Bits and Pieces for 02.07.10

This week: awards, rewards and more...

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK...

• The Boys of Broadway: Mr. February 2010
• January Poll Results: The Ones That Got Away
• Broadway Crossword by Blog, Part 5
• Musical Previews: American Idiot and Love Never Dies
• UPDATE: Casting La Cage
• Broadway Crossword: The Answers

BROADWAY GOES GRAMMY...

Congratulations to the folks over at West Side Story!  They won the Grammy for Best Show Album for the New Broadway Cast Recording of the show.  Say what you want about the Spanish lyrics, the recording - from the packaging to the final notes - is superb in quality, sound and production!  Bravo!

And congratulations to the Ameican Idiot folks, and Green Day specifically.  The band won the Grammy for Best Rock Album for 21st Century Breakdown, from which some of the songs in their new musical come, including "21 Guns."  Earlier this week, I posted the video of their Grammy awards performance of the song.  They have released a more polished, studio version/video of the song.  Awesome vocal arrangements!

SUE SYLVESTER IS WALKING DOWN THE AISLE...

More congratulations are in order for stage and TV star, Jane Lynch, aka the evil Sue Sylvester on TV's Glee!  She and her long-time partner are getting married!  Lynch and partner, Dr. Lara Embry are due to be wed in May.  Dr. Embry gained some notoriety as a legal champion for the adpotive rights of gay and lesbian parents following a legal battle with a former partner over parental rights regarding their two children, one born of each mother, but adopted by both.

NEXT FALL GETS TWO NEW PRODUCERS...

Speaking of gay power couples, it was announced that Elton John (The Lion King, Billy Elliott, AIDA) and his partner, David Furnish are joining the producing team of the forthcoming Broadway run of Next Fall.  One wonders if they will go the way of most producers and join the list above the title or the route of Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple), Jay-Zee and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith (Fela!) and become the "star" of their show...  I hope they will be silent partners, personally.

LEGAL WHISPERS ABOUT WHISPER HOUSE...

Whisper House opened to encouraging reviews - it looks likely to come to Broadway after some tweaking - and is settling into its premiere run in California.  But trouble, the non-ghostly kind, seems to have found the show on two fronts.  First, the child actor who rehearsed the show and is in all the publicity shots had apparently been let go before opening and star, Mare Winningham, is leaving the show now, too.  It seems that they "forgot" she had prior commitments and would be leaving the show early.  Uh huh.  Then came word of possible legal action against the writers, Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow by actor-director Keith Powell who currently appears on "30 Rock."  It seems Powell feels that the creators renegged on a promise that he would direct the show, even though they broke ties with each other previously.  Powell apparently refused to sign away his rights to any of the artistic properties of Whisper House that he had already worked on.

I'm guessing Mr. Sheik isn't too concerned.  This week he announced that he would be working on the musical version of American Psycho.

HAIR TO VIDEO ITSELF...

The people over at Hair  announced that their signature finale - when the audience joins the cast on stage to sing and dance to "Let the Sunshine In' - would be videotaped and posted online.  I think this is a lousy idea.  First and formost, I think it goes against the whole idea of the show - the freedom of expression.  It could inhibit some from participating, while others will steal the opportunity to make themselves the center of attention in hopes of You Tube glory.  Taping it certainly opens up the possiblity of a number of lawsuits - those who do not want to be taped versus the show, even though I'm sure they will announce it several times before the event happens.  I say leave well enough alone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

1/31: Anthony Lapaglia (Lend Me a Tenor)
2/1: Michael C. Hall (Cabaret, Chicago)
2/2: Marissa Jaret Winokur (Hairspray)
2/3: Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins)
2/4: Jonathan Larson (RENT)
2/5: Laura Linney (Time Stands Still)
2/6: Barry Miller (Biloxi Blues)

Comments?  Leave one here or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
Jeff