A friend of mine is a Christmas song plugger and he's related some negative trends in the Christmas song business. This resistance to new material is unfortunate, since the "Christmas-only" programming that is done on some stations is pretty abysmal, as it seems they seem to have a total of 5 songs in rotation! Honestly, if I hear wham!'s "Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart", I'll kill myself!

Here's a quote from my friend:

Placing Christmas material is extremely difficult. First of all, record labels prefer public domain covers so they don't have to pay royalties on those tunes. Secondly, it's almost a given than at least half or more of the album be recognizable "standards." Thirdly, if the artist or group writes, they'll fill up most if not all of the remaining slots. "Outside" material comes in a distant fourth. Too bad. It seems the Christmas business came to a halt after the '60s. And no, I don't like that "Christmas Shoes" song! Why does it seem like so many of the new songs that do get recorded are bummer songs? Why isn't anybody writing about having a Holly Jolly Christmas any more?

Also, as more and more labels merge, contacts I've schmoozed for 10-15 years are fired or retired. Sync fees are dropping like rocks. Five years ago, I used to get $3,500 to $6,000 for a TV sync license. Last year the same studio offered $700. A week later, ESPN offered $150 total! A week after than, a soap opera told me "there is no sync fee, just your ASCAP or BMI. Take it or leave it." I was recently told by one of the major players in the premium market, "Because of free internet download sites like Napster, the public no longer sees the value in getting a CD with a product purchase since they can now download files all day long for free.

Christmas is a tough busineess!

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

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, Hollie Howard played Holly Banks in Plane Crazy this past September at NYMF 2005.

I've mentioned her Audition Intensive Master Class before (see this original post and this follow-up post) but it's cool to see it on Playbill. Nice press Hollie!

According to this article in Playbill:

Shayna Steele and Hollie Howard, whose have both been seen on Broadway in Hairspray, have joined forces to offer a five-week Audition Intensive Master Class.

The classes, which are scheduled to begin Jan. 23 and 24, 2006, will continue for five consecutive weeks. The course, according to press notes, will focus on "song interpretation and break-down, audition skills and performance, and the secrets to making it in show business."

Each class will be four hours in length with a maximum of 12 students per class. Broadway artists will make guest appearances to discuss their start in the business.

In a statement actress Howard said, "Shayna and I have six Broadway credits between the two of us, and our goal is to pass on the information that we've taken in over the past ten years to the actor/actress that is just getting started." Steele added, "We keep the class so small because we want everyone to have a chance to work on one to two songs per class."

Shayna Steele has been seen on Broadway in Hairspray, Rent and Jesus Christ Superstar. Hollie Howard's Broadway credits include Hairspray, Mamma Mia! and Annie Get Your Gun.

Tuition for the course is $325. For more information call (212) 591-0900 or e-mail THEAUDITIONCLASS@aol.com.

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

Good news for all of you who can't do the splits!

In the old days, "triple threat" meant a performer could sing, dance and act.

Well, given all the buzz surrounding the newly staged Sweeney Todd which originated in London and is now tearing up the Broadway stage, it appears that "triple threat" now means sing, act...and play a musical instrument!

Of course, as I proudly hold the title of "the world's most inflexible dancer", this would have been very good news to me in my younger piano and trumpet-playing days (of course, there was always that acting thing...).

An article in the Sunday December 18, 2005 New York Times ("And By The Way, They Act a Bit, Too" by Anthony Tommasini) talks about the amazing performers who sing, act and play musical instruments while they are acting in the latest production of Sweeney Todd, under the musical direction of Sarah Travis.

Other shows, such as Jersey Boys, also have incredibly talented singers and actors playing instruments, albeit not through the entire score. Is this the new trend on Broadway? Should I get my stews playing kazoos?

In an article in the December 19, 2005 issue of New York magazine ("Theater/The Short List" by Jeremy Mccarter and Boris Kachka) the performer chosen as the "Best Triple Threat (Old Definition)" is Sherie Rene Scott "who showed in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels that she's a sparkling actor, singer, and dancer." The performer chosen as the "Best Triple Threat (New Definition)" is Mandel Feliciano, "who as Tobias in Sweeney Todd showed he can act, sing, and play an array of musical instruments -- sometimes simultaneously."

I've always wondered whether or not you could get really famous as a triple threat. Do you dilute your effort by doing more than one thing really well? Would Barbara Streisand or Frank Sinatra have become icons if they were also diva dancers?

Can you really be extraordinary in three areas or just really good? Some actors tend to play down their other talents to get ahead in films. For example, who knew Catherine Zeta Jones could sing and dance? Who knew Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio could sing?

Now, Gwen Verdun did get famous as a triple threat. She could really dance and act, but she made her "character" voice work overtime for her because she was such a great actress and dancer. Maybe there isn't a definitive answer. Maybe I spend too much time thinking about these thing!

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Broadway Hits All-Time Box Office and Attendance Highs in 2005.

And I like to think I helped a bit by seeing Jersey Boys twice!

According to this article in Playbill:

The calendar year 2005 was the highest grossing in the history of Broadway, the League of American Theatres and Producers announced on Dec. 28.

According to the trade organization -- which has been proclaiming record-grossing weeks since the early summer -- Broadway took in a record-breaking $825 million, a jump of 10.2 percent over the 2004 total of $749 million.

In another landmark, paid attendance for Broadway in 2005 reached 11.98 million, the highest such number in 20 years, and a 5.7 percent increase from 11.33 million in 2004. Theatre seats were 80.4 percent filled, the League also reported, calling the figure the highest level since 1997.

Thirty-nine shows opened in the 2004 season. Playing weeks numbered 1,517, the highest in the past decade.

Among the factors assisting these numbers were the extraordinary circumstance of four new popular musicals opening last season -- Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Light in the Piazza -- as well as such steady performers as The Lion King, Wicked and Hairspray. Plays also thrived, with Doubt, Twelve Angry Men and The Pillowman proving popular. (Plays alone brought in a record-breaking $136,245,789 and 2.11 million in paid attendance in 2005.) Doing their part as well were sold-out phenomena such as Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, the Denzel Washington Julius Caesar, and the Nathan Lane-Matthew Broderick The Odd Couple.

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

I saw the movie musical The Producers the other day and loved it! In fact, I DEVOURED it!

First off, let me say "shame on Famous Players". They put it in the smallest theater they had at the craplicious Varsity Theaters in the Manulife Center. They decided that the movie didn't rate distribution at Yorkdale or Yonge and Eglinton or any of their other mainline theaters...sheesh! We ended up sitting in the front row, which is a bit close for my taste but still enjoyable.

Congrats to Susan Stroman who did a great job. It was shot like an old-fashioned MGM/Gene Kelly movie, and was not ashamed to show full frame/full body dance numbers.

I really enjoyed how she opened up the numbers and utilized the New York city setting. For example, "We Can Do It" moved from Max's office, into a cab, in front of Sardi's and finally into the fountain in Central Park. It was great to finally see Matthew and Nathan together. You get an idea of what the energy must have been like to see them live on stage every night. They were awesome!

Roger Bart (my personal fav!) and Gary Beach were FAB - U - LOUS as Carmen Ghia and Roger De Bris. And Will Ferrell did a great job as Franz Liebkind (Accroding to my eldest daughter, "he rocked my socks off"). Brad Oscar (the original Franz on Broadway) had a small cameo as the cab driver.

In fact I recognized a few Broadway names in the rolling credits, such as Eric Gunhus and John Tracy Eagan and Debra Monk. And wasn't that Karen Ziemba in the opening number? Wasn't that Richard Kind in the courtroom who proclaims Max "unbelievably guilty"? And wasn't that Andrea "look closely or you'll miss her" Martin as one of the little old ladies? And it was nice to see that Kathy Fitzgerald got to reprise her role as Shirley Markowitz

My only complaint is Uma Thurman as Ulla. Her Swedish accent was so incredibly inconsistent it was irritating. And her voice was just not up to the task. One of my favorite moments in the original soundtrack was when Cady Huffman says "now Ulla belt" and then lets it rip. Unfortunately, Uma's voice is flat and thin, and her dancing is labored. But she is definitely a tall gorgeous blond with nice legs, so maybe no one will notice.

I miss the songs that have been cut ("The King of Broadway" and "Where Did We Go Right"), but they don't ruin the movie, I just really liked those songs.

There are some very funny new bits of dialogue and business as well so it seems fresh even if you have seen the show a few times.

Oh, and stay right to the end of the credits -- Will Ferrell sings a very funny slow version of the "Hop Klop", in addition to other bonus goodies...

I can't wait for the DVD!

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

Since I've been following the progress of The Drowsy Chaperone, I thought it would be okay to mention the latest news on said show. Apparently there isn't an empty theater available for Drowsy. Real estate issues are not new to developing shows. Apparently Never Gonna Dance had trouble getting a theater on its desired timeline, and ended up taking a theater prematurely (the only time available) and having to forgoe its pre-Broadway run (which might have resulted in changes...), and with disastrous consequences for the show.

Fingers crossed for Drowsy!

According to this article in Playbill:

The Drowsy Chaperone, the new musical comedy that was greeted with laughter, applause and encouraging reviews in its U.S. debut in Los Angeles, ends it scheduled pre-Broadway run there Dec. 24.

What's next for the comic show about a maven of musicals who sits down in a chair and tells the audience the hilarious tale of his favorite 1920s musical?

Following the Nov. 10 to Dec. 24 run at the Ahmanson, during which director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw made some tweaks to the show, producers are working on plans to bring it Broadway -- but it's not clear how soon that can happen. All Broadway theatres (the ones appropriate for the show, anyway) are spoken for at the moment.

The show's commercial producers are Roy Miller, Kevin McCollum and Bob Boyett.

A daffy, spoofy comic musical would add unique zest to a 2005-06 Broadway season that has so far brought the new musicals Jersey Boys (a pop bio show that audiences are wild for), The Color Purple (the musical social tapestry drawn from Alice Walker's novel), Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (the bio revue starring the Broadway legend). The season still promises Elton John and Bernie Taupin's Lestat (the Anne Rice vampire romance now in a tryout run in San Francisco), Ring of Fire (the new musical featuring songs of Johnny Cash), Tarzan (the Disney musical), and The Wedding Singer (the musical comedy based on the film of the same name). Translation: With its flappers, salty commentary about musical fans, backstage intrigue and broad jokes, there is nothing in the current season quite like The Drowsy Chaperone.

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

Jerry Herman wrote "We need a little Christmas, right this very minute!".

Every year that seems to get truer and truer. By the time the end of November rolls around, my need for the holidays is at a breaking point. It seems that as the years get busier and crazier (2005 was a doozy!), it's more and more important to hibernate and chill with family and friends, to slow down the pace and just enjoy each other's company.

Of course, an excuse to watch the two greatest movie musicals of all time -- White Christmas and Holiday Inn -- is also in order. And watching some of the greatest TV musicals (Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, The Little Drummer Boy, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas -- the animated original, NOT Jim Carrey's abomination) is definitely a key part of the celebrations.

I grew up watching Rudolph and that is one great musical. Rankin and Bass created an incredibly enduring piece of popular entertainment. As a musical theater writer, it is reassuring to know that people still think it is acceptable for a reindeer to burst out into song for no reason! I was watching the DVD of Rudolph on Christmas Eve and in the special features they talk about how the show made its debut in 1964 with Herme and Rudolph singing "We're A Couple of Misfits" and then it was re-issued in 1965 with the two of them singing "Fame and Fortune". I seem to remember watching both versions over the years. Oh well, either way it is a wonderful musical!

So pop some popcorn, settle down with a classic holiday musical and enjoy the holiday season with family and friends! And if you've been really good all year long, there might even be some Jersey Boys in your stocking on Christmas morning!

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

Oh! You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He's making a list
Checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

Oh! You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!

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

From this post on Boing Boing:

Fasten your seatbelts, mouseketeers: time for an atomic spaceship ride to Babeland. Octavio "Winkytiki" Arizala's retro pinup photography is the subject of the forthcoming book Modern Vixens.

Snip from an editorial review: "[T]his is dirty/beautiful at its very best, kitschy Hawaiian sets, vintage decor and everything from Barbarella to '50s Housewife imagined in bright, wicked colours. Winkytiki's images are serene, spectacular, dripping with ultra-Kodachrome saturations and demure smiles."

Click on this link to go directly to the Winky Tiki Photography site.

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From this post on Boing Boing:

Humuhumu says: "Hiya -- you guys mentioned my tiki bar directory, Critiki, last January (thank you very much!). Since your mention of Critiki almost a year ago, I've made some major additions to the site, including the incorporation of Google Maps to plot out the location of tiki bars on one handy map (it's fun to check out the satellite view of tiki bars in the Middle East!), a MASSIVE expansion of photos, and I've integrated it with my new tiki mug collecting website, Ooga-Mooga.com, so one can learn which mugs were used at each tiki bar over the years."

Click on this link to go directly to the Critiki site.

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

I've always wanted to go to Michael Feinstein's elegant cabaret room at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue) in New York. So I'm putting this on my 2006 New Year's Resolution list.

From the Web site:

This classic nightclub for a new generation is set in an intimate, elegant and comfortable room that seats 140 guests per show. Smaller café-style tables and chairs replace the restaurant's traditional furniture, and the room has been equipped with a state-of-the-art audio system, and special lighting, including theatrical gel lights.

Now it is pricey, since after the cover charge and minimum, you'll probably lay out $100-$125, but it sounds so darned classy who could resist! I can totally picture Nick and Nora flitting in for a quick drink. I mean take a look at just some of the performers they had this fall:

Kitty Carlisle Hart: "By Popular Demand"
Carol Channing: "The First 80 Years Are The Hardest"
Michelle Lee: "Catch The Light"
Kathryn Crosby: "Kathryn Crosby Remembers Bing"
Rip Crystal: "When Jazz Was Pop"
Rebecca Lukor: I saw her in The Music Man and she was terrific. She is doing an evening of songs written by women, which is a very refreshing idea! Beth Blatt, the lyricist of The Mistress Cycle (see my previous post) has a couple of songs on the list. Tres cool!

And of course, Michael Feinstein does his "Holiday Romance" show, and plays New Year's Eve. Ah, I can see the champagne bubbles already.

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

Wow...I LOVE THIS...Playbill strikes out against Hollywood reviewers who are hammering The Producers.

Catch this bit o' magic:

But many others confirmed what theatregoers have long suspected about film critics as a breed: that they are inveterate snobs who still cling to the quaint, early-1970s notion that their art form is superior to all others and regard the theatre with undisguised contempt.

Keep swinging guys!

Here's the full quote from this article in Playbill:

Finally, the film version of The Producers didn't fare any better with critics than did the movie of Rent. Early notices in Variety and AP leaned toward the positive, but on Dec. 16, when the flick was released in selected cities, the frowning appraisals piled up, with most reviewers laying blame at the feet of director Susan Stroman, whose direction was deemed static and stage-bound. Some scribes went out of their way to be cruel. The New York Post's Kyle Smith, the David Spade of movie critics, wrote his pan in verse, to the tune of "Comedy Tonight."

But many others confirmed what theatregoers have long suspected about film critics as a breed: that they are inveterate snobs who still cling to the quaint, early-1970s notion that their art form is superior to all others and regard the theatre with undisguised contempt. New York Times critic A.O. Scott, in fact, made his opinion of the musical theatre clear in no uncertain terms (while inadvertently revealing that he very probably has not been to a stage musical in many, many years). "Once upon a time," he wrote, "musical theatre was the class of American pop culture, a source of democratic delight and artistic ingenuity. Now, many big musicals represent the lowest common denominator: theme park attractions for tourists."

"Theme park attractions for tourists"? The accusation would have held water in the '80s, when Lloyd Webber et al ruled Broadway. But not in a year when audiences can pick from such sophisticated properties as The Light in the Piazza, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Avenue Q, Hairspray and, yes, The Producers.

As far as "lowest common denominator" goes -- surely he doesn't mean lower than the average Hollywood movie. But, wait! He does! His next line is "The movie audience, I suspect, is more discriminating." Now, this is the same audience that, in 2005, made number one box-office hits out of "Monster-in-Law," "Meet the Fockers," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," right? The crowd that right now, as we speak, is lining up for the third celluloid version of a story about a big gorilla that climbs a skyscraper and swats planes?

Yeah, that group is far too discrimating to waste its time on The Producers.

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Patti Lupone has such a great Web site!

Not only does she have the ususal bio, links, discography etc., but she has "Ramblings from the Road" which is a hilarious traveling blog, and she also has "ask Patti/Patti Answers".

You can send her an e-mail and she always responds with an answer, and really quickly! Just send your questions to patti@pattilupone.net.

Recently I asked her about Sweeney Todd and how she warmed up for playing the tuba every night. Her response -- "Dear Suzy, I play a scale and hope for the best"!

She also has a auction site where you can bid on her theatrical memorabilia, like Evita posters etc.

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I've always been amazed at the really great talent they get at Casino Rama, the big gambling playground in Orillia, north of Toronto.

As I was checking out the talent line up for 2006 (I've never gone to a concert there, but vow to do so in 2006!) I noticed that Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons are playing in March! The original Jersey boy! (I promise this is the last post about Jersey Boys...).

Okay so now I have to go. So it got me thinking, I wonder if there is a market for musical theater at Casino Rama, the way it is developing in Vegas with Mamma Mia, Hairspray, and Avenue Q?

Then I remembered that a friend of mine is currently in discussion with Casino Rama to do a shortened sung through "rock" version of his musical there. Is this the beginning of a bigger trend? Is the only way to develop a musical theater audience in Toronto by tempting them with gambling? Hey whatever it takes! The ticket prices at Casino Rama are usually reasonable (in the range of $35-$40) and the audiences are kind of already there.

Now I don't know what the cost structure for putting on a show there is, and since I've never seen a show there I don't know what the set-up is like, but I plan to find out in March. At the very least it could be a neat way to bring back the cabarets of the '70s!

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Congrats to Richard Ouzounian! Sounds like an interesting project, especially with Vegas director Franco Dragone who has built his reputation on spectacles like Cirque de Soleil.

I've always wondered if it is hard to switch hats from critic to creator. I know that when I was leading NSAI workshops in Toronto and critiquing songs that I found it hard to take off my editor hat. I was always pre-editing my stuff and found it a bit stifling. Or course this isn't the first time Ouzounian has written lyrics for a show, so I'm sure he has it figured out. Although it will be hard to top those classic Carmen lyrics:

"Toreador, don't spit on the floor
Use the cuspador that's what it's for!"

According to this article in The Toronto Star:

The Star's theatre critic Richard Ouzounian is getting ready for love, betrayal, death, bullfights and lots of cigars. He will be writing the lyrics for the upcoming Broadway musical, Carmen.

Based on Prosper Merimee's original 1845 novella, which also inspired Bizet's famed opera, the show will be directed by Franco Dragone of Cirque de Soleil/Celine Dion/Las Vegas fame.

Dutch composer John Ewbank has written the flamenco-heavy music and Sarah Miles the book for the show, which is to be workshopped this June.

The team behind the show is looking at 2006/07 season opening.

Ouzounian, who has written several works for the stage, Larry's Party and a Dracula musical among them, says, "Am I nervous about bringing a show in front of the Broadway reviewers? Absolutely. I know them well enough to be well aware that they're not going to cut me any slack because I'm one of the critical fraternity.

"In fact, it'll probably be just the opposite."

But he's excited, nonetheless.

"I've been such a tremendous admirer of Franco Dragone's work on shows like O, Le Reve and Mystere, that the opportunity to work with him was too good to pass up.

"I feel honoured and delighted to have been chosen to join this project."

Dragone, for his part, recently told the Las Vegas Sun, "They wanted that I bring them something from Las Vegas, some kind of spectacular thing. I think because, in New York, all the shows look alike.

"They all take the same approach -- there is a kind of envy in New York for Vegas."

Carmen isn't the only musical Ouzounian is working on. Dracula: Entre l'Amour et la mort, his second kick at the Dracula can, will premiere in Montreal in the new year, starring Bruno Pelletier.

This time around, the blood-sucking takes place in a war-torn future, where Jonathan Harker is a journalist and Renfield is a photographer.

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Every year since my oldest daughter has been in JK I've always done a Christmas song for her class. I take a standard holiday song and rewrite the lyrics, personalizing them for things the class has studied since September.

When my younger daughter started school I began doing them for her class as well.

Well, my oldest daughter is in grade 6 this year, and I never dreamed she'd still want me write a song for her class! I always figured by this time she'd be embarrassed by her mother's songs (and her mother in general!). But no! Both girls desperately wanted me to do another round. So here are this year's versions:

GRADE SIX SONG

Hey Mrs. Stephens/Mrs. Leathley
(sung to the tune of "Frosty The Snowman")

Hey, Mrs. Stephens
You inspired the 6S class
Now they do their best
On a grammar test
And they always use BEDMAS

Hey, Mrs. Leathley
All the space cadets agree
That dissecting squid
Was the thing they did
To explore diversity

When the class saw Annie Warbucks
Myrna made them smile
And at the Science Centre they solved
Mysteries of the Nile

Stephens and Leathley
Like to teach The Golden Rule
And the girls all say
There's no better way
To prepare for middle school!

...and...

GRADE THREE SONG

Mrs. Henderson
(sung to the tune of "Up On The Housetop")

Everyone loves Mrs. Henderson
She's so nice and she's so fun
Teaching the girls how to map and graph
One little sneeze and they all laugh

YPT, Bunnies get fed
Celery, stalks turning red
Cursive and plants and growing beans
Our Mrs. H is a classroom queen!

Hey, it's not Sondheim, but the kids seem to like it!

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"I love to cry at closings..."

Well, I've been following this one from the beginning. Now, Sweet Charity is finally closing and I'm sad. I've seen it twice (both times with Christina Applegate and Denis O'Hare) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Christina's ankle may be frail but her spirit is strong! Considering for a while nobody thought it would even open on Broadway, I think the cast deserves a round of applause, or as Charity Hope Valentine herself would say to celebrate, "up yours!".

According to http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96819.html in Playbill:

Sweet Charity, the musical revival that has offered Broadway a year's worth of drama both backstage and on, will hit the streets Dec. 31. It will have played 279 performances and 25 previews.

Christina Applegate, who fought off injury and out-of-town closure to realize her dream of playing Charity Hope Valentine on Broadway, will have played almost all of those performances.

The show is exploring the possibility of launching a national tour.

The Hirschfeld Theatre won't stay empty for long. According to Playbill, The Wedding Singer starts previews there on March 30, 2006.

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Last night we did our first Plane Crazy read-through with the cast at Sheridan. What fun!

We're going with a cast of 20 (10 women and 10 men), four more than we had at NYMF. The director, Marc Richard, took everyone through the plan for the set -- they had even built one of those little boxes mocked up to look like the stage, complete with teensy weensy set pieces. Very cool!

This is the last rehearsal until January, but I'm already at work on "new pages". One of the ensemble is Matt Selby, a second year student at Sheridan. Coincidentally, Matt worked as a production intern with us on the original workshop in Toronto at The Poor Alex back in 2004!

Our stage manager is Sheridan student Courtney Cook. She's great. So organized, efficient and enthusiastic. Boy, I could sure use a stage manager in my daily life!

Which got me thinking that putting on a musical is kind of like a marriage. The director, who has the overall vision and direction of the piece, and the musical director, who makes it sing, are like the wife and husband. Depending on the marriage, either the women or the man is the director, or maybe the roles switch constantly. The cast are like the children who need to obey the director and musical director (sometimes) but who have to develop on their own to be truly successful. And every show needs a stage manager to keep the thing from falling into complete chaos.

Every marriage should have a stage manager too. Especially if you have a large "cast"!

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Although I was initially disappointed at the choice of Will Ferrell instead of Brad Oscar, and Uma Thurman instead Cady Huffman, I can't wait to see the movie! I love Will Ferrell (I just watched Elf again) so he may just pull it off. After all he is nominated for a Golden Globe. And it will be nice to see Roger Bart again. I miss him since he's been killed off on Desperate Housewives.

Ouch -- Rent didn't receive any nominations...

According to this article in Playbill:

"The Producers" -- the new movie musical based on the Tony-winning Mel Brooks Broadway show of the same name -- earned four nominations, including one for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy. The picture will vie for that prize in a field that also includes "Mrs. Henderson Presents," "Pride & Prejudice," "The Squid and the Whale" and "Walk the Line." The Susan Stroman-directed film also scored nods for Nathan Lane (Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy) and Will Ferrell (Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture). A new song penned for the film by composer-lyricist Brooks -- "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway" -- was nominated for Best Original Song-Motion Picture.

The other much-talked-about movie musical of the season -- the Chris Columbus-directed film of Jonathan Larson's "Rent" -- earned no Golden Globe nominations.

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Congrats to [title of show]. I've been a fan of this show since I saw it at NYMF 04, and then again this year at Ars Nova. So I wasn't really surprised to learn it will be part of the Vineyard Theatre's 2005/2006 season.

According to this article in Playbill:

The Vineyard Theatre has announced it will add the musical [title of show] to its 2005-2006 season lineup for a February berth Off-Broadway.

Previously seen at the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), the uniquely titled musical will reunite the original cast and creative team for the Vineyard run.

[title of show] -- which follows two young writers (Jeff and Hunter) as they "race to write and submit a show to the theatre festival" weeks before the deadline -- was born out of just that: Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell's race to complete an entry for the aforementioned festival. The musical also includes two of the scribe's friends who were enlisted for this journey. Bowen and Bell star with Susan Blackwell and Heidi Blickenstaff.

The original creative team also returns with Tony Award nominee Michael Berresse (The Light in the Piazza, Kiss Me Kate) as the director-choreographer and Larry Pressgrove (Cats, Children's Letters To God) who provides musical arrangements and direction.

"There's a lot of self-referential stuff out there," Berresse previously told Playbill.com (Sept. 2004) about the musical, "and I think that is born from that desire for creative people to find a more organic and less compromised outlet for their work. It's hard, especially for new writers in this industry, to feel like they can really follow their hearts and not have to cater and pander. That's why a lot of the really interesting stuff is born in small venues."

He continued, "What was so unique about the structure of this piece is that it has that silly irreverence and a lot of very funny inside stuff, but at heart I'm a very serious person and I really, really love this art form -- and it's very obvious these guys feel the same way. They're very serious people who really adore it. It's not about making fun of the art form at all. It's about trying to remember what it is that makes it so unique, so special and so affecting."

The Vineyard season opened with the world premiere Kirsten Childs musical Miracle Brothers directed by Tina Landau. Following [title of show], the previously announced world premiere production of Between Seconds, written and performed by screen actress Mary Pat Gleason under the direction of Lonny Price, will play in May.

Tickets for [title of show] at the Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15 St. can be reserved by calling (212) 353-0303 or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org.

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

Okay, this sounds really interesting. A "jukebox" musical of sorts, using songs of a musical theater writer from shows already in existence. Say what?

I mean I might have expected a musical theater writer to put together some kind of book musical with all trunk songs to expose them to the public, or a revue with established songs (like Kander and Ebb's The World Goes Round) but using established songs for a new book musical is a whole different angle. And it's not telling the writer's life story, as in A Class Act. Cool! I'd love to see this one.

According to this article in Playbill:

Snapshots, a new book musical using the songs of composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz, gets a world premiere run starting Dec. 9 as part of the Village Originals series at Village Theatre in suburban Seattle.

New scenes and recent Schwartz songs (including a Wicked trunk song) are part of the experience at Village Theatre's First Stage. Because of its developmental nature, the production is not open to reviewers. Performances continue to Dec. 23.

Snapshots features some of Schwartz's best-loved songs and the debut of new ones written just for this production, according to production notes. This is billed as "the first-ever full production of this new version" of the show, which borrows numbers from Schwartz's songbook to create a new book musical.

"Snapshots depicts a moment of crisis in the life of a suburban couple," according to notes. "Just as Sue is preparing to leave her husband, she stumbles upon a box of old photos-snapshots-chronicling their 30-year relationship. Sue and Dan re-examine their life together through the photographs, which come to life, allowing them to relive many moments of their life together. Six actors play the two characters at various stages of life and love, from burgeoning teenagers to upwardly-mobile twenty-somethings to their current empty nest mid-life crisis. Snapshots captures human relationships, in all their complicated, imperfect beauty."

Expect favorite Schwartz songs -- "Corner of the Sky," "All Good Gifts" and "Popular" -- in new contexts, "sometimes with new lyrics."

Audiences will also be treated to a never-before heard song that was cut from the Broadway sensation Wicked, called "Making Good."

Schwartz has also written several new songs especially for this production, including the title number.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Randy Brenner, director of Snapshots, in production notes. "It's not a typical revue, and it's not a typical book musical. It is a hybrid musical unlike anything that's been done before, a compilation of Schwartz's songs that, with a distinct book and dialogue, tells a story about two very real characters."

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Well, their free introductory class (see my previous post) was so successful that these two Broadway pros are launching a five week intensive audition course, for beginners and for performers who have been around a while and want to sharpen their skill set:

A five-week, intensive course -- Secrets to Breaking down the song, breaking into show business and selling the product: YOU!"

The classes will be lead by Hollie Howard (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!, Annie Get Your Gun) and Shayna Steele (Hairspray, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent) and you will have the opportunity to work every class.

The Monday class runs January 23, 30, February 6, 13, and 20.

The Tuesday class runs January 24, 31, February 7, 14, and 21

All classes are 7:00pm to 11:--pm. Space is limited so call now to reserve your spot! Call 212-591-0900.

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Last night I went to a ScriptLab Sing and Tell, hosted by Jim Betts, at the Equity Theater.

It's been a while since I've been to one of these (I've been out of town a lot) and I'd forgotten how much fun they are! This time I brought the whole family! The featured writer this time was Brock Simpson, a very talented writer who had a show at The Fringe this year (Lust Labours Lost).

He played selections from another show of his called This Could Be Love that had a couple of productions, one at The Poor Alex, a couple of years back. What a great show -- the idea is that two "unlucky at love" people meet and decide to make themselves fall in love. And wonderful songs. Here's hoping that it lives again! This is a show that needs to be optioned...now!

We talked a lot about the state of the musical theater biz in Toronto (not healthy) and kicked around some ideas.

We wondered why the cabaret/revue culture, so strong in the 1970s at places like The Dell and The Teller's Cage, had basically disappeared in Toronto.

Is it the lack of real producers in Toronto? Lack of money? Lack of producers that can raise money? Lack of interest on the part of the audience?

A few people did songs from musicals -- the sorry state of musical theater in Toronto certainly isn't due to lack of talent! I presented a new song from Plane Crazy called "Wasn't That Me", wonderfully sung by my daughter Myrna (I always knew having kids would come in handy!).

Here's to the future of musicals in Toronto!

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Every year as part of their Musical Theatre Performance Program, Sheridan College ("Theatre Sheridan") mounts "Bold Strokes".

"Bold Strokes" is devoted to producing new Canadian musicals. They produce both works written by Canadians outside of Sheridan as well as new musicals written by Sheridan students.

I am thrilled to announce that Plane Crazy will be the new musical workshopped at Sheridan College in February 2006.

This is a super opportunity for me to see the changes I've made to the script since the New York Musical Theatre Festival, up on stage! And the students get to experience working on a new piece, which means learning to adapt to ongoing changes, as well as "creating" a character on their own.

We did the third year auditions on Monday (1pm to 9pm!) and the second year auditions today. It's so much fun to be behind the table again, and these students are so enthusiastic, so fresh and so dedicated!

The workshop will be directed by Marc Richard and the musical director is Chris Mounteer. They have already started on set design and are already painting pieces of the set! Rehearsals start in January, and the workshop will run February 16 to 25, 2006.

More info on how to get tickets soon!

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Well, I think that by now that everyone knows how much I LOOOOVE modernist architecture, and here's some very juicy stuff...

According to this post in Boing Boing:

Kane's blog is a regularly updated gallery of mod design in architecture, cinema, furniture, print, etc. Shown here: the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Gosh, this stuff is so incredibly beautiful. One of the commentors calls it "retro-futuristic", a '70s version of the future. And what a wonderful future it was...

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

Okay, okay, I admit it. I saw Jersey Boys again. Actually I took my husband this time so I have an excuse. We got the last two tickets for Thursday night, Row X, right in front of the mixing board. The sound was excellent, including the clarity of the the two gentlemen sitting next to me who insisted on talking through the entire show -- when did talking in the theater become OK?

These were "limited view" seats, which means a bit of the top of the stage (and projections) are cut off. Actually, you don't miss much at all, and you save about $30 a ticket. Did I mention how much I enjoyed this show? My husband loved it too, as did the audience. I happened upon a review in the November 21 issue of New York Magazine ("Raucus in Secauscus" by Jeremy Mccarter) which basically echoes my enthusiastic observations:

"Jersey boys may aim only to be a shallow, big-budget, crowd-pleasing jukebox musical, but it's a model of the genre. Admire first the deftness of the storytelling by librettists Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice...

...The real source of the show's power -- obvious as it sounds -- is the songs. McAnuff shows a rare, laudable willingness to stick his finger in the electrical socket of pop music, to take full advantage of the band's potent catalogue.

You won't get the next Carousel by thinking that way, but it does make for an amusing night at the theater."

Interestingly, Rick Elice, who co-wrote the book, is from the world of theater advertising. From his bio in the Playbill:

From 1982-2000, as creative director at Serino Coyne Inc., he produced ad campaigns for some 300 Broadway shows, from A Chorus Line to The Lion King. Since 2000 he has served as creative consultant for the Walt Disney Studio.

One other interesting note in the Playbill, under Bob Crewe's bio (he wrote the lyrics to the Four Seasons hits) is:

"When lead Frankie Valli demanded a solo turn, Crewe and Bob Gaudio wrote (and Crewe produced) "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You", which eventually became the century's fifth most-played song."

However, in the show, Frankie Vallie is portrayed as a much more reluctant front man, whom Gaudio pushes (in a good way) to take the lead and writes that song for him so he can do just that. Interesting.

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

I haven't seen the show because... because... because... gosh darn it, I don't really know why not, but everyone I know who has seen it says it is...odd...I hear things like "not the worst ever, but not very good" and "just weird". However, the cast is supposed to be excellent, and I always feel for the actors when a show closes.

According to this article in Playbill:

The new Broadway musical In My Life -- featuring a score, book and direction by Joe Brooks -- will play its final performance at the Music Box Theatre Dec. 11.

In My Life began previews Sept. 30 and officially opened Oct. 20. When it closes the musical will have played 23 previews and 61 regular performances.

The show became a much-commented-upon oddity among theatre professionals, who wondered at such eccentric aspects of the production as an androgynous angel-like character named Winston who plots "God's reality opera" and dances with skeletons; a sweet-singing songwriter who violently barks rhymes as a symptom of Tourette Syndrome; a band of pirates who wander into the action; a baseball-wearing God who sings jingles about Dr. Pepper and Volkswagen; and the late arrival of a gigantic lemon.

I guess you could say it ran out of juice!

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While wandering the streets of New York City I bumped into Noel Carmichael, the very talented Assistant Director on Plane Crazy at NYMF this past September!

I hadn't seen Noel since the show closed so it was fun to catch up. She happens to be involved in a very cool project right now. She is Assistant Director on the production of It's A Wonderful Life with book/lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Joe Raposo.

Apparently, this was written some time ago but has never had a New York production because of a rights issue. They seemed to have solved the rights issue since this is a benefit. She is really enjoying working with such a star-studded cast and creative team.

It's for a good cause so if you're in town buy tickets!

For tickets, priced $75-$1,000, call (212) 221-7300, ext. 133. Visit www.actorsfund.org for more information.

According to this article in Playbill:

Phylicia Rashad, Karen Ziemba, Chuck Cooper and Nancy Anderson are the latest additions to the starry cast of the upcoming concert presentation of A Wonderful Life, which will benefit the Actors' Fund of America.

Rashad will play Millie Bailey, Ziemba will be the evening's emcee, Chuck Cooper will play Uncle Billy and Nancy Anderson will be Violet in the December 12 evening at the Shubert Theatre. Show time is 7 PM.

The foursome join the previously announced Brian Stokes Mitchell as George Bailey, Judy Kuhn as Mary Bailey, Philip Bosco as Joseph, Marian Seldes as Mrs. Hatch, Michael Berresse as Harry Bailey, Marc Kudisch as Sam Wainwright, Ronn Carroll as Tom Bailey, David Hyde Pierce as Clarence and Dominic Chianese as Mr. Potter.

Based on the famed Frank Capra film "It's a Wonderful Life," A Wonderful Life features book and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by the late Joe Raposo with additional music by Harnick and Jerry Depuit. Like the motion picture, the musical concerns the life of Bedford Falls resident George Bailey as he learns how those around him would be affected had he never existed.

The concert will feature orchestrations by Michael Starobin, choral arrangements by Raposo, Harnick and Jeffrey Saver and dance music arranged by Saver, who will also be the show's musical supervisor. Carl Andress will direct the one-night-only event with choreography by Denis Jones and musical direction by Lawrence Yurman.

A Wonderful Life was first presented at the University of Michigan in 1986. The 1946 film, "It's a Wonderful Life," was directed by Frank Capra and starred James Stewart as George Bailey with Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, H.B. Warner, Frank Albertson, Todd Karns, Samuel S. Hinds, Mary Treen and Virginia Patton. The movie received five Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.

The Actors' Fund of America, a nonprofit organization founded in 1882, provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals. Its headquarters and The Aurora Residence are located in New York City, and its nursing home and assisted living care facility are in Englewood, New Jersey. For more information, go to www.actorsfund.org.

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According to this article in Playbill:

Frederic B. Vogel, a Broadway producer who was also founding director of the Commercial Theater Institute, an intensive training program for aspiring producers, died Nov. 29 at his home in New York, according to colleagues in the theatre community.

The cause of death was complications from lung cancer, a spokesman said. His age was not immediately reported, but he was thought to be a septuagenarian.

Mr. Vogel was one of the producers of the Tony Award nominated 2003 production of Enchanted April, and has Off-Broadway, regional, TV, film and Broadway acting credits (including a 1951 Broadway staging of Romeo and Juliet that starred Olivia de Havilland).

Mr. Vogel invested in over 50 Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. He was a producer of the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical Marlene in 1999, and produced or co-produced Off-Broadway's Shakespeare's R&J, the film "A Tale of Two Pizzas," R.T. Robinson's The Cover of Life and the musical Lust.

But Mr. Vogel's most important and lasting contribution to the commercial American theatre was CTI, through which thousands of green producers are exposed to classes, workshops and seminars with industry leaders. He founded it in 1982.

"Three-day CTI programs bring together working theatre professionals who offer hard, factual information to producers, investors and other theater professionals interested in producing for Broadway, Off Broadway, sit-down productions (open ended runs outside of NYC) and the road," according to CTI explanatory notes. "The information presented is designed to assist not only those individuals contemplating the role of a Commercial Producer, but also to Writers, Directors and Project Developers concerned about how to move closer to a Commercial Production in or outside of New York. All sessions will include a question and answer period after the speakers' presentations."

A more intensive 14-week program, a kind of boot camp for producers, is also offered by CTI, which is supported by the League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc. and Theatre Development Fund (TDF).

"The CTI 14-week program presents hard, factual information on all aspects of commercial theatre producing, including Broadway, Off-Broadway and productions for the road, with special emphasis on the relationship between not-for-profit and commercial theatre," according to Mr. Vogel's own introduction to the program at www.tdf.org/cti. "It is our goal to educate participants so they may be well informed and sophisticated in their potential dealings."

Randall Wreghitt, the Broadway producer of Beauty Queen of Leenane and Little Women, told Playbill.com, "Fred's impact on me as the director of the Commercial Theater Institute and as a friend are far reaching indeed. I have to wonder how many people in the producing field today might not be there if it were not for CTI and Fred Vogel. Through the three-day conference and the 14-week more intensive program, CTI and Fred Vogel have reached thousands of producers, actors, writers and investors -- having an exciting and important influence on the theatre industry. Though Fred will be sorely missed, happily the Commercial Theater Institute, which was so dear to him, will go on and continue to play an integral role in theatre today."

Wreghitt took the three-day course in 1992 and the 14-week in 1993.

Mr. Vogel has written extensively on not-for-profit theatre management and his new book, "Producing for the Commercial Theatre," will be published next year.

"Fred had the courage to dare the impossible: to teach what was unteachable -- how to produce on Broadway," commented Jed Bernstein, president of The League of American Theatres and Producers. "Then, he had the brains and the cunning to actually do it for 23 years -- for thousands of aspiring David Merricks and Robert Whiteheads. He made them better, he made our community better."

"Fred's passion for the theatre was embodied in his tremendous commitment to identifying and training emerging producers and encouraging them to produce work they were passionate about," said Victoria Bailey, executive director, Theatre Development Fund. "He was tireless in his work. On a personal level I have always been grateful to Fred as he gave me my first job in New York City at FEDAPT, the organization he founded that provided critical technical assistance to emerging regional theatres throughout the country. He will be sorely missed."

Mr. Vogel, a Philadelphia native, began his theatre career began at age nine, as an actor. He began his higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, but left for a tour of duty as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He later went to Princeton after World War II and eventually graduated from Penn State.

He also created the Foundation for the Extension and Development of the American Professional Theatre (FEDAPT) in 1970. It offered development and technical assistance to over 500 theatres, dance organizations, performing arts centers and other arts projects throughout the United States.

Mr. Vogel lectured at leading universities Arts Management graduate programs in the U.S. He served as an arts consultant for the Ford Foundation in Indonesia.

Joseph V. Melillo, executive producer at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, who worked extensively with Mr. Vogel, commented, "As I cast my eye across the commercial and not-for-profit theatre, there is only one person who has traversed both industries with grace and integrity, and that is Frederic B. Vogel."

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