Broadway 31: The Hot List
October is a magnificent month in New York City in general and on Broadway in particular. From awards to playwrights, big star openings and extraordinary one-night performances, special events, and more, we’re offering you our latest hot list of events happening this month. Of course show’s like All My Sons, Billy Elliot, and A Man For All Seasons are here…but so is Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Taye Diggs, Danny Glover, Campbell Scott and Roger Rees, just to name a few. Check out our hot list for October for some nice surprises.
• October 1 – Billy Elliot starts previews…put on your dancing shoes. Show officially opens on November 13.
• October 1 – Fifty Words opens at the Lucille Lortel with Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Marvel…barring additional injuries.
• October 2 – The Seagull opens on Broadway. Three cheers for Chekhov and the powerhouse cast which includes Kristin Scott Thomas.
• October 2 – Free Bernstein concert in New York City’s Bryant Park. Presented by The New York Pops, the show starts at 5:30 PM. Features Tony winner Lillias White and Christiane Noll.
• October 3 – Theater Talk goes to the Guthrie. One of our favorite theatre shows visits with some of the countries leading regional theatres. Guthrie Director Joe Dowling, The Children’s Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter Brosius, Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey comprise the panel. Watch it on line at www.theatertalk.org .
• October 5 – 13 -The Musical opens at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. New show, fresh faces, big opening.
• October 6 – Christmas begins! Tickets go on sale for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Free Holiday beverages from Starbucks, cast recordings and performances, and the first tree lighting of the year. The event starts at 11:00 at the Marriott Marquis Box Office in Times Square. A new holiday tradition is born.
• October 6 – REVIVAL: Broadway’s Next Act at Carnegie Hall. One-night only panel of Broadway powerhouse creatives Duncan Sheik, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Shankman, Jerry Mitchell, and Anthony Rapp. Visit www.carnegiehall.org/notables for details.
• October 6 – Danny Glover and Kenny Leon team up for a reading of Emmett, Down In My Heart inspired by the events surrounding the death of Emmett Till in 1955. One night only at Judson Memorial Church (55 Washington Street at the corner of Thompson Street).
• October 6 – 11 –Danny Hoch performs as part of the Hip Hop Theater Festival. Events ongoing until October 11. This one is free, in Brooklyn. Visit http://www.hiphoptheaterfest.com for details.
• October 7 – Frank Langella opens A Man For All Seasons at the American Airlines Theatre. The Year of Langella officially begins…could a Tony and Oscar year be on the horizon?
• October 7 – Lee Blessing’s Two Rooms opens on Theatre Row. A chance to sample chameleon playwright Lee Blessing from the Platform Theatre Group.
• October 9 – Mary Poppins gets a new Mary Poppins. Chim-chimney…Scarlett Strallen and Adam Fiorentino join the hit show in the big roles.
• October 9-11 – Taye Digg’s dance company perform “the people” at the Tribecca Performing Arts Center.
• October 12 – Campbell Scott opens in “The Athiest” at the Culture Project’s new home. Dark comedy, bright star.
• October 12 – [title of show] closes. Please tell us you are reading this on October 2. Not to be missed.
• October 14 – To Be Or Not To Be will be on Broadway. The show opens on the 14th, and the underdog, dark comedy could pull off a big surprise.
• October 14 – Let’s do the Time Warp…the new DVD of the Rocky Horror Tribute Show is released. A new twist on the old October favorite.
• October 15 – Edward Albee gets an award…reads his early poetry and discusses its relationship to his later plays. You have to be in Pennsylvania for this one, but a rare opportunity if you can make it. Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster at 7pm.
• October 16 – All My Sons opens at the Schoenfeld Theatre. Katie Holmes and power cast make it official. The show is already out-selling the other Broadway non-musicals. Arthur Miller returns to Broadway!
• October 17 – The Pumpkin Pie Show opens off-off-Broadway. For the adventurous spirit, the show features surreal tales that have been compared to Stephen King. Special Halloween show, Under St. Marks.
• October 19 – Bailey Hanks and Legally Blonde say good-bye to Broadway. A new star, an amazing cast, and a sad farewell.
• October 20 – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel Dratch, and more stars give a one-night only performance of Celebrity Charades for the LAByrinth Theater Company. The theme is “We Will Rock You.” Don’t miss.
• October 21 – Tony Kushner gets an Award. The new Mimi (or Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award) comes with $200,000 dollars and will be presented at 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Center.
• October 22 – Linda Eder performs at Blender Theatre at Gramercy. The Broadway star has her 10th album out, and makes a welcome concert stop in New York City.
• October 23 – Speed-The-Plow opens at the Ethel Barrymore. Jeremy Piven, Raul Esparza, and the radiant Elisabeth Moss headline the first David Mamet Broadway revival of the year. More to come…much more. Broadway is Mamet Country this season.
• October 23 – George Packer’s Betrayed airs on PBS. New Yorker journalist turned Citizen Artist presents this gripping account of Iraqi interpreters who worked with the Americans in Iraq during the war. Must see.
• October 24-30 – Lea Salonga plays Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella in Beijing. The magic continues across Asia, will Broadway be next?
• October 27 – Roger Rees and Lisa Harrow star in a reading of Percy Bysshe Shelly’s The Cenci directed by Eleanor Holdridge for the remarkable Red Bull Theater. Theatre at St. Clements on 46th Street at 7pm.
• October 27 – Laura Bell Bundy’s Cowboy Boots and Curtain Calls concert at B.B. King’s on 42nd Street. A benefit for the Kreative Kids Foundation. Great cause, great star.
• October 31 – Young Frankenstein and Wicked offer a Broadway Halloween to remember, of course the shows are playing all month.
