Roxie and I are heading in to take in the final performance of the acclaimed revival of Gypsy. Anyone within a ten block radius of the St. James Theatre should brace themselves for this earth-shattering last Turn.
However, the NYC shenanigans start at a pre-show brunch with Steve and Doug, Sarah and friends (who were at the penultimate performance of Gypsy, forever to be known as the one where Patti tossed out the photographer), Jimmy and Kari (who will also be in the house with us).
The Wild Party (the one by LaChiusa) played only 68 performances on Broadway. However, it featured a stellar cast led by Toni Collette and Mandy Patinkin. Eartha Kitt created her final original role in a Broadway musical in her Tony nominated turn as Dolores. Here is her performance of “Moving Uptown” from an appearance on Rosie. She still had it right to the end.
My friend Miles has an uncanny ability to create a limerick off the top of his head. Well, I now have the distinct honor of being the subject of my very own. Here it is:
There once was a man from Westchester
Whose ambitions did fever and fester
He drank his White Russians
With the best of the lushes
And proceeded to pluck out his chest hair!
So I’m thinking of making a few changes to the blog layout. I’m open to any and all suggestions (and if they are technologically advanced, the assistance would be greatly appreciated as well).
>So I’m thinking of making a few changes to the blog layout. I’m open to any and all suggestions (and if they are technologically advanced, the assistance would be greatly appreciated as well).
Angela Lansbury leads the Kennedy Center Honor presentation for Katharine Hepburn, assisted by Glenn Close & Lauren Bacall. Enjoy.
Amidst the fears and tears surrounding the current state of Broadway in our local and national economic crises, it’s refreshing to hear that a show is a hit! In the Heights announced that they have recouped their initial investment, after 366 performances. The show, currently playing the Richard Rodgers Theatre and the recipient of the 2008 Tony award for Best Musical, has bucked the contemporary trend where it usually takes upwards to two years (or more) for a Broadway musical to make back its money. It is also on my shortlist of excursions to make over the next several weeks.
I’ve never actually seen a single episode of this show (my Thursday night is devoted to the NBC lineup), however it’s worth noting that Bernadette Peters is making a guest appearance on “Ugly Betty” tonight at 8PM on ABC. She’s playing a gorgeous Anna Wintouresque fashion magazine titan. You can have a sneak peak at one of her scenes here.
With the economy of New York state in an incredible budget deficit ($13.7 billion… what?!!), Governor Paterson has a plan of action that would involve taxation on everything from sporting events to movie tickets to theatre tickets, citing precedence in other states. The state would implement a tax of four percent. It doesn’t stop there: NYC also finds itself in similarly dire financial straits and is poised to add a four percent tax as well. Given the current economic state and its already negative impact on the NY theatre community, the Broadway League has taken a definitive stand against the taxation. As it’s highly unlikely that producers will lower theatre ticket prices, it looks as if a night at the theatre is just about to get more expensive.
