hard to top Nathan Lane in the Broadway Revival. Wisely, he played it less schluppy).

The choreography and staging was all good -- nothing new or particularly striking -- but, it's a classic! Everything and everyone was exactly as they should be...

With one exception.

One deliciously, wonderful exception: Jane Krakowski.

I've heard that she's good. They didn't give her a Tony Award (for Nine) by mistake...but I had no idea.

I'm in love...and that was before her wardrobe malfunction during "Take Back Your Mink" (yes, I have seen Ms. Krakowsi's breast!)

Jane took a very good classic production of Guys and Dolls and made it great! Her Adelaide was just so good...she was naive, she was sexy, she was a child, she was a woman...she was at odds with her heart and then with her mind...she was sweet -- she was steel...

I have to think that it's tough to bring life to Adelaide. The character is a caricature and the nasal Brooklyn accent is almost too comic...but not with Jane Krakowski. She was never "dumb"; she was never silly...she was believable, lovable, saucy and racy. Ms. Krakowski can dance and she can sing. I will travel great distances to see her again -- in anything! A little Julie London; a little Ann-Margret; more warmth than Kristin Chenoweth; all the intensity of Idina Menzel. I imagine seeing Gwen Verdon live would have been like it. I'm not taking anything away from Vivian Blaine -- I mean the part will always belong to her -- but Jane made it sexier and if I had to choose...

But I may be getting away from myself. I just loved Jane so...

In short: Guys and Dolls was great. A classic with good sets, good dancing, great cast including a surprisingly good pretty boy film actor and one knock-out singer/dancer/sex goddess. Where Nathan Lane took the Broadway Revival, Jane Krakowski takes the West End...

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People are loving our "Air Crew get into Plane Crazy for FREE" promotion. It got picked up today on Broadwayworld.com: According to this article on Broadwayworld.com:

Plane Crazy, the new musical comedy set during the swinging '60s Jet Age, has announced that all air crew can gain free admission to the show by wearing their uniform or wings. The offer applies to both current and former airline employees, and includes flight attendants and pilots.

The show will run at the Beckett Theatre (at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street) from September 15th through 25th as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Presented by NYMF and Michael Rubinoff in association with Kendra Bator, the show will feature book, music and lyrics by Suzy Conn. Directed by Jamibeth Margolis, Plane Crazy will be choreographed by Randy Slovacek and feature musical direction by Seth Weinstein. It stars Jodie Langel (Les Miserables) as Janet Jones, Allison Spratt (Good Vibrations) as Faith Hope, Hollie Howard as Holly Banks, Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford, Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller, William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw and Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens.

And on Saturday Cory posted it on BoingBoing (thanks Cory!):

Free admission to Plane Crazy musical in NYC for flight crews
I've blogged before about Plane Crazy, my friend Suzy Conn's new musical about 1960s airline stewardesses and the sexual revolution, currently playing at the New York Musical Festival in Manhattan.

The show's been getting great reviews in places like Billboard, and now the producers have a new wrinkle: free admission for flight attendants who turn up in uniform.

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Blogway Baby is thrilled to announce our new London Theatre Correspondent, Norm Seli! A longtime theater connoisseur and Blogway Baby reader, Norm will be giving us the lowdown on the theater scene "across the pond".

Norm's first installment follows:

==

REVIEW: Mary Poppins

We saw Mary Poppins H row, just off center. Great seats! The cast was great. I was thinking that we must either hurry up or slow down bringing this show to Toronto. I am afraid that Myrna is too old for Jane Banks by the time comes to us...so we should put it off a few years so that Myrna can be Mary!

The staging was fantastic. The use of fading scrims gave everything a storybook quality coming in and out of scenes. The house at Cherry Tree lane was set up beautifully, with the upper floor nursery and the roof top being lowered as needed. The bank was well presented and left me feeling very, very small...

Mary Poppins was very clearly a Julie Andrews Merry Poppins and had the pipes and pluck to pull it off. She was captivating and practically perfect in every way. Mrs. Banks was very much Glynnis Johns, but with less to do. She was very good and comes into her own as a character at the end... but I did so miss "Sister Suffragette".

The children were very good: Lovable at times, but unruly and unkind at others. Not as cute as the movie, which was a good thing. When Jane and Michael dismiss the woman feeding the birds at St. Paul's as a "smelly old bag of rags" you just want to smack them! "Feed the Birds" is important to the show because it is one of the moments where Michael takes steps not to follow in his father's footsteps. Jane, wonderfully, remains untouched by the old lady.

This is a show about Mr. Banks -- although he does not dominate the script or the stage time. But as the story unfolds we see his life and the emptiness of it...we see his determination to give this life to his children, even as he feels the emptiness. We see his desire to be human in tension with his need to do a good job. Better than the movie, we get to meet his former nanny and come to understand what happened to him to make him so...and we see his redemption as he discovers his lost child and comes to follow his own children.

But what of Burt?

Burt is narrator, classical chorus, friend to the children and Mary Poppins confidant. He gets wonderful songs, but does not dominate as Dick Van Dyke does in the movie. He's second star, no doubt, but not as big a star as Dick was in the movie. He doesn't need to be.

Matthew Bourne, I mentioned before, did the choreography and is "co-director". He is what elevates this show from being a wonderful Saturday afternoon with the kids to being an excellent musical! There is a dance in the park -- "It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary". Sure, you might miss the penguins from the movie, but instead the grey statues come to life and dance this ballet that is at times almost spooky/scary...and then other times exciting and inviting. It captured the feel of the show perfectly. Like a good English children's story of old, this story can be scary. The dance in the nursery when the toys come to life and threatened to attack the children as they have been attacked in fits of temper is down right frightening. The evil nanny Miss Andrews with her brimstone and treacle is the thing from which nightmares are made. All of that is reflected in the park ballet (not explicitly of course, but the feeling is there...) but the park ballet also has the joy of discovery and childhood evident: Playfulness and laughter. It was just damn good...

But "Step In Time" takes the cake. Better than the movie -- and they did it live! Burt tape dances up the wall and taps upside down for a time.... even with wires, that's no mean feat! It took my breath away...

What didn't I like?

Also, as long as I'm being picky -- give the house staff more to do. Give 'em some more business. I know that we'll need a four-hour show, but they were so good and promising that we should have seen more of them.

In short: great performances and brilliant choreography and staging; enough of the movie to bring back good memories, but different enough and truer to the book to be more than nostalgia.

Okay enough about Mary Poppins...except that I would see it again in a second and I still see her flying into the audience just as I close my eyes to sleep...

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A couple of days ago, my husband was on an American Airlines flight (LAX to JFK) and, as usual, he was talking about the show, Plane Crazy.

As he told a group of flight attendants that the show was opening September 15 in New York (The Beckett, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th) they got really excited.

One commented, "Finally, someone is telling OUR story..."

So, we thought, since Plane Crazy is really a loving tribute to flight attendants everywhere, why not let all flight attendants attend the show for free? While we're at it, why don't we let the captains in as well? IN FACT, WHY NOT LET ALL AIR CREW ATTEND PLANE CRAZY FOR FREE?

Yep, that's right, all air crew (current and former) get into the show for free...they just have to wear their uniform or wings to the show. For free air crew passes to the show, e-mail Plane Crazy's producer, Michael Rubinoff, at mrubinoff@mrubinoff.com (we have to subject this offer to availability just in case it gets out of control...thanks for understanding).

Here are the show dates:

Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

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Here's a cool post from BoingBoing. It's about a board game called "WHAT SHALL I BE: The Exciting Game of Career Girls"

From Bradley's Almanac:

Your goal? Be the first player to become a 'Career Girl' in your chosen field by collecting School Cards, Subject Cards, and Personality Cards that can either help or hinder you. The laughs start when you see what six future careers are available for young girls to choose from: Teacher (College), Actress (Drama School), Nurse (Nursing School), Model (Charm School), Ballet Dancer (Ballet School), or Airline Hostess (Airline School).

Cool...AIRLINE HOSTESS...I must have played this game! And continuing the fun with games, here's another classic:

WHITE GLOVE GIRL: The object of the game is to be the first player to attain all 4 goals: Children's College Education ($2,000)...Vacation-Travel ($600)...Remodel Home ($750)...New Wardrobe ($200).

Yeah...NEW WARDROBE...

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Wowee...Plane Crazy with its own posting on Playbill. I don't know what to say...this is so exciting.

So, according to this article in Playbill:

Coffee, Tea or Do Re Mi? Plane Crazy, New Musical About '60s Stewardesses, Takes Off in NYMF Sept. 15-25
By Kenneth Jones
18 Aug 2005

The high-flying good old days -- when flight attendants were called stewardesses and galley meals were made to order -- soar again with Plane Crazy, the new musical about a time "when stews were sexy and the world was sexist."

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Michael Rubinoff, in association with Kendra Bator, present the U.S. premiere of Suzy Conn's musical comedy, Sept. 15-25 for eight performances at The Beckett at Theatre Row.

Plane Crazy features book, music and lyrics by Conn, direction by Jamibeth Margolis, choreography by Randy Slovacek and musical direction by Seth Weinstein.

The musical is "set against the backdrop and glamour of the swinging '60s jet age -- the intersection between the dawn of transatlantic airline travel, the introduction of the Pill, the genesis of the modern Feminist Movement, and the Golden Age of Advertising -- a time in history when stewardesses represented an exclusive sorority of women with the freedom to choose their careers and their sexual partners," according to production notes.

Plane Crazy follows the adventures of two young Venus Airlines stews, Faith Hope and Janet Jones, "as they learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business, circa 1965."

Faith (played by Allison Spratt, of Good Vibrations) is billed as "a naive, virginal Mid-western gal looking for Mr. Right," while Janet (played by Jodie Langel, once of Les Miserables) is a randy, cynical New Yorker who is just looking for a good time."

Plane Crazy also features Hollie Howard as Holly Banks, Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford, Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller, William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw and Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens.

The ensemble includes Barbara Helms, Craig Laurie, Eric Jon Mahlum, Sarah Mugavero, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Dana Saltzman, Ryland Shelton and Nicky Venditti.

The design team for Plane Crazy is Jason Courson (scenic design), Elizabeth Payne (costume design), Jesse Belsky (lighting design) and Tony Angelini (sound design).

Lyricist-librettist-composer Conn divides her time between Toronto, New York, and Chicago, where she is enrolled in the Theatre Building Chicago, Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop. She's in the workshop process with a second musical, The Tale of Pigling Bland (co-written with Mitchell Kitz), "a classic coming of age pig story based on the Beatrix Potter story of the same name."

Like all NYMF shows, Plane Crazy runs in repertory at various times. The eight performances at The Beckett at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd Street, are Sept. 15 at 8 PM, Sept. 17 at 4:30 PM and 8 PM, Sept. 19 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 21 at 1 PM, Sept. 23 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 24 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 25 at 1 PM.

Tickets are $15 each and available through (www.TheaterMania.com), or by calling (212) 352-3101 or visiting www.nymf.org.

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Dear Diary,

Today we got our Plane Crazy postcards for The New York Musical Theatre Festival and they look AWESOME!

Michael Karst, our graphic designer, has outdone himself. They are so brilliant -- designed like an old-fashioned airline travel postcard (Venus Airlines of course) in full color on the front and all the info about the show (cast, creative team, performances, tickets, etc.) on the back!

I took a bag over to the NYMF office which is in the Ed Sullivan building on Broadway (very cool). As I was walking into the building I almost ran into Rupert Jee from the Hello Deli on The David Letterman Show (also in that building).

My next celebrity sighting was outside the shops at Columbus Circle (seems to be a very popular spot with celebrities. I saw Kelli O'Hara who plays Clara, the daughter, in The Light In The Piazza.

That afternoon we had a great rehearsal with the women in the cast, and I got to meet Jodie Langel, the woman playing "Janet" for the first time. Boy is she ever an amazing singer! All the women had mastered a very tricky harmony back up for one of the songs in the show called "I Wanna Get Married/Mr Right Now" and it sounded great. Our music director Seth is such a great teacher. He does all sorts of cool exercises that make the singers focus on either rhythm, pitch or text, or all three.

Then we heard Rick Todd Adams and Jodie Langel do "Dancing On Air" and "I Need You/I Will take Care of You" for the first time -- blow me away! It was so exciting to hear those numbers.

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Dear Diary,

It has finally cooled off a bit -- yeah!

Yesterday we had a great production meeting. And we had a new member of the team there, our assistant stage manager, Stephanie Ward!

More costume designs, more swatches! You're gonna love Larry Stevens costume! More set designs, more lighting issues...

Discussions on photo shoots, postcards, musicians (we have a drummer -- yeah!)

And today, we started rehearsals! How exciting. We had ten of the sixteen cast members there which was so cool. The other six will be joining us by Saturday, all enroute from other gigs.

It was strictly a music rehearsal so our fab music director Seth Weinstein worked his fingers to the bone for five hours playing, singing, conducting, correcting, encouraging, and fine tuning our cast. I was blown away by how much everyone already knew. Of course the women were fabulous but one particularly rewarding moment was hearing the male chorus sing -- such great strength!

Sitting behind the desk taking notes, and enjoying the concert, were myself, Jamibeth, Noel and Stephanie our ASM, who did a great job of running the rehearsal, calling breaks, and tabbing everything that wasn't nailed down! Jamibeth spoke a few words to start and then handed out schedules, and contact information. We even have our own rehearsal hotline number! Stephanie printed this all up in little purple wallet cards -- super cool!

Elizabeth Payne our costume designer was there to take measurements and one by one the cast was grabbed and removed from the room to be given the once over for measurements. We finished up around 10pm and I walked home. I had trouble getting to sleep I was so excited!

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Walking out of the theater having just seen Primo, I was assaulted by an eager young thing handing out sample CDs for In My Life, a new musical.

"The producers are the same as for Primo, and they thought this would be a good promotion". Well if you put it that way -- I'll take one thank you very much!

I had actually already read the posters in the lobby, which describes the story as "a musician with Tourette's syndrome and a journalist with obsessive compulsive disorder meet at a grocery store".

Well the possibilities for lyrics alone were mind bending!

So I raced home and popped in the 3-song CD. All songs are by Joseph Brooks (he of "You Light Up My Life" fame).

1. In My Life;
2. I am My Mother's Son; and
3. Life Turns On a Dime.

No sign of Tourette's or OCD. Pretty straightforward pop songs (and did I hear a little country?).

Here's more on this musical from this article from Broadwayworld.com:

Jessica Boevers and Christopher J. Hanke have been announced as the stars of Joseph Brooks' upcoming romantic musical In My Life; the show will open on October 20th at the Music Box Theatre after beginning previews on September 27th.

In addition to writing the music and lyrics, Brooks (the song "You Light Up My Life," Metropolis: The Musical) will also helm the show, which tells how "a musician with Tourette's syndrome and a journalist with obsessive compulsive disorder meet cute at a grocery store -- with some help from above -- and begin an unlikely romance that proves that life's greatest affliction is the one they share -- true love." Roberta Gumbel (Show Boat) and Chiara Navarra have also been cast in the show.

The multi-talented Boevers, who has appeared in many regional shows since her last Broadway appearance in Oklahoma! (as Ado Annie), has also performed on Broadway in Rent, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Les Miserables. Her off-Broadway credits include The IT Girl, and she directed Eve Ensler's Necesarry Targets at Illinois' Apple Tree Theatre. Hanke's off-Broadway credits include Fame, and he has performed in tours of Big River, Fame and The Full Monty in addition to regional stagings of Baby, Damn Yankees and Songs for a New World.

In My Life's design team comprises set designer Allen Moyer (Twelve Angry Men, Reckless, The Man Who Had All the Luck), costume designer Catherine Zuber (2005 Tony Award winner for The Light in the Piazza, Dinner at Eight, Twelfth Night), and lighting designer Christopher Akerlind (also a 2005 Tony Winner for The Light in the Piazza, Belle Epoque, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife). In My Life's choreographer is Richard Stafford (Aspects of Love).

Tickets, which range from $26.25 to $101.25, may be purchased by phoning 212-239-6200 or 800-432-7250.

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Okay, now you've got my attention...

According to this article in Playbill:

Composer Adam Guettel and screenwriter William Goldman will collaborate on a musical version or the hit fairy tale film "The Princess Bride," the New York Post reported.

The 1987 Rob Reiner-directed movie fits the teasing description Guettel gave for his next project, while speaking backstage at the 2005 Tony Awards. While hesitant to specifically name his next musical due to "legal reasons," he did say it would have a "fairy tale" nature and would involve "a lot of swordfighting."

"The Princess Bride" delighted audiences with its mix of sincere medieval magic and mocking parody of the swashbuckling film genre. The flick starred Cary Elwes and Robin Wright as each other's true love, and Chris Sarandon as the evil prince who would keep them apart. The film also starred Mandy Patinkin as a swordsman out for vengeance, Christopher Guest as another baddie, Wallace Shawn and Andre the Giant as two unlikely compatriots, and Billy Crystal and Carol Kane as an ancient wizard and his wife.

The material would make for a decided shift to the lighthearted for Guettel, whose two previous musicals, Floyd Collins and The Light in the Piazza, both examine the darker and moodier sides of human nature.

Goldman is a famed screenwriter known for the films "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "All the President's Men" and "Marathon Man." He also wrote the classic examination of the Broadway world, "The Season."

Hey, it just might work!

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Attention, attention please...

In a wonderful bit of recursive marketing, the airline featured in Plane Crazy, the new musical comedy debuting at the New York Musical Festival, now has its own Web site.

The name of the airline is Venus Airlines, and it is run by Mr. Crenshaw (but you can call him Sam).

William Broderick plays Sam "Silver Fox" Crenshaw, as he is known among the stews (stewardesses) who have worked for him. As President and Founder of Venus Airlines he runs his airline with military precision. This of course reflects his history as a World War 2 flyer...no, no...World War 2 hero (yes, that's much better).

His wife, Trixie Crenshaw, also runs a tight ship in their family home in Connecticut where she reigns as esteemed social butterfly and legendary party thrower.

So, what is it like to fly Venus Airlines?

From its wildly-colored jets, adorned with a rainbow of stew legs, to the exclusive Venus offer of membership in their Mile High Club, Venus is an airline unlike any other!

Every year, thousands of perky young women fight tooth and manicured fingernail for the most glamorous job in the world: Venus Airlines Stewardess!

All the stews who work for Venus Airlines are gorgeous, groovy young ladies, meticulously groomed and ready to provide a Venus flyer with either a smile, a martini, or two eggs over easy, at a moments notice!

So go ahead, Fly the Sexy Skies and check out venusairlines.com.

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Blogway Baby gets the inside scoop again!

That's right. Plane Crazy will hit the stage at The Beckett, Theatre Row at 8 pm on September 15 with sixteen of the most talented, amazing (and gorgeous) performers in New York City!

Plane Crazy will star Allison Spratt as Faith Hope, and Jodie Langel as Janet Jones, the two young stews who learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business in 1965.

Plane Crazy will also feature:

Hollie Howard as Holly Banks
Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford
Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller
William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw
Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens

The fabulous ensemble will be played by:

Barbara Helms, Craig Laurie, Eric John Mahlum, Sarah Mugavero, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Gina Philistine, Dana Saltzman, Ryland Shelton and Nicky Venditti.

Here's the lowdown on the cast...

CAST BIOGRAPHIES (Welcome Aboard):

ALLISON SPRATT (Faith). Broadway: Good Vibrations, Footloose. National Tours: Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde. New York: Footloose (Westchester), Mask (reading, Dir. Richard Maltby, Jr.).

JODIE LANGEL (Janet). Broadway: Les Miserables. National Tour: Cats, Les Miserables, Martin Guerre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

HOLLIE HOWARD (Holly). Broadway: Hairspray, Mamma Mia!, Annie Get Your Gun. National Tours: Fame.

RICHARD TODD ADAMS (Brett). National Tour: Phantom Of The Opera. New York: Little Fish (Second Stage), Listen To My Heart (Upstairs at Studio 54), Far From the Madding Crowd (NYMF). Regional: She Loves Me (Papermill Playhouse), Jekyll and Hyde (Seaside Music Theatre).

KEVIN KRAFT (Clive). Broadway: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Off-Broadway: Johnny Guitar, As You Like It (The Acting Company). Regional: Floyd Collins (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Master Harold and the Boys (St. Michael's Playhouse).

WILLIAM BRODERICK (Sam). New York: Far From the Madding Crowd (NYMF), Berlin (Theatre 315), Henry IV, Part One (Century Center). Regional: The Fantasticks (Stamford Center for the Arts), Jekyll & Hyde (Arvada Center for the Arts).

CHRISTOPHER GUILMET (Larry). New York: Have a Heart (Musicals Tonight), John Lennon's Gargoyle (NYTW). Regional: Camelot (Stages St. Louis), 1776 (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Vera Wilde (Edinburgh Fringe Festival).

BARBARA HELMS (Ensemble). Off-Broadway: The Watercoolers. New York: A Midsummer Nights Dream (Center Stage), Southern Discomfort (Neighborhood Playhouse). Regional: The Full Monty (Drury Lane, Chicago), Cabaret (Barn Theater), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Northshore Theater).

CRAIG LAURIE (Ensemble). National Tour: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Forbidden Hollywood, Miss Saigon. Regional: Forbidden Broadway (Gem Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (Mill Mountain Theatre), Cabaret (Barrington Stage).

ERIC JON MAHLUM (Ensemble). National Tours: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz. Regional: Titanic (The Fireside Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Opera Kansas), South Pacific (Summer Lights Playhouse).

SARA MUGAVERO (Ensemble). Theatre: Carousel (New Jersey Performing Arts Center), New Voices (Paper Mill Playhouse), Bernstein's Mass (Boston Conservatory), Nine (Boston Conservatory), City of Angels (Boston Conservatory).

KATHRYN MOWAT MURPHY (Ensemble, Assistant Choreographer). Broadway: Fosse. National Tours: Chicago, Fosse. Regional: A Chorus Line, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Theater Under the Stars).

GINA PHILISTINE (Ensemble) Broadway: Bombay Dreams, Saturday Night Fever. National Tours: A Chorus Line, The Goodbye Girl. Regional: West Side Story, A Chorus Line.

DANA SALTZMAN (Ensemble). Theatre: Funny Girl, Showboat (Merry Go Round), The King and I (Cortland Rep), Gospel at Colonus (Ithaca).

RYLAND SHELTON (Ensemble). Theatre: The Winter's Tale (Looking Glass Theater), Martha and Me: A Musical (The Linhart Theatre, Fringe NYC), Caligula: A Glam Rock Opera (Zipper Theatre), New Stages at the York (The York Theatre).

NICKY VENDITTI (Ensemble). National Tours: Contact, Swing!, Holiday Celebration. Regional: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tarrytown Music Hall), Fame (St. Patrick's Auditorium).

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I don't know about you, but this sounds like a lot of fun. And Chita Rivera will be playing herself to boot! I saw her in the Kiss of The Spider Woman in Toronto and I wore out my cassette tape of the original cast recording of Chicago listening to Chita sing "All That Jazz"!

According to this article in Playbill:

Liana Ortiz Is Young Chita in Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life; Casting Complete

By Andrew Gans
12 Aug 2005

The complete cast has been announced for Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, the upcoming musical celebration of the life and art of Tony Award-winning Broadway gypsy Chita Rivera.

The Dancer's Life, as previously announced, will premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre Sept. 10-23 before arriving on Broadway this fall. Boasting a book by Terrence McNally and direction by Graciela Daniele, the musical production will star Chita Rivera with Liana Ortiz as Young Chita. The ensemble comprises Richard Amaro, Cleve Asbury, Lloyd Culbreath, Jasmine Perri, Madeleine Kelly, Malinda Farrington, Edgard Gallardo, Deirdre Goodwin, Richard Montoya, Lainie Sakakura, Alex Sanchez and Allyson Tucker.

The creative team for the new production includes Loy Arcenas (scenic design), Toni Leslie James (costume design), Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting design), Scott Lehrer (sound design) and Mark Hummell (musical direction).

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, according to production notes, is a "tour through landmark creations in the American theatre that were helmed by some of the greatest talents in its history, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion and Michael Kidd." The production will feature new songs by Ragtime's Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and will include numbers from West Side Story, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Director McNally said in a statement, "Chita Rivera is our strongest link to the Golden Age of the American Musical. She worked with all the great choreographers and composers and was present at the creation of such seminal masterpieces as The Dance at the Gym from West Side Story when the talent in the room was a veritable Mount Rushmore of the American theatre: Bernstein, Sondheim, Robbins, Laurents and Prince. I hope our show reminds audiences of what that level of theatre was like and what it still can be if the talent, the technique and the passion are there. Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life looks back in order to look forward."

Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in 1933, Chita Rivera is one of the theatre's most acclaimed performers. She has won Tony Awards for her performances in two Kander and Ebb musicals, The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman, and was also nominated for her work in Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Bring Back Birdie, Merlin, Jerry's Girls and her most recent outing, the Tony-winning revival of Nine. Rivera's other Broadway credits include the musical Seventh Heaven, her Broadway debut; Mr. Wonderful; the original production of West Side Story; and Bajour. She appeared in the film version of "Sweet Charity," starred in the world premiere of Kander and Ebb's The Visit, and also headlined Bernarda Alba at the Mark Taper Forum.

Tickets for the Old Globe run will go on sale Aug. 21 at 10 AM. For more information visit www.TheOldGlobe.org.

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Dear Diary,

I feel like the crew of Apollo 13 as they are re-entering earth's atmoshphere -- I'm not sure my heat shield is going to hold. Yikes -- it is hot and humid in New York!

Celebrity Sighting!

I had just read this article about Michael Cumpsty on Playbill when I spotted him walking down Broadway between 72nd and 73rd!

Broadway's Michael Cumpsty, of The Constant Wife, Copenhagen and Democracy, will climb one of the Everests of acting in the fall when he'll play the Melancholy Dane in Hamlet for Classic Stage Company.

CSC artistic director Brian Kulick will direct the Shakespeare tragedy, Playbill.com learned. It will be the first production of the 2005-06 season for the not-for-profit devoted to classic works by masters.

The fortysomething Cumpsty will play the Prince of Denmark for the first time in his varied career. His Broadway credits in the last decade include Enchanted April, 42nd Street, Electra, The Heiress, Racing Demom, 1776, La Bete, Translations, Timon of Athens and Artist Descending a Staircase.

The production is expected to play Classic Stage's Off-Broadway home Nov. 2-Dec. 15.

I saw Michael Cumpsty in 42nd Street when the revival first opened, many moons ago and he was great!

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Dear Diary,

Yeah! Our choreographer Randy Slovacek is back in town. I had a terrific meeting today with our director Jamibeth Margolis, our musical director Seth Weinstein, our choreographer Randy and his assistant choreographer Kathryn Mowat Murphy, and a very talented drummer named Brian Woodruff. Randy wanted to get a better idea of rhythm and tempos for a few of the more uptempo songs in the show.

Wow! What fun! I helped out by singing the lyrics and doing all the dialogue ( a bit of a stretch for my acting skills) to give Randy and Kathryn a better idea of the flow of entire numbers.

This was the first time I'd heard drums played on most of the songs, since a lot of the demo songs were done with piano only. Brian and Seth went wild on "The Mile High Club" and "Plane Crazy" and "Venus Flytrap" -- it sounded awesome!

It was so exciting to get a glimpse into what my musical will sound like with a real band! And Kudos to Mitchell Kitz our orchestrator -- the drummer commented several time what a great job he did on arranging the drum parts, and how easy they were to read. Did I mention how excited I am?

Celebrity sighting: I saw Paula Zahn rush into a ritzy jewelry and watch store in the shops in Columbus Circle. I was standing, sweating profusely in my Plane Crazy t-shirt, drinking water and trying to cool off, when she walked by me into the store. Our eyes met and of course, I stared a bit too long...I've got to learn to be more nonchalant about these celebs!

Then I went to see Sweet Charity again with my associate producer, Kendra Bator. Denis O'Hare was as marvelous as ever (boy, do I love that elevator scene) and Christina seems more relaxed and comfortable in the role. My fav number still is "The Rhythm of Life" -- I want to be one of Daddy's All-Girl Rhythm Choir. What a great show!

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Annie Get Your Gun is smokin', and tickets selling like hotcakes.

Mmm...hotcakes!

Annie Get Your Gun's run has been extended to August 27! Tickets are selling extremely well (in the words of one of the stars, Myrna Conn, tickets are selling like mad!).

From a very reliable source (a friend of mine who sees tons of theater, and is actually in London to see a bunch of shows!) I hear that Billy Ray Cyrus was overly criticized on his opening night performance and has really relaxed into the role. He told me that Billy Ray has "great stage presence and does justice to the role of Frank Butler".

Of course, he said Myrna was brilliant in the role of Minnie!

And Myrna told me they add new stuff all the time so it is totally worth seeing a second time! I've just gotta fly back and see Myrna again in the show!

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Two Plane Crazy shows have been added due to popular demand!

Yes, you heard me right! Plane Crazy has added two performances in the New York Music Theatre Festival:

Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm

Now you have two additional chances to see the Classic '60s Musical Comedy; two additional chances to learn to do "The Venus Flytrap", two additional chances to earn 100 free Air Miles on selected airlines, two additional chances to go back to a time When the Stews Were Sexy and The World Was Sexist!; and two additional chances to see Plane Crazy for only $15!

So get your tickets now before they sell out! For tickets call TheaterMania at 212-352-3101 or visit nymf.org

Here's the full eight-show schedule:

(All performances are at The Beckett, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC)

Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Today I caught a matinee of Primo. Wow.

Primo is playing at The Music Box (owned by the estate of Irving Berlin and the Shubert Organization) and stars Sir Antony Sher. This National Theatre of Great Britain Production is based on If This Is A Man by Primo Levi and is adapted by Antony Sher and directed by Richard Wilson.

From the program notes:

Primo Levi was born into a Jewish family in Turin, Italy in 1919. Despite the anti-Semitic laws introduced in Italy by Mussolini's government, he was able to complete his degree in Chemistry at Turin University in 1941. When the Germans invaded northern Italy in 1943 Levi escaped to the mountains to join a group of anti-fascist partisans. He was soon captured and eventually deported to Auschwitz. He spent 11 months there and then was liberated when the Russians arrived on the 27th of January, 1945. After the war he returned to his family home in Turin. He resumed his career as a chemits, retiring only in 1975. His graphic account of his time in Auschwitz, If This Is A Man (published in the United States as Survival in Auschwitz), was written soon after and first published in 1947. Levi went on to write many other books, including The Wrench; If Not Now, When?; and The Periodic Table, emerging not only as one of the most profound and haunting commentators on the Holocaust, but as a great writer on many twentieth-century themes, especially science. Primo Levi died on April 11, 1987.

This is an extremely compelling and haunting play. For 90 minutes straight, Anthony Sher, as Primo, recounts his journey to and final departure from Aushwitz on a bare stage. But the story is so rich in detail and so honestly delivered that you are transported. And reminded of the matter of fact way that unbearable cruelties were delivered, that not only tortured, but amazed the prisoners.

If you can see this show before it closes, do so.

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Dear Diary,

I got my first Thank You card from one of the actors who had been called back at the auditions, but not cast in the show. What a wonderful gesture! She said in the card:

Suzy,

Thank you so much for seeing me for Plane Crazy -- I had so much fun playing with you guys!

Thanks again, XXXXX

She actually put her name in there, not kisses!

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

I picked up an advertising piece on Lennon: A New Musical at my favorite falafel restaurant. It was a direct mail piece offering a chance to see the show for only $75. A nice four-color fold-out piece.

What struck me as a wee bit odd, was the marketing hook/opening line that framed the whole piece.

"Shake it Up, Baby"

Get ready to twist and shout...Lennon, an electrifying portrait of one of the greatest musicians in history, is about to change Broadway forever.

The reason I found it odd, was that they go on to say how Lennon the songwriter changed the world with his music. Be that as it may, "Twist and Shout" was actually written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell, in 1960

Shouldn't the marketing lines be taken from Lennon's own writing repetoire?

Isn't that like doing a musical that celebrates Elton John the songwriter and using "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" as the marketing hook?

Or maybe I spend too much time thinking about these things...

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Following up to my previous post on Adam, and according to this article in Playbill:

Canadian actor Adam Brazier has landed a role in the Broadway mounting of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White.

The Toronto Star reports that Brazier will play Walter in Woman in White, which begins previews at Broadway's Marquis Theatre Oct. 28. The musical, which is currently playing London's Palace Theatre, will officially open Nov. 17. Although no casting has been officially announced, it is likely that Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman will repeat her London role as Marian on Broadway.

Adam Brazier was recently seen at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival, playing Dr. Barnardo in The Likes of Us. He played Sky in the Toronto production of Mamma Mia! and made his Broadway debut in the revival of Into the Woods. His other theatrical credits include roles in Godspell, The Garage Sale, Man of La Mancha and Oedipus. Brazier is a recipient of a 1998 Tyrone Guthrie Award.

The Woman in White features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel and a book by Charlotte Jones. The remainder of the creative team comprises Trevor Nunn (direction), William Dudley (set and costume design), Paul Pyant (lighting design), Mick Potter (sound design), Wayne McGregor (dance and movement) and Simon Lee (musical supervisor). The creative team will re-create their work on Broadway.

The London production -- now starring Ruthie Henshall -- began previews at the newly refurbished Palace Theatre Aug. 28 with an official opening Sept. 15. Woman in White was nominated for five Olivier Awards.

According to production notes, The Woman in White concerns "a dashing young man, employed as the art tutor to two devoted sisters, [who] is stranded at a remote railway cutting. Out of the darkness looms a woman, a mysterious figure dressed in white, desperate to share a chilling secret. He and the sisters soon find themselves trapped in a web of betrayal and greed, the victims of a seemingly flawless crime. Together they will need all their resourcefulness and courage to outwit a hugely charismatic and ingenious villain. As the compelling plot twists and turns, low villainy vies with high romance in a world where nothing is as it first appears and where it is impossible to know who to trust."

For more information about The Woman in White visit www.womaninwhitethemusical.com.

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Dear Diary,

Today is August 8th, so that means tomorrow is Meat Loaf's last show at the Beacon Theatre! He played Aug 5, 7, and 9th. I guess he needs a day to rest up between shows! I was walking by the Beacon Theatre last night and I noticed the street was blocked off and a bunch of people were standing around. I thought to myself, what are they doing? Turns out they were waiting for Meat Loaf to come out the stage door! But the group was so mixed -- little kids, tweens in Meat Loaf t-shirts, young couples, elderly couples -- it seems Meat Loaf has become the ultimate family act. A contract with Disney cannot be far off!

Tonight I got to see Forbidden Broadway at the 47th Street Theater! Craig Laurie who is a standby in the show got some advance notice that he was going on and he contacted Jamibeth with a couple of comps to the show! There are only 4 actors in the show so he had a huge part! Also joining Craig on stage were William Selby, Megan Lewis and Jeanne Montano.

These four actors are so incredibly talented, which really gives heart to a very spoofy (and funny) show. You know deep down they love Broadway and would most likely leave FB in a heartbeat if given the starring role in Wicked, one of the shows they spoof!

I went into the show convinced that I wouldn't like it. I've been ranting about shows that ridicule musicals, like Spamalot.

However, Forbidden Broadway doesn't ridicule musicals as an art form, it makes good clean fun of individual musicals and their quirks -- actors, scandals, production values -- while mostly lamenting that today's fare isn't as good as the classic Cole Porter or Gershwin musicals. I'm sure everyone already knew this but I had to see it to get it -- duh! And off-Broadway is the perfect place for this type of material.

Having said all this, by the middle of Act One I was laughing so hard I was crying. There were lots of funny bits, some fresher than others, but I think my fav bit was The Light in the Piazza. Jeanne Montano comes out dressed as Victoria Clark holding an "Italy For Dummies" book and Megan Lewis was the daughter with a secret, and Craig Laurie was the Italian son who falls in love with her. Combined with the hanging hook that is attached to her hat (except she hasn't taken the chin strap off yet! I'm laughing again!) the scene is drop dead hilarious.

I also have to say that Craig Laurie as Frankenfurter and a very metrosexual Hugh Jackman (I'd like to introduce my wife, sitting right there in the audience...did I mention my wife is right there...) was hilarious!

Another highlight was when they did "The Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot. William Selby and Jeanne Montano start singing this and I'm thinking, hey those are the original lyrics...which turns out to be the point of the spoof! "The Song They Stole From Us" -- all the gags in the song, the key changes are all very Forbidden Broadway (who did it first, or so they sing!)

The music used are well-known Broadway tunes with new lyrics. The lyrics aren't always razor-sharp witty, but combined with the physical humor of the actors and the costumes, the whole thing works.

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Dear Diary,

Wow! What a day!

After a flurry of deep, meaningful emails with my husband, I went off to a lunch meeting with my director Jamibeth Margolis. We met at the Westway Diner, a great 24-hour diner on 9th Avenue between 44th and 43rd. They have everything on their menu -- you want it, they got it, and cheaply too!

We chatted about the design meeting we were having that night, and talked a bit more about the script. All was going well until I smelled something burning and then suddenly the diner was full of smoke! Jamibeth didn't hesitate (she has lived in New York a long time!) and jumped up and threw down money for the bill and we ran out! Everyone else followed, but I'm not sure everyone else paid... The building next door to the Westway diner was on fire and smoking from the roof. Soon the street was full of fire trucks and police cars.

We continued our meeting at Starbucks (where else?)...

Then it was off to a meeting with our fabulous music director Seth Weinstein, and leading lady Allison Spratt, who plays Faith Hope. She is so talented and gorgeous -- and I thought I was good looking!

Then off to our marathon design meeting at 7 pm. I met our sound designer Tony Angelini, our costume designer Elizabeth Payne, our set designer, Jason Courson, and our lighting designer, Jesse Belsky. Of course, Jamibeth and Kendra were there as well.

We hashed through the script scene by scene: costumes, lights, sets, props, sound effects! It was so exciting to see sketches for the stew uniforms and fabric swatches! And Jason showed us color sketches of the plane interior and rooftop scene! We talked gels, specials, spots and many other lighting terms I never heard before! I am learning so much. I really started to see the show taking shape and it was incredibly rewarding. It also really hit home just what a collaborative process this musical thing is!

I stumbled out of our meeting at 11:30pm and was so excited I went home and sent my husband some more deep and meaningful emails!

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

While we're on the subject...

According to this article in Playbill:

Movin' Out Tour's Piano Man Returns to Broadway for August Stint

By Ernio Hernandez
04 Aug 2005

Darren Holden, original Movin' Out understudy for the lead vocalist, will be the show's piano man on Broadway during Michael Cavanaugh's upcoming vacation, according to the singer's publicist.

Holden, who has performed with the show sporadically since 2003 and starred in the national tour, will play on Broadway for five performances, Aug. 23-27, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. (More on Holden can be found on the web at www.darrenholden.com)

The dance musical collaboration between pop legend Billy Joel and choreographer Twyla Tharp boasts most of its original cast -- who have taken breaks here and there, but returned -- including Tony Award nominees John Selya, Elizabeth Parkinson, Keith Roberts, Ashley Tuttle, Michael Cavanaugh as well as Scott Wise and Benjamin G. Bowman.

Producers of the Broadway run -- James L. Nederlander, Hal Luftig, Scott E. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Clear Channel Entertainment and Emanuel Azenberg -- also present the still-running national tour which launched Jan. 26, 2004. The tour recently earned the 2005 Touring Broadway Award for Best New Musical, also giving Tharp another win for Best Choreography.

The bookless show, currently residing at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre, uses Joel's song lyrics and Tharp's choreography to tell the story of five friends and lovers across three decades through love, war and loss. There is no dialogue and all songs are performed by the pianist-singer, who sings non-stop and heads an on-stage band during the show.

Following a tryout at Chicago's Shubert Theatre, the show officially opened on The Great White Way Oct. 24, 2002 following previews since Sept. 30. The new show took home the Tony Awards for Best Choreography (Tharp) and Orchestrations (Joel and Stuart Malina).

The songlist includes many of Joel's hit songs and even interpolates some of his classical work. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" functions as a sort of overture, introducing the characters. The story kicks off with "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and moves through other songs as the popular "We Didn't Start the Fire," "Big Shot," "Uptown Girl" and "Captain Jack," as well as more obscure early work like "James," "Summer, Highland Falls," and "Angry Young Man." As a final curtain coda, Cavanaugh belts out the apropos "New York State of Mind."

For more information on the Broadway and national tour stagings of Movin' Out, visit www.movinoutonbroadway.com.

Okay, okay, who said Mike Cavanaugh could go on vacation?

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Dear Diary,

So I went in search of the Movin' Out cast recording at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square and they were...out of stock! Say what? How can the Virgin Megastore be out of stock of anything? So next it was off to the huge Borders at Columbus Circle and they were...out of stock! Next I went where I should have gone first -- Tower Records at Lincoln Center. They have everything! I had to restrain myself from buying a bucket of CDs! Great store.

Well it's Friday and that means Target Free Fridays at the MoMA! I hadn't gone since the renovation so off I went. And so did half of Manhattan! Boy was it ever crowded! I've never seen a museum so full. I think that's great -- in Toronto the museums are usually so empty you can fire a cannon through them.

Given that it was so full, I just gave it a quick once over and didn't linger. It looks great and I can't wait to return and spend a little more time.

There was one item in the contemporary gallery that I had never seen before, and that is relevant to Plane Crazy. It was a real airline departure flap chart designed by an Italian firm named Solari Udine (est. 1968). It listed Departures or "Partenze" for a number of airlines (such as SAS, American Airlines, Luftansa, Air Italia). Flight numbers, departure times, and comments. And the information kept changing. While I was watching the SAS flight "now boarding" flap came up with a red light!

Very cool. People just stood and watched and waited for the flaps to change! I gotta get me one of those...

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

About two minutes into last evening's performance of Movin' Out (which was my second time at the show) I thought to myself -- "I could totally see this show again!"

I am a huge Billy Joel fan and I love all his music. The band is so great and the arrangements so exciting, that I enjoy this version, and I am not constantly yearning to hear the original (the way I am with Mamma Mia!)

The first time I saw Movin' Out (last fall) I saw the original cast but Wade Preston was on for Mike Cavanaugh. Tonight Mike Cavanaugh was on playing the piano and singing all the songs, but Eddie was played by Charlie Hodges instead of the original John Selya, and Judy was played by Mabel Modrono instead of the original Ashley Tuttle. Keith Roberts played Tony, Elizabeth Parkinson played Brenda, Benjamin G. Bowman played James and Scott Wise played Sergeant O'Leary/Drill Sergeant. My hats off to the entire cast!

Last time I was in the balcony, but this time I got row D in the orchestra! Wow, so much better to see the dancers up close -- it was amazing. Literally, sheets of sweat would come streaming off the dancers and onto the first few rows -- awesome!

I love this show. Twyla Tharp's choreography and the cast's dancing is unbelievable. The audience gasped several times at certain dance feats (and feets!). I am constantly torn as to where to watch -- there is so much great stuff going on onstage, but the band is terrific to watch (Mike Cavanaugh is definitely a cutie pie) -- they look like they are having so much darn fun. I don't know where I want to be more...in the band or onstage dancing! I caught myself watching with my mouth wide open in awe several times (not a pretty sight for the poor dancers...)

Every single dancer is so incredible, but after seeing it twice I think my favorite is Benjamin G. Bowman who plays James. I won't tell you what happens to him, but he has a great bit in the second act I just love to watch!

And because it is a story about individual characters and the joys and tragedies that befall them, the anti-war message is very strong without being preachy.

Tomorrow I am going to go out and buy the original Broadway cast recording (even though I have all of Billy Joel's songs!)

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Dear Diary,

After a whirlwind weekend in Toronto, I'm back in New York. How do I know? Because when I was standing in line at the airport waiting for a taxi, the gentleman in front of me turned around and asked me "Is that an original MASH t-shirt?" What is it with New Yorkers and vintage tees?

Anyways, Plane Crazy casting is complete (yeah!) and I'm pretty sure that Blogway Baby will get an exclusive scoop -- so stay tuned...

It's Thursday so it's Broadway in the park at lunch time again! This time it's "Broadway For Life" featuring Rent. The cast of the new movie version (including Idina Menzel and Rosario Dawson) is currently making their rounds -- they were on the Today Show this morning singing "Seasons of Love" and "Living in America" in Rockefeller Center. At lunch they reprised "Seasons of Love" in Bryant Park.

I'm not a huge Rent fan, but I've always loved that song, it's such a darn singable anthem! Rent was never hugely successful in Toronto, but judging by the fans today, it was a phenomenon that took New York by storm 10 years ago. Maybe if I had seen it in New York when it opened I would have a different perspective.

Anyway, the energy in the crowd was fun to witness. Idina sang "Take Me or Leave Me" and did an awesome job. Following that were a few wildly talented dancers from current shows on Broadway doing original self-choreographed dance numbers, which was a real joy to watch, even if the sound was a bit choppy -- I think I heard every third tap...

There were a few other great acts, and I apologize for not knowing exactly who they were, but I couldn't always hear the names announced or see the faces, from where I was sitting. The second last act was from The Mambo Kings -- fabulous Salsa dancing with a hot band. To close out the hour was "Baby Dream Your Dream" from Sweet Charity. I left, fully nourished...and fully cooked!

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Trey Parker and Matt Stone must be big fans of musical theater. They use it far too much in their movies for it to be only something of which they make fun.

Everyone says the rebirth of the movie musical was Chicago, but let's face it, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut paved the way! I loved that hilarous South Park movie, and of course "Blame Canada" was nominated for best song at the Oscars.

My husband is a big Thunderbirds fan, and we finally got around to renting Team America: World Police. Insanely ridiculous, but funny! Of course, definitely an adult-only movie. Team America made South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut feel like The Sound of Music! Trey Parker, Marc Shaiman and Harry Gregson-Williams are responsible (that's the only way to put it!) for the music in the movie.

Early on in the film there is a send up of Rent, as a midtown Manhattan marquee proudly proclaims "Lease!" and we get to see actor-puppet Gary Johnston perform "Everybody has AIDS" (written by Parker and Shaiman). Since I found Rent rather pretentious, I thought this was very funny. Later on Kim Jong Il sings "I'm Ronery", a nice character-driven piece! Then one of the Team America finally admits his distrust of actors stems from a bad incident backstage at Cats! Turns out he was violated by Mr. Mistoffelees...Meow!

I guess I really like the way Parker and Stone make everything over-the-top ridiculous and thereby help put everything in perspective. And kudos to them for knowing that music in story can make a point faster and better.

There is a much more detailed review in this article of Team America's music:

The seven original songs on the CD, written by Parker and Stone in collaboration with composer Marc Shaiman are nothing short of genius. No-one is safe. Diane Warren gets the South Park treatment in "Only A Woman", which rips her overly-serious Armageddon ballad "Don't Want to Miss A Thing" to shreds. Country stars such as Alan Jackson and Toby Keith feel the bite in "Freedom Isn't Free", a deliciously twisted look at a particular mindset which manages to lampoon their vocal delivery, their politics, and their unexpected hit songs "Where Were You" and "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" at the same time. "The End of an Act" takes pot-shots at both '80s macho posturing and Michael Bay, re-creating the stylized sound of Berlin from Top Gun while proclaiming the film-makers utter disdain for the movie Pearl Harbor.

The highly stylized "Montage" examines the often-used technique of setting slow-motion silent footage to a song, with hilarious results (for some reason, this song makes me think of Bruce Hornsby and the Range from Backdraft...); "I'm So Ronery" unexpectedly highlights the vocal talents of North Korean president Kim Jong Il, lamenting that no-one understands the thinking behind his dictatorial decrees; the best, however, is undoubtedly "America, Fuck Yeah!", an over-the-top, jingoistic, unashamedly profane celebration of the good old US-of-A set to a driving rock beat. McDonalds, Wal-Mart, the Gap, baseball, NFL, rock 'n' roll, the Internet, slavery, Starbucks, Disneyworld, porno, valium, Reeboks, fake tits, sushi, Taco Bell, rodeos, Bed Bath & Beyond, liberty, waxed lips, the Alamo, Band-Aids, Las Vegas, Christmas, immigrants, Popeye, Democrats, Republicans, sportsmanship, books...the cornerstones on which American society is built!

What's amazing about them is that, ignoring the hilariously inappropriate lyrics, each song is musically exceptional. Had they been written for a "straight" film and had lyrics which did not mercilessly lampoon themselves, they could easily become hit records in their own right. I hope -- no, expect -- at least one of Shaiman and Parker's songs to follow in the footsteps of "Blame Canada" and pick up a Best Song Oscar nomination (although I'm not sure how the Academy would respond to the repeated use of the phrase "Fuck Yeah!" as a way of celebrating musical excellence).

And then, almost as an afterthought, we have Harry Gregson-Williams's superb original score. Brought in at the very last minute to replace Shaiman (whose original score, for one reason or another didn't fit with Parker and Stone's vision), Gregson-Williams was asked to make fun of the organization which gave him his start in film music, and which perpetuates this kind of jingoistic nonsense with a straight face: namely, Media Ventures. Amazingly, Gregson-Williams has managed to craft a perfectly-judged send up of the sound in an incredibly short space of time, and with such taste and compositional intelligence that it still manages to be a great score in its own right.

Gregson-Williams's score is full of massive patriotic anthems, bold male voice choirs, energetic action cues, sweeping string themes, dense synthesisers, all of which is intentionally written in the same vein as Crimson Tide, Armageddon, The Peacemaker and a dozen others. "Terrorize This" features at least three magnificent melodies (heroic and romantic) which, in other circumstances, could have happily accompanied a straight action movie: only in the context of the Team America juxtaposition does their comedic potential emerge.

"Derka Derk" (the only remaining score contribution of Shaiman's original effort) cleverly makes musical parallels with the Star Wars cantina band music, subconsciously comparing people from the middle-east to aliens, and highlighting the false preconceptions many Americans have of foreign cultures. Similarly, the "North Korean Melody" messes with familiar Oriental musical cliches, laying a humorous, unintelligible vocal track on top of a stereotypical melody. Who said funny music had to be stupid?

If that were not enough, "Do You Know" features some of Heitor Pereira's expressive acoustic guitar playing in a lush format, building up to a superb full-orchestral finale; "Thanks..." reworks the patented heroic anthem to great effect, with the added bonus of noble percussion and a cooing choir; "The Pussybert Address" brilliantly returns to Trevor Rabin's rock-style orchestrations and cranks up the Zimmeresque wall of sound to massive proportions; the superb 10-minute finale "Any Other Line", which touches base with The Rock, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down and The Last Samurai along the way, brings all the elements together into one all-encompassing celebration of the things which made Media Ventures great in the early 1990s, and which have ironically made them the butt of so much scorn in recent years. Way back then, when the sound was still fresh, this kind of music created a generation of film score fans. In 2004, Team America reminds you of how you felt the first time you heard it.

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Gosh, what an exciting night last night! My daughter, Myrna Conn, opened in her first professional theater production, Annie Get Your Gun starring Louise Pitre and Billy Ray Cyrus.

In my opinion, it should have been called Minnie Get Your Gun since, in my unbiased opinion, my daughter Myrna who played Minnie, stole the show from the rest of the extremely wonderful cast!

She looked so comfortable on stage, she was definitely "doin' what comes nat'urly"! Whenever she scurried on stage and smiled, she brought a ray of sunshine! What talent! What acting! What a country accent!

But I think my favorite moment was at the end when she stood in line with the principals and sang "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "They Say That Falling In Love is Wonderful". I got chills.

Or maybe my fave moment was when, at the after party, Myrna introduced me to Louise Pitre! I tried to be cool, but I think I giggled a bit!

RICHARD OUZOUNIAN
THEATRE CRITIC

Annie Get Your Gun

By Irving Berlin, Herbert & Dorothy Fields. Directed by Donna Feore. Until Aug. 20 at Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-872-1111.

Louise Pitre came back to Toronto last night in Annie Get Your Gun and scored a bull's eye on the hearts of the audience who stood to cheer her in Massey Hall.

As the eagle-eyed Annie Oakley, she delivered all the colours the part demands, from hayseed comedy to romantic pathos. And yes, she can do justice to each of Irving Berlin's great songs, belting out joyously "I Got the Sun in the Morning," then crooning with silky understatement in "I Got Lost in His Arms."

This 1946 musical is generally considered a classic on the strength of Berlin's score, because the book by Herbert & Dorothy Fields — here deftly adapted by Don Carrier — is a pretty simplistic affair about how two champion sharpshooters (Annie and the egotistical Frank Butler) fall in and out of love with each other.

The cast has been given an attractive framework by the clever direction of Donna Feore. She stages everything with a sharp eye and an even sharper sense of humour, delivering much of the punch of a fully staged production, within the confines of a single unchanging set. If you've seen the latest revival of Chicago, you know the approach.

Michael Gianfrancesco has filled the stage with a pleasing arrangement of ramps and platforms, leaving the centre of the space for the full 28-piece orchestra, conducted with aplomb by Rick Fox.

In this era of synthesizers and pre-recorded scores, it's worth the price of admission to hear these glorious tunes played the way Berlin intended, with no corners cut.

The only caveat about a streamlined visual production like this is that it puts the focus squarely on the work of the cast, most of whom are up to the task.

Besides the versatile Pitre, there's fine work from Jonathan Wilson (who plays the hyperactive Charlie as a close cousin of Franklin the Turtle) and that perpetual sass and sashay machine known as Sandra Caldwell, who turns the usually thankless part of Dolly into a series of scene-stealing episodes.

Sandy Winsby is warmly winning Buffalo Bill and Billy Mersaty makes a slyly amusing Sitting Bull.

There's also a pair of cute (but not too cute) stage kids handled nicely by Cameron Ansell and Myrna Conn.

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What's going on here? Have I been foolishly paying for tickets all these years? Here's another "seat filling" service called Audience Extras, which sounds like it's been around a long time.

How would you like to receive cordial invitations to Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway Shows, Movie Previews, Comedy Clubs, Cabarets, Dance, Concerts and occasionally a Broadway Show?

Audience Extras distributes complimentary tickets to it's subscribers when a show is in previews, under publicized, expecting a reviewer or celebrity to attend, or would like the benefit of a full house.

As an Audience Extras subscriber you get to choose from over 1000 different events a year! You can attend as many shows as you like for only $3.00 reservation service charge per ticket! A portion of the service charge goes directly to The Memorial Foundation for the Arts to aid non-profit theaters.

To become an Audience Extras member, click "Join AE" link above and read the online application carefully. We would like you to understand our relationship with theaters and how you become an important part of the entertainment events. You can reach us at 212 686-1966 Tue. - Sat. 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Hey, I'm only partially responsible...check out this article from Variety online:

B'way closes July with B.O. blast
Big tuners pump Great White Way

By ROBERT HOFLER

Broadway had no trouble setting a B.O. record for the end of July.

Twenty-eight shows brought in $16,335,384 as receipts improved $122,088, or 0.75%, over the previous week. More impressive, the current tally dwarfs last year's take by $1.5 million. Despite higher ticket prices, last week's paid attendance of 236,245 tops recent years' numbers.

House records were set at the Gershwin, with "Wicked" ($1,311,651), and at Circle in the Square by "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" ($473,259). Other sellouts included "The Lion King" ($1,215,288), "Monty Python's Spamalot" ($1,001,074) and "The Phantom Of The Opera" ($812,364). "Mamma Mia!" ($968,964), "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" ($833,030) and "Hairspray" ($780,882) were only 2% or less away from going completely clean. Since most of those tuners are playing Broadway's biggest houses, it's no secret why biz is booming.

At the bottom of the chart, of course, it's a different story. "Jackie Mason" ($93,936) and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" ($172,621) edged downward, losing four figures each. Both shows played to just under 50% capacity.

There were also marginal downticks for "The Light in the Piazza" ($544,879), "All Shook Up" ($469,715), "Avenue Q" ($461,808), "Lennon" ($329,759) and "Doubt" ($512,621). In the last five weeks, John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt" has gone from sold out to 85.3%.

'Pillowman' fluffs up

"The Pillowman" ($313,329), up $16,886, appears to have reversed a downward trajectory of recent weeks. Another direct-mail campaign went out last month, pushing capacity to 81.9%.

For the second week in a row, the one-person "Primo" ($422,688), playing to 83% capacity, had the week's biggest increase, up $58,882.

Smaller gains boosted "Chicago" ($512,140); "Sweet Charity" ($508,991); "Movin' Out" ($477,764); "Fiddler on the Roof" ($439,524); "The Constant Wife" ($279,634); "Rent" ($445,088); and "Glengarry Glen Ross" ($422,701), which recouped last week.

In its final week, "Steel Magnolias" ($190,505) gained $21,833.

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

So, here's the scoop on Play-by-Play, from an e-mail they sent me today:

Here's all the info. To join, just call us at 212-868-7052.

Play by Play is a seat-filling organization that helps theatres and other venues have a fuller house for specific performances that they would like better-attended. Often we get shows during previews, at the end of runs and mid-run whenever the show needs a few seats filled. It does not mean a show is doing poorly, simply that it needs a fuller house for that performance. So obviously, we don't get shows that are always near capacity with sold seats.

Our mainstay is Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows, but our Broadway offerings in the past few months has included (in approximate reverse order of when we've had them last): Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Blonde in the Thunderbird, After the Night and the Music, On Golden Pond, Mark Twain Tonight, All Shook Up, The Light in the Piazza, Doubt, Little Women, The Glass Menagerie, and Movin' Out. We get about 70% of Off and Off-Off Broadway shows, so the list is too long to begin to type up here.

Show times offered to us are sometimes day of show and sometimes one to six days out, but seldom for further out than that. Box offices hold out hope until a few days before the performance that they will be able to sell tickets. Only when they are close to show date do they call us. The seats they offer us may be the worst or the best in the house; we never know in advance. And as a guest of the theatre, you can never ask for special seating consideration.

Most importantly, because it is our part of the bargain to fill the seats, you must contact us immediately if you will not be attending a show you have reserved. Failure to do so could result in revocation of your membership. You are allowed three cancellations per year, so use them sparingly.

I hope this is helpful. As well, I have included the Terms and Conditions of Membership if you want all the details. You would still have to call us in order to join. Our number is 212-868-7052.

Thank you for your interest in Play by Play.

I'm going to give them a call!

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

Check out this alumni list from the Professional Children's School. It's like a theater Who's Who from the last 100 years...from Ruby Keeler to Sarah Jessica Parker. Wow!

I wonder what kind of student Donald O'Connor was...seriously...

Charlotte d'Amboise
Marvin Hamlisch
Yo-Yo Ma
Buddy Rich
Beverly Sills
Milton Berle
Joan Blondell
Irene Cara
Phoebe Cates
Miles Chapin
Sandra Dee
Carrie Fisher
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Elliot Gould
Scarlett Johansson
Brad Kane
Carol Kane
Ruby Keeler
Jane Krakowski
Ricki Lake
Lorna Luft
Sidney Lumet
Donald O'Connor
Sarah Jessica Parker
Martha Plimpton
Christina Ricci
Rosemarie
Christian Slater
Julia Stiles
Susan Strasberg
Uma Thurman
Leslie Uggams
Dick Van Patten
Christopher Walken
Nancy Walker
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Leslie Ann Warren
Tuesday Weld

Technorati tags: Broadway Music Movie Musicals Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment