Star-To-Be: Jack Wolfe

⭐⭐ Star - To - Be ⭐⭐

Jack Wolfe

I suppose the case could be made that Jack Wolfe is already a star. He has several London stage credits, and was a star of Netflix's Shadow and Bone, and has appeared in several British television series. He also plated the lead role in the German film musical, The Magic Flute, based on the classic opera.

Like many of you, he first came to my attention as Gabe in the West End production of Next to Normal, here shown on PBS' Great Performances. I was bowled over, and fully understand why his was an award-winning (WhatsOnStage) and Olivier-nominated star turn. And so, when it was announced that he was coming to Broadway as Orpheus in Hadestown, I snapped up a ticket! I was not disappointed. He is everything I hoped for and more. (You really should get to see him if you can before he leaves on March 1!) At a mere 30 years of age, it seems he is just getting started. I hope he returns to the Broadway stage soon and frequently.

At This Theatre: The James Earl Jones

At This Theatre:

The James Earl Jones

Built in 1912, this theater was named for its owner, John Cort, and remained so until 2022, when it was renamed for renowned actor James Earl Jones. For a brief period in the late 1960s through early 1970s, it was home to The Merv Griffin Show, but otherwise, it has always been a legitimate theater. Its first tenant was Peg O' My Heart which ran a year and a half. Since then, it has been home to a variety of plays and musicals including The Jazz Singer, The Diary of Anne Frank, Purlie Victorious, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Magic Show, Sarafina! and Bright Star. The Cort has also been home to two productions that never officially opened: Bobby Boland and the original Yellow Face.

With its renaming came a significant refurbishment, including a beautiful and spacious side lobby. 

Number of Shows We've Seen There: 6 

Kat and the Kings, The Little Dog Laughed, The Lyons, The Cripple of Inishmaan, King Lear and Real Women Have Curves

Kat and the Kings To be completely honest, I don't remember much about the show other than that the performers were terrific and the music was entertaining. What I do remember about it was how I came to see it. I was on a bus trip with a friend who had an interview, and I came along at the last minute to catch a matinee while he was busy. They gave out coupons for shows and I picked this one, based on two factors: it was at a theater I had never been in, and it won the Olivier for Best Musical. But the thing that really stood out was when I went to the box office and presented my coupon. They gave me a fifth row orchestra seat on the aisle for free! Yes, a comp!

The Lyons It was twelve years later that I saw this terrific play. It was funny (biting, actually) and ultimately, touching. Looking back, it was a real opportunity to see two masters of their craft before they passed. Both the great Dick Latessa and Linda Lavin held the audience in the palm of their hands. Other favorites in the cast included Michael Esper and Brenda Pressley.

The Little Dog Laughed was my first brush with the work of Douglas Carter Beane. This play was a riot, sharp and scathing. The story of an agent who had the task of handling publicity for her movie star client who is caught in bed with his gay gigolo. It was this play that I would forever point out to people when they talk about TV stars doing Broadway shows. Tony-winner Julie White lead the cast with Tom Everett Scott as the closeted movie star, and Johnny Galecki as the gigolo.

The Cripple of Inishmaan Here was a play you'd think we saw because of its star, and that was part of the reason. But even more so, we went because we love the quirky, always shocking plays of Martin McDonagh, and this did not disappoint. And neither did Daniel Radcliffe who we had previously loved in How to Succeed...

King Lear I had a feeling that this production of my favorite Shakespearean tragedy would be a risky proposition. I wasn't wrong. From the gender-bending casting to the inclusive casting and the Philip Glass score to Sam Gold as director, I knew it would be challenging. While I am glad I had the chance to see Glenda Jackson one last time, I found her performance to be a bit messy. On the other hand I got to see Michael Arden in a rare return to acting, the great Ruth Wilson, and, unknown to me at the time, Pedro Pascal in his Broadway debut.

Real Women Have Curves My first Playbill with the new theater name on it, this show captured my heart as my sentimental favorite of last season. A great chance to see one of my favorite actresses, Justina Muchado, who was, as I suspected, a complete delight. It was also a chance to hear a new writing team, Benjamin Velez and Joy Huerta, who gave us a fun, old fashioned score with both a Latin flair and a modern sensibility. I hope we hear from them again soon. And I still maintain that had they opened in a less crowded season (like the current one) it would have been a big hit!

Friday 5: 5 Broadway Stars on Vintage TV: That Girl Edition

Like most Broadway fans, we love seeing our stage favorites on TV. Shows like Law and Order (all versions!), Blue Bloods and The Gilded Age are a treasure trove of star sightings. Back in the day (and I'm showing my age here), lots of shows, like The Carol Burnett Show and Laugh-In featured stage stars because they were a prominent part of popular culture.

I've recently become obsessed with a 60's show, That Girl, starring Marlo Thomas and Ted Bessell (both of whom have Broadway credits), which was the story of a young woman, Ann Marie, who moves to New York City to pursue an acting career. Over the 5 seasons, she got and lost roles on and off Broadway, commercials, modeling and TV shows. And, of course, along the way she rubs elbows with a ton of celebrities. Milton Berle, Sid Caesar (Little Me), Ruth Buzzi (Sweet Charity), Alan Oppenheimer (Sunset Boulevard), Marlo's dad, Danny Thomas, Rob Reiner, Penny Marshall, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman and Jane Connell (Mame) are among the stars of stage and screen that showed up at Ann Marie's walk-up apartment over the years.

5 Broadway Stars on Vintage TV:

That Girl Edition

Here are 5 that made the biggest impression on me:

5. Barry Sullivan (Season 3, Episode 1: "Sock It to Me"): In this episode, Ann gets a chance to replace an ailing actress in a Broadway show, opposite Sullivan (he played himself). Her part requires her to slap his face, something she can't manage to do until she's in front of an audience. She slaps him so hard, she knocks him out!

Sullivan had 10 main stem credits making his debut in I Want a Policeman (1936), with his final appearance in Too Late the Phalarope (1956).

4. Bonnie Scott (Season 1, 19 episodes): She played Ann's neighbor and best friend in the first season. (A conceit of the show is that she gets a new neighbor and best friend each season.) A funny voice and a heart of gold made her one of the series' most endearing characters.

Scott only appeared on Broadway in two shows, but one of them was a doozy! She was the original Rosemary " Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm" Pilkington in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!

3. Richard Dreyfuss (Season 1, Episode 22): He played one of Ann's college acting cohorts, moonlighting as a waiter in a bar. He's eccentric and over-the-top, traits that Ann's father finds annoying at best.

More famous today as an Oscar-winning movie star, Dreyfuss has four Broadway credits, starting with 1969's But, Seriously... and most recently in 2004's revival of Sly Fox. He's also the only one on this list is also a character in a play, The Shark is Broken.

2. Lew Parker (Seasons 1-5, 63 episodes): Speaking of Ann's father, Parker was the perfect uptight nemesis for Donald, Ann's boyfriend. In a pair of episodes, he spars with Ethel Merman, which is full of fun Broadway Easter eggs. At one point, he tells her he saw her in Girl Crazy, a show that they were in together in 1930!

Parker made his debut at the age of 18 in 1928's Rainbow and made his last appearance in the 1972 revival of Forum as Senex.

1. Ethel Merman (Season 2, Episode 1: "Pass the Potatoes, Ethel Merman" and Season 2: Episode 21: "The Other Woman"): Speaking of the Merm, she plays herself with a wicked sense of humor about herself. In the first of two appearances, Ann is cast in a Lincoln Center revival of Gypsy, but is so star struck she struggles to perform. Soon enough, Ethel sets her mind at ease when she joins Ann and Don for dinner at Ann's apartment, and cooks her specialty, stuffed cabbage. In that episode, Ether sings snippets of "Small World," "There's No Business Like Show Business," and, of course, "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

In the second episode, Ethel runs into Ann, Don and Lew at what's supposed to be, I think, the old Carnegie Deli. When a gossip columnist prints an item that says Ethel and Lew are dating, Ann's mother leaves her husband. Seeking closure, Mrs. Marie shows up backstage at Ethel's TV special to hear the truth. Hijinks ensue.

One of the great pleasures of watching this series is also the exterior shots of the mid-late 60's theater district. Sardi's makes an appearance, and it is cool to see 44th Street, when Hello, Dolly! played the St. James, and Mimi Hines as in Funny Girl across the street. In another episode, Ann and Don have a scene outside the Winter Garden with a full shot of the marquee of Mame with Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur. Ann's actual Broadway debut happens at the Empire Theatre, a venue that no longer exists.

One of the great debates online have to do with the show intro, which features a rapid fire montage of Broadway marquees. Cabaret, The Star Spangled Girl and Cactus Flower are clear as a bell, but the shot of the Booth Theatre marquee is so fast, you can't tell what show was playing there. What was it??

The show is still funny and so great for theater fans who seek actual theater history! All 5 seasons are on Peacock.