Spice Girls Musical Now In the Works

Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer will soon be seeing if she can do for The Spice Girls what she did for ABBA. Craymer has worked out an agreement with American Idol creator Simon Fuller and The Spice Girls themselves that is to result in the creation of a brand new musical based on the song catalog and the personalities of the five-woman "girl power" pop band The Spice Girls. No creative team has yet been announced, but the show's tentative title is Viva Forever. The Spice Girls' biggest hit was the single "Wannabe," and they also had a hit film called Spice World. Although the quintet will be involved in the development of Viva Forever, they will not actually be in the musical.

New TV Show To Be About Broadway Musicals

Variety has just reported that playwright and television writer Theresa Rebeck (Mauritius on Broadway, The Understudy Off-Broadway, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent on TV) will script the pilot for a new Showtime TV series about all the drama surrounding the creation of a new Broadway musical. The idea is that each season of the show will cover the development and creation of a fictional Broadway musical, culminating in a final episode where we see the musical in its entirety. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) will write the songs for the series. Depending upon the success of the TV show, it is possible that the musical created in the show will even be developed for a live production on Broadway.

Antonio Banderas To Be Zorba on Broadway

The New York Post is reporting that Antonio Banderas is going to be playing the title role in a forthcoming Broadway production of the John Kander & Fred Ebb musical Zorba, to be directed by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys). Banderas made a splash in his Broadway debut, playing the role of Guido in the recent Broadway revival of Nine, and theater fans have anxiously been awaiting his return to the New York stage ever since.

Spiderman Officially Announces Postponement

Amidst all of the Spider-drama of late last year, the producers of the forthcoming musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark failed to actually confirm that the show would not start performances on February 25, 2010, as originally announced. Most people inferred that it wouldn't be opening that soon, given all of the Spiderman musical's financial trouble, but ticketholders were left to wonder whether or not they'd actually get to use their Spider-Man tickets at all. Finally today the producers of the big-budgeted Broadway show formally announced that Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark will not be opening in February, and that people who already purchased tickets can get a refund through Ticketmaster now if they so choose. However, the Spiderman production team does plan on announcing an actual opening date (most likely to be some time late this year) shortly, so ticket-holders also have the option of waiting until the revised performance schedule is announced, at which point they can simply exchange their current Spider-Man tickets for a suitable date.

Norbert Leo Butz To Star In Enron on Broadway

It has officially been announced that Norbert Leo Butz will play lead villain (i.e. corporate executive) Jeffrey Skilling in the forthcoming Broadway production of Lucy Prebble's Enron, which is hot off a run at London's Royal Court Theatre. Tony Award winner Butz has been seen on Broadway in numerous shows, including Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Is He Dead?, Thou Shalt Not, Rent, and recently as a replacement for Jeremy Piven in David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow.

Present Laughter Begins Today On Broadway

The new Roundabout Theatre Company production of the classic Noel Coward play Present Laughter begins performances today at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway. Broadway veteran Victor Garber (Alias and Eli Stone on TV, Titanic on film, and most recently on Broadway in Yasmina Reza's Art) stars in the comedy as a vainglorious actor whose life is made quite chaotic by the sudden arrival of troublesome theater folk and equally troublesome women. Also starring in the production, which is directed by Nicholas Martin (The 39 Steps, Mauritius), is Tony Award winner Harriet Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Brooks Ashmanskas (Fame Becomes Me). A limited run production, Present Laughter is scheduled to play on Broadway through March 21.

Chenoweth To Guest As American Idol Judge

It's that time of year again, when Fox's ratings juggernaut American Idol takes over the airwaves and a new slate of aspiring performers become incessant water cooler talk (a select few even go on to superstardom). During the audition episodes of American Idol, several guest judges will be sitting in on the panel, and among them will be a couple of Broadway babies. Kristin Chenoweth (of Wicked fame) will serve as a guest judge on January 20 for the Orlando auditions, and Neil Patrick Harris (who has several Broadway credits but is more recently known for TV's How I Met Your Mother) will join the Dallas auditions on January 26.

See These Broadway Shows While They Last

As always, January is a brutal month for Broadway, which unfortunately gets a chilly reception from the ticket-buying public. The tourists have all gone home following the December holiday season, and locals are staying in the warmth of their homes as they recover from the financial blow dealt by all that Christmas and Chanukah merriment. Knowing this, Broadway producers frequently decide in advance that they will close their more monetarily troubled shows in early January. This year, those doomed Broadway shows include Burn the Floor and The 39 Steps (closing January 10), and Shrek the Musical and Superior Donuts (closing January 3). The limited-run shows In the Next Room and Irving Berlin's White Christmas will also be shuttering in January. So if you have been dragging your feet on seeing any of these Broadway shows, be sure to get tickets while you can. Even these plays and musicals might not be discounting right over the Christmas holiday, but for most of them you can get good discounts on tickets for January performance dates.

The 39 Steps To Move Off-Broadway

The Alfred Hitchcockian comedy The 39 Steps, scheduled to conclude its lengthy Broadway run in January, appears to have its eye on Off-Broadway. Earlier this year, Avenue Q raised eyebrows when, immediately following its Broadway closing at the John Golden Theatre, it announced that the production would be re-opening at New World Stages for another Off-Broadway run. It looks like the producers of The 39 Steps were inspired to try the same strategy, as they are now posting casting notices for a new Off-Broadway production of the show. Like Avenue Q, The 39 Steps is a small show (it only has a four-person cast) that could work quite well Off-Broadway. The fact that it survived two years on Broadway - a major feat for a play - indicates that there is a good audience for the show, so Off-Broadway may be the perfect place for it. There will not be pressure to sell as many tickets to a smaller theater, and the running costs will be lower.

Nine Soundtrack Now Available Online

The original motion picture soundtrack to Rob Marshall's film adaptation of the musical Nine is now available to be purchased and downloaded online. The actual CD will be released in stores on December 22. The 16-track recording features several songs from the original Broadway score, including "Guido's Song" (sung by Daniel Day-Lewis), "A Call From the Vatican" (Penelope Cruz), "Be Italian" (Fergie), "My Husband Makes Movies" (Marion Cotillard), "Cinema Italiano" (Kate Hudson), and "Unusual Way" (Nicole Kidman). There are also a couple new songs that composer/lyricist Maury Yeston wrote specifically for the movie, as well as four bonus tracks. The film Nine, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as a troubled Italian movie director, opens nationwide on December 25.

Ragtime To Begin Talkback Series

The Broadway revival of Ragtime, now playing at the Neil Simon Theatre, is starting a new post-performance talkback series called "Ragtime Talk Time". The discussion series will kick off on December 15 with a post-show chat with Ragtime's composer/lyricist team, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. The duo will talk about the process of working on their Tony Award-winning score for Ragtime, as well as other aspects of their 25-year creative partnership. The post-show Tuesday talks will continue on a monthly basis and are free to anyone attending that night's performance.

Corbin Bleu To Join In the Heights Cast

High School Musical star Corbin Bleu is bound for Broadway, scheduled to join the cast of the Tony Award-winning hit musical In the Heights for a limited time, from January 25th to April 25th 2010. Although Bleu played second banana in the High School Musical franchise as Zac Efron's best friend, he will be taking the lead in In the Heights, assuming the demanding role of bodega owner Usnavi, originally played by the show's co-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Al Pacino Joins Shakespeare in the Park

The Public Theater is bringing out the big guns once again for its annual Shakespeare in the Park summer season. As previously announced, the season will be two William Shakespeare dramas, The Merchant of Venice and The Winter's Tale, in rep. While most of the casting has yet to be announced, the Public just revealed that The Merchant of Venice will feature legendary actor Al Pacino in the role of Shylock. Actors already set to appear in both productions include Jesse L. Martin (Rent, Law & Order), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (TV's Modern Family), Lily Rabe, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Max Wright. The first 2010 Shakespeare in the Park production will kick off on June 1st at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Broadway Shows Get Grammy Nods

The Grammy Award nominations were announced yesterday, and the Best Musical Show Album category was almost entirely made up of Broadway musicals. The nominated show recordings were: Ain't Misbehavin' (30th anniversary cast recording featuring American Idol's Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis), Hair (Broadway revival cast album), 9 To 5 The Musical (featuring a score by country music superstar Dolly Parton), Shrek The Musical (Original Broadway cast recording), and West Side Story (new Broadway revival cast recording). If you want to hear what the fuss is about, three of the musicals - Hair, Shrek, and West Side Story - are still playing on Broadway. The winners of the Grammy for Best Show Album will be announced in January.

Off-Broadway Nutcracker Set In New York City

Getting tired of seeing the same old Nutcracker every Christmas season? The Urban Ballet Theater's Nutcracker in the Lower takes the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker and transports it to the island of Manhattan for a run that begins today at the Abrons Arts Center Henry Street Settlement and plays through December 5. Now in its ninth year, Nutcracker in the Lower takes the familiar tale of a little girl and her adventures and gives it a twist that reflects the excitement, diversity, and cultural richness of Manhattan. The production still honors Tchaikovsky's beloved score, but includes hip-hop and Latin musical flourishes that give this Nutcracker the flavor of New York City.

Robin Williams Arrives At Town Hall

Earlier this year, comedian and actor Robin Williams was scheduled to bring his touring one-man show Weapons of Self-Destruction to Broadway in a limited engagement at the Neil Simon Theatre. However, a health scare caused Williams to cancel the tour. Healthy again and ready to make audiences laugh now, Robin Williams is starting the limited run of Weapons of Self-Destruction in New York City tonight. The re-scheduled engagement is not actually on Broadway (the Neil Simon is currently occupied by the Ragtime revival), but it is close - right in the heart of midtown, at Town Hall on West 43rd Street. Robin Williams: Weapons of Self-Destruction will play at Town Hall November 23-25, November 30, and December 1-3.

A Christmas Story, the Musical!

Just in time for the holidays, a new musical version of the modern classic Christmas movie A Christmas Story begins performances at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. The show's libretto is by Joseph Robinette, and the score is by Scott Davenport Richards. The musical is based on the 1983 film about young Ralphie Parker's quest to get an air rifle for Christmas (the movie was based on humorist Jean Shepherd's stories). This production of A Christmas Story, The Musical! plays at the Kansas City Rep through December 27. Songs from the musical include "I Won (A Major Award)," "On Christmas, We Go Eat Chinese," "Ho, Ho, Ho!" and of course "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" The show is aiming for a Broadway run in 2010.

Let the Race Begin

David Mamet's new play, which has a provocative four-letter word of a title, starts performances on Broadway tonight at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The four-person Race stars James Spader (Boston Legal), David Alan Grier (In Living Color, Broadway's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), Kerry Washington (The Last King of Scotland, Ray), and Richard Thomas (TV's The Waltons, Broadway's Democracy) and is directed by Mamet, in his Broadway directorial debut. The play is about a law firm - made up of two black lawyers and one white one - who have the opportunity to defend a white man charged of a crime against a young black woman. The production will have its official Broadway opening at the Barrymore on December 6.

Wintuk Takes New York City By (Snow)Storm

In what now looks like it may be an annual holiday tradition in New York City, Cirque du Soleil's theatrical winter fantasy Wintuk is starting its limited engagement at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The holiday show takes Cirque's formula of eye-popping visuals, astounding acrobatics, evocative music, and comedic clowning and gives it an enchanting snowy twist, making it an ideal family show during Christmastime. Wintuk, which features over 50 performers from all over the world, will play at MSG through January 3, 2010.

Spider-Man's Fate May Be Decided Today

Rumors are flying this morning about the troubled musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The New York Times reported yesterday that director Julie Taymor, other members of the creative team, and the show's producers are scheduled to have an important meeting today to discuss the show's future. Today, the New York Post's Michael Riedel - a reporter who covers the Broadway beat and passes around the juiciest gossip on the Great White Way - has said that Spider-Man won't be postponed indefinitely as many have suggested over the last several months. Instead, it will just push back opening until the summer of 2010, when Taymor and company will finally have the highly complex show ready. This would mean that Spider-Man won't make the deadline for this year's Tony Awards, but then again most people probably won't need a Tony win as an incentive to see this much-buzzed-about musical with amazing aerial effects and songs by U2's Bono and The Edge.

Shakespeare In The Park To Perform In Rep

The Public Theater has already announced the two productions that it will present for 2010's "Shakespeare in the Park" series at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Next year, the summer tradition will truly live up to its name, presenting two of the Bard's plays (rather than one Shakespeare paired with a classic or modern classic, as has been the recent pattern), The Merchant of Venice and The Winter's Tale. Even more interesting is that the Public has decided to run the two Shakespeare in the Park shows in rep, which hasn't been done in nearly 20 years. Both productions will feature the same company of actors and designers, with Daniel Sullivan directing The Merchant of Venice and Michael Greif directing The Winter's Tale.

Abigail Breslin To Play Helen Keller on Broadway

A new production of William Gibson's wonderful play The Miracle Worker is bound for Broadway in February 2010. Young film actress Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Signs, and the new release Zombieland) will play Helen Keller in this production alongside New York theater regular Alison Pill (Mauritius and The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Broadway) as her determined teacher Annie Sullivan. The production, under the direction of Ruined helmer Kate Whoriskey, will play at the Circle in the Square Theatre. A 2003 production of The Miracle Worker starring Hilary Swank was supposed to come to Broadway following its run in Charlotte, but that engagement fell through. The drama is of course well known to movie audiences everywhere because of the fine film version starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, who both starred in the original Broadway production.

Scarlet Johansson Gets A View From The Bridge

Movie actress Scarlet Johansson (Lost in Translation, Match Point) is going to be making her Broadway debut later this year in a new revival of the Arthur Miller drama A View From the Bridge. She will be co-starring alongside Broadway regular Liev Schreiber (a Tony winner for Glengarry Glen Ross), who will play her working class Brooklyn uncle, Eddie. The production, directed by Gregory Mosher, will begin performances at the Cort Theatre on December 28, 2009, with an official Broadway opening scheduled for January 24, 2010. A View From the Bridge will be a strictly limited engagement, playing only 14 weeks.

New Cast For God of Carnage

Yasmina Reza's dark comedy God of Carnage, a breakout hit last season and the Best Play Tony Award winner, is still going strong at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway. Unfortunately its all-star cast - James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels, and Hope Davis - wasn't prepared for such a long run, so the show's producers are having to bring in a new cast in order to keep the show running. The good news is that they have secured some fine actors. As of November 17, the four actors playing God of Carnage's dysfunctional couples will be Jimmy Smits, Annie Potts, Christine Lahti, and Ken Stott (who was in the original London production of the play).

It's Opening Night For Oleanna

With recent revivals of Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, and Speed-the-Plow, Broadway has been a great friend to playwright David Mamet lately. Tonight marks the opening night for the latest Mamet revival, Oleanna, starring Bill Pullman (The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? on Broadway) and Julia Stiles (Shakespeare in the Park's Twelfth Night, Off-Broadway's Fran's Bed) as a college professor and student, respectively. The Doug Hughes-directed production of the play about sexual politics was seen previously in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum, and now hits Broadway's John Golden Theatre for an open run. David Mamet will next be represented on Broadway with a new drama, the race-related play Race starring James Spader, David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington, and Richard Thomas.

The Royal Family Opens on Broadway

The Royal Family will hold court at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre tonight when it has its official Broadway opening. The 1927 comedy by playwriting greats George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber is about a family of flamboyant theater performers called the Cavendishes (based on the legendary real-life Barrymore clan). This Manhattan Theatre Club production of the play stars Rosemary Harris, Jan Maxwell, Larry Pine, Reg Rogers, Tony Roberts (Broadway's Xanadu), John Glover (recently on Broadway in Roundabout's Waiting For Godot revival), and Ana Gasteyer (Wicked, TV's Saturday Night Live). Directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes (Doubt), the production is scheduled to run at the Friedman Theatre through November 29th.

Tommy Tune Designated Living Landmark

New York City will be honoring one of Broadway's most renowned talents, Tommy Tune, in a rather unusual way on November 4. Tune will be designated as a "Living Landmark" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy, an organization that for over 35 years has been working to preserve the great architecture of New York. With the "Living Landmark" honor, the Conservancy has also been acknowledging some of the state's most distinguished human contributors (past honorees include Lauren Bacall, Harry Belafonte, Whoopi Goldberg, and more). A nine-time Tony Award winner, Tommy Tune is an actor, director, and choreographer whose work includes Broadway musicals such as Nine, My One & Only, Grand Hotel, and The Will Rogers Follies.

Catherine-Zeta Jones To Star In Night Music

Rumors have been flying about the upcoming Broadway revival of A Little Night Music for some time, but at last details are getting finalized, notably the production's star. Catherine Zeta-Jones (who showed off her musical skills in the film of Chicago) will play Desiree Armfeldt in the charming Hugh Wheeler/Stephen Sondheim musical, based on the Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night. Playing Madame Armfeldt will be legendary stage and screen star Angela Lansbury, who recently appeared on Broadway in Blithe Spirit. The production is scheduled to open at the Walter Kerr Theatre on December 13.

Regina Spektor To Write Broadway Musical

Regina Spektor, the alternative folk-rock songwriter that has been a darling of the music scene of late, is going to be writing the music for a new Broadway musical called Beauty. Based on the Grimm's fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty (also well-known from the Disney animated film version), Beauty will have lyrics by Michael Korie (Grey Gardens) and book/direction by Tina Landau, whose 2002 one-act play is the basis for the new musical. The production team is hoping to bring Beauty to Broadway in the 2011-2012 season.

Phantom Hits 9,000 Performance Milestone

The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway's longest running musical, hits a major milestone tomorrow when it has its 9,000th performance at the Thursday night performance. This makes The Phantom of the Opera the first Broadway show ever to play 9,000 performances, a pretty stunning achievement. The history-making performance was actually celebrated today following the matinee in a special curtain call presentation. Phantom opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre in 1988 and was an immediate smash hit, but nobody could have imagined that the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical would still be running over 20 years later. Now in its 22nd year, the show continues drawing both Broadway newcomers and fans who enjoy seeing the musical again and again.

Hamlet Starring Jude Law Begins On Broadway

The new production of Hamlet starring Jude Law began performances at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway this evening. The Donmar Warehouse production, directed by Michael Grandage, enjoyed sold-out runs in London's West End and at Kronberg Castle in Elsinore (where the legendary Shakespearean tragedy takes place) earlier this year. This Broadway run will be a limited engagement playing through December 6, so Jude Law fans had best get their tickets before they sell out. This production of Hamlet marks Law's first time on Broadway since he appeared in Indiscretions in 1995 (a role that earned him a Tony nod). Though he is no stranger to the stage, Law is best known as an international movie star, with notable films including The Talented Mr. Ripley, Alfie, Cold Mountain, and the upcoming Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie.

Jersey Boys Visit America's Got Talent

Check out the TV show America's Got Talent tonight on NBC and see a performance by the leads in the Las Vegas company of the smash hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys. Deven May (Bat Boy: The Musical), Rick Faugno, Erich Bergen, and Jeffrey Leibow, who play '60s pop group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, will perform a medley of songs from the musical on the latest episode of the popular television talent show, which is hosted by Nick Cannon and features celebrity judges David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan, and Sharon Osbourne. "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," Big Girls Don't Cry," "Oh, What a Night," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" are just a few of the memorable Frankie Valli/Four Seasons hits featured in Jersey Boys, which the medley is likely to include.

Tyler Perry To Take Shange's Play To Film

Variety has reported that Tyler Perry (creator of numerous stage, television, and film properties, many featuring his famous "Madea" character, as well as the upcoming film I Can Do Bad All By Myself) will be writing, directing, and producing a film version of Ntozake Shange's "choreo-poem" play for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf. The 1975 play, which was supposed to have a Broadway revival starring India.Arie last season (later postponed), is a series of poetic monologues from black women about everything from love and youth to abuse and abandonment.

The Little Mermaid Closes on Broadway

Disney's The Little Mermaid concludes its run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre today. The musical, based on the Disney animated film of the same name (which in turn was based off the Hans Christian Andersen tale), opened in January 2008 and has played over 700 performances. Although The Little Mermaid was one of Disney's most acclaimed and beloved animated movies, the stage musical version did not fare as well. Having run less than two years, The Little Mermaid is one of Disney on Broadway's least successful ventures so far, begging the question of whether or not the company is beginning to reach a saturation point. Nonetheless, Mary Poppins and especially The Lion King both continue to run strong on Broadway, so Disney fans still have more than one film-turned-stage-musical to choose from.

20at20 Off-Broadway Show Discounts Return

The popular Off-Broadway "20at20" program returns this September. From September 8th through the 20th, people can get tickets to numerous Off-Broadway musicals and plays for just $20. The catch is that these $20 tickets aren't sold until 20 minutes before showtime, and they are subject to availability (so if the show is already sold out for that night, you're out of luck). Off-Broadway shows seldom sell out, though, so it's worth a trip to the box office of whichever Off-Bway play or musical you're most interested in 20 minutes prior to curtain to see what is available. You should also keep an alternate show in mind so that you can run over to that box office if your first choice isn't available. The Off-Broadway shows participating in 20at20 this year include Altar Boyz, Awesome 80s Prom, Blind Lemon Blues, Fuerzabruta, In the Daylight, Magic and Zone, Puppetry of the Penis, Sessions, Stomp, The Columbine Project, The Fantasticks, The Gazillion Bubble Show, and The Toxic Avenger.

Passing Strange Now At IFC Center In NYC

New Yorkers should hurry down to the IFC Center in Greenwich Village as soon as they can and catch the new stage-to-film version of one of last season's best Broadway musicals, the auto-biographical Passing Strange, starring writer/musician/performer Stew and actor Daniel Breaker (Shrek) playing his younger self. Currently that is the only movie theater in the city that is screening Passing Strange: The Movie, and so far it is only on the schedule through Tuesday, August 25. For those who won't have an opportunity to see it on the big screen, they can catch the film on cable through the On Demand feature starting later this month. Already receiving great reviews from sources such as the New York Times and Time Out New York, Passing Strange: The Movie was filmed live by director Spike Lee at the Belasco Theater during the musical's last weekend on Broadway.

Tickets To Hugh Jackman Play On Sale Today

There were lines at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre early this morning, as people arrived to buy seats for what is sure to be the new Broadway season's hottest ticket, A Steady Rain. Playwright Keith Huff's two-person drama is starring major international film stars Hugh Jackman (Wolverine, X-Men) and Daniel Craig (the James Bond series) as a pair of Chicago cops. The play will have only a limited engagement, from September 10 to December 6, as the actors have film commitments after that. Because the show's Broadway run is so short, the tickets are expected to go very fast, so anyone interested in seeing Jackman and Craig together on the Broadway stage should hurry to get them fast.

Mary Stuart Closes on Broadway

The limited engagement of the play Mary Stuart, which began at the Donmar Warehouse in London, concluded its run on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre today. The acclaimed production starred British thespians Janet McTeer and Harriet Walker (both nominated for Tony Awards for their turns as Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I, respectively), alongside a cast of actors who frequently appear on Broadway, including John Benjamin Hickey, Robert Stanton, Chandler Williams, and Brian Murray. This production of the historical-political drama, written by German dramatist Friedrich Schiller over 200 years ago, featured an adaptation by Peter Oswald and direction by Mamma Mia helmer Phyllida Lloyd.

Broadway's Spider-Man Musical Stops Production

Rumors about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have been flying around New York City faster than the web-slinging hero himself. As production costs of the Julie Taymor-directed musical, featuring a score by U2's Bono and The Edge, have skyrocketed, word on the street has been that the show may never open. The latest development is that production has halted, albeit temporarily, according to the musical's producers, due to cash flow troubles. They insist that Spiderman will still begin performances at the Hilton Theatre on Broadway in late February 2010 as planned.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar To Star in The Understudy

It has been announced that Mark-Paul Gosselaar will headline the new Theresa Rebeck play The Understudy, which begins performances at the Laura Pels Theatre this October. The former Saved By the Bell star, now appearing in TNT's dramatic series Raising the Bar, will play Jake in The Understudy, while Weeds star Justin Kirk plays the title role. As previously announced, the hilarious Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed) will also be in the cast. The Understudy, which premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2008, is the first entry in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway season. Playwright Rebeck's other recent works include Mauritius, Our House, Bad Dates, and Omnium Gatherum.

Little House on the Prairie Musical To Tour

Melissa Gilbert, former child star of the television series about late 19th century frontier America, Little House on the Prairie, is graduating from her role of little Laura to Ma in the new musical version of the beloved book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Little House on the Prairie musical had its first major production at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis with Gilbert in the cast, and she is continuing on in the part for the show's next production at the Paper Mill Playhouse this September. The Paper Mill production will be the kick-off in a national tour that will then take Little House on the Prairie to 30 cities across the nation.

God Of Carnage Takes a Summer Break

The Tony Award-winning hit Broadway play God of Carnage started a summer hiatus following its July 26 performance. Though it is unusual for a Broadway show to take an extended break, God of Carnage was only originally scheduled for a limited run to end in July. But due to the massive success of the dark comedy, the producers worked out an extension. However, a break is required first (most likely to accommodate the schedules of the show's in-demand cast). God of Carnage will resume performances at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on September 8 for a run that will go through November 15. The play by French writer Yasmina Reza is about two couples (played by Hope Davis, Jeff Daniels, Marcia Gay Harden, and James Gandolfini) who meet following a playground altercation between their children.

The Notebook Will Become A Musical

Romantics take note - Nicholas Sparks' novel The Notebook is now being turned into a musical theater piece. The 1940s North Carolina-set love story about Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson gained a much bigger following when it became a major Hollywood film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and presumably it will reach yet another slice of the population when it takes the stage. The adaptation is being done by Bethany Joy Galeotti and Ron Aniello, who are currently putting together a preliminary workshop of the musical in Wilmington, NC. According to their website, the "musical styles for The Notebook range from American wartime standards and traditional musical theatre pieces to bluegrass and gospel."

A Steady Rain To Become a Hollywood Film

A Steady Rain, the play that will be produced on Broadway this Fall, is going to soon become a movie too. The two-person play is already getting an incredible amount of attention due to the fact that the Broadway production will star major Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Wolverine, Australia, Broadway's The Boy From Oz) and Daniel Craig (James Bond in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace). Playwright Keith Huff, who is currently working on writing the screenplay adaptation of his own play, sold the film rights for A Steady Rain to the same producers who are behind the upcoming Broadway production. Whether or not Jackman and Craig will also star in the motion picture version has not been determined yet, but it just so happens that one of those producers is Barbara Broccoli, who is a longtime producer of the James Bond 007 movies.

Blithe Spirit Floats Away From Broadway

The Broadway revival of Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit ends its run at the Shubert Theatre today. The production, which recouped its investment during its nearly five months on Broadway, was the first Broadway revival of the classic comedy since 1987. In it, Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding, An Ideal Husband) starred as a writer who, following his participation in a seance, finds himself haunted by the ghost of his first wife (Christine Ebersole) - which makes his current wife (Jayne Atkinson) none-too-happy. The role of the medium who conducts the seance was played to loopy perfection by the legendary actress Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote, Beauty and the Beast, Gaslight), who won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her efforts.

Broadway's Waiting For Godot Ends Run

The Roundabout Theatre Company production of Waiting For Godot concludes its limited run at the Studio 54 Theatre today. This production of the existentialist classic by playwright Samuel Beckett had Broadway star Nathan Lane (The Odd Couple, Butley, November, The Producers, the film The Birdcage) and Bill Irwin (set to be in the upcoming Broadway revival of Bye Bye Birdie) in the lead roles of Estragon and Vladimir, two frustrated and tired men who are waiting for something or someone that never comes. Waiting For Godot also starred John Glover (The Drowsy Chaperone) and John Goodman (best known from the TV comedy Roseanne, and last seen on Broadway in the '80s in Big River), the former receiving a Tony nomination for his role this year.

Passing Strange Coming To Movie Theaters

Spike Lee's documentary of the short-lived Broadway musical Passing Strange is set to hit movie theaters on August 21. The film was in the Sundance Film Festival, and it was also seen earlier this year in New York City at the Tribeca Film Festival. If you can't make it to see Passing Strange on the big screen - or if it's not playing in a theater near you come August - you can catch it on television in 2010 when it airs on PBS as a part of the "Great Performances" series. Passing Strange, which played the Public Theater before transferring to Broadway in 2008, is a rock musical written by Heidi Rodewald and Stew. The show is Stew's semi-autobiographical tale of a young black man's journey from a middle class life in Los Angeles to coming-of-age adventure in Europe. The Broadway production, which is captured in Spike Lee's documentary through footage filmed live on July 19, 2008, featured actors Daniel Breaker (currently in Broadway's Shrek), de'Adre Aziza, Eisa Davis, Colman Domingo, Chad Goodridge, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and an on-stage band fronted by Stew himself.

Anthony Mackie To Head Cast of The Bacchae

The Public Theater has completed casting for its second and final Shakespeare in the Park production this summer, Euripides' The Bacchae. Anthony Mackie will play Pentheus in the classic Greek tragedy, which will play August 11-30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Mackie has been seen on Broadway in productions such as Drowning Crow and the revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and is currently on screen in the acclaimed independent film The Hurt Locker. Other actors previously announced to star in the production include Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, The Singing Forest) as Dionysus, Andre de Shields (The Full Monty, Impressionism) as Teiresias, and George Bartenieff as Cadmus. JoAnne Akalaitis directs this 90-minute version (adapted by Nicholas Ruddall) of The Bacchae, which features an original score by Philip Glass.

End of the Road for The Wiz

The City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz, starring R&B artist Ashanti, ends its limited run at City Center today. Directed by Thomas Kail and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler (both of In the Heights), the production also starred LaChanze and Orlando Jones. The Wiz is a soulful, modern retelling of The Wizard of Oz, which originally played Broadway in 1974 and won several Tonys. The book is by William F. Brown (based on the L. Frank Baum story), and music and lyrics are by Charlie Smalls.

Actor Karl Malden Dead at 97

The lights on Broadway dimmed tonight in honor of the late and beloved actor Karl Malden, who died at the age of 97 on July 1st. Although his work has been sporadic over the last couple decades, Malden was a fixture on television sets in the '70s on the TV show "The Streets of San Francisco". Malden is best known to theater fans for two roles in particular, as Mitch in the original Broadway production of the Tennessee Williams classic A Streetcar Desire (which he repeated on film), and as Herbie in the movie version of the musical Gypsy. He performed on Broadway in a number of plays by 20th century greats from the '30s through the '50s, including Golden Boy, All My Sons, Tea and Sympathy, and a 1952 revival of Desire Under the Elms. Karl Malden's notable film credits include On the Waterfront, Birdman of Alcatraz, and Patton. He won an Oscar for his role in Streetcar, amongst many other well-deserved award nominations and honors.

Ragtime Returns To Broadway

The musical Ragtime, a favorite among many lovers of the modern musical, is coming back to Broadway in October, when it will arrive at the Neil Simon Theatre. The lavish show, based on the E.L. Doctorow novel of the same name, opened on Broadway in 1998 at the then brand new Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now called the Hilton Theatre), and ran for about three years before closing. To the consternation of its many fans, Ragtime lost the Tony Award for Best Musical to The Lion King, despite the fact that it had won both Best Book (for Terrence McNally) and Best Score (for Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty). The Broadway revival production originated at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and is both directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. Ragtime follows three families as their lives become entwined during the tumultuous social change of the early 1900s. It includes a mix of fictional characters such as the ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Eastern European immigrant Tateh, and historical figures like Emma Goldman and Booker T. Washington.

Nutty Professor To Become Broadway Musical

Rupert Holmes (Curtains, Say Goodnight Gracie, The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and songwriter Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line, Sweet Smell of Success, They're Playing Our Song) are working on a new Broadway musical based on the classic Jerry Lewis film comedy The Nutty Professor. Lewis himself will direct the production of this Nutty musical, which is aiming to hit Broadway in the 2010-2011 season. Jerry Lewis is no stranger to the stage, having starred in the touring production of the musical Damn Yankees in the '90s. The 1963 movie The Nutty Professor, which Lewis starred in and co-wrote with Bill Richmond, is about Julius Kelp, a geeky genius who creates a potion that transforms him into smooth operator Buddy Love.

Cher and Christina Aguilera To Star in Musical

Variety has just announced that a new original film musical called Burlesque is in the works, and it will be starring music superstars Cher and Christina Aguilera. Directed and co-written by Steven Antin, Burlesque is about Tess, a former dancer and neo-burlesque club owner (to be played by Cher) and an aspiring young singer (Christina Aguilera). A music legend who has been dazzling Las Vegas audiences with her new solo show, Cher already has plenty of acting experience under her belt, having won an Oscar for her work in the movie Moonstruck. For Aguilera, though, Burlesque will mark her debut as a movie actress.

Broadway Bares It All For Charity

Broadway Bares 19.0: CLICK IT!, the latest installment of the annual charity event, brings Broadway performers together for a bawdy burlesque at the Roseland Ballroom in two performances at 9:30pm and midnight tonight. The theme of this year's event, which will feature more than 200 scantily clad Broadway dancers, is the information superhighway. And if anyone can actually succeed in making the internet sexy, it's director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell, the creator of Broadway Bares. Broadway stars who will also be participating include Daniel Reichard (Jersey Boys), Gavin Creel (Hair), Allison Janney (9 To 5), Sutton Foster (Shrek), and Ugly Betty star Michael Urie. The proceeds from the event will, as always, go to the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) charity. Get more info at www.broadwaycares.org.

Special Theatrical Event Tony Eliminated

On the heels of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards ceremony, it has been announced that the Tonys will stop giving out the Best Special Theatrical Event award. This award was created to honor unusual, non-traditional, and limited run Broadway shows that didn't fit so neatly into the Best Play or Best Musical categories. Nominees in that category this year included Will Ferrell's limited engagement (almost) one-man show You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush, the magical wintry clown show Slava's Snowshow, and winner Liza's at the Palace starring Liza Minnelli. The advantage of eliminating the category is that these Broadway shows are now eligible for other production element awards such as set design and costumes, which they previously weren't eligible for. To ensure that these special theatrical events can still be recognized, the Tonys will consider them for the Best Play or Best Musical categories. The Tony committee will also reserve the right to honor these types of shows with a Special Tony Award if deemed worthy.

Broadway Flop Glory Days To Get Recording

The Broadway musical Glory Days, which had an extraordinarily brief run, being one of those rare Broadway shows to both open and close on the same night, will be getting a cast recording to preserve its score. The short-lived show about four high school friends reuniting after some time away at college was written by James Gardiner (book) and Nick Blaemire (music and lyrics). They debuted the pop musical at the Signature Theatre in 2008, and then it was quickly transferred to the Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway, but unfortunately largely negative reviews caused the show's producers to make the quick decision to shutter it. However, the show's original four-man cast - Steven Booth, Andrew Call, Jesse JP Johnson, and Adam Halpin - will reunite to record the cast CD for Ghostlight Records. With this new recording, and plans to license Glory Days for future productions, the musical should expect to continue having a life, despite its failure to find an audience on Broadway.

Four Broadway Shows Close Today

Four Broadway shows will be taking their last bows today. Two of the closures - Exit the King and Joe Turner's Come and Gone - were limited runs and therefore expected. However, two other closings - Reasons To Be Pretty and Guys and Dolls - were only announced days ago and likely due to their failure to earn any Tony Awards this past Sunday. Post-Tony closing announcements are something of a tradition on Broadway. Many struggling shows make the effort to continue running until Tony time, in the hopes that if they snag a win, it will result in an upswing in ticket sales. Unfortunately Reasons To Be Pretty, which has had a hard time selling tickets despite good buzz and positive reviews, lost the Best Play award to God of Carnage, and it didn't get any actor wins either. Although Guys and Dolls did fail to win Best Musical Revival, its closing announcement was far more surprising, considering it has done respectable (if not impressive) box office sales during its run.

Tony Awards Time

Attention theater fans: Tonight is your night! It's Tony Awards night, which is practically a national holiday for those who love Broadway. The 63rd Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS at 8pm Eastern time in a three-hour broadcast coming live from Radio City Music Hall in midtown New York City. Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) hosts the ceremony, which will feature musical numbers from the nominated shows, in addition to the awards. The impressive list of presenters will include Will Ferrell, Nicole Kidman, Jane Fonda, Kristin Chenoweth, Anne Hathaway, Angela Lansbury, Kevin Spacey, Susan Sarandon, James Gandolfini, and many more. For Broadway lovers who would like to enjoy the telecast in the company of fellow theater fans, there is going to be a simulcast of the ceremony in Duffy Square (home of the TKTS booth), right in the heart of Times Square. Hosted by Tovah Feldshuh (currently starring in the Broadway play Irena's Vow), this special broadcast of the Tonys will also include the untelevised pre-show Creative Arts Awards from 7pm to 8pm.

Broadway Cast Recordings Released

Fans of the new musical Next To Normal, with a score by Tom Kitt (High Fidelity) and Brian Yorkey will be pleased to know that the original Broadway cast recording is now available for purchase. With 30 songs, the recording is a 2-disc set and features vocals by Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spencer. The Broadway cast album for the new revival of West Side Story, starring newcomer Josefina Scaglione and Karen Olivo (In the Heights), is on the verge of release, set to come out on June 2. (The extremely short-lived new musical The Story of My Life, starring Will Chase and Malcolm Gets, will also have its cast CD released on that day.) Fans of that classic Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim score, featuring songs like "Maria" and "Tonight," will want to get the new recording, especially since it has something prior incarnations don't - Spanish language versions of "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That". Another Broadway revival, the new production of Hair, also has a recording soon to be released. The Hair CD, boasting the talents of Will Swenson and Gavin Creel, will be out on June 23.

Starry Line-Up To Host Tony Awards

The presenters for the 63rd Annual Tony Awards ceremony have been announced, and it's quite a starry line-up, full of theater celebrities (many who are currently appearing in Broadway shows) and well-known personalities from film and TV too. The stars currently scheduled to present awards and introduce the evening's performances on the telecast are: Will Ferrell, Nicole Kidman, Jane Fonda, Kristin Chenoweth, Anne Hathaway (upcoming Twelfth Night in Central Park), Angela Lansbury (Blithe Spirit), Kevin Spacey, Lauren Graham and Oliver Platt (Guys and Dolls), Jessica Lange, Audra McDonald, Susan Sarandon (Exit the King), Carrie Fisher (upcoming Wishful Drinking), Piper Perabo (Reasons To Be Pretty), Lucie Arnaz, Kate Burton, Edie Falco, Hallie Foote, Colin Hanks, Frank Langella, David Hyde Pierce (Accent on Youth), John Stamos, Chandra Wilson, James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis (God of Carnage). Neil Patrick Harris will host the ceremony, which will air on June 7, broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The Philanthropist Begins On Broadway

The new Roundabout Theatre Company production of the 1970 play The Philanthropist, directed by David Grindley, starts performances at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway today, April 10. The production stars Matthew Broderick, who has appeared on Broadway in such shows as How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Producers, and The Odd Couple. In The Philanthropist, which playwright Christopher Hampton (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) wrote as a response to Moliere's classic The Misanthrope, Broderick plays a university professor oblivious to the chaos around him. Also starring in this production: Steven Weber, Jonathan Cake, Anna Madeley, Samantha Soule, Jennifer Mudge, and Tate Ellington. The Philanthropist will have its official Broadway opening at the American Airlines on April 26, and the play is scheduled to have a limited run through June 28. Discount tickets are available for the production, so if you want to see The Philanthropist for cheap, click here.

Rock of Ages Opens on Broadway

Rock of Ages, the new musical starring former American Idol contestant Constantine Maroulis, opens on Broadway. The rock musical featuring classic tunes by 1980s hair bands like Bon Jovi, Journey, Asia, and Whitesnake began Off-Broadway, but recently transferred to Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it is set for an open run. The tuner is about an aspiring musician who arrives on L.A.'s Sunset Strip with dreams of making it big as a rocker.

Dolly Parton Talks About Broadway's 9 To 5 Musical On 60 Minutes

Songwriter Dolly Parton will be talking about her career, her life, and her brand new Broadway musical 9 To 5 on the CBS series 60 Minutes tonight when she is interviewed by Morley Safer. The new Broadway musical 9 To 5 is based on the 1980 film of the same name starring Jane Fonda (now on Broadway in 33 Variations), Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton herself. The musical version stars Allison Janney, Megan Hilty, and Stephanie J. Block, and will open at the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30.

Green Day's American Idiot To Become Musical

The band Green Day are developing their 2004 album "American Idiot" into a stage musical. The show, which will include all of that CD's songs as well as some from their newest release "21st Century Breakdown," is scheduled to premiere at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre on September 4. Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) serves as director and co-writer (along with Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong) of the musical, titled American Idiot. The show will feature an onstage band and a cast of 19 performers.

Hedda Closes on Broadway and Irena Opens

Irena's Vow, the new play starring Tovah Feldshuh, has its official Broadway opening today at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Meanwhile over at the American Airlines Theatre, Mary-Louise Parker is giving her final performance in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Hedda Gabler.

Plan Closes on Broadway, Carnage Opens

The revival of Richard Greenberg's play The American Plan ends its run on Broadway today. The limited-run production was produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club and played 69 regular performances at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Meanwhile over at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Yasmina Reza's dark comedy God of Carnage has its official Broadway opening. Set for an open run, God of Carnage stars stage veterans (all who have appeared on Broadway before) Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels, and Sopranos star James Gandolfini.

Broadway Lights Dimmed for Richardson, Silver

It was a sad week in the Broadway community. Two nights in a row, the marquee lights of the Broadway theaters were dimmed, first for Ron Silver, and the following night for Natasha Richardson. Ron Silver, who won a Tony Award for his role in the original Broadway production of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow, passed away after losing his battle with cancer at the age of 62.

Natasha Richardson, Tony winner for the Broadway revival of Cabaret, was the victim of a freak skiing accident. Although she seemed fine after taking a small tumble, she had unknowingly sustained a brain injury that worsened at a rapid speed, soon leaving her brain dead. Wife of Liam Neeson (who she met while performing in the Broadway revival of Anna Christie) and daughter of Vanessa Redgrave (recently on Broadway in The Year of Magical Thinking), Richardson was part of a theatrical royal family that also included her father Tony Richardson and aunt Lynn Redgrave.

Blithe Spirit Opens and Ferrell Exits Broadway

The new Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit opens on Broadway today at the Shubert Theatre. The supernatural comedy stars Rupert Everett (in his Broadway debut) as a novelist and Angela Lansbury (last seen on Broadway in Deuce) as the clairvoyant who accidentally conjures up his dead first wife.

Over at the Cort Theatre, Will Ferrell is concluding his Broadway run of You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush. The Broadway comedy was broadcast last night on HBO.

Irena's Vow Begins Broadway Performances

Irena's Vow arrives on Broadway tonight, beginning preview performances at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The play by Dan Gordon is the inspiring story of a woman who, while serving as the housekeeper of a Nazi official during World War II, secretly helped to save the lives of many Jewish refugees. Irena's Vow stars Tovah Feldshuh, who was last seen on Broadway in Golda's Balcony.

33 Variations Opens On Broadway

33 Variations, the new play by Moises Kaufman (whose Off-Broadway credits include The Laramie Project and Gross Indecency), opens on Broadway today at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. The drama stars Jane Fonda, who has not been seen on Broadway since the 1960s.

Guys Opens and Joey Closes On Broadway

The Roundabout Theatre Company's Pal Joey concludes its limited run on Broadway today. Starring Stockard Channing, Martha Plimpton, and newcomer Matthew Risch in the title role (replacing Jersey Boy Christian Hoff during previews), Pal Joey received mixed reviews.

Meanwhile Guys and Dolls has its official opening on Broadway today at the Nederlander Theatre. The latest Broadway revival of the classic tuner stars Oliver Platt, Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), and Craig Bierko.

Broadway Classic Yankees To Be On Big Screen

The classic 1950s Broadway musical Damn Yankees is going to be filmed for the big screen again. The original movie version of Damn Yankees starred Tab Hunter as all American good guy Joe Boyd and Ray Walston as the devilish Mr. Applegate who gives Joe his wish of being a baseball star. The new Damn Yankees musical film, to be produced by the guys who gave us the Hollywood Chicago and Hairspray, will star Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey in those roles. Damn Yankees was last seen on Broadway in a revival in 1994 starring Victor Garber and Bebe Neuwirth, as the devil's favorite minion.

Speed-the-Plow and Story Close on Broadway

Speed-the-Plow, which has had no fewer than four actors play the lead during its limited run, now closes on Broadway today. The David Mamet play, which opened with Jeremy Piven (Entourage) in the role of Bobby Gould, has its final bow with William H. Macy, alongside Raul Esparza and Elisabeth Moss, who fortunately were spared the mercury attack that supposedly sidelined Piven.

There is also a second, unexpected Broadway closing today. The Story of My Life, a two-man musical starring Will Chase and Malcolm Gets, made a sudden closing announcement yesterday. Lackluster reviews and a lack of ticket sales appear to have doomed the two-hander, an original musical that some felt was far too "small" for Broadway. The Story of My Life will have only played five regular performances on Broadway when it shutters.

Next To Normal To Play Broadway

It's been a long road to Broadway for the musical Next To Normal, a family drama written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, but it will finally arrive on the Great White Way this spring. Previously titled Feeling Electric, Next To Normal had workshops in NYC and was given a staged reading at the New York Musical Theatre Festival prior to opening Off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre in 2008. The Second Stage production was well-received and led to rumors that the musical would transfer to Broadway, but, curiously, the show took another route. Following rewrites by the creative team, Next To Normal went on to another run, with almost the entire Off-Broadway cast intact, at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage. Now Next To Normal, with the same cast and director as the Arena production, will at last come to Broadway's Longacre Theatre, with an official Broadway opening scheduled for April 15.

Grease On Broadway Star Goes To South Pacific

It has just been announced that Laura Osnes, the star of the recent Broadway revival of Grease, will take over the lead in Broadway's South Pacific when Kelli O'Hara departs the production in March. Replacing a Broadway veteran and multiple Tony nominee like O'Hara in a prestigious Broadway hit like South Pacific is a major sign of legitimacy for Osnes, who snagged her Broadway debut role as Sandy in Grease by winning a reality TV show, NBC's Grease - You're the One That I Want.

Equus Has Final Broadway Performance Today

The magic is gone now that Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths have taken their final bows in the Broadway run of Equus. This production of Peter Shaffer's intense psychological play, which enjoyed a successful run in London previously, marked Radcliffe's Broadway debut and earned the young actor much acclaim.

Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway Now On TV

As it completed its lengthy run on Broadway, the musical Rent was filmed live and later aired at movie theaters across the country. The recording, titled Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway, is now available for purchase on DVD and, as of today, it can also be viewed on television via pay-per-view. Check your local listings.

Soul of Shaolin Closes On Broadway

The limited Broadway engagement of Soul of Shaolin closes at the Marquis Theatre today. The Chinese martial arts spectacular was part of the "China on Broadway" series that has been created to bring Chinese theatricals to Broadway every year.

Broadway's Phantom of the Opera Turns 21

Today The Phantom of the Opera celebrates 21 years of haunting the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. The longest running musical on Broadway, Phantom has enchanted New York theater audiences for a total of 8,732 performances. To get discount tickets to see the record-busting Phantom on Broadway, click here.

Hedda Gabler Opens On Broadway

The Roundabout Theatre Company's Hedda Gabler, starring Mary-Louise Parker, officially opens on Broadway today at the American Airlines Theatre. Parker is best known as the star of the HBO series Weeds, but she has also frequently appeared on Broadway, most notably as the lead in the play Proof, a role which earned her a Tony Award.

Will Ferrell's Broadway Show Goes To HBO

Will Ferrell's Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush, just had its first Broadway performance last night at the Cort Theatre and will run until March 15. But those Will Ferrell fans who can't make it to New York City to catch him as Bush on Broadway will be able to see You're Welcome America from the comfort of their homes when HBO broadcasts the Broadway show as a live special in March.

Soul of Shaolin Opens On Broadway

The Chinese martial arts spectacular Soul of Shaolin had its official Broadway opening tonight. The very limited run production plays at the Marquis Theatre through the end of January. It is to be the first in the "China on Broadway" series, which will bring a Chinese theatrical piece to Broadway annually, right around the Lunar New Year.

Three More Broadway Shows Close Tomorrow

On January 4, nine Broadway shows closed, but unfortunately that's not the end of the carnage. On Sunday, January 11, All My Sons, Gypsy, and Monty Python's Spamalot also finish their Broadway runs.

Hedda Gabler Begins Broadway Performances

The new Broadway revival of Henrik Ibsen's classic Hedda Gabler starts performances today at the American Airlines Theatre. This Roundabout Theatre Company production stars Mary-Louise Parker (whose Broadway credits include a Tony-winning turn in Proof) in the title role. Her co-stars include Broadway and Off-Broadway regular Michael Cerveris (Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Titanic) and TV/film character actor Peter Stormare, who is making his Broadway debut. Hedda Gabler officially opens on Broadway on January 25 and is scheduled to play through March 29.

The Big Bad Day - Multiple Broadway Closings

Today is a tough day for Broadway, with numerous shows closing. Long-runner Hairspray, last season hits Young Frankenstein and Boeing Boeing, limited run White Christmas, and newbie 13 are among the Broadway musicals and plays shutting their doors. And over the next month, a few more shows will be shutting down, leaving many Broadway theaters barren. The good news is that the spring will usher in several new Broadway productions, including Guys and Dolls, Hair, and Waiting For Godot.

American Plan Starts On Broadway Tonight

Richard Greenberg's play The American Plan, starring Mercedes Ruehl, begins performances on Broadway today. The Manhattan Theatre Club production is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly the Biltmore Theatre) and will have its official Broadway opening on January 22.

Broadway At The Cineplex

Two recent hit Broadway plays are now playing at a movie theater near you. John Patrick Shanley's drama Doubt has been made into a film, directed by the playwright and starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The docu-drama Frost/Nixon is now a film as well, and this one has retained the two men who starred in the Broadway production, Frank Langella and Michael Sheen, as Richard Nixon and David Frost, respectively. So if you missed these top-notch plays while they graced Broadway, catch them in the movie theater now!

Piven Out, Butz and Macy In

Jeremy Piven has departed from the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow, reportedly due to high mercury levels in his system. The acclaimed Broadway revival still has 10 weeks until its run ends, and Piven fans holding tickets to the play may be upset about his sudden leave-taking. However, the powers-that-be at Speed-the-Plow have managed to find two exciting replacements. The always excellent Norbert Leo Butz, whose Broadway credits include Wicked and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, will take over the role of Bobby Gould through January 11. Then film, TV, and sometime stage star William H. Macy will play the part until the show's run concludes. Broadway lovers who have already seen Speed-the-Plow now have two good reasons to return. If you want discount tickets to see it on Broadway, get them while you still can by clicking here.

Slava's Snowshow Opens On Broadway

Slava's Snowshow officially opened on Broadway today for a limited holiday run. The Olivier Award-winning show, which also played a lengthy engagement Off-Broadway, will end its brief Broadway run at the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 4.

Broadway's Grease To Rock Out Of The Atkinson

The current Broadway revival of the musical Grease, now starring reality TV show finalists Derek Keeling and Ashley Spencer, will close in the New Year. The '50s rock 'n' roll musical will have its final performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on January 4.

Slava's Snowshow Blows Onto Broadway

Slava's Snowshow opens on Broadway tonight. The magical show featuring Russian clown Slava Polunin previously played Off-Broadway for over two years, and it is now enjoying a limited holiday engagement at Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre through January 4.

Doc About Broadway's Billys Airs Tonight

"Finding Billy," a new documentary about the casting of the three performers currently playing the title role in Billy Elliot on Broadway, airs on New York's PBS station tonight. The program offers a behind-the-scenes look at the nationwide search for three young men with the acting, singing, and dancing talent necessary to carry the lead in Broadway's hottest new musical.

Broadway Playwright William Gibson Dies

William Gibson, the writer best known for The Miracle Worker, has passed away at the age of 94. Gibson also penned the Broadway plays Two for the Seesaw and the recent hit Golda's Balcony.

Young Frankenstein and 13 To Close January

Yet another of the big musicals has posted its Broadway closing notice: Young Frankenstein will shutter on January 4, 2009. Like the soon-to-be-closing Hairspray and Spamalot, Young Frankenstein is one of those shows popular with tourists looking for a big, splashy Broadway musical. But unlike Wicked and Jersey Boys, these shows have long had middling ticket sales, meaning that the current economic woes are just too much for them to survive on Broadway. The much newer musical, 13, is also ending its run on January 4. With the cold, quiet winter months ahead, many Broadway producers have decided to pack it in right after the popular Christmas holiday, knowing that ticket sales will dip considerably in the New Year.

White Christmas Opens On Broadway

Today the stage version of Irving Berlin's White Christmas opens on Broadway. The classic film gets the big Broadway treatment just in time for the holidays. Starring Kerry O'Malley and Stephen Bogardus, the cheery musical is scheduled to play through January 4.

Broadway's Spamalot Moves Up Closing Date

Following a previous announcement that it would close on Broadway on January 18, Spamalot has moved up its closing date. The Monty Python musical is now scheduled to have its final Broadway performance on January 11, so get those discount tickets now, while you still can!

American Buffalo Opens On Broadway

The latest Broadway revival of American Buffalo, David Mamet's play about small-time crooks, opens at the Belasco Theatre today. The dark comedy stars Cedric the Entertainer, John Leguizamo, and Oscar-nominee Haley Joel Osment, making his Broadway debut.

To Be Or Not To Be Closes On Broadway

Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Nick Whitby's dark comedy To Be Or Not To Be closed on Broadway today. Based on the film of the same name, the World War II-era play suffered from bad word-of-mouth and negative reviews. MTC's next production scheduled to play the Samuel J. Friedman is Richard Greenberg's play The American Plan.

Tale of Two Cities Closes On Broadway

Broadway's A Tale of Two Cities, which previously announced a closing date of November 16, has bumped up the date and is now shuttering today. Based on the Charles Dickens novel, the French Revolutionary-set musical was a crowd-pleaser but struggled to get audiences into the theater.

Shrek Starts Broadway Performances

The new stage musical version of Shrek starts performances on Broadway today. Brian d'Arcy James, who has been on Broadway in many shows including Titanic and Sweet Smell of Success, stars as Shrek himself, and Sutton Foster (most recently seen on Broadway in Young Frankenstein) plays Princess Fiona. The big green musical will have its official opening at the Broadway Theatre on December 14.

More Broadway Closings

Spamalot won't be the only Broadway musical to close on January 18. It has just been announced that Spring Awakening will also take its final Broadway bow that day. Hairspray, too, will shut its doors at the beginning of the year, closing on January 4. Seeing such significant Broadway shows - all Tony-winning musicals, all having enjoyed a lot of box office success - go down all at once is dispiriting. It's not a very good sign for the health of Broadway. That said, the truth is that all of these shows have had less than impressive ticket sales for awhile now, so it isn't a huge surprise. To get discount tickets to these shows while they're still on Broadway, click here.

Legally Blonde Closes On Broadway Today

The Broadway production of Legally Blonde closes at the Palace Theatre on Broadway today. The 'girl power' musical, based on the Reese Witherspoon movie of the same name, will have played 595 regular Broadway performances when it ends its run this afternoon. Legally Blonde is survived by a national tour that is still scheduled to play through autumn 2009.

Spamalot To Close On Broadway In 2009

Monty Python's Spamalot has announced that it will be closing on Broadway on January 18, 2009. The Tony-winner was a sensation when it opened at the Shubert Theatre in early 2005, but ticket sales have steadily declined since the show's second year on Broadway. The Broadway musical will have played over 1,500 Broadway performances when it closes in January.

Broadway's 39 Steps Moving To Helen Hayes

The 39 Steps is moving house again. The Broadway comedy loosely based on Hitchcock's film of the same name will depart from the Cort Theatre on January 11, 2009 and re-open at the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 20. Will Ferrell's solo show will be taking its place at the Cort.

Will Ferrell Coming To Broadway In 2009

Actor/comedian Will Ferrell, who first gained fame as a Saturday Night Live regular, will make his Broadway debut on January 20, 2009 in the solo show You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W. Bush. The show will be directed by Adam McKay, Ferrell's frequent collaborator, who directed the funny man in movies Anchorman and Talladega Nights. You're Welcome America is expected to play a limited engagement through March 15.

To Be Or Not To Be Opens On Broadway

To Be Or Not To Be, the latest production of the Manhattan Theatre Club, officially opens on Broadway tonight. It is MTC's first Broadway show since re-naming their Broadway home the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly known as the Biltmore). To Be Or Not To Be, written by Nick Whitby and based on the film of the same name, has been through quite a bit of turmoil in the lead-up to its Broadway opening. Two of the play's lead actors, Craig Bierko and Brian Murray, dropped out during the rehearsal process, and word on the street is that the self-proclaimed dark comedy wasn't funny enough. It will be interesting to see the critics weigh in after tonight's opening.

[title of show] Closes October 12

Last chance alert! The new Broadway musical [title of show] has its final performance at the Lyceum Theatre on Sunday, October 12. The witty little show about two guys trying to write a Broadway musical didn't have a long life on Broadway, but it did have a passionate fan base and will hopefully continue to have a life beyond Broadway.

Broadway Bailey Goes To High School

Bailey Hanks, the talented young lady who made her Broadway debut in Legally Blonde thanks to the MTV reality show "The Search For Elle Woods," had the misfortune to learn that her Broadway run would end not long after it began, due to Blonde's impending closure on October 19. However, Bailey will bounce back quickly - not to Broadway this time, but to New Jersey. She will be playing Sharpay in the upcoming Paper Mill Playhouse production of that teenybopper sensation, High School Musical, opening in early November.

13 Opens On Broadway Today

The new musical 13, about teenagers and starring teenagers, opened this afternoon on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The bright, fun musical is about Evan, a New York City boy who tries to win over the popular kids when he's forced to move with his mom to Indiana. 13's book is by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (whose Broadway credits include Parade and Urban Cowboy).

Slava's Snowshow Coming To Broadway

Slava's Snowshow, the wintry clown show that played Off-Broadway's Union Square Theatre for a lengthy run, is coming to Broadway for the holiday season. Slava's Snowshow will play Broadway's smallest theater, the Helen Hayes, from mid-November to early January. For what is essentially an Off-Broadway show to do a limited Broadway engagement like this is somewhat unusual, but lately limited holiday-themed shows have done well on Broadway. How the Grinch Stole Christmas played short Broadway engagements the last couple years, and this winter we have Irving Berlin's White Christmas on the Great White Way. With its crowd-pleasing blizzard finale, Slava's Snowshow will add to the festive atmosphere on Broadway.

Broadway To Vegas: Lion King Goes West

The massively successful original Broadway production of The Lion King continues to run after over 10 years, and other incarnations have popped up in cities across the United States. Now the Julie Taymor-directed Disney musical based on the animated film will have a sit-down production in Las Vegas. Although many Broadway transfers have crashed and burned in Vegas, The Lion King seems like a good candidate for a successful desert city production since it is big on theatrics and recognizable songs, but short on plot. The Lion King will open at the Mandalay Bay Theatre, where Mamma Mia! is concluding its lengthy run, on May 2, 2009.

Xanadu Ends Broadway Run Today

The Broadway musical Xanadu has its final performance on Broadway this afternoon. Based on the flop film musical starring Olivia Newton-John, Broadway's Xanadu featured Kerry Butler as a Greek muse and Cheyenne Jackson as the artist who she inspired. The Tony-nominated show, featuring a slew of memorable pop songs, played over 500 performances at the Helen Hayes Theatre before having its final performance on Broadway today. Xanadu is expected to have a production in London soon.

American Psycho To Become Broadway Show

Just when we thought we'd seen it all as far as Broadway musical adaptations go, here comes the announcement that the brutally satiric Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho (also a film starring Christian Bale) is aiming to hit the Broadway stage. Producers are working to make it happen, along with the blessing of the book's author, but a creative team has yet to be announced. So far the plan is for the Broadway version of American Psycho to include a mix of original music and hit songs from the '80s.

Equus Opens On Broadway Tonight

The Broadway revival of Equus opens tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre. The production, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths (both best known from the Harry Potter franchise), comes to Broadway following a successful run in London. This limited Broadway run of Equus, scheduled to play through February 8, marks Radcliffe's Broadway debut and Griffiths return to the Great White Way - he first appeared on Broadway in The History Boys (playing a role won him a Tony Award).

Legally Blonde To Close On Broadway 10/19

The bad economy appears to be taking a heavy toll on Broadway. In just a week's time we've had closing announcements from Xanadu and [title of show], and now comes the word that Legally Blonde will have its final Broadway performance on October 19. Although the musical (based on the popular film of the same name) has managed okay during its year and a half run, Legally Blonde has had to resort to some high profile stunts in order to maintain ticket sales, such as participating in the MTV reality TV series "The Search for Elle Woods". Legally Blonde will close at Broadway's Palace Theater on October 19 having played 595 performances.

Xanadu Moves Up Broadway Closing Date

It was only a few days ago that Xanadu announced it would be ending its Broadway run on October 12, but today came the news that the campy musical will be wrapping up even earlier. Xanadu is now scheduled to have its final Broadway performance on September 28. Get discount tickets to see the show while you still can!

Broadway Performers Nab Emmy Awards

The 60th Annual Emmy Awards that aired last night could have just as easily been a Tony Awards ceremony, considering all the Broadway regulars who accepted awards. Winners Jeremy Piven (Entourage) and Dianne Wiest (In Treatment) are both appearing on Broadway this season, in Speed-the-Plow and All My Sons, respectively. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, who won for playing John and Abigail Adams, both have extensive theater credits, though Linney is more frequently seen on Broadway than Giamatti these days. Zeljko Ivanek, Eileen Atkins, and Alec Baldwin, as well as Jean Smart and Glenn Close, all honored for their TV work this year with Emmys, have traversed the Broadway stage as well.

[title of show] Announces Closing October 12

On the heels of Xanadu's announcement of its impending closing comes the news that another small musical, [title of show], is calling it quits on the same day. [title of show] was the first show of this Broadway season, opening mid-summer, and it will close having played only 102 official performances on Broadway. Because of the "insider" nature of this 'musical about writing a Broadway musical', bringing [title of show] to Broadway was always a big financial risk, but stars and creators Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell are no doubt pleased to have been able to realize their dream of making it to Broadway, even if only for a few months.

Xanadu To Close On Broadway October 12

Broadway's Xanadu, the new musical based on the infamous film musical flop, will be closing on October 12. With a new book by Douglas Carter Beane, and featuring the disco-pop songs from the movie, Xanadu is a campy, colorful laughfest that caters more to the sensibilities of Broadway fanatics. For that reason, most people didn't think it would last long, but the show snagged great reviews when it opened last summer and managed a healthy run. When it closes, Xanadu will have played 49 previews and 528 regular Broadway performances.

Broadway's Chicago Starts Post-Show Talks

Lively post-show talkbacks with cast, crew, and creative team members are a staple at regional theaters and Off-Broadway theaters, but they're less common at Broadway shows. And they're pretty much unheard of for long-running Broadway musicals. But the Tony-winning Chicago is bucking the trend by introducing "Talkback Tuesdays," a Q&A session to be held once a month following a designated performance. The first talkback at the Ambassador Theatre will be with Chicago's director, Walter Bobbie, following the September 23 performance of the show.

Forbidden Broadway Closing In January

The long-running Off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway, which appeared in its first incarnation in 1982, will be closing in January 2009. It wouldn't be the first time that composer/lyricist Gerard Alessandrini's Forbidden Broadway, a musical revue that parodies Broadway musicals and plays, took a break, so it's possible that Forbidden Broadway will return to New York soon enough.

Hair Coming To Broadway In 2009

After loads of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that the Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair will indeed make the move to Broadway. The free Public Theater production has drawn big crowds to the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park all summer, necessitating several extensions. Producers are now hoping that the 1960s "tribal love-rock musical" will be able to draw crowds to Broadway in early 2009, when the show is expected to open. Details about theater, casting, and dates have yet to be announced.

All-Teen Dress Rehearsal For Broadway's 13

The new Broadway musical 13 is holding a free teens-only dress rehearsal for the show on Saturday, September 13 at 8pm at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Teenagers aged 13-18 are invited to sign up at www.13fans.com to get a free ticket (if your request is granted, you'll get a confirmation e-mail by September 10). First come first served, one ticket per teen, and IDs will be checked at the door of the theater. Parents and guardians aren't permitted to attend this all-teen performance of 13, but nearby Planet Hollywood will be offering discounts and priority seating for adults that would like to wait there while the kids enjoy the show (details will be offered at the theater on the night of the dress rehearsal).

New EP For Broadway's Spring Awakening

Tony-winning Broadway musical Spring Awakening, which has been lauded for its rock score by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, now has a second recording that fans can enjoy along with the original Broadway cast recording. "Spring Awakening: Live from SoHo" features six tracks that composer Sheik re-arranged for a seven-piece acoustic band. Sheik himself, along with a couple original cast members and a couple from the current Broadway cast, sing on the recording. "Spring Awakening: Live from SoHo" is now available as a digital EP on iTunes.

Broadway Previews of MTC Play Delayed

To Be Or Not To Be, Nick Whitby's new stage adaptation of the famous film, will start Broadway preview performances later than planned. Instead of beginning on September 11, the play will now start on September 13. The Manhattan Theatre Club production has experienced some difficulties with casting recently, replacing leading men Craig Bierko and Brian Murray with David Rasche and Peter Maloney, respectively. To Be Or Not To Be is scheduled to have its official Broadway opening at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (formerly the Biltmore Theatre) on October 2.

Be A Broadway Star At The Movies

Most fans of the musical Mamma Mia will never have a chance to sing its infectious ABBA songs on Broadway, but you can experience the next best thing at your local cineplex. The sing-a-long version of the new Mamma Mia film is now playing at selected movie theaters, where you can sing like a Broadway star from the comfort of your seat! Check your local movie theater listings for the Mamma Mia sing-a-long near you.

Haley Joel Osment To Make Broadway Debut

Once a gifted child actor, Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, A.I.) is now an adult and set to make his Broadway debut. The 20-year old actor will play Bobby in the upcoming Broadway revival of David Mamet's play American Buffalo, alongside the already-cast John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. The production will have its official Broadway opening at the Belasco Theatre on November 17.

Get Your Broadway Tickets In Flight

Soon In-Flight Box Office will be offering an unusual - and unnecessary? - service for New York-bound travelers. People who didn't buy their Broadway tickets in advance, and don't want to go looking for tickets on the ground, will be able to purchase Broadway tickets right there on the airplane from flight attendants equipped with special handheld devices for processing Broadway ticket orders. The "pilot" run for this service will likely be tested on American Airlines, and the only Broadway shows that will be offered are Chicago, Mamma Mia, Spamalot, and The Phantom of the Opera. Presumably a wider variety of Broadway tickets will be offered on more airlines if there is sufficient interest.