New Campaign Launched For Broadway

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) Yesterday, The Broadway League of Producers joined with NYC and Company to announce a new marketing campaign to increase Broadway ticket buyers during the busy season. With a sky full of stars and nearly two dozen new shows on deck, Broadway is where the action is. Casts of Avenue Q and Chicago were on hand to announce the news. The new campaign is called simply “Ask New York City about New York City Broadway” and will include banners around the city, ads, and a micro-site. It sounds like a big effort with some big guns behind it.  We are glad all involved selected this campaign rather than some of the other choices listed below:

1. Speed-The-Plow Sushi Night
2. Equus Take Your Pet To Broadway Campaign
3. Hedda Gabler Weapons Exchange Week
4. Billy Elliot Strike Night
5. Spring Awakening Teen Pregnancy Night
6. The Little Mermaid Fish-Get-In-Free
7. West Side Story Juvenile Delinquent Week

Fonda and Beethoven Go Brodway

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) After a 46-year hiatus, Jane Fonda returns to Broadway in 33 Variations, a production written and directed by Moises Kaufman presented at The Eugene O’Neill Theatre. Jane Fonda made her Broadway debut in the 1960 play There Was a Little Girl for which she earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured actress. Fonda’s last appearance on Broadway was in the 1963 production of Strange Interlude. For more on The Fondas on Broadway, check out Tara Puckey’s Broadway Magazine profile.

This production will also mark the Broadway debut of Moises Kaufman as a playwright. Kauffman is in no way a stranger to Broadway, of course, having directed a slew of plays and earning Tony and Emmy nominations for his direction. –Carmen Blanco, Broadway Magazine

Photo of Ms. Fonda and her 33 Variations castmates including Colin Hanks,
Zach Grenier and Samantha Mathis shown here at the “33 Variations” photo call at the New York Theatre Workshop. Countess/WireImage.com

Revival Meets The Broadway Press

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) Let the sun shine in! The revival of the long-running Broadway smash HAIR let it all hang out with a full cast meet and greet at the feet of composer Galt MacDermot and lyricist James Rado at the Union Square Theatre.

Everyone looks happy, and though there are missing faces from the show’s tribe which performed in Central Park, no doubt all were happy to be there. HAIR has a history of making waves on Broadway. Let’s hope this bunch captures some of the musical’s anti-establishment energy. Taking on the powers-that-be was probably a lot easier this past summer, when the reigns of power were held by President Bush.

Now, with President Obama, the establishment is looking good again. Will President and Secretary of State Bill and Hillary Clinton watch this production too? We’ll let you know when we see them. Photo J. Kempin/WireImage.com

 Two Cultural Touchstones Heading To Broadway?

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) For those who love to laugh, today is a triumph. Broadway news is breaking that a stage musical version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller is on the way. At the same time, MTV has the Broadway scoop of the week…again! In a conversation with Jane Lynch, the actor let slip a bit of inside news. Apparently, Waiting For Guffman, one of the best comedies ever filmed may soon come to Broadway. According to the Jane Lynch in the interview, Christopher Guest is working on taking Guffman to Broadway…it would be the ultimate irony…and a great way to bring Guest’s talents to Broadway, where his gifts seem particularly suited.

As for Thrillerthe musical, Playbill reported that the coup goes to the Nederlanders, who have acquired the rights to produce the Michael Jackson musical. According to thrilled producer James L. Nederlander, “I love the idea of making ‘Thriller’ a musical. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, boy has big secret, now what…”

‘Now what’ or ’so what?’ said a smirking bystander.

No opening dates or creative teams for either show announced yet, but we’ll tell you as soon as we hear. In the meantime, over-excited fans are invited to bring their walkman to Soul of Shaolin during its closing week of performances and listen to Michael Jackson on their earphones while enjoying your My Dinner With Andre action figures. Or, if you want to be sure you’ll laugh, check out Avenue Quntil you hear more about Guffman and Thriller. Nothing ever happens on Mars…but something always happens on Broadway.

 West Side Story Director and Kate Winslet’s Husband

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) There can be very little argument that the “it” director on Broadway right now is none other than the 90 year old King Arthur Laurents. Yes, we call him King Arthur Laurents, and believe everyone should do the same. With last year’s highly praised, and thrilling production of Gypsy coupled with the big buzz for his revival of West Side Story, Laurents is fine wine that keeps getting finer. So, what’s this about talking smack on Smiling Sam Mendes?

According to the FemaleFirst web-site, which apparently got its hands on the new Laurent’s autobiography, Mendes gets heat from the legend for his revival of Gypsy and other Broadway work. The New Age Of Laurents can be traced to King Arthur’s re-mounting of Gypsy, which King Arthur helped to create in the first place. Well, the husband of Kate Winslet, Smiling Sam Mendes, put his own stamp on the work with Bernadette Peters in 2003…and King Arthur did not smile. According the site, Laurents writes about the Mendes’ Gypsy:

‘Surprised’ was not the word for my reaction to what Sam Mendes did. ‘Surprised’ is a happy word.

Well, past is past, and no doubt King Arthur has his eyes fixed on the future. Everything is coming up rosy for his new West Side Story, and surely even Mr. Mendes is excited about that. Photo Joan Marcus.

 Was Ibsen Norway’s Greatest Party Machine?

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) No one knows how to party quite like Henrik Ibsen, and so it is only fitting that the opening night bash for the latest Broadway revival of Hedda Gabler should celebrate in Ibsen-style. On hand to toast and cheer Mary-Louise Parker in her role as Hedda were stars like Joan Rivers, Liza Minnelli, and Helen Carey. Of course, Mary-Louise Parker and the rest of her castmates were there too.

Though Henrik Ibsen has developed a reputation as a severe personality, with little joy, the true Ibsen was not a prude. In fact, he fathered an illegitimate child, was rumored to have mistresses throughout his life, and even spent much of 1862 wandering drunk through the streets of Christiania, Norway…but, hey!, who didn’t do that?

In fact, though the critics may not have been kind to Henrik’s latest off-spring on Broadway, we have no doubt that he’d take it all with a stern frown, and thoroughly enjoy himself. You can catch Ms. Parker as Ms. Gabler in the limited run of Hedda Gabler at the American Airlines Theatre. Photo J. Kohen/WireImage.com.

Blithe Spirit Casting For Real Life Psychic

Being in the room with 17 or so psychics is a very interesting experience we found yesterday while at Sardi’s restaurant in Manhattan. Blithe Sprit was looking for a psychic to be involved with the show. At the casting yesterday was Time Out’s best psychic in New York, a psychic who has worked for the FBI to help solve cold cases, and a psychic sexologist to boot. Christine Ebersole was on hand too to help with the casting process. Click here or on the image above to watch the video feature.

 New Revival Arrives Sooner

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) Beckett fans and Nathan Lane enthusiasts have something to celebrate. News is that the upcoming Broadway revival of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot will arrive on Broadway a little sooner than announced.

The new production stars Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, David Strathairn and John Goodman. Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that previews will now begin on Friday, April 3, with the official opening set for April 30^th at Studio 54.

The first Broadway run of the show opened in 1956 at the Golden Theatre. The production starred Bert Lahr, and caused quite a commotion. With Nathan Lane, the production should surely capture Beckett’s wit.

While it is a limited run, the show opens on the eve of Tony Award season, so expectations are high. Nothing to be done! Photo of original Broadway production from Historic Photographs of Broadway.

Olivia Newton-John at Carnegie Hall

This week members of the NetworkGlobal team shot at Carnegie Hall for Broadway.tv’s brother channel, OZtralia.tv. While there, Olivia Newton-John made an appearance. Most know the GREASE movie favorite was also in the movie version of Xanadu. Since then, Newton-John has been one of Australia’s leading performers selling over 100 Million records world-wide. Newton-John is also an avid cancer activist after her successful battle over breast cancer. Currently, Newton-John is active working to raise money for her hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Yes Arts Can!

(BROADWAY MAGAZINE) Quincy Jones has called on President Barack Obama to create a Secretary Of The Arts to serve as a national and international advocate for all aspects of American Culture. According to a press release by Quincy Jones quoted in Jazz:

“While many other countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries, The United States has never created such a position. We in the arts need this and the country needs the arts–now more than ever. Please take a moment to sign this important petition and then pass it on to your friends and colleagues.”

Yes you can. Click here to sign.