TheatreScene Thursday: Friends of JKTS Working Hard

With a slight lull in Tony mania this week, the TheatreScene was more about future shows and friends of this blog getting some high profile press.  But first, a little Tony business:

Don't forget to vote for the #MissingTonyAward (Best Ensemble in a Play and Musical)! Click the icon to your left! Polls close on May 18th.

And my Broadway pic of the week, from the Tony Nominee press event!

History meets the future: two of my favorite
Broadway gals, Chita and Sydney (NYT)

One of the big news stories of the week was/is the continuing saga of Rebecca.  What a mess.  It leads me to the Question of the Week:

If Rebecca ever makes it to the Broadway stage, will anyone even care about this epic musical?

Related question: Have we learned nothing from Dr. Zhivago?

Another more likely (and happier) future show announced this week was Tuck Everlasting.  I have high hopes for this one.  It looks enchanting in that Secret Garden/Finding Neverland kind of way.  And it features a good friend of this blog, Andrew Keenan-Bolger.  I just love this former Newsie!  Check out his interview from awhile back by clicking his pictures to the right (depending on your screen, you might need to scroll down a little).  I wish him the best of luck with this new endeavor!

Speaking of the Keenan Bolger clan, congratulations to Celia and husband John Ellison Conlee (who was awesome in The Full Monty), who welcomed their new son, William Emmet into the family on April 29.

You certainly can't say that Virginia's Signature Theatre doesn't do enough press!  They've gone all out for their production of Cabaret.  It seems to be everywhere on the Broadway sites.  I'm really happy for a great friend of this blog, Wesley Taylor, who stars as the Emcee.  Check out these simply marvelous photos:

Wesley Taylor as the Emcee and Barrett Wilbert Weed as Sally Bowles

(C. Mueller)

Who knew leather lederhosen could be so sexy?
(T. Ranson)

Here's a link to a great interview Wesley gave to Metro Weekly.  Check out the dish on Smash, Rock of Ages and The Addams Family.  HERE

Have a great week, theatre fans!
Jeff

2012 in Review: Top Theatre Stories #3

Well, she didn't cause quite the same media frenzy that a certain web-slinger has for the past couple of years, but Rebecca caused a pretty big Broadway stir considering she never even gave a preview.  (The cast did record a number of this year's Carols for a Cure and a song or two from the show was performed at Broadway a Bryant Park.)

Announced once (with Sierra Boggess), then withdrawn, then back on again (with Jill Paice), financing was in place, then fell through, then was in place again.  That's not so unusual, and neither is the marquee going up, then down, at the Broadhurst Theatre.  Then the bottom fell out of the whole thing.

By all accounts (including a very public, adamant Karen Mason, cast member) lead producer Ben Sprecher is above reproach.  Maybe he didn't understand the workings of Broadway show financing, but he tried to do right by the creative team and the cast, who were so close to production, they could smell the burning set of Manderley - the show was called off less than 24 hours before the first rehearsal.

But then there was all the intrigue of a political thriller brewing, and the press got ahold of it and took off.  Who can blame them? First, there was an unseen, untraceable producer who was out of touch for good, when Sprecher found out he - Paul Abrams, a South African businessman died of malaria in London, no less.  Really?  That was the story and everyone was sticking to it.  Try as they might, the press could dig up nothing on this Mr. Abrams.  And Sprecher admits that he never dealt with the guy directly, but through a third person.

Federal Agents remove evidence from the home
of Mark C. Hotton (Getty Images)

Rebecca lead producer, Ben Sprecher

Eventually, someone in the press (and later verified by Sprecher and company) found the middle man.  His name is Mark C. Hotton, a guy already in trouble for being part of a Ponzi scheme.  And now the FBI and other government agencies were very interested.  So interested that on October 15th, they arrested him for defrauding producers.  Sprecher and his group are currently suing Hotton for $100M.

The European production of Rebecca

Will Rebecca rise from the ashes?  Will financing ever get into place?  Will the marquee go up yet again?  Rumor has it Sprecher and company are still looking to get it on the boards of Broadway.  After all of this, it would be great to have a happy ending.  But who knows if the audiences will show up for a pop spectacle reminiscent of the 1980-1990's?



Look for more 2012 in Review blogs in the coming 2 weeks!

Jeff
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