“We are family….”

The Birdcage is a remake of the French classic, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, and hopefully will be become a comedy classic all its own. Armand and Albert are a gay couple running a night club in Miami, and Armand finds out his son is getting married. It just so happens he is getting married to an ultra-conservative Senator’s daughter. The Senator is in search of some good PR as his political companion was found dead with a minor prostitute. A wholesome family wedding seems to be the Senators answer for the media, and Val, the straight son, is worried about the Senator meeting his gay parents. Hence the attempt at a transformation to be a straight couple, complete with redecorating their home and changing the way they act…and finally the dinner with the parents.

I have heard a few complaints that all the characters are stereotypical and over the top. Yes, they are. But this film works for that very reason. It is not a film that is begging to be taken to seriously. Even though over the top, the characters are well-developed and likable. Robin Williams (Best supporting Actor Good Will Hunting, The Night Listener, One Hour Photo) give s a spot on performance as Armand and Nathan Lane (The Lion King, Nicholas Nickleby) is perfect as Armand’s mate and star of the Birdcage nightly drag queen show, Starina! Gene Hackman (Best Actor The French Connection, Unforgiven) is a nice casting choice for the conservative senator. The final scene with Gene Hackman dressed in drag and attempting to sing We Are Family, is worth the price of a ticket, or a rental in this case. Ok, since we are talking about performances, by the show stealer is Hank Azaria (Run Fatboy Run, Along Came Polly) who plays the very feminine butler Agador. He nails his performance right on the head. If he is in the scene, he is stealing it! Just a wonderfully funny performance!

Overall, I would highly recommend this film. It has many laugh out loud moments and truly priceless scenes. Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson’s War, Closer) does a wonderful job of directing this talented cast and keeps this a very colorful and bright film. Visually and emotionally. If you haven’t seen it, do so! As for me, I’ll watch it again, probably for the 15th time.

Few characters have made as powerful or as lasting an impression on international popular culture as Astro Boy. The little robot first appeared in 1951 as a character in the celebrated artist and animator Osamu Tezuka’s legendary manga(Japanese comic book) and became an instant icon. He was subsequently featured as the star of his own television series in both black-and white and in color, eventually airing in over 40 countries. Astro Boy created the standard for a new form of animation that has become world famous as anime.

Now for the first time, Astro Boy will be brought to life on the big screen. Created with breathtaking computer animation from Imagi Studios, the film Astro Boy is a thrilling tale of a true hero. The film is set to debut in theaters on October 23, 2009.

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns toMetro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it means to be a hero.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Bill Nighy, Freddie Highmore, Donald Sutherland, Eugene Levy, Nathan Lane, Matt Lucas, Sterling Beaumon, Madeline Carroll, Charlize Theron
Director: David Bowers
Screenwriter: Timothy Harris, David Bowers
Studio: Summit Entertainment

MOVIE TRAILER :

]]> http://chicagotheaterblog.com/2009/11/13/addams-family-opens/ Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:36:00 +0000 Theater Blog http://chicagotheaterblog.com/2009/11/13/addams-family-opens/

After months of anticipation, The Addams Family (with music/lyrics by Andrew Lippa), finally begins previews this weekend, starting November 13, 2009 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre. Starring two-time Tony Award winners Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia, The Addams Family  will make its world premiere on Wednesday, December 9.  Official website.

Some of the Addams Family famous cast:

Nathan Lane as “Gomez”	Bebe Neuwirth as “Morticia”
Adam Riegler as “Pugsley”	Terrence Mann as “Mal Beineke”
Krysta Rodriguez as “Wednesday”	Kevin Chamberlain as “Uncle Fester”
Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke	Zachary James as “Lurch”

Since this morning I did a post about some of my favorite events that I have been to over the years, I started trolling the Internet for things Broadway and found a number of very awesome blogs.  One of which I posted to my blogroll and more that I will as I get through them and get the opportunity to look through their content to get an idea of what is going on with them.

But, I was thinking as I was at the Motel trade show today at the Javits Center about what some of my favorite shows of all time are.

Hands down the greatest show I ever saw on Broadway was Assassins at Studio 54.  I am not exactly a Theater Queen, but I do have the Assassins score on my iPod.  And I do know the words.

Another one of my huge, all time favorites and one of the few shows I have seen over and over again was Avenue Q.  I remember for a long time anytime I had friends visit, I would just take them to Avenue Q.  They would automatically get it.

Of course, I can’t hit publish without talking about The Producers.  I was fortunate to see the show three times with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in it.  The first time, after they came back for their limited run, and I sat in the front row, pressed under the stage almost and had one of those really special theater moments where you are so enraptured by the show that the cast realizes it and they play up to you because they can see you.  (Or at least I like to believe that the cast realized how good of a time I was having and they made sure to amp it up in front of my seat when they entered or left the stage.)

What about you?  What has really lit your fire?

One week with no blogging, Twittering, or Facebooking and very limited e-mailing is not at all what I expected.

I thought I would have more free time.

I thought I would have my to-do list knocked at by noon.

I thought I would exercise every day.

I thought I would get through at least one book.

I thought I would play board games with Emma and Jacob until my eyes fell out.

I thought I would be in bed by 11:30 every night.

None of that happened.

The time that I would normally spend on the computer was filled with other stuff that kept me from my to-do list.

Whether the computer is on or off, life goes on.  For better or worse, there will always be SOMETHING that presents itself as an obstacle.

And so, again, it’s all about balance.  It’s all about getting down to the heart of what really matters.  It’s about looking at my to-do list and thinking about what is most important and getting rid of the stuff that isn’t.

So this is what mattered last week:

• I ordered tickets to a pre-Broadway musical (The Addams Family) for Dave and I while we are in the Chicago area over Christmas. It’s our gift to each other because we don’t need more stuff. Oh yeah, it doesn’t hurt that it stars Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth and Terrence Mann.
• Emma and I tried on silly glasses at Target that were too funny NOT to take pictures (seriously, do people buy these?)
  



• We bought supplies to make up UMCOR school, health, and layette kits to send with a mission team from our church who is going to Africa.
• Dave and I decided that we are going to start scheduling monthly 1-on-1 time with the kids.  One Saturday a month on Kids’ Day, we are each going to take Jake or Emma for 2 or 3 hours and do whatever they want.  Even Chuck E. Cheese. The next month, we swap kids. We rarely spend 1-on-1 time with them anymore.
• We are also starting a Family Game Night.  For the most part, I would like it to be electronics free, but even a family game of Wii Bowling is better than every scattering after dinner.
• On Saturday, we spent nearly 8 hours together while Jake had his soccer tournament in the morning and Emma had hers in the afternoon.  Then we went to our friends house after trick-or-treating and let the kids stay up way too late and we ate too much sugar.

Now if I can only get a handle on my online solitaire problem…

Off to read the 450 posts in my Google Reader!!

Talking With Lurch (Zachary James)

by Timothy McGuire

One could easily make the assumption that Zachary James will be playing quite possibly the most intriguing Lurch ever written, with a musical surprise coming from the man Charles Addams described as a “towering mute.”

This extremely tall (possibly 12 feet?) handsome, bald man has his character Lurch’s physical demeanor down pat – when he demonstrated how Lurch stands hunched over with his arms locked straight holding a serving tray at his knees, he had me sold. In addition to this, James just happens to be a talented and accomplished opera singer as well as proven acting ability to go along with his powerful voice

James gave credit to producer Stuart Oken saying,

“Stuart took the time to look at each individual.”

James said that the talent in all aspects of this production, on stage and off stage, is what will make Addams Family a great musical.

Admitting to being nervous at first knowing he’d be working with Bebe Neuwirth (Morticia) and Nathan Lane (Gomez), James’ admission that, as a kid, he had watched the movie “Bird On a Wire” over a dozen times proved how he could be slightly intimidated to work with Lane.

But Zachary James is a rising star on his own right. After his role in Broadway’s South Pacific he had a desire to sing more and perform the kind of songs that he wanted to sing. In South Pacific he felt that he was out there singing for five minutes and spent the rest of the time in the dressing room while others performed. He wanted to be on stage singing! With a recent break up motivating his personal story line, Zachary James has created and self-directs his own small New York opera company, which strives to make opera more available and affordable to the public, providing a uniquely powerful experience by performing in smaller intimate settings.

Even with his grueling rehearsal schedule he found time to hold a one night performance of his latest one man opera (Imbecil D’Amour) last Saturday at Gorilla Tango Theatre, giving people a chance to hear a renowned opera singer perform just a couple feet away from them for just $10. His passion drives his performances, and his talent backs him up.

If you see a tall, lean and lanky, bald giant walking on the streets of Chicago, don’t be alarmed, it’s just Lurch in the new Addams Family – The Musical.

They’re creepy and they’re kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They’re all together ooky,
The Addams Family.

Their house is a museum.
When people come to see ‘em
They really are a screa-um.
The Addams Family.

Neat

Sweet

Petite

So get a witch’s shawl on.
A broomstick you can crawl on.
We’re gonna pay a call on
The Addams Family.

Line! Shaky Start for Play Starring Matthew Broderick.

Line! Shaky Start for Play Starring Matthew Broderick

The official debut of ‘Starry Messenger,’ the highly anticipated new play by Kenneth Lonergan starring Matthew Broderick, will be delayed until November 23rd according to the New York Times and New York Daily News.

Last-minute rewrites and cast changes contributed to a shaky Off Broadway preview Monday night which required a prompter to help actors with lines. Broderick alone called out for help 10 times according to an unofficial tally by an audience member.

Merwin Goldsmith also used a script to read his lines. Goldsmith joined the New Group production last week replacing Jonathan Hadary who took another job according to a show spokeswoman.

Scott Elliott, artistic director for the New Group, informed Monday’s audience at the Acorn Theater that a prompter was present and that it was the first full run-through of the show in front an outside audience. In a later interview, Elliott revealed that a prompter may be in attendance for this week’s remaining shows. Elliott further explained that Broderick’s role was “Shakespearean in size” and that he was coping with “chunks of dialogue moving around and being cut” by Lonergan.

Lonergan expressed that he was “alternating between great hope and total despair about the show” and some members of the cast, crew and production were in “panic” mode about the state of the play but that this sentiment was not uncommon. “I know it will come together, but my inexperience with the production elements of staging a play has made me nervous,” confessed Lonergan.
“Being responsible for the whole thing is a challenge emotionally,” he added.

Elliott recalled only one other New Group production that used a prompter. He revealed that their four-and-a-half week rehearsal time was fairly typical, that Lonergan rehearsed the original draft of the script before cutting and there was insufficient time to hold an invitation-only performance or full dress rehearsal. Internet-surfers cried for refunds but the New Group stated that it had not received any formal requests and did not plan on making refunds available.

Broderick, 47, earned critical acclaim portraying Leo Bloom opposite Nathan Lane on Broadway in ‘The Producers.’

Lonergan, also 47, is a playwright, screenwriter and director. He achieved initial success with the play ‘This is Our Youth.’ He wrote the screenplay for ‘Analyze This,’ as well as ‘Gangs of New York.’ ‘Starry Messenger’ marks his debut as a director of a major production of a play.

‘Starry Messenger’ involves an astronomy teacher (Broderick) who’s life is upended by an affair with a younger woman. It is scheduled to run through December 12th.

A young robot with incredible powers, super strength, and the purest spirit on the planet discovers the joys of being human while embarking on a worldwide journey to discover his true potential in this animated update of Osamu Tezuka’s classic anime story. Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is a young robot from futuristic Metro City. Created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage), and powered by pure positive “blue” energy that gives him such abilities as x-ray vision, inhuman speed, and flight, the wide-eyed android longs to find his true place in the world. He sets out on an epic journey that brings him face to face with an underworld army of robots and some of the strangest creatures ever to walk the Earth, and along the way learns to experience human feelings and emotions. Astro Boy’s remarkable mission of discovery is suddenly cut short, however, when he learns that his friends and family back in Metro City are in grave danger. As Astro Boy prepares to face off against his greatest adversary in order to save everything he cares most about, he realizes that only through victory will he finally discover what it takes to be a hero.

Okay guys. I literally just finished watching my favorite movie of all time. This is a documentary about a man named Dalton Trumbo. It is so eye opening, hilarious, inventive, and has the best excerpts in any movie I have ever seen, ever. I’ll break it down for you. We’ll start with the excerpts.

Okay, so all of the excerpts in this are read by very famous celebrities. Two of them are a couple of my favorite actors of all time: Liam Neeson and Paul Giamatti. However I have to give credit to all of the actors who read the excerpts because they did an amazing job. They were all extremely charismatic and brought Trumbo’s words to life so well that I felt like he was in the room saying them to me. It was incredible absolutely incredible. I won’t spoil anything, but my favorite one’s were the last one, the first Paul Giamatti one, and the one on masturbation (it’s a friggin’ scream).

Anyhow, the excerpts were so well done and I am so proud of everybody involved with the making of them.

Now you may think after what I’ve said that the excerpts overshadow the documentary part of the movie, but no. The great thing about Trumbo, is that the importance of both parts of the movie is balanced perfectly. You’re always excited to get to the excerpts, and you’re always excited for more documents. And some of the stories are amazing. They’re all told in great detail and you feel very satisfied after each one has been told. Some are very sad, but some made you laugh out loud. Some are very heartwarming and some are very mysterious, making you feel like a detective on the biggest case of your career. It’s an awesome thrill ride that anybody can enjoy.

I recommend Trumbo to writers and people in the movie industry, as well as people considering getting into politics. This movie is practically flawless and there is a reason I call it my favorite movie of all time. Buy this movie, now! It may be a little late to be talking about this, since it was made in ‘07, but hey, if you think that way consider it “an oldie but a goodie.”

My jog round regent’s park in the morning goes something like this. Adonis runs ahead of me in his spiderman lycra body suit accentuating every muscle and curve of his near-perfect 6′2″ black rippling body, and he’s now taken to dressing up the look with a floppy hollywood-actor styled beanie, so I jog behind this fashion god with the perfect build. I achingly jog behind him. Breathles and in pain and slow and heavy and looking like nathan lane in shorts. And my Adonis picks up chicks along the run. And he and these woman smile at me. They might as well laugh out loud.  He even turns around after passing say a sexy woman and runs backwards staring at her of course but pretending to be looking out for me. It’s ridiculous. And for this humilation and destruction of my knees, I pay him handsomely. Work sucks eggs. It really does. I kinda loathe travelling but at least it keeps me from being at work. I just don’t have any friends at work. It’s lonely. And my businesses are truly soul-destroying and the people I work with take it all so damn seriously. It is ridiculous. And seemingly smart, educated men take the Campy MD so damn seriously too. You know he’s getting lap dances at all the men’s strip clubs in Toronto right now don’tcha?  The fuck wit.

This is the T-shirt I'm wearing today. Except mine's a little more hardcore. I'd post a pic of myself wearing it, but my camera's still broken.

Mr. Clean was always pretty badass, huh?  The only other person who could rock that polished doorknob haircut as hard as Mr. Clean was Morpheus, and you can bet those weren’t the only doorknobs that were getting polished on them.

…Now that I’m done making awkward innuendo about bald guys, I’ll get to the point.  Today I’m called upon to do some serious cleaning of my seriously messy bedroom and bathroom, because my stepmom’s going into hip surgery and we may have some relatives coming and visiting and/or living with us for a while.  I’m taking advantage of being forced into cleaning by pretending it was my idea and going through all of my old clothes and the girly things that have been hanging around by virtue of bad Christmas gift that I didn’t have the guts to throw out.  I now have those guts, as well as some balls, and the gall, and every other body part I need to do things I would not once have done.  It’s finally time to get rid of the things I seriously will never use again.

It feels like a good time to do this, because I’m no longer bouncing between wearing girl stuff in polite company and guy stuff when I feel like it.  I now “feel like it” 100% of the time and the idea of putting on anything frilly, pink or skirtlike is laughably beyond reason.

Maybe I’ll have a yard sale…

I wish I could make a vlog about this.  It’d actually probably be pretty funny for you to see the state of my room and me going through it.  It’s seriously a wreck.  This last weekend I had a kind of a party while the ‘rents were gone (again) and I wound up flinging a mattress and various paraphernalia into my room when I heard them coming up the drive a day earlier than I thought they would.  So on top of the usual squalor and chaos, the mattresses and broken closet doors and other various things create a series of tilty, jaunty planes that made me wake up in the night last night thinking I was inside an Escher painting.  Seriously.

(But at least that’s better than the apocalyptical dream I had night before last that God decided to destroy the world because it had too much Nathan Lane in it.  It gives me the shudders.)

I digress.  Today, I cut through my past with a sharpened sword and excise the filth and scum that is no longer of use to me.

(For some reason I picture that line being read with the voice of Sir Alec Guinness.)

OFF TO CLEAN!!!

Producers have announced the offical cast for The Addams Family.

As previously announced, the production will star Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia and will feature Terrence Mann as Mal Beineke, Carolee Carmello as Alice Beineke, Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, Jackie Hoffman as Grandmama, Zachary James as Lurch, Adam Riegler as Pugsley, Wesley Taylor as Lucas Beineke and Krysta Rodriguez as Wednesday.

Joining the ensemble are Merwin Foard, Jim Borstelmann, Erick Buckley, Colin Cunliffe, Rachel de Benedet, Valerie Fagan, Matthew Gumley, Fred Inkley, Morgan James, Clark Johnsen, Barrett Martin, Jessica Lea Patty, Liz Ramos, Samantha Sturm, Charlie Sutton and Alena Watters.

It’s quite the cast! And the creative team is equally talented. An April 8 opening seems so far away …

OUR TOWN: Still the biggest draw in the history of CBC Radio, Jian Ghomeshi and Q return for a new season this morning with special guest

DAMON: on 'Q' this morning

Matt Damon. Damon, in town for the TIFF screening of his new flick The Informant, has now been named the recipient of the American Cinemateque Award next March, following in the footsteps of previous honourees Julia Roberts and Samuel A. Jackson … French DJ David Guetta, who rocked the Guvernment on Sunday night, is scheduled to greet fans at MuchMusic today. His new CD One Love debuted here at #2 … don’t look for Tony Bennett at the opening of TIFF on Thursday. He’ll be serenading fans at Casino Rama …  sidewalk star owner Anne Murray returns to King Street this weekend to host Blue Rodeo, Kim Cattrall, Tom Cochrane, Howie Mandel and Robert Munsch, among

BENNETT: Barrie-bound

others, at the 12th annual Canada’s Walk of Fame Tribute … speaking of veteran music-makers, Loggins & Messina are set to play Fallsview Casino this coming Friday and Saturday nights. Slightly closer to home, The Smothers Brothers play Casino Rama on Friday followed by Black Crowes on Saturday … terminally gorgeous Cheryl Tiegs brightened Breakfast Television this morning in City TV’s new digs at Yonge-Dundas Square … keep wishing you could go on one of those sensational tours of Ontario wine country? Me too. Especially when I learned that more than 90 (!!) Ontario wines will be available for sampling next week at Taste Ontario, a one-night-only event at the Art Gallery Of Ontario: “Tour the best of wine country for only $45!” Hey, I’d love to! … but alas, it’s all sold out.

MS. SOMEBODY: We loved her work as a writer and director on Away From Her, but we must admit we’re really looking forward to seeing her on

POLLEY: on screen again in Mr Nobody

screen again. Sarah Polley, who seems to get better and better each time we see her, co-stars with Jared Leto, Diane Kruger and Linh-Dan Pham in Mr. Nobody, a new TIFF entry by much-admired Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael. Insiders whisper you should add it to your Must List right now … meanwhile Polley’s Oscar-nominated Away From Her leading lady, iconic British beauty Julie Christie, also co-stars in a new Special Presentation film: Glorious 39, from director Stephen Poliakoff … and TIFF-bound filmmaker Joe Dante, currently on jury duty at the Venice Film Festival, will wing his way

CHRISTIE: Polley protegee (AP)

here in time to introduce his new film The Hole as well as a special TIFF screening of the W.C. Fields classic It’s A Gift.

WILL ‘CATCH ME’ CATCH ON?: In the Good Ol’ Bad Ol’ Days, gentle reader, Hollywood took big Broadway musicals and turned them into lavish movie musicals. Now Broadway takes movies like Hairspray and Billy Elliott and turns them into lavish stage musicals. Latest casualty is Dolly Parton’s tuneful 9 to 5, which closed Saturday night. Newest pretender about to open on the Great White Way? The musical version of Catch Me If You Can, the hit Steven Spielberg drama with Leonardo DiCaprio as a compulsive but irresistible

DICAPRIO: with foxy flight attendants in Catch Me If You Can

impostor. Leo is not, I repeat, not repeating his role on Broadway. But with a book by Terrence McNally (The Full Monty) and music and lyrics by Hairspray duo Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman, the show is already creating some boxoffice sizzle.

Still to come in the new year: Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in The Addams Family, and the $40 million musical extravaganza Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, directed by Julie Taymor.

TOMORROW:

new films for Leo,  Zach and Charlize — and 13 Essential directors

-/-

The creative team for the Broadway production of The Addams Family, to be directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, will include two-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (lighting), Acme Sound Partners (sound), Obie Award-winner Basil Twist (puppetry), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (music direction), Larry Hochman (orchestrations), Greg Meeh (special effects), and Rick Sordelet (fight direction).

Addams Family, the Musical, based on the bizarre family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, is holding its pre-Broadway run here in Chicago from November 13, 2009-January 10, 2010 at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts’ Oriental Theater in Chicago.  The show has a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and choreography by Sergio Trujillo

Once the production moves to Broadway, Addams Family – the Musical will play the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews beginning March 4, in anticipation of an April 8 opening.

As previous mentioned in this blog, the production will star Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth (photo on right) as Gomez and Morticia Addams, with Terrence Mann and Carolee Carmello as Mal and Alice Beineke, a couple who come to dinner at the family’s residence. The cast will also feature Kevin Chamberlin (Uncle Fester), Jackie Hoffman (Grandmama), Zachary James (Lurch), Adam Riegler (Pugsley), Krysta Rodriguez (Wednesday), and Wesley Taylor (Lucas Beineke). Additional casting will be announced at later dates.