Sunday, December 18, 2011

TheatreScene: December 12 - 18

BROADWAY VIDEOS/QUESTION OF THE WEEK:


Answer the poll question following the videos!











Which version of "Anything Goes" is the best?
1979 - Ethel Merman
1988 - Patti LuPone
2011 - Sutton Foster
None of the above



View Results

Poll powered by PollPub.com Free Polls












BROADWAY WINNERS AND LOSERS THIS WEEK:


Lysistrata Jones
Photo by Joan Marcus

  • Winner: The Broadway Company of Lysistrata Jones.  But... will a love letter from The New York Times and pretty decent reviews from many of the major reviewers  be enough to stimulate the Box Office at the Walter Kerr Theatre? I hope so.

Bonnie and Clyde
Photo by Nathan Johnson

  • Loser: The Broadway Company of Bonnie and Clyde.  There is plenty of blame to go around, I'm sure.  But I have to ask, what were the producers thinking?  Hoping for "a swell of support from bloggers, Facebookers and Tweets"?  Um... the online community has been behind the show from the first preview.  If the producers thought reviews of a Frank Wildhorn  musical would be enough to generate interest BEFORE they made that ridiculous plea is even more stupid.  Going in with the knowledge that the critics will ravage you, and having the benefit of popular opinion, wouldn't it have been wise to start advertising the hell out of popular opinion immediately after the show opened - and before on the website?  We did our part, folks.  We love your show and want it to stay around.  But we can only do so much...

Aaron Tveit
  • Winner:  Musical Film Lovers.  Not only does Les Miserables have a sexy Jean Valjean in Hugh Jackman, but now we have Aaron Tveit as Enjorlas ready to storm the barracades!  Maybe his shirt will rip open...  and Andrew Lloyd Webber has reopened the possibility of a Sunset Boulevard film... but Glenn Close?  Really, do we have to?



  • Loser: Limited Runs Even More Limited.  First, Balls...the Musical? came up, um, short, announcing it would close a week early... and most recently, Private Lives cut more than a month off its run.  Despite a sexy siren of a star (Kim Cattrall) and a suave good looking leading man (Paul Gross), I'm guessing people are tired of the play.  Three Broadway revivals in 19 years, one just 9 seasons ago might be overkill for a Noel Coward comedy.
Hugh Dancy and Nina Arianda
Photo by Joan Marcus

  • Winner: Limited Runs Extended.  One of the hottest plays of the past year, Venus in Fur, has more lives than a cat!  First it was an off-Broadway sensation.  Then MTC picked it up for a brief engagement as part of their season on Broadway (closing today after 49 performances).  Now that production and its stars, Nina Arianda and Hugh Dancy, will be returning to Broadway for a limited run at the Lyceum Theatre, February 7 - June 17.  If it wins the Tony, will it keep going?


  • Winner: The Broadway Community.  Because the aforementioned Hugh Jackman has continued to raise funds for BCEFA after the Gypsy of the Year Competition.  He has, all by himself, now generated over $1 million in fund-raising.


NOW IN PREVIEWS ON BROADWAY



  • The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (Richard Rodgers Theatre): Previews: December 17; Opens: January 12



OPENED ON BROADWAY THIS WEEK:


On a Clear Day...as seen by Squigs

  • On a Clear Day You Can See Forever opened at the St. James Theatre on December 11.  The show's StageGrade score is C-.

Lysistrata Jones through the eyes of Ken Fallin

  • Lysistrata Jones opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on December 14.  The show's StageGrade score is B-.



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Jeff
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