TheatreScene: June 27 - July 3

LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT! NEW POLL STARTS TODAY!  BE SURE TO CAST YOUR VOTE!

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?  BECOME A "FOLLOWER"!

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK:

• June 27: Drawing Broadway 2: Ken Fallin
• June 28: Is Norbert Leo Butz Broadway's Tom Hanks?
• June 29: FAREWELL: Alice Playton
• June 30: REVIEW: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
• July 1: Broadway Boys: Mr. July 2011: Reeve Carney and Matthew James Thomas
• July 2: THEATRE ON THE 'NET: M Magazine

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT JK'S THEATRESCENE'S NEWEST FEATURE!

• At the bottom of each blog there is a place for you to let me know what you think easily and right away.  You'll see "Reactions" and a set of three choices: Liked it, Disliked it, and See my comments!  Check off whichever suits your reaction to that particular blog.  That's it!  Unless, of course, you pick "See my comment!"  At that point, please feel free to email me, leave your comment right there or Tweet me as always.  NOTE:  This option appears at the bottom of ALL 2 and a half+ years of blogs, but is really only activated for me to keep track of from June 30 forward.  I'm particularly interested in your responses to my reviews and Mr. and Ms. Broadway blogs, but am looking forward to whatever you have to say about any aspect.  I don't do this for myself, and I want to make sure you are satisfied and keep coming back.

TOPS AND BOTTOMS (June 20 - 26)

• Top Gross: Wicked ($1.8M)
• Top Attendance: The Book of Mormon (102.4%)
• Bottom Gross: Born Yesterday ($263K)
• Bottom Attendance: Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (42.7%)
• $1M Club: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked, Mary Poppins, The Phantom of the Opera
• SRO Club: War Horse, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

NOW PREVIEWING ON BROADWAY:
 

• Master Class: Previews: June 14; Opening: July 7
• Hair: Previews: July 5; Opening: July 13; Closes: September 10

COMINGS AND GOINGS:
Shows:

Harry Connick, Jr. and Kim Catrall

For weeks, there has been almost no news of new shows for the 2011-2012 season.  Now there is a landslide of information.  A diverse range of new plays, and a couple of musical revivals highlight the week's announcements.

• StickFly: Lyceum Theatre.  Previews: November 18; Opens: December 8.  Newsworthy: Kenny Leon directs, playwright Lydia R. Diamond's Broadway debut; singer Alicia Keys debuts as Broadway producer.
• Venus in Fur: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.  Previews: October 13; Opens: November.  Newsworthy: Walter Bobbie directs, transfer from off-Broadway, stars Broadway "It" Girl Nina Arianda.
• Seminar: Shubert theatre TBA.  Previews: TBA, Fall 2011; Opens: TBA.  Newsworthy: Theresa Rebeck's new play, stars Alan Rickman, Broadway debut of director Sam Gold.
• Chinglish: Shubert theatre TBA.  Previews: TBA, Fall 2011; Opens: TBA.  Newsworthy: Playwright David Henry Hwang's return to Briadway, transfer from the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
• Follies: Marquis Theatre.  Previews: August 7; Opens: September 12.  Newsworthy: Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell...whatelse do you need to know?
• On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: St. James Theatre.  Previews: November 12; Opens: December 11.  Newsworthy: Harry Connick, Jr. stars in a gender switched role, part of the new concept by director Michael Mayer.
• Private Lives: Music Box Theatre.  Previews: November 6; Opens: November 17; Closes February 5.  Newsworthy: Kim Catrall stars in this London transfer.

Casting:

• Brooke Shields began performances as Morticia Addams on Tuesday, June 28 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Snap! Snap!
• A Chorus Line's original (and Tony winning) Sheila, Kelly Bishop will replace Jessica Walter on August 9 in Anything Goes.

Milestones:

• The Broadway Cast Recording of Catch Me If You Can was released nationally on June 28.

• The Book of Mormon offered its much-publicized free performance for fans who have endured losses at the nightly lottos on July 1st.  Very good form, Mormons.  Very good!
• Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo closed July 3 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre after 23 previews and 109 performances.

CONDOLENCES:

• To the family and friends of British actress Margaret Tyzack, who passed away June 25 at the age of 79.  Two time Olivier Award winner Tyzack was nominated for a 1983 Tony for her performance in All's Well That Ends Well, and she won the Tony for her role in Lettice and Lovage.  That award almost didn't happen, as American Actor's Equity almost refused to let her join the Broadway engagement of the British play.  Her co-star, Maggie Smith, interceded, saying she would refuse to perform the show without Ms. Tyzack.

THEATRE VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

As you might have guessed, I am more of an "appreciator" than a fan of The Phantom of the Opera.  But I have to say, this promo for the upcoming 25th Anniversary of the show (in London) is so slick, cool and interesting, it could make me a "phan" after all.  Enjoy!




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Jeff
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