Broadway For Desire Under The Elms

The 2008-2009 Broadway season is slowly coming into focus, and the recent news that the Goodman Theatre’s upcoming Desire Under The Elms is likely to arrive on Broadway some time after its Chicago dates in January 2009 is welcome news. The production is to star Brian Dennehey, who has taken 2 Tony Awards home for earlier work with director Robert Falls (they were for Death Of A Salesman and for O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night). That said, Dennehey was last seen in Inherit The Wind where he played opposite Christopher Plummer. It is a shame Plummer’s James Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey is not headed to Broadway as well. Anyone who saw his performance on the PBS special about O’Neill can attest that Plummer belongs on Broadway as James Tyrone as well. On the film by Ric Burns, there is an amazing clip of Plummer delivering the famous Tyrone monologue describing his association with the play that would both save and ruin his career. Truly brilliant. You can watch another sample of Plummer as James Tyrone here on line. How wonderful if that could happen. Imagine O’Neill’s early triumph on Broadway side by side with his posthumous classic. Christopher Plummer is an extraordinary actor in full power, and to see him on Broadway as James Tyrone would be a performance to remember. The report on the Broadway arrival of Desire comes from Variety. Is Broadway big enough for two O’Neills? Of course it is.

London To See Atlanta Burning

The Wizard of Oz gave Broadway Wicked, James Michner’s Tales of the South Pacific became South Pacific, The Color Purplebecame a hit Broadway musical, Oliver Twist became the hit Broadway musical Oliver!, Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities is about to become Broadway musical, Gypsy Rose Lee’s biography became the hit show Gypsy, and coming soon in London, the musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s iconic Gone With The Wind is about to sweep across the West End. Great reads don’t always make great Broadway musicals, as the recent closing of Lord Of The Rings in London can attest. That said, it is compelling to note that many successful musicals do spring from established narratives. Even Voltaires’ Candide has proven excellent material for a musical adventure, and note what exceptional treatment Romeo and Juliet received in becoming West Side Story.

The reviews for the new Gone With The Wind will come in a few weeks, but in the meantime there is an excellent look in The New York Times at the creative journey of Margaret Martin as she undertook to achieve the impossible, and succeeded. We’ll keep an eye on how London responds…if past is prologue, a success in London will mean another Broadway import is on the horizon. Check out the article here.

-Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv

The Power of the Broadway Biography

This season has already been a blaze of buzz and merited praise for Broadway. The old and new stand side by side, both the familiar and the novel Broadway productions are infused with a vitality that is undeniable. In the rush of press and attention, it is quite possible that audiences may have lost sight of the Broadway comet that is Stew and is critical joyous smash show Passing Strange. With a cross-generational grin and an upbeat witty score, the journey of Passing Strange is extraordinary. No doubt, part of the excitement surrounding the show comes from its authenticity. Stew is for real, and he’s lived the story he’s narrating. But there is more here than biography…much more. Like Voltaire’s Candide, there is a classical savvy to Stew’s contemporary licks. The show has an intellectual appeal, a self-effacing charm, and songs that are hard to forget…and a pleasure to remember. Broadway likes labels, and Stew doesn’t fall simply into the rock musical, jazz show, epic saga, or family trip.

Equally worthy of praise, and award consideration is August: Osage County. This play by Tracy Letts also springs from an authentic place. Letts cites personal recollections of details told to him by his grandmother, like the suicide of his grandfather as a source of material for the play. “Well,” Letts is quoted as saying, “that’s the stuff of drama right there.” The play recently was honored with the Pulitzer prize for Drama.

It is clear from Passing Strange, In The Heights, and August: Osage County that there is indeed “a place for the genuine” on Broadway. Artistic explorations of real life experiences are proving truly successful on Broadway this season. Each show is different, but all are connected in the fact that they spring from real life events. As Stew might sing “The Real is in.”

Check out a great conversation with Stew, as well as our reviews of Passing Strange and August: Osage County.

–Christopher Moore, Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv

Daniel Radcliffe On Broadway

It is official. Daniel Radcliffe is taking his London stage bona-fides and bringing them to Broadway in his hit production of Peter Schaffer’s Equus. The actor-formerly-(and presently)-known-as-Harry-Potter has been booked to play in the Broadhurst Theatre. The production was big hit in London and earned the young actor praise for his performance, as well as much attention for the fact that there is a lengthy nude scene in the show. As those familiar with Equus know, the material is quite adult, more graphic and violent than Harry Potter. The story follows a psychiatrist looking to unravel the mystery as to why a young man (Radcliffe) blinded six horses. The 22-week limited run will start with previews on September 5th and run through February 8. Playing alongside Radcliffe as the psychiatrist will be Richard Griffiths, who played Harry Potter’s Uncle in the first four Potter films. It is meta-theatre indeed.”The revelation of this revival is that Daniel Radcliffe really can act,” wrote critic Michael Billington of The Guardian in praise of the London production. One of the most sought after tickets in London, the show will no doubt cause a stir with the Broadway revival. The 1973 play is no stranger to controversy. According to Dr. Carmen Mendez Garcia, “Much of the interest, comments and controversies raised by the play are focused on the blurred frontiers it proposes between sanity and madness, between mad and evil behavior.”

As for Radcliffe, the London production raised debate among parents, who worried that the serious material would be too adult for children who are fans of Potter and might be eager to see “Harry Potter” on-stage. The production team in London did not set an age limit on tickets, and one hopes the Broadway production will make it clear that for all that Equus is as a play, it certainly isn’t for young children. To quote Dr. Garcia’s reflection of the play, “the representation of violence is offered to the spectator directly.”

Meanwhile, those looking for the next Potter film can anticipate the newest installment that will hit theatres in November. In the meantime, Radcliffe will no doubt be preparing to bring his celebrated performance to an eager and welcoming Broadway. (photo from London production by Uli Webber)

Broadway Magazine, www.Broadway.tv

Broadway Macbeth Slays Them

Well, last night Patrick Stewart and his gang of witches, warriors, and marching Soviets were in full force for the opening night of Macbeth. It is always wonderful to see a success for Shakespeare on Broadway. Ralph Fiennes’ Hamlet and Denzel Washington’s Julius Caesar are productions that have found commercial and some critical success as well.

While it is interested that the current Macbeth evokes a Soviet-era from the past, those following the current state of Putin’s Russia might also wonder if the tone of the current Broadway show may be somewhat reflective of our own time. When it comes to killing friends and influencing people, the stories that are coming out of modern Russia seem fit for King Macbeth. If nothing else, that modern parallels of Shakespeare’s great plays will always exist is a testament to his ability to capture human nature, and the eternal inability for human nature to improve itself.

Of course, the genius of Shakespeare is vast. Check out this item from a recent NPR broadcast on “weird” Macbeth. Also, read the history of the Macbeth curse, or watch film of Orson Welles’ acclaimed voodoo Macbeth as well.

Chicago Maker Enlists A-List Cast

Broadway continues to be an excellent breeding ground for Hollywood. This past summer saw a box-office smash in Hairspray, and soon there will be the new Mamma Mia! movie as well. Recently, the buzz of the next big musical movie has come in the form of Nine. Based on the classic Fellini film 8 1/2, this hit Broadway musical turned movie is to be directed by Rob Marshall, who can claim substantial credit for revitalizing the movie-musical genre with his adaptation of Chicago. That film earned awards aplenty, including the award for Best Picture.

For Marshall’s new Broadway musical-movie, he is lining up a star list of talent including Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Sophia Loren, and Judi Dench (she was the original Sally Bowles in Cabaret in London back in 1968). The colorful story follows a film director as he juggles relationships with multiple women. Antonio Banderas earned substantial accolades for his performance in the musical on Broadway a few years back, and the is little doubt that Marshall’s Broadway musical movie magic will be aptly suited for another Chicago-size success.

Broadway Painting Gets Web-Wise

The technical innovation and musical savvy of the new production of Sunday In The Park With George is a delight. Though George’s charm may be muted by the thunderous swell of deserved praise for South Pacific and Gypsy, Sondheim’s dot of a show is also theatre and Broadway magic. Though recent articles suggest that the show had been substantially re-worked as it made its way to Broadway from London, however the ensemble arrived in its current form at the old Studio 54 they are quite a welcome addition to an outstanding Broadway season. Also, criticisms of a smaller orchestra are valid, but not worth damning the entire musical. This is a beautiful production, well put together. In the spirit of the show, a marketing-communal-art-experiment-experience has been launched to celebrate the musical, the artist George Seurat, and the living fans of the show. Connect: The Dots Project is simple enough, and nearly 53% complete. Basically, it allows all visitors to contribute their own dot to the great pointillist’s painting. Simple enough, and yet quite in tune with the show and the live theatrical experience. A gimmick, sure…but clever, fun, and worth a look.

If you hunger for the real George, you can check out our article by Molly Kordares which highlights where to find the works of Seurat in New York City. Also, if you are craving a interesting perspective on the subject, check out this entry about the New York Times response to Seurat in 1886. (photo by Joan Marcus)

Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv

Some Enchanted Broadway Evening

Yet another show, and yet another round of praise from the toughest of Broadway critics. Has everyone gone soft, or is the new revival of South Pacific so enchanted that it makes even last weeks praise for Gypsy seem reserved? It doesn’t look like anyone has gone soft, and director Bartlett Sher and the full-scale production at Lincoln Center Theatre have earned every accolade they are given. While in retrospect, given the considerable praise and excitement about the new revival of South Pacific, it seems like this revival was a sure thing. Of course, nothing could be further than the truth, and the fact that Lincoln Center was ready to again roll the dice in a large way, speaks to its ability to accomplish and risk things that commercial producers avoid. It is unlikely that a full orchestra and cast of 40 would be desirable for a commercial producer. Last season, Lincoln Center dared big on Tom Stoppard. That paid off…for the most part. It won Tonys. This South Pacific Broadway revival will no doubt be in the running for some awards as well. The real accomplishment is partly in the fact that it was produced on Broadway at all. The age, cast size, and physical scale of South Pacific make this musical a challenge. Once again, Lincoln Center has risen to the challenge, and not doubt the rewards will be great as well.

–Christopher Moore, Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv

Simon Sings Broadway Songs

Some things get better with age, and last night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, the great Paul Simon brought back the songs from his Broadway musical The Capeman at a concert. Simon remains one of the greatest song-writers of any generation, and his Capeman met with a harsh fate from Broadway critics when it opened. Even given some possible flaws with the musical, the harsh critics likely turned Simon off of Broadway and denied audiences many a magical musical in the future. Capeman may not have been perfection, but it was new and innovative and Simon has a genius that would suggest future efforts would merit success. That 10+ years has seen no more Broadway activity from Simon is a shame…perhaps critics at the time didn’t see that the drumming of the popular artist Simon could well have resulted in the jukebox musical sensation of Billy Joel, Abba, and countless other artists re-packaging hits rather than creating new work for Broadway. Through the weekend, the music of Capeman can be heard with Simon in concert, the larger implications of Capeman deserve further consideration down the road. Check out one of the articles.

Christopher Moore, Broadway Magazine, Broadway.tv