Marriott’s ‘My Fair Lady’ loverly, but risk-free

Marriott Theatre presents:

My Fair Lady

By Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
Directed by Dominic Missimi
Through February 14th, 2010 (ticket info)

reviewed by Leah A. Zeldes

The story of linguistics professor Henry Higgins and the Cockney girl he transforms into a lady may well be the most beloved and best-known musical of all time. Based upon George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, its original Broadway production in 1956 ran for 2,717 performances and won six Tony Awards. The 1964 film based on the musical won eight Oscars. The musical has had three major Broadway revivals, and a 2001 British production toured both the United Kingdom and the U.S. and won three Olivier Awards. Columbia Pictures has announced an upcoming movie remake.

You’ve surely seen some version of this musical — if not a professional show, then a high-school or college production or the film. Just listing its popular songs — "Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?" "With a Little Bit of Luck," "The Rain in Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Get Me to the Church on Time" — will set the tunes ringing through your head. Audiences are hard pressed to keep from singing along.

If you’re one of the lovers, then all I really need to tell you is that Marriott Theatre has produced an exuberant, picture-perfect production of My Fair Lady. Nothing about this show will mar your vision of the musical — from Kevin Gudahl channeling Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins to Nancy Missimi’s gorgeous Edwardian costumes to Matt Raftery’s jolly choreography.

If you’re not already an ardent fan, though, nothing about Marriott’s version will challenge your perspective. Dominic Missimi’s direction breaks no new ground whatsoever. This is "comfort theater" at its safest.

The songs are all beautifully sung, the orchestra is first-rate and the acting never misses. The in-the-round staging works surprisingly well (though I held my breath every time the cast schlepped the office furnishings on and off the stage in the dark).

The cast and ensemble — as one expects from Marriott — do everything right. Heidi Kettenring brings verve to her part as Eliza Doolittle, particularly in her "unreformed" Cockney scenes, making Gudahl’s Higgins seem especially like a stuffed fish. Don Forston makes a feisty Alfred Doolittle (our heroine’s opportunistic father) and Catherine Lord an especially expressive Mrs. Pearce (Prof. Higgins’ long-suffering housekeeper); her Scottish accent is a nice touch. David Lively gives a stiff upper lip to Colonel Pickering while Ann Whitney brings dry wit to Higgins’ mother.

Max Quinlan, as Eliza’s yearning suitor, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, gives full measure to "On the Street Where You Live," and George Keating, Brandon Koller, Christian Libonati and Joseph Tokarz are a cheeky Cockney quartet.

The scene at Ascot, when Eliza is first revealed to the upper crust, is particularly delightful, thanks mainly to some amazing hats and staging that gives them all the display they deserve. Apart from that, though, and the intrinsic worth of live performance over recorded media, you might just as well rent the video.

I found myself thinking of all the things a theater company might do with this brilliant but hoary old musical to shake it up. While it’s probably going too far to set the show in the Loop and give Eliza a Bridgeport accent, a production, however beautiful, that merely follows where others have gone before, forms a sadly lost opportunity. Marriott’s My Fair Lady feels as if it’s set in aspic.

Rating: ★★★½

Note: Dinner packages available.

“Billy Elliot” announced Chicago cast

Including J.P. Viernes as Chicago’s 4th Billy

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment, has announced, with Broadway In Chicago, casting for the Chicago production of Billy Elliot the Musical, previews beginning March 18th at the Oriental Theatre; opening night being Sunday, April 11th. The cast includes John Peter (J.P.) Viernes who joins the previously announced actors Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio and Cesar Corrales in the role of ‘Billy’.

Below: 3 of the 4 Billy’s

Starring in Billy Elliot are Armand Schultz (Dad); Cynthia Darlow (Grandma); Patrick Mulvey (Tony); Keean Johnson and Gabriel Rush (Michael); Chicagoan Samuel Pergande (Billy’s Older Self); Jim Ortlieb (George); Chicagoan Susie McMonagle (Mum); Chicagoan Blake Hammond (Mr. Braithwaite); and Maria Connelly (Debbie).

Also featured are Matt Allen; Jason Babinsky; Chicagoan Elijah Barker; Madison Barnes; Cindy Benson; Sara Brians; Chicagoan Tony Clarno; Abby Church; Christine DeFillipo; Alexandra Dell’Edera; Faith Fetscher; Susan Haefner; Ryan Kasprzak; Chicagoan Kayla King; Kent Lewis; Will Mann; Kate Marilley; Spencer Milford; Brittany Nicholas; Chicagoan Mark Page; Mitch Poulos; Emily Richardson; Annelise Ritacca; Michaeljon Slinger; Jaclyn Taylor Ruggiero; Jamie Torcellini; Nicholas Torres; Brionna Trilling; and Kayla Vanderbilt. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

About “Billy Elliot”

Billy Elliot is the funny, heartwarming tale of a young boy with a dream, and a celebration of his triumph against the odds. Set against the historic British miners’ strike of the 1980s, the story follows Billy’s journey as a boy in a small mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class while on his way to a boxing lesson, realizes that his future lay not in the boxing ring but on stage as a dancer.

Featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreographed by Peter Darling and directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot opened at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on November 13, 2008 and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Billy Elliot the Musical is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jon Finn and Sally Greene. Angela Morrison and David Furnish are Executive Producers. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.

I’ve never felt passionately enthusiastic about Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman’s La Cage aux Folles. I’ve always wanted to like the show – perhaps even felt obligated to, sometimes – and certainly I’m a huge fan of George Hearn’s performance of the show’s big theme tune, “I Am What I Am” at the Tony Awards, which always gets me all sad and teary:

(This performance is available on the Broadway’s Lost Treasures DVD series, which any musical theatre fan should have in his or her collection.)

At any rate, the show is being revived on Broadway for the second time this decade. The 2004 revival received mixed notices, but managed to pick up the Tony Award for the Best Revival of a Musical (over Pacific Overtures and Sweet Charity, neither of which offered particularly stiff competition) and ran for 6 months before closing in June 2005.

This time around we’re seeing the much acclaimed Menier Chocolate Factory production, which transferred to the West End and is one of only two musicals featured in the “The Best Theatre of the Decade” list in the Sunday Times:

The Menier spruced up this pocket musical a treat: the chorus line’s antics alone are worth the price of entrance. Then they went and made it a world-class event by casting Douglas Hodge as Albin, the drag star, a sassy scrapper whose falsies conceal a truly tender heart.

It ranked 19th out of the 20 shows listed, and now it’s on its way to Broadway with Douglas Hodge. Casting rumours originally had Mandy Patinkin pegged for Georges, but this (thankfully) fell through because of Patinkin’s commitments to Paradise Found and it’s since been confirmed that Kelsey Grammar will play the role. So the buzz is on and here we go with another revival for a show that’s been revived or staged previously in this decade. Except that La Cage aux Folles isn’t half the show that Gypsy is.

SIDE NOTE: Am I the only one who thinks that the largely unnecessary American remake of La Cage Aux Folles (The Birdcage, which starred Robin Williams and Nathan Lane) could have been better all around if it had been an adaptation of the stage musical? I guess the late 1990s predated the current movie musical renaissance, but with this cast in place in seems like it would have been an obvious choice at the time. Still, the film received generally favourable reviews and remains one of the top-grossing LGBT films in the USA, so…? Well, it was just a thought.

i think i'm going to need a bigger pencil

How do you appreciate art, and who can appreciate art? These are just some of the questions asked by the play. Feelings are universal, and the groups teacher Mr. Lyon is adamant that “anyone can paint”, meaning so too can anyone, even a miner, appreciate art. The play begins with a humorous first half (when the group are told Helen has come for modern art, one of the members responds “you’ve come to the right place, these were all painted last week”), and it gracefully moves into a poignant second half with Oliver who is artistically gifted but faces challenges with his own class struggle.

Hall adapts William Feaver’s book superbly, and Max Robert’s direction is equally good. The staging is stripped down to only five main cast members, five chairs, scattered paintings, and a screen to display work to the audience that the group talk about. The understated set is spot on allowing the high emotion, quick dialogue, and witty remarks to shine.  It is Hall’s characterisation of the group that makes the play: they have a thirst for knowledge, working class spirit, and extreme likeability. The subjects are tackled with great sensitivity, you are never laughing at them, instead you are rooting for the miners to overcome obstacles either imposed by society or upon themselves.

Winner of the Evening Standard Best Play award last year, this is a must-see. A beautiful masterpiece. 

Runs from 2 December till 18 January 2010. 

To see or not to see: * * * * *

Read the original review of The Pitmen Painters on the National Theatre’s website here

No one does Regis Philbin better than Neil Patrick Harris.

He even beat out Regis for “Best Regis” in the annual “Live with Regis and Kelly” Relly Awards competition.  He’s that good.

So, the minute Regis announced to last week’s Las Vegas audience that he was taking a leave of absence from the show to have hip-replacement surgery — we’re talking 4-6 weeks off, people — my first thought was…

Neil Patrick Harris.

Let’s face it.  He is the obvious choice to fill Regis’ chair.  He triumphed at the Tonys.  He elevated the Emmys.  He can keep the Rege in ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’ and, at the same time, give us a glimpse of what the show could be in that far away future.

Look — I love Anderson Cooper’s silver hair in the host chair, and am often charmed by Bryant Gumbel’s new-found sense of humor…but Neil Patrick Harris is Kelly’s hosting soul mate.  He’s the sun to her moon, the yin to her yang, the salt to her pippa.

Gelman, if you’re reading this — and if you are, hire me soon in some over-paid capacity– please, give us Neil Patrick Harris while Regis is away.

It will be legen — wait for it — dary!!

God help me, curiosity often gets the better of me when there is much hype about something or the other. I heard about Adam Lambert on the AMAs being a sex god, and for lack of anything at all better to do on my lunch break, I meandered over to YouTube to check it out.

Is it just me, or could that whole segment (they might have already taken it down by the time you read this) have been a scene out of a Christopher Guest movie? It was absolutely so over-the-top ridiculous, to the point of hysterical comedy. I felt like I was watching Adam Lambert do a parody of himself. Think Rex Manning attempting to impersonate a post-meltdown MTV comeback Britney. Shoving his crotch in the faces (which looked strained and uncomfortable) of a stage full of confused, writhing sex-slaves who wait for him limply only to start flopping around spasmodically at his clumsy, overly pushy attention. And dressed like KD Lang wandered onto the set of Lost Boys.

The dancing really wasn’t confident; rather, it seemed forceful due to overcompensating for lack of rhythmic talent. I assume they did this in front of a giant flashing background to create a sense of shock and awe that distracts the audience from what’s going on in the foreground. The vocals should have been lip-synched, since so much breath seems to have been taken out of the man during moves he learned in (I assume) An Idiot’s Guide to Dominance. The mauling, er, kiss at the top of the set looked like he intended to punch the guy with his mouth. Etiquette, please. And the song itself was almost certainly written by music execs pandering to the illiterates of the dance generation. Or if it was written by him, it was with them whispering it into his ear.

Additionally–from someone who’s known her fair share of dominants–this man is clearly otherwise on the M end of the S&M, which I assume is why this is uncomfortable to watch for the trained eye. And I should know; we can smell our own.

In sum, can someone please call Madonna up to the stage to show this boy what he’s doing?

And, you know, for my money, Brett Michaels getting dropped like a sack of potatoes will forever be the hands-down best awards show clip out there. It doesn’t actually get any better than that.

I

From Playbill.com:

The original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning revival of Hair will make its London debut when the iconic musical premieres at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre on April 1, 2010.

As previously reported, Diane Paulus will re-create her Tony-nominated direction of the musical that will officially open at the Gielgud April 14, 2010. The Broadway production will welcome a new cast, who will begin performances March 9, 2010, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The new cast will be announced at a later date.

“Hair is a movement, and the movement is growing. With our current Broadway company spreading the ‘love’ in London, I am thrilled that another ‘Tribe’ will be born anew next Spring, and that they will take the show to a new level here in New York,” Paulus said in a statement. “With every step along the journey of making this Hair, the show has changed and grown, and it is my absolute intention to continue that process with a new cast. I am looking forward to the unleashing of a new ‘Tribe’ and to this next, most exciting, moment in the life of Hair.”

The London production is being produced by the Public Theater with Cameron Mackintosh and Broadway Across America. Tickets will begin sale Nov. 20.

Much of the original Broadway cast have been with Hair since its 2007 debut in a special 40th anniversary concert staging at the Delacorte Theater. In 2008 the Public mounted Hair as part of Shakespeare in the Park, where the run was extended three times. The production transferred to Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre March 31, 2009.

The opening night cast of Hair includes Tony nominees Gavin Creel as Claude and Will Swenson as Berger, as well as Sasha Allen as Dionne, Caissie Levy as Sheila, Allison Case as Crissy, Kacie Sheik as Jeanie, Bryce Ryness as Woof, Darius Nichols as Hud, Megan Lawrence as Mother and Andrew Kober as Margaret Mead/Dad.

Tribe members include Steel Burkhardt, Brianna Carlson, Lauren Elder, Allison Guinn, Chasten Harmon, Anthony Hollock, Jay Johnson, Josh Lamon, Ryan Link, John Moauro, Ato Blankson-Wood, Brandon Pearson, Paris Remillard, Maya Sharpe, Theo Stockman, Tommar Wilson, Jackie Burns, Kaitlin Kiyan, Nicole Lewis, Megan Reinking, Saycon Sengbloh and Michael James Scott.

The Hair creative team includes set designer Scott Pask, costume designer Michael McDonald, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer Acme Sound Partners and choreographer Karole Armitage.

Featuring book and lyrics by the late Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot, the 2009 revival of Hair earned the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The critically acclaimed production also earned Tony nominations for Best Direction (Diane Paulus), Best Choreography (Karole Armitage), Best Actor (Gavin Creele), Best Featured Actor (Will Swenson), Best Sound Design (Acme Sound Partners), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams) and Best Costume Design (Michael McDonald).

Hair is presented on Broadway by The Public Theater, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Fran Kirmser Productions/Jed Bernstein, Marc Frankel, Broadway Across America, Barbara Manocherian/WenCarLar Productions, JK Productions/Terry Schnuck, Andy Sandberg, JAM Theatricals, The Weinstein Company/Norton Herrick, Jujamcyn Theaters, Joey Parnes and by special arrangement with Elizabeth Ireland McCann.

From Playbill.com:

“HAIR” goes to LONDON in April

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The current Tony Award winning revival of the 1968 Broadway musical Hair is to have a London production, with members of the Broadway company crossing the Atlantic. West End performances are scheduled to begin at the Gielgud Theatre April 1, 2010, prior to an official opening April 14.

According to a report in London’s Daily Mail, the plan is to bring the current Broadway company to the West End, and talks are being held with both American and British Equity to allow this to happen, with a British cast to replace them in time.

iane Paulus’ production, which was first seen at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in the summers of 2007 and 2008 before transferring to Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theare in March 2009 (where it is still running), won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. In addition, cast members Gavin Creel and Will Swenson were both nominated for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and director Paulus and choreographer Karole Armitage were respectively nominated for the Tony’s for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography. Michael McDonald, Kevin Adams and Acme Sound Partners were also nominated respectively for Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical and Best Sound Design of a Musical

The London transfer is being produced by the Public with Cameron Mackintosh and Broadway Across America. The musical, which features book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermott, was last seen in London in a fringe production at Notting Hill’s Gate Theatre in 2005, and prior to that in a short-lived West End production at the Old Vic directed by Michael Bogdanov in 1993. A London staging of the original 1968 Broadway production played the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre in late 1968, with a cast that included Paul Nicholas, Richard O’Brien, Elaine Paige, Marsha Hunt, Oliver Tobias and Tim Curry.

The current tenant at the Gielgud is Avenue Q, which is currently booking through March 20, 2010, after moving from the Noel Coward Theatre. According to a spokesperson from Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, it is planned to move again.

Cat Stars, Sister & Rat Pack Launch WOS Awards
Date: 3 November 2009

Just days after their London opening in the transatlantic transfer of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Broadway stars James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan will help launch one of the biggest events in the West End: the TENTH ANNUAL Whatsonstage.com Awards, the “theatregoers’ choice”. This year’s glitzy launch party, at which all of the artists and shows in the 2010 awards running will be revealed, is held at Cafe de Paris, at lunchtime on Friday 4 December 2009.

The three Broadway stars, who have a collection of Tony Awards and other US accolades between them, will be our special guest co-presenters, reading the shortlists for the shortlists of nominations across the 20+ awards categories. The 2010 Awards cover the 2009 theatregoing year, running from 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2009. (As Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opens on 1 December 2009, the three actors and their production will be considered as part of the 2011 Awards.)

The Americans will be joined by British stage and screen legend Jeremy Irons, presenting on behalf of this year’s adopted charity, Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass, which gives young people the chance to learn from and be inspired by leading artists (See News, 29 Sep 2009).

There will also be three live musical performances. Patina Miller, who won rave reviews earlier this year for stepping into Whoopi Goldberg’s shoes as Deloris von Cartier in blockbuster screen-to-stage hit Sister Act at the London Palladium, will prove why she’s “Fabulous, Baby” in the show. And the ever-smooth Frank, Sammy and Dean from Christmas with The Rat Pack at the Adelphi Theatre will get guests in the festive mood with some croon-worthy seasonal classics.

Last but not least, in honour of the tenth anniversary of the Awards, the stars of satirical musical comedy hit Jest End, which returns this month for a five-week season at Jermyn Street Theatre, will perform a special celebratory medley.

Top (l-r): Patina Miller in Sister Act; Jeremy Irons; Bottom (l-r): Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’s James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan with co-star Adrian Lester; Jest End; and Christmas with The Rat Pack.

Charity, voting & sponsors

The nominations phase of the 2010 Whatsonstage.com Awards has now opened – click here to nominate your favourite shows and artists! After the launch party, the race is on to decide the eventual Whatsonstage.com Award winners, with voting on the shortlists opening on Monday 7 December 2009 and continuing until the end of January. Results are announced and awards presented in front of a live audience of theatregoer voters at our Winners’ Concert on Sunday 14 February 2010 at the West End’s Prince of Wales Theatre.

Both Awards events are held in aid of this year’s adopted charity, Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass, which gives young people the chance to learn from and be inspired by leading artists (See News, 29 Sep 2009). Set up by the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1998, the hugely successful Masterclass programme has now welcomed over 40,000 people aged 17-30. Events are given free of charge and occur at least one Friday a month throughout the year, focusing on all aspects of theatre from acting and directing to writing and producing.

Though Masterclass events are designed for those at the start of their careers, theatregoers and others, of whatever age, are also welcome. The Masterclass Benefactors scheme (priced £55 per annum) has been set up for this purpose. It includes: access to over 12 events a year, an annual friends’ party and special ticket offers for Theatre Royal Haymarket productions. Details can be found at www.masterclass.org.uk.

For more information on the charity and our corporate sponsors in relation to the Awards, please visit our awards microsite later this week. For the first time this year, we’re also making a limited number of sponsorship packages available to individuals. For information on theatregoers’ packages, click here.

Ricky Gervais to host the Golden Globes in January. This is news which I think most of us will appreciate. Hopefully, he’ll do what Neil Patrick Harris did for the Tonys and the Emmys.

via: People

From AllHeadlineNews.com:

Musical Version Of “Shrek” To Head Out For Touring Quest
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7016772222?Musical%20Version%20Of%20#ixzz0UoCX7ZIs

Andy Bockelman – Celebrity News Service Reporter

New York City (CNS) – A green beast man may have worn out his welcome in New York, but luckily for him, he has a place open for him Far Far Away.

“Shrek the Musical” will have its final Broadway performance Jan. 3, 2010 at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway, New York City. The Tony Award winning show – with a run that will have included 441 performances and 37 previews in the venue – will then go on a national tour, starting with a limited engagement kick-off in Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre, running from July 13 to Sept. 5, 2010.

Based on the DreamWorks Animation “Shrek” series – which is originally based on William Steig’s children’s book “Shrek!” – about a grumpy ogre who finds true love with a princess, “Shrek the Musical” opened at the Broadway Theatre in December 2008, setting a house record for weekly ticket grosses early in its run. With a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Olivier Award winner Jeanine Tesori and direction by Tony Award nominee Jason Moore, the show is the first production of DreamWorks Theatricals.

“Bringing ‘Shrek the Musical’ to Broadway has been a joyous and thrilling adventure, and we couldn’t be more proud of our first Broadway show,” said company president Bill Damaschke in a press release for the show. “We now look forward to taking the production to audiences on tour in the US and beyond.”

The “Shrek” films – which includes vocal stars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow and Antonio Banderas – are some of the most successful cartoons ever produced. The initial film was the recipient of the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, while “Shrek 2″ holds the all-time record for highest grossing animated movie.

“Shrek the Musical” has followed the films’ accolades, winning multiple awards, including eight Tony Award nominations, three Drama Desk Awards and four Outer Critics Circle Awards.

FOOTLIGHTS: Last week Vanessa Williams started her fourth season as Ugly Betty’s ever-scheming yet oddly lovable magazine editor Wilhelmina Slater,

WILLIAMS: Sondheim serenader

a roie which has won her three consecutive Emmy Award nominations to date. This week the former Miss America is plotting her return to Broadway with powerhouse Barbara Cook in a new nightly tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Williams starred as the Witch in the 2003 revival of Sondheim’s Into The Woods. “Ugly Betty is my priority,” she says candidly, “and we shoot in the spring — so there are going to be some days that I may not be able to do the Sondheim show. But we’re going to do as much as we can so I can do an eight-show week.” The new musical, Sondheim On

CHENOWITH: Bacharach baby?

Sondheim, will be directed by her Into The Woods champion James Lapine and is scheduled to open early next year … remember Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon in the 1960 Billy Wilder film classic The Apartment? Remember Jerry Orbach and Jill O’Hara in the 1968 Broadway musical version, Promises, Promises? Remember all those hummable Burt Bacharach-Hal David tunes like I’ll Never Fall In Love Again? Word on the Great White Way is that Wicked scene-stealer Kristin Chenowith will return

LAHTI: Carnage

to the New York stage to play opposite Will & Grace funnyman Sean Hayes in a modernized 2010 revival of the hit musical. Stay tuned … and here’s one for the Change Partners & Dance Dept.: A new cast for Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning black comedy God of Carnage will begin performances on November 17 on Broadway. Christine Lahti will replace Marcia Gay Harden; Annie Potts has signed on to replace Hope Davis; Jimmy Smits will replace Jeff Daniels; and original West End cast member Ken Stott will recreate his performance as Michael, replacing James

SMITS: replacing Jeff Daniels

Gandolfini.

FLICKERS: The 10^th annual Planet in Focus film festival, which opened here yesterday, features over 85 films on environmental issues from 25 countries, with pre- and post-screening discussions and panels and special programs for children and schools. A special section of the festival, Land & Conflict screenings, include Canadian premieres of Voices from El Sayed. The 2008 film set in the Bedouin village that is home to the largest community of deaf people in the world; and Jerusalem Moments 2009, a showcase of short films by seven young Palestinian and Israeli directors. To get all the W5, click here … and following a successful pitch at RomaFictionFest, veteran producer Pat Ferns is teaming up with Britain’s Scenario Films to

TOMLIN: class consciousness

develop Shakespeare in Venice, a dramatic series in the tradition of Shakespeare in Love. Based on exhaustive research by Alessandro Bettero, the screenplays will be co-written with award-winning British screenwriter Gareth Jones … and David Cronenberg is set to appear at tonight’s TIFF Cinemateque screening of Videodrome, his prescient 1983 thriller with James Woods, Deborah Harry and Sonja Smits, tonight at 9 pm at the AGO.

QUOTABLE QUOTES: “I lived in a racially diverse and financially diverse neighborhood and I knew who was favored and who wasn’t and who had “nicer” material circumstances and who didn’t. It was the practice at our grade school in those days to stand and tell the class what you’d received for Christmas that year and it was gruesome because it was clear when a kid was lying or exaggerating out of shame, and I can remember being one of them. You might say you’d gotten a sweater and boots and a new coat and all kinds of things that you never showed up in. I can’t imagine what teacher would support such a practice today unless it was used anonymously to raise political and social consciousness and make it an illuminating exercise.”

The speaker? Lily Tomlin, on becoming class conscious at the age of 7.

MAPLE LEAF JOKES? WE’VE GOT A MILLION OF ‘EM!:

Q: What do the Toronto Maple Leafs and possums have in common?
A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.

TOMORROW:

Liz Smith goes on a tear, Jacqueline Bisset goes Italian,

and Ragtime returns to Broadway — without Garth.

-/-

JONATHAN HEURING appointed as new managing director

Porchlight Music Theatre has announced the appointment of Jonathan Heuring as full time managing director for the fifteen year old company. As managing director, he will oversee a variety of operations including marketing, development, vendors, subscription and single ticket sales—all the behind-the-scenes activities that support the artistic program.

Jonathan Heuring has worked the past 15 years in a wide variety of theatrical management roles, most notably nine years on the senior staff at Victory Gardens Theater as the Production Manager. He helped produce more than 50 world and regional premiere productions, including the 2001 season when Victory Gardens was the recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. He also played a major role in the growth that saw the company double in size and he was an integral member of the team that oversaw an $11.6 million campaign to renovate the landmark Biograph Theater into the company’s new home in 2006. Other theater companies he’s worked for include Indiana Repertory, Emerald City, TimeLine Theatre, Oak Park Festival, Lifeline, Famous Door and Center Theatre Ensemble.

Heuring has also worked locally in non-profit management software development and sales for Easy-Ware Corporation, and in commercial theatrical production for Jam Theatricals. He is a charter member of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Arts & Technical Committee, an advisory board member of Premiere Theatre and Performance, and is a proud graduate of Indiana University. He loves to volunteer his spare time to many local non-profits including Inspiration Corporation, Preservation Chicago, and Organizing for America.

From Porchlight’s board president Jeannie Lukow:

It is Porchlight’s privilege to welcome Jonathan Heuring as managing director. His knowledge of the Chicago theatre community, his skills as a theatre administrator, and most of all, his passion for theatre will serve the company well. As Porchlight celebrates the milestone of its 15^th anniversary, bringing a full time managing director on board is critical to our growth in the next 15 years."

We here at Chicago Theater Blog wish Jonathan the best of luck.

OUR TOWN: Is there any other business whose highest-profile members donate their talents so often and so freely? And no, this isn’t a quiz. The answer is

MacDONALD: Laughing Like Crazy

No. And when our stars go into support mode, they give it all they’ve got. Which is why you should know that seasoned smile-maker Mike MacDonald, a guy who always puts the ‘fun’ back in fund-raiser, returns to T.O. this weekend to headline Laughing Like Crazy, a benefit for the Mood Disorder Association of Ontario. Another amusing fellow, Second City alumnus Patrick McKenna hosts the Saturday night event at the Panasonic Theatre. For tickets, click here … and yes, it’s a much smaller venue than the stadiums he usually plays, but Russell Peters will return to host the annual Gilda’s Club benefit, It’s Always Something, on Nov. 23

CARVER: Songs to celebrate

at the Princess Of Wales. To order tickets, click here … and what do Brent Carver, Michael Burgess, Bruce Dow, Ted Dykstra, Melanie Doane, Theresa Tova, Adam Brazier, Sharron Matthews, Avery Saltzman, Aaron Walpole, Elicia MacKenzie (Maria in The Sound Of Music) and cast members from Jersey Boys all have in common? They’re all performing in Songs & Celebration, a November fundraiser for the Harold Green Jewish Theatre company hosted by Colin Mochrie and Deb McGrath. For more information, and to order tickets, just click here.

NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Dancap chief Aubrey Dan is honourary chair of the third annual Bright Lights Of Broadway scholarship

PARSONS: coming to T.O.

fundraiser at the Carlu on Oct. 28 …Cheyenne Jackson, currently providing the swoon quotient for the Broadway revival of Finian’s Rainbow, will be moonlighting this season in a guest stint on 30 Rock, playing the new cast member Alec Baldwin wants Tina Fey to hire … who’da thunk it? Tie Domi is surprisingly fast on his feet in CBC’s current Battle Of The Blades competition. Can’t wait to watch him trip the light fantastic tonight with Rick Mercer on the Rick Mercer Report … and Oscar winner Estelle Parsons (remember Bonnie & Clyde?) reprises her praise-winning Broadway turn as Violet, the matriarch from hell, when Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning drama August:

DOMI & MERCER: on ice tonight

Osage County opens here next month  for a limited 10-night run.

WOT’S IN A NAME: A new reality show on BBC America features an imperious retail consultant Mary Portas — “What I don’t know about shops isn’t worth knowing” – who attempts to bring elegance to one tacky clothing store each episode. The name of the series? Mary Queen Of Shops … and the new Monty Python series that launched in the U.S. last weekend has a great title too: Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut.) Episode titles for the six-part IFC

PYTHON: Almost the truth

series, appropriately sponsored by Beefeater gin, are equally engaging, e.g., The Not-So-Exciting Beginnings, The Much Funnier Second Episode and The Last Episode Ever … For Now. Don’t know why I’m surprised; who else would dub their electronic home base Monty Python’s Completely Useless Website? In any case, Python devotees are already waiting for the DVD to come out do they can add it to their collection, but the good news is that Bravo! will premiere the series in Canada, starting this Saturday at 9 pm. So don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

MAPLE LEAF JOKES? WE’VE GOT A MILLION OF ‘EM!:

Q: What do the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Argonauts and the Toronto Blue Jays all have in common besides being based in Toronto ?
A. None of them can play hockey.

TOMORROW: All about GLEE.

-/-

Kate Hudson in "NINE" (Photo:BusinessWire)

The first photos of the much anticipated costumes from the movie “NINE” has been released. Academy Award winning costume designer Colleen Atwood, (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) collaborated with Swarovski on “NINE” to create a show stopping spectacle that sparkles throughout. Over 1 million CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements are used to embellish the costumes of the all star cast.  Over thirty-six costumes were crystallized, including a crystal mesh dress worn by Kate Hudson, a basque worn by Penélope Cruz, an evening dress worn by Nicole Kidman and twenty-five showgirl outfits in the Folies Bergeres number. The dazzling costumes feature 9 different crystal applications in 31 styles and 22 various colours.

“Swarovski has given me great support with the finest crystal materials in the world to help create the costumes in NINE.” said Colleen Atwood, costume designer.

Rob Marshall, Oscar nominated director of Chicago, presents NINE, a vibrant and provocative musical that follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he reaches a creative and personal crisis of epic proportion, while balancing the numerous women in his life including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), a young American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson) and his mother (Sophia Loren). The original 1982 Broadway production of “NINE,” won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The 2003 Broadway revival of “NINE” won two Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

“NINE” opens in theaters on November 25.

BROADWAY BABIES: 30 Rock scene-stealer Jane Krakowski, who made her name in the Broadway musical Grand Hotel and won a Tony for dazzling

KRAKOWSKI: song & dance

Antonio Banderas in Nine, is finally getting back to full-time singing and dancing, if only temporarily. Due to her shooting schedule her cheeky tongue-in cheek cabaret act at Feinstein’s, Jane Krakowski Has Sold Out…Tickets Available, must close tomorrow night at Loew’s Regency … Laurie Metcalf, who picked up three Emmys playing Roseanne’s sister on Roseanne, is back on Broadway starring as the mother in the first full-scale revival of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. She’ll continue to reprise her role in Broadway Bound, the second play in Simon’s autobiographical comedy, when both shows play in rep at the Nederlander. Brighton Beach Memoirs opens Oct. 25; Broadway Bound begins previews Nov. 18 and opens Dec. 10 … and Academy

METCALF: Broadway bound

and Tony Award winner Mike Nichols will be honored with the American Film Institute’s 38th annual Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. “I’m surprised and pleased,” dead-panned the impish director of such films as Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf and Angels In America. “I was watching The Graduate on my Blackberry last week and it really holds up!”

NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Why do we watch movies on planes that we wouldn’t watch anywhere else? Margaret Atwood tweets that she disgraced herself by watching Year One, the sophomoric comedy spoof with Jack Black and Michael Cera, on her way to the Frankfurt Book Fair. Guess she consoled herself with news that her Year Of The Flood was

McGOWAN: Julie's ex on The Border

#8 on the New York Times bestseller list by the time she landed in Germany … Doug Coupland thinks Ed O’Neill’s new show Modern Family “is just pure genius. It’s sooooo well written.” A technology geek, Coupland finds delightful and absurdly obscure video clips and posts them on Twitter – for example, this gem with Mr. T, Loni Anderson, George Hamilton and Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton in the same Lipton commercial. Coupland, whose new book Generation A is due in book stores, reports he lost his cell phone a few weeks ago, but instead of hyperventilating he’s discovered that he simply doesn’t think about it any more. “Didn’t expect that to happen!” Me neither … and Darryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival returns to Toronto tomorrow night for one night only at

O'NEILL: new series

the Bloor Cinema with its 10th annual show featuring funny short films about sex from Canada and around the globe.

EXES & OOOHS: Yesterday I told you that Julie Stewart, currently on stage at the Factory Theatre in Brad Fraser’srave-winning new comedy True Love Lies, also plays Graham Abbey’s ex onThe Border.

Wrong! Julie plays James McGowan’s ex on The Border. And yes, I really can tell those two guys apart. (sigh)

Oh well. Happens in the best of families.

KUTCHER: start 'er up

YA GOTTA HAVE A GIMMICK: Thanks to Ashton Kutcher for sending me (and maybe a million others) news of that new iPhone app that lets you start your car from your phone. I would start saving up for it but I’m saving up for a new TV set instead. No, not HD – 3D. Yup, Panasonic unveiled its prototype 50-inch Viera plasma 3-D set in Tokyo this week. Apparently it’s a wow. The technology works by rapidly alternating between left and right frames of the video. Viewers wear glasses that sync with the television over an infrared signal. The right frame is seen only with the right eye and the left frame with the left eye, creating the illusion of depth.

So all they have to do now is persuade producers to make reality TV shows in 3-D, and we’ll have even more reasons to go back to the movies.

Have a great weekend!

-/-

Stars from Broadway’s Jersey Boys and Wicked join cast

Playing at the Chicago Theatre from November 19 – January 3

Stars from Broadway’s Jersey Boys and Wicked will join the distinctive cast of comedic and dance talent in the brand new theatrical production, Banana Shpeel, presented by Cirque du Soleil and MSG Entertainment. Banana Shpeel begins performances at The Chicago Theatre on November 19, with an official Opening Night on Wednesday, December 2. The limited Chicago engagement concludes January 3, 2010, and Banana Shpeel debuts in New York at The Beacon Theatre in February 2010.

The Cast

Michael Longoria, who starred as Frankie Valli in the Broadway production of Jersey Boys, will portray Emmett, an innocent and romantic young actor, while Annaleigh Ashford, who starred as Glinda in Wicked on Broadway and in Chicago, portrays Emmett’s love interest Katie, and Remo Airaldi, a prolific resident company member of Boston’s acclaimed American Repertory Theater, portrays Schmelky, a cruel and irritable theater producer. Joining them is an international crew of comedic actors: Claudio Carneiro (Brazil), Daniel Passer (U.S.), Patrick de Valette (France), Gordon White (Canada), and Wayne Wilson (U.S.). In keeping with Cirque du Soleil’s unique and diverse performers, global talents showcased in Banana Shpeel include Russian hand balancer Dmitry Bulkin, Vietnamese juggler Tuan Le, Spanish foot juggler Vanessa Alvarez, and the American sister-brother tap dance duo, Joseph and Josette Wiggan. Completing the cast is a talented ensemble comprised of 10 “triple threats”: singer-actor-dancers Robyn Baltzer, Alex Ellis, Adrienne Jean Fisher, DeWitt Fleming Jr., Luke Hawkins, Kathleen Hennessey, Adrienne Reid, Anthony J. Russo, Melissa Schott, and Steven T. Williams.

The Band

Under the direction of Band Leader Robert Cookman, the Banana Shpeel original score is performed live on stage by Roland Barber (trombone), Bobby Brennan (bass), James Campagnola (multi-instrumental), Iohann Laliberté (drums), Jean-François Ouellet (saxophone), Peter Sachon (cello) and Scott Steen (trumpet).

The Show

Banana Shpeel is a roller-coaster mix of styles that blends comedy with tap, hip hop, eccentric dance and slapstick, all linked by a narrative that ignites a succession of wacky adventures. This is not circus, or a musical or a variety show, or even vaudeville. It is Banana Shpeel!

Synopsis: Propelled by crazy humor and intense choreography, Banana Shpeel plunges us into the world of Schmelky, who dangles fame and fortune in front of Emmett, who has come to audition for him. Emmett soon finds himself trapped in a flamboyant, anarchic world where Schmelky sows terror and reigns supreme. Emmett falls in love with the beautiful Katie and meets a bunch of absurd characters, including the strange Banana Man. But who is this mysterious Banana Man and how can Emmett escape the clutches of Schmelky and his henchmen?

The Creative Team 

The Banana Shpeel Creative Team includes: Artistic Guides Guy Laliberté (Cirque du Soleil Founder) and Gilles Ste-Croix; Writer and Director David Shiner; Director of Creation Serge Roy; Composer and Musical Director Jean-François Côté; Comic Act Designer Stefan Haves; Choreographer Jared Grimes; Costume Designer Dominique Lemieux; Set Designer and Props Co-Designer Patricia Ruel; Props Co-Designer Jasmine Catudal; Lighting Designer Bruno Rafie; Sound Designer Harvey Robitaille; and Make-up Designer Eleni Uranis.

Banana Shpeel writer and director David Shiner started out as a mime in Paris. His career took off in 1984 when he was discovered at the renowned circus festival Cirque de Demain. Shiner later teamed up with Bill Irwin to create the wordless two-man show Fool Moon, which played from 1992 to 1999, including three Broadway runs. Fool Moon picked up numerous prizes, including a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. In 2007, Shiner directed his first Cirque du Soleil production, the big top touring show KOOZA.

Performance Schedule

Banana Shpeel performs from November 19, 2009 through January 3, 2010 at The Chicago Theatre

Ticket Information

Tickets are available now for all performances and can be purchased at www.cirquedusoleil.com or www.thechicagotheatre.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Regular ticket prices range from $23 to $98, with limited Premium and Tapis Rouge VIP Experience tickets also available. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more, by calling 1-866-6-CIRQUE (1-866-624-7783).

Fuck the Fuck yeah! Suit up Uncle Fuckers, Cuz its all about NPH, todayz.

Howz about a little Monday Meta-blog about Neil Patrick Harris?

Yup, some dedicated blogger has carved out a little slice of cyberspace (gawd, are we still using that term? I am such an old man. Do the kids even know what that means?) in homage to everyone’s favorite multi-talented, out, gay, sassy, hilarious comeback kid-actor.

…In case you are an old man like me, and have been totally snoozing (snoozy? toats!) for the past several years, your ol’ pal Doogie Howser (yes, the “M.D.”) is killing it in the prime time and among the nerd/geek/whedon/buffy blogosphere. I believe his words to People Magazine were

“I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.”

Lets hear it for very content gay men!

Okay, so- Start with his antics on Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog (where he plays the title character), note his slam dunk contribution to the ensemble cast of How I Met Your Mother (which includes Whedon’s superstar Alyson Hannigan who played Willow in some other show), and oh yeah, he like hosted the Emmy Awards and the Tony Awards (or something)- so like what rock have you been under since the Doogie Days, eh?

Which is all to say: Fuck Yeah!!! Neil Patrick Harris!!

Its a blog.
Its insipid.
Its fucking hilarious.

Fuck Yeah.
Sunshine Superboy

FOOTLIGHTS: Dynamic screen duo Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, who made history 25 years ago in Sophie’s Choice, will perform an evening of Shakespeare as a benefit for The Acting Company, the Juilliard offshoot that

KLINE: Meryl's choice

gave Kline his start. Conceived and directed by Kline, The Lover and the Poet: An Evening of Shakespeare will be held at the 400-seat Florence Gould Hall on November 2. Before that, however, they’ll team up with Daniel Craig, Maggie Gyllenhaal,Mike Nichols and Austin Pendleton in a one-night benefit performance of Courage in Concert at the Public Theatre on October 19. In the meantime some chosen few lucky ticket-buyers will get to see Ms Streep in person tonight at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, where she’ll participate in a Q&A with Globe & Mail film analyst Johanna Schneller.

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, YES, BUT SUCH A PRETTY ONE: As a presenter she’s handed out hardware to her Star Wars mentor George Lucas and co-star Harrison Ford, but Carrie Fisher says she gave up on hoping for Acting awards a long time ago.

FISHER: wishful winning

She admits she still hoped that she might win “just a little one” for her writing – plaudits for Postcards From The Edge? prizes for The Best Awful or Surrender The Pink? — but alas, no awards have materialized so far.

“I now get awards all the time for being mentally ill,” the bi-polar Fisher notes. “I am apparently very good at it, and I get honoured for it regularly.”

She’s awfully good at writing, too. Which is one of the reasons writers ranging from playwright Terence McNally to novelist Salman Rushdie joined movie stars ranging from Jane Fonda to Harvey Keitel for the opening of Carrie’s one-woman tour-de-force Wishful Drinking last Sunday on Broadway. Fisher made her Broadway debut in 1973 (yessssss, 1973) as part of the chorus backing up her mother Debbie Reynolds in the revival of Irene, but had toured with her even earlier than that, in her mom’s glitzy road show. Those of you with

DEBBIE: still in harness

reeeeally long memories may recall Carrie, still a teenager, standing on stage at the O’Keefe Centre in Toronto in 1970, singing her mom’s hit ballad Tammy while Debbie was backstage making a quick costume change. By the time she played in Irene, Carrie was a seasoned ‘road warrior’ who had seen her MGM-bred mother dump legendary British director Sir John Gielgud (who was still struggling with the musical when it played the Royal Alex for four weeks on its way to New York) for her old studio pal Gower Champion. Champion, a choreographer who lived up to his name, who had already staged a hit musical called Hello, Dolly and pulled Irene into such dazzling shape that it ran for more than 600 performances. (When Debbie grew weary of it, her MGM gal pal Jane Powell took over the rest of the run for her.) Ah yes, them were the days.

STREEP: in Toronto tonight

Debbie, of course, is still alive and high-kicking at 77. This month she and her personal musicians will take her show, An Evening With Debbie Reynolds, to the Julie Rogers Theatre in Beaumont, Texas for a breast cancer fund-raiser. 
Meanwhile, there’s good news for those of us who hunger for more of Carrie’s wickedly witty prose. She’s working on a new book – a collection of stories from movie sets of “films I pretended to act in.” Hope she includes Shampoo.

And speaking of those writing honours that keep eluding her – considering those rave reviews, wouldn’t it be funny if she gets Tony-nominated as both the author of Wishful Drinking and as lead actress in a play?

Stranger things have happened.

-/-

Tracy Letts’ most recent play, Superior Donuts, just opened on Broadway with the same Steppenwolf cast.  After receiving moderate to warm reviews here in Chicago, the NYC reviews so far appear mixed.

The NY Post gives Superior Donuts a very positive review – 3.5 stars:

After Superior Donuts, Tracy Letts‘ follow-up to August: Osage County, premiered in Chicago last year, the play was deemed entertaining but minor.

Either this Steppenwolf production has been drastically reworked on its way to New York, or we live in a cynical world where a show as tender and honest, as beautifully written, acted and directed as this one can be blithely dismissed.

While the New York Times produces a review that is so-so:

Mr. Letts has mothballed his angst and tossed the deadly weapons in the back drawer. Superior Donuts, a gentle comedy that unfolds like an extended episode of a 1970s sitcom, is a warm bath of a play that will leave Broadway audiences with satisfied smiles rather than rattled nerves.

Superior Donuts may be familiar and unchallenging, but it’s also comfortable — and no, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Below, Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones interviews playwright Tracy Letts (“August: Osage County“) and lead actor Michael McKean (“Laverne and Shirley“, “Saturday Night Live“, “This is Spinal Tap“) about Superior Donuts, Letts’ new play premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater. Letts’ 2007 play August: Osage County won the Pultizer Prize and Tony Award in 2008.

SUPERIOR DONUTS

By Tracy Letts; directed by Tina Landau; sets by James Schuette; costumes by Ana Kuzmanic; lighting by Christopher Akerlind; sound by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen; hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe; dramaturg, Edward Sobel; fight director, Rick Sordelet; associate producers, Jeremy Scott Blaustein, Patrick Daly, Susan Jean Steiger and Donna Roehn Ward. A Steppenwolf Theater Company production, presented by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Jerry Frankel, Awaken Entertainment, Debra Black, Chase Mishkin, Karmichelle Productions/Robert G. Bartner, Dena Hammerstein/Pam Pariseau, Carole and Barry Kay/Irv Welzer, Andrew Asnes, Rebecca Gold, Kathleen K. Johnson, George Kaufman, Charlie McAteer, Terry Schnuck, Michael Gardner/David Jaroslowicz, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley and Roy Gottlieb/Raise the Roof Two. At the Music Box Theater, 239 West 45th Street; (212) 239-6200. Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes.

WITH: Jane Alderman (Lady Boyle), Kate Buddeke (Officer Randy Osteen), Cliff Chamberlain (Kevin Magee), Michael Garvey (Kiril Ivakina), Jon Michael Hill (Franco Wicks), Robert Maffia (Luther Flynn), Michael McKean (Arthur Przybyszewski), James Vincent Meredith (Officer James Hailey) and Yasen Peyankov (Max Tarasov).

Last night, Courtney took me to see Next to Normal on Broadway.  Here is my review:

I feel like I say this a lot, but I was blown away.  And if that cliché is now understated, I was blown to bits.  It was by far the most emotional show I have seen on stage.  From the first song to the last, I was fighting back tears.

I do not want to give a lot away, but there is a huge plot twist early in the first act that changes the entire dynamic of the show.  I thought it was just another dysfunctional family reminiscent of August: Osage County, but it was more. August: Osage County is my far the best play I have ever seen.  Its writing and plot twists are in my thoughts to this day, and now I feel like Next to Normal will be right there with it.  It is hard not to compare the two but they both shine in different ways.  The clearest way I can break it down is August is deep and Next to Normal is emotional.

Alice Ripley plays Diana, the mother of the family who seems to cause most of the stress.  She won the Tony this past year for ‘Best Leading Actress in Musical.’  In an earlier entry, I picked my favorites for this years Tony’s but I was unaware of how powerful Ripley was in this role.  There was no contest in that category.  And in retrospect, Next to Normal was an extremely close second to Billy Elliott for the top prize of Best Musical, in my opinion.

Not only was the story great, but the overall production was quite impressive.  The set was simple and modern and left just enough to the imagination.  The music was great as well as the writing.  I am a little hesitant to upload the soundtrack to my iPod because it was that heavy.  Even with two under-studies, the acting was brilliant and completely convincing.  I lost myself in that show.

If you are looking for a Broadway show to see, I would highly recommend Next to Normal.  It is anything but normal.  It is haunting and I hope I get to see it again.  And hurry!  Alice Ripley might leave the show any day now.